I am still interested in researching Dick, Johnstone, McGinnis, Murphy and Freil (any spellings). Janet Dick m. John Johnstone in Dundonald in 1820s, and other families were in Kilwinning, Kilmarnock and Dalry from 1840's. Common men's names in Freil family were James, William, Daniel. Please note I have a new e-mail address.

I noticed the surname McGinnis in your list of names from the town of Kilmarnock. My grandmother and her parents and siblings emigrated from there in the 1880's. Parents' names were John P McGinnis and Rose Domigan McGinnis. Any connection?
Thank you,
Bernice

Bernice,
I think the family in Kilmarnock were related to my family in Dalry. Grandmother's brother, John, was married in Kilmarnock in 1880 to Mary Hollywood. There were few McGinnis families in Ayrshire at that time, and those families had the same given names. Do you know who your John's grandparents were? I have an aquaintance who lives in England working on McGinnis from the same areas. We thought we had a proven connection at one time, but new evidence casts doubt. My ancestor, Edward McG. was m. in Kilwinning in 1852. He was b. in Co. Cavan 1834. I do have his baptism record with parents' names. I will be happy to share everything I do know if you would like it.

Barbara

Barbara
This is the information I have about John Patrick McGinnis:
John Patrick McGinnis [(b. 27 July 1856, d.1 Dec. 1911 in Pittsburgh, PA, m. Rose Domigan]
he was the son of:
Francis P McGinnis [(b. ?, d. 3 Feb. 1875)m.Margaret Hughes]
he was the son of:
Francis McGinnes [(dates unknown) m. Bridget Rox]

Does any of this fit? My grt gf came to America around 1880's to work in coal mines in western Pennsylvania.

My brother thinks that John's family originally emigrated from County Down, Ireland to Kilmarnock. I have an address for John in Kilmarnock, I will have to see if I can find it.

Thank you for replying.
Bernice

None of your data fits with mine; however, have you exhausted the available Scottish records? After 1855, they are super. Have you looked for R.C. church records in Kilmarnock? They do not usually have staff to look for you, but will sometimes let people look for ancestors. My friend found some pertinent records in Dalry. If you can read all the birth, marriage and death certificates for your John's family, including parents & grandparents, you may learn something that takes you further back. I got the counties in Ireland from those kinds of records in Scotland over 20 years ago. They are much easier to access, now. There are some records for "McGinnis" in Kilmarnock in the GRO.

Good luck.
Barbara

Barbara,
Are you living in the UK? Did you get some of your information through the mail? I know that I should be sending requests to Scotland via the mail, but not sure how to and I am limited on time to devote on this hobby. Thanks for the advice, though. I will have to branch out a little more on this line.

Again thanks!!
Bernice

I was wondering if you had maybe come across Donald McInnes ( McGinnis ) married to an Elizabeth McDonald. I have them in Kilmarnock in 1845 but I've not been able to find anything else. They had one daughter that I found named Catherine born in Kilmarnock in 1845.
Ay help would be appreciated.

Barry

I was wondering if you had coma across a Donald McGinnis married to an Elizabeth McDonald . They had one daughter I'm aware of named Catherine who was born in 1845 in Kilmarnock.

Any help would be appreciated
Regards
Barry

Barry,
I wish that I could make a connection with your Donald and my John McGinnis, but, alas, I cannot. I believe that my John emigrated from Ireland to Kilmarnock sometime after his birth which was around 1850. But, perhaps the reason he went to Kilmarnock was to connect with relatives, which may have included your Donald McInnes. Barry, we'll just have to keep looking. Good hunting. Bernice

Barry,
I replied to your other post but will repeat that I don't know of any connection. My John McGinnis was born in County Down Ireland and immigrated to Kilmarnock sometime after that (c. 1850) I don't even know if he went as a child with his parents or traveled there himself as a young man. His father's name was Hugh McGinnis, I do know that. Maybe, Donald is related and that is why my McG's went to Scotland. But that is just a wild (and I do mean 'wild') guess.
Bernice

Bernice:

Thanks for replying to my post. Its unfortunate that its not a connection but I had to try .

Thanks again

Barry

Barry,
Who knows, we may connect in earlier or later years. Happy searching!
Bernice

Barry,
My ggfather (James Dunlop McInnes) and my ggmother (Elizabeth Watters McNair) were born in Dreghorn and Irvine (I think) 1863. They married about 1888. I don't have my notes handy.

One of their sons was named Hector MacDonald McInnes. He was born here in Indiana and died of diptheria in 1907. I can't help but think there is a close MacDonald / McDonald connection. I just can't find it.

If these names might even remotely connect to you, please respond to my personal email. Happy Hunting, Ev

Barry and Bernice,
I forgot to mention: Although my ggfather spelled his name as McInnes, his father used McGinnis and/or McGuinnis. No wonder we can't find anything!!
Evelyn

I'm sorry, but I have no record of a Donald in the McGinnis, McInnes family. That doesn't mean that wasn't one. I just have found very little on them. Thanks to all who continue to search for this elusive family.

I hope this still works. If so, hi cousin!:) If Bessie (Elizabeth Mcnair) and James McInnes both from Scotland and settled in Sullivan IN, are you GG Parents then you are my Cousin. I am the GG Daughter of James Mcnair (Bessie's baby Brother). He did not come over til about 1906 or so. Does this ring a bell? My Grandmother Mary Mcnair is the Daughter of James Mcnair b.ABT 1896 and Catherine Cunningham also from Scotland. They were all from Ayrshire.

I found my ggandfather staying with Bessie and James in 1920, along with their kids Thomas, Clyde, Victoria, Elizabeth, and Max. Is this the right family for you?

Unfortunately, no, these names do not ring a bell with me. My great grandparents of Kilmarnock, Scotland, were John McGinnis(s) and Rose (Rosina) Domigan McGinnis(s) and their four daughters were Mary, Elizabeth, Margaret and Nellie(Eleanor). Sorry that I cannot find a link with your ggrandparents.

I am sorry, but our families don't mesh. My grandparents came to America in 1884 and settled in Alabama because there were coal mines in Birmingham and work was plentiful. There were not very many McGinnis families in Scotland in the 1850s and 1860s, so at some point, there may be a connection. I appreciate your contacting me. We can both keep looking! Thanks.

This is so unbelievable!!! Yes, we are definitely related and working on the same family of McNair's.

Please email me at ecity86389@aol.com SOON!!!

I have some info of their lives in Indiana, but not Scotland. Where are you located? I am in Indiana.

Evelyn

Well, we do have a coincidence. My great grandfather came to America around the same time - early to mid 1880's for the same reason as yours - mining (in Western PA) What port did your ancestor come through? Perhaps a sibling or cousin relationship is possible.
B

My grandparents came through Philadelphia, but continued immediately to Alabama where friends and family had already settled a couple of years earlier.

There is one missing link I wish I could find. My grandmother's brother John was in Kilmarnock in 1881, and according to a story she told, he was in the Boar War. He wrote her a letter, the envelope was burned, and she never heard from him again. Someday, I hope to go thorugh British military records.

Thanks for keeping in touch.

I am not working on McNairs. Did you accidentally post to the wrong query? Good luck.

I'm sorry. Yes, I must have posted to the wrong person.
Ev

Don't know if this site will help you or not in searching for your quarry, but the Public Records Office in Kew, England has many War Office records for thousands of enlisted men in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. I found my Irish records beginning in 1805. Here is the URL http://catalogue.pro.gov.uk/ , you don't need to register, go to the button marked 'Search the Catalogue' and enter the name in box 1, I don''t enter any year in box 2 but you could, and in box 3 enter the letters WO for War Office. Hit Search. Perhaps something will turn up for him.

Thank you very much for the suggestion. I certainly will try that.

Barbara Caine