MAXWELL,MCGIFFERT,WARNOCK

[merrymax]

 hi ! I am very new to this ,so please excuse if I am not doing this correctly.
am researching my ggggrand parents JAMES MAXWELL AND ELIZABETH MCGIFFERT/ who lived at corrock/corrog near portaferry co down. I have birth and death dates and their children . I think I have elizabeth mcgifferts siblings ,mary ,anne,isabella,jane william samuel. I cannot find elizabeths parents who I think came from Loughdoo. I have searched the wills but there are multiple names that are the same eg robert elizabeth samuel . I can`t decide if her father is robert, henry or william . any ideas?  I have also sent for the  death cert for ELIZABETH Maxwell?MCgiffert and see what is on it     kindest regards    merry

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   Welcome to Rootschat. Can you give us some idea of dates?

Regards

[aghadowey]

Very difficult to help or even suggest where you can search without more information such as dates.
"I have also sent for the  death cert for ELIZABETH Maxwell?MCgiffert" if she died in Ireland the death certificate will not list birth date or place or parents' names.

The only Maxwells in Corrog in 1911 are siblings James (age 36) and Annie (age 33)-
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Portaferry/Corrog/241670
But, going by the 1901 census their father was called Thomas- he was 64 in 1901 so born well before the start of birth registration:
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Ards_Upper/Carrog/1232379

[aghadowey]

In 1911 and 1901 there are 3 McGiffert brothers- Samuel, Thomas and James:
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Ardkeen/Loughdoo/241082
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Ardkeen/Loughdoo/1231789

Also a Robert McGiffert in 1901-
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Ardkeen/Loughdoo/1231790

"The Will of Henry M'Giffert late of Loughdoo in the County of Down Doctor of Medicine deceased who died 20 November 1864 at same place was proved at Belfast by the oath of James M'Mechan of Thomastown (Portaferry) Farmer and Alexander Bell Filson of Portaferry Esquire Doctor of Medicine both in the said County the Executors." Will mentions niece Jane McGiffert, nephew Samuel's son Thomas McGiffert (Loughdoo), niece Isabella McGiffert (Portaferry), niece Anne Brown (Belfast), niece Eliza Maxwell (Corrock), daughters of late bother William McGiffert as well as bequest to William Maxwell and sister Margaret Anne warnock (Ballygraffon).

"Letters of Administration (with the Will annexed) of the personal estate of Elizabeth M'Giffert formerly of Loughdoo and late of Portaferry both in the County Down Widow deceased who died 14 February 1868 at Portaferry aforesaid were granted at Belfast to Isabella Wilson (Wife of Hugh Wilson of Derry Portaferry aforesaid Gentleman) a Sister and the Residuary Legate." Will mentions late husband Robert McGiffert and Cloughey Burying Ground.

[merrymax]

thank you so much for the time you took in answering my post.  Thomas Maxwell is the eldest son of James Maxwell and Elizabeth McGiffert. Annie and James alexander are Elizabeths grandchildren.

I also have the entire transcript of Temple cranny graveyard where most of the Maxwells are buried ,some of the Mcgifferts are buried at Cloughy church yard.The wills callanders are great as they list multiple relatives many of whom I can recognize and place in my family tree. 

I hope that Elizabeth Maxwell/Mcgifferts death will at least confirm who her father is  thank you regards   merry

I forgot to put in the dates again.JAMES MAXWELL BORN CO DOWN 1807 MARRIED ELIZABETH MCGIFFERT 1835, DIED 1873  .ELIZABETH MCGIFFERT BORN 1809 PROBABLY LIVED AT LOUGHDOO  AND DIED 1882

[aghadowey]

Since Thomas Maxwell (born c1837 according to 1901 census, died 1908) was the eldest son (possibly eldest child?) this means his parents James and Elizabeth are probably born before 1820 or even earlier. Civil registration of deaths started in 1864 so if you don't find them in the index they probably died before 1864.
The Irish BMD Index is available at this link

[BallyaltikilliganG]

Ros Davies co Down website use google has some early 1800's mcGiffert and McGiffords
good luck, jim

[merrymax]

hi jim! thanks for your reply re MCGIFFERT/MAXWELL I find ROS DAVIS site invaluable and use it constantly for portaferry research. I also notice at the bottom of your reply to my query the surname GRACEY. is this surname from co down? as on my family tree James MCGIFFERT had a daughter married a GRACEY and she had a daughter joan. maybe that family are still in the area.  thanks for your help   regards  merry

[BallyaltikilliganG]

hi Merrymax, i veered off to see askireland griffiths valuation, the size of the Maxwell holding in Corrog townland, Ballytrustan civil parish is comparatively above average as in the higher thirties. Anyway the homestead is mapped in 1863 as plot number 3 and has a road going through it, which isnt so common. My memory may have seen Maxwell family trees in the Blackwood Family manuscript trees in the Linenhall Library, belfast. My computer has just suffered damage so i cant check that out, also my memory doesnt remember a Gracey-McGiffert marriage so I cant check if Jackson Eagleson's older vyger website contained such a marriage. Anyway thats me trying to say thank you for the information on Joans parents.
Good luck onwards JimG