Good day Irwins/Irvines,
I am looking for any family in Northern Ireland or Scotland who are familiar with this family:
John Irwin was born about 1854 in either Ballyleighery, Magilligan or Ballyleaghry, Balteagh Co. Londonderry to parents John Irwin, born abt 1824 and Lavina Forsyth born about 1821.
John married Mary Jane Caldwell on 14 Nov 1871 in the Parish of Bovevagh (under age 21). He was a carpenter who lived with Mary Jane on Irish Green Street in Limavady, and had children Margaret Elizabeth born 1872 who ended up working in the US as one of Pres. Roosevelt's servants, Mary Jane Irwin born 1877 and William John born 1879. All three kids address on their birth cert in Limavady says Irish Green Street but no number is listed.
The family moved to Scotland and in 1881 valuation roll is at 13 Roman Road, Dalziel, Motherwell, Scotland. John IRWIN is listed in the valuation roll as a journeyman joiner at this point and begins using the name IRVINE. In 1885 he is at 140 Merry Street Dalziel, then in 1887 he is at 123 Merry Street (several of his siblings also settled in Dalziel, Motherwell).
In 1887 he married Annie Pollock, and they have two more kids: Samuel James Irvine born 1888 and Robert Irvine born 1893, both in Glasgow. In the 1891 census, John is at 9 Bedlay Street Glasgow. He signed a REQUISITION FOR EXTRACT OF ENTRY OF BIRTH (SCOTLAND)
for William John Irvine dated 7th March 1894, occupation joiner of 9, Bedlay Street (an old document my cousin in Scotland has). William John would have been 15 then and this would be necessary under the age of 16 this would have been confirmation in absence of a birth certificate to prove his age and that he was old enough to work.
In the 1895 census he is still at 9 Bedlay. In 1901 he is at 15 Caledonian Street in Glasgow. After that I cannot find any more traces of him.
His son William John (a commercial traveller) married Agnes Higgins in Tyne and Wear England on 5 Nov 1906. They had 3 kids, Margaret Rose Irvine born 1908 in Northumberland England m. Martin Ward, Alexander Irvine b. 1914 in Dumbarton m. Annie Alderice, and Andrew Douglas Irvine born 1919 in Dumbarton.
John Irwin, born abt 1854 son of John and Lavina, had 5 siblings (3 can be found in the 1851 Irish census extracts):
1. Robert Irwin b. 1846 in the Parish of Balteagh
2. Margaret Irwin b. 1847 in Ballyleighery Magilligan or Ballyleagry Balteagh, m. Creelman 1869 then Dinsmore 1892. Both these marriages were at Ballyclabber Reformed Presbyterian Church, Co. Londonderry, N. Ireland. Children were Robert Creelman b. 1871, Jane Creelman b. 1875, and Maggie Creelman b. 1876 in Ballyleighery Magilligan or Ballyleagry Balteagh
3. Samuel Irwin b. 1848 in Ballyleighery Magilligan or Ballyleagry Balteagh, m. Martha Jane Ferguson 1869 in Old Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Children were Mary Irvine 1824, Jane 1872, Lavina 1875, Samuel 1877, Elizabeth 1880, John 1883, Robert 1889, William 1892. All these kids were born in Dalziel Lanarkshire Scotland.
4. Matilda Jane Irwin born 1849 in Ballyleighery Magilligan or Ballyleagry Balteagh, m. Richard Kinsella in Manhattan New York 1880, settled in Brockville Ontario at 83 Lewis Street. Have an old letter from this family, and Matilda's death record. Their kids were Elizabeth Kinsella 1883, Jennie 1885, and Richard 1887 (he died 1906).
5. Lavina Ann Irwin born 1853 in N. Ireland. M. Marcus Mclean in Dalziel Scotland in 1873, then married James Watson 1881 in Dalziel Scotland. Their kids were Lavinia Jane Mclean 1873- 1902, William Mclean 1876, Elizabeth Mclean 1878, and James Watson Jr 1885, Samuel Irvine Watson 1886 (I already know a living descendant of this line), Janet Watson 1889, Robert Watson 1891 - 1965
6. John Irwin born 1854 as described above.
I am hoping to make contact with the long lost family I know I have in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and hopefully Canada/the US. Margaret Berry Irvine, my cousin in Scotland, is the daughter of Alexander Irvine born 1914 and Annie Alderice. Unfortunately, not even she knows what became of all our relations. He grandfather, William John, was a commercial traveller and was all over England before settling in Dumbarton Scotland. This family is so scattered and the line so confusing it has taken me 3 years to unravel the story to this point.
I have never seen anything on roots web, ancestry, or any other site that shows anyone is researching this line. Someone out there must be related to me and have more information about these Irwins/Irvines I am hoping to find several relatives who can fill me in on the descendants of these people I have listed and maybe even help me push back the tree a few generations.
If you have read all this, thank you for your time and thanks in advance for any help you can provide. I have alot more records than what is below.