Belcher’s of Bradford but of Irish descent.

[Biggles50]

My nemesis is the Belcher’s I have a standalone tree of them with about 600 people all originating from John Belcher and Ellen McMahon both born about 1780.

Many of their offspring emigrated to Bradford where one of their sons John b1834 in Louth married Mary Ann Gargin (also born in Ireland).

I have 12 DNA matches that I have linked into the tree and to each other, only one has Belcher as their birth surname.

There are many other DNA matches that are shared with those already in the tree and hence it is still very much a work in progress.

Gurney, Bottomley, Padgett, Gilmartin, Grace, Jordan and Rawcliffe are some of the family names that link back to the Belcher line.

My mystery is that I have two high DNA matches that link back to the Belcher family and so far my attempts to find how I fit have come up short.

I have even loaded the Tree into the WATO tool in DNA Painter but the various hypothesis do not work when other proven DNA matches are taken into consideration.

So I am seeking anyone who is also researching the Belcher’s of Bradford and their descendants.

Please PM me if you have information about any living person, otherwise feel free to post.

[Jonny C]

Hello, I have just read your post with interest. I would be interested in talking to you as John Belcher and Mary Geoghegan / Gargin were my great-great grandparents.

[Jonny C]

Hello, I have just read your post with interest. I would be interested in talking to you as John Belcher and Mary Geoghegan / Gargin were my great-great grandparents.

[sarah]

Hi Jonny,

Biggles was online earlier, not sure why he has not replied yet?

Regards

Sarah

[Jonny C]

Thanks Sarah. I'll wait with eager anticipation. Thanks again. Jonny

[Biggles50]

Sorry Johnny, I missed your response.

I will send you a PM.

On the subject of this family, I had a message on Ancestry from a 1C1R and a DNA match to my highest cM match.

After a few messages they are related not a DNA match to me so that helps to confirm that I am looking on the correct side of my matches family.

[Biggles50]

To update anyone interested, Jonny and I have been in dialogue and it has enabled some useful changes to be made to the tree and he can also view the tree as a Guest.

We are still open to connect any others with Gurney or Belcher families in their tree.

[Dan Druff]

Hi

Just come across your post ref Irish Belchers in Bradford. 

Your John Belcher b1834 Louth - I presume you mean Co Louth married Mary Gargin (Geohagen).
My research shows that John was born Nenagh Co Tipperary.

In the 1861 Census this John appears as Belshaw (BMD confirms children born as Belcher) "living on pension". I have found evidence that he was wounded in the Crimea and it is this record that shows him being born Nenagh.

I claim that his father was John Belcher b ca1801 Ireland who features in the Censuses of Bradford 1861/1871 first with his daughter Catherine Belcher (who later marries and emigrates to Mass US as Catherine Evans) and then as father-in-law with Esther Carroll nee Belcher my Great-Grandmother, husband Daniel Carroll (Esther transcribed as Bulger in 1851 Census along with sister Rachel - who very late in life emigrates to Mass US as Rachel Seymour). All these people living in close proximity including John Belcher Sr's brother - Francis. John Sr also has another son William (Belsher) b1825 Ireland died Canada 1908 and whose gravestone is marked as being the first Belsher to emigrate.

John Belcher Sr appears in the Tithe Applopments in Townland of Clash (just east of Nenagh) Co Tipperary. William Belcher is also here that I presume is his father. Under the naming pattern first born son named after the father's father - William.  Second born son named after the father - John.  Following the naming pattern William's wife would be Rachel.  There is a Rachel Belcher along with children of Francis Belcher being baptised C of I in the nearby Parish of Aghnameadle 1839.  It quotes Rachel as being born in 1769 (age 60) so possibly a religious conversion.

In the Griffiths Valuations he appears in the Townland of Brownstown in the Kings County panhandle.

There are several Petty Courts entries for him at Nenagh both in the 1830s and 1860 the latter immediately prior to his emergence in Bradford as a widower.

John Belcher Sr was married to Ann(e) Colbert - plenty of Colberts in the Cloughjordan/Modreeny area of Tipp.  I have no record of marriage nor her death but a death cert in US of Catherine Belcher Evans gives mother as Ann Colbert.

I have Gurney in my tree.

DNA links me to Colberts Ottawa area Canada.
DNA links me the Belchers,(Belshers) also in Ottawa area Canada.

How do these facts hold with you?