Genealogy Chat

Hi All my husbands granddad was William John Morrison 28/4/1880 Andraid Antrim Ireland he married Hannah O'Hagan on 21/7/1906 at Belfast Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church . His parents were James Morrison and Agnes Mcauley but we have recently found out that William had been married before but we have no idea who to or when my husband thinks his first wife died but there was also two girls born into the marriage that no one in his family knows anything about and as all there is no one else in his family to ask to help us i thought i might see if anyone on Genes might be able to help as far as my husband knows the two girls were sent abroad somewhere thank you in advance kind regards Nellie

????

is this william

Census Years1911AntrimDrumanawayAndraidResidents of a house

Residents of a house 16 in Andraid (Drumanaway, Antrim)
Show all information
Surname Forename Age Sex Relation to head Religion Birthplace Occupation Literacy Irish Language Marital Status Specified Illnesses Years Married Children Born Children Living
Morrison Agnes 62 Female Head of Family - Co Antrim Retired Farmer Read and write - Widow - - - -
Morrison Hugh 32 Male Son - Co Antrim Farmer Read and write - Single - - - -
Morrison William J 30 Male Son - Co Antrim Farmer Read and write - Single - - - -
Morrison Mary 24 Female Daughter - Co Antrim - Read and write - Single - - - -
Gordon Eddie 14 Male Grand Son - Co Armagh - Read and write - Single - - - -
Gordon Agnes 12 Female Grand Daughter - Co Armagh Scholar Read and write - Single - - - -
Gordon Minnie 8 Female Grand Daughter - Co Armagh Scholar Read and write - Single - - - -

Thank you for your reply but im not sure if this is the same family but it could be i was hopeing to get help with finding out who Williams first wife was and what happened to the two girls ,i see you have two girls on your reply which is making me think ( did she re marry and change the girls names from Morrison to Gordon i will have to search even harder now thank you very much for your help kind regards Nellie

hi you try here

http://www.rootsireland.ie/

£18 for a months subscription

A member's tree on Ancestry says Agnes and Minnie were daughters of Agnes Morrison and an unknown Mr Gordon.
It gives these as proof - but I don't know if that's just guesswork from Agnes and Minnie's YOBs as shown in 1911 census, or if the tree owner has actually seen the certs:

Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958
Name Agnes Gordon
Date of Registration 1899 - Apr-May-Jun[1899]
Registration district Armagh
Birth Country Ireland
Volume 1
Page 43
FHL Film Number 101067
Household Members
Name Age
Agnes Gordon


Mary Gordon
in the Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958
Name: Mary Gordon
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1902
Registration district: Armagh
Birth Country: Ireland
Volume: 1
Page: 40
FHL Film Number: 101069


It also offers this as Eddie's birth - although this record is for Belfast, not Armagh:

Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958
Name Edward Gordon
Date of Registration 1897 - Oct-Nov-Dec[1897]
Registration district Belfast
Birth Country Ireland
Volume 1
Page 433
FHL Film Number 101067
Household Members
Name Age
Edward Gordon


This doesn't fit with the 1911 census, however, as the children are listed as Agnes's grandchildren, not her children.
It would also mean that Agnes was 54 when Minnie was born - not completely impossible, I suppose, but not likely.

EDIT:
the Agnes on the tree, mother of the children, is William John's sister, according to the tree owner.

How have you found out about the first wife and the birth of two girls?

You say nobody in your husband's family knows anything about them.
Does William's marriage cert to Hannah say he was a widower?

This is given as William John and family in 1901:

Residents of a house 19 in Andraid (Drumanaway, Antrim)

Morrison Mary 15 Female Daughter Plymouth Brethern Co Antrim Farmer Read and write - Not Married -
Morrison James 50 Male Head of Family Plymouth Brethern Co Antrim Farmer Read and write - Married -
Morrison Hugh 22 Male Son Plymouth Brethern Co Antrim Farmer Read and write - Not Married -
Morrison W John 20 Male Son Plymouth Brethern Co Antrim Farmer Read and write - Not Married -
Morrison Agnes 51 Female Wife Plymouth Brethern Co Antrim Farmer Read and write - Married



And the 1911 already posted is said to be the correct one.

Agnes was wed to James Morrison and they were Williams parents in 1911 census william was with his wife Hannah at 26 Parkview st Clifton Antrim it is Williams first wife i am trying to find if i can . I have no idea if Agnes re married after James but i think it is woth a search thank you kind regards Nellie

OK - so the family above is the wrong one.

This is William and Hannah in 1911:

Morrison William 29 Male Head of Family Roman Catholic County Antrim Labourer in Courier Read and write English Married - 6 - -
Morrison Hanna 26 Female Wife Roman Catholic County Antrim Spinner Read and write English Married - 6 3 3
Morrison Margaret 4 Female Daughter Roman Catholic County Antrim Single Cannot read English Single - - - -
Morrison Agnes C 2 Female Daughter Roman Catholic County Antrim Single Cannot read English Single - - - -
Morrison David James Male Son Roman Catholic County Antrim - Cannot read - Single


I know you know this, Nellie - I'm just posting it for the benefit of helpers.

And we know it's his first wife you're interested in , but it all helps to set the scene.

My husband says his father used to say he had two step sisters as his father had been wed before but never spoke of them also he never spoke of his father only his mother Hannah I have never seen a wedding cert for william and Hannah

Does William's marriage cert to Hannah say he was a widower?

18th July 1872 Marriage Co Antrim

James Morrison Agnes McAuley
Andraid Tamlaght
Presbyterian Presbyterian
Batchelor Spinster
Over 21 Over 21
Father Hugh Morrison Father William J McAuley
Married Ist Presbyterian Church Antrim

1901 Census as already shown in above postings. It does include a son W.John aged 20. single

1911 Census shown as above postings. Agnes is now a widow and living with her is son William J now aged 30yrs, he is SINGLE.

The grandchildren living with Agnes Morrison are the children of daughter Agnes Morrison, and her husband Andrew Gordon they married in Aug 1894 and her father was shown as James Morrison the address was Andread.

The family of Andrew Gordon and Agnes Gordon nee Morrison, 1901 Census Tullynamallogue Co Armagh with children cant see Andrew or Agnes in 1911.

1911 Census of your William Morrison and Hanna is as you say. There are trees online which do say the parents of William is James Morrison and Agnes Mcauley I cant locate any births for James and Agnes children, online Trees have
Elizabeth 1873 Agnes 1874 Hugh 1878 William 1882.

If William was married before he would have been aged between 16 and 24 as he was married to Hanna in 1906c according to Census. Will have a look.

Hannah O'Hagan
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep, 1906
Registration district: Belfast, Ireland
Volume: 1
Page Number: 610
FHL Film Number: 101261

Records on Page:
Name
William Morrison
Ann O'Neill
Hannah O'Hagan
James Conway
James Conway
Daniel Marley
Helen Bell



His marriage certificate will tell you if he was a widower.

I suppose it's possible William changed his church but the William on the 1911 is a Roman Catholic but the W John in 1901 is Plymouth Brethen.

We have never seen his marriage cert to Hannah the information i have was given to me from a helper also in Genes reunited a few years ago and my husband says his granddad william did have a sister Agnes ,I am trying to give as much info as i can to help but due to my husbands father not speaking about his dad plus my husband never met his granddad and when the past was spoke about it was Hannah,s name that came up and not William

I too could not find a birth date for James anywhere in Ireland

William and Hannah had 10 children that we know of and the youngest was born in 1929

I think you need to buy that marriage certificate to confirm Wiiliam's marital status when he married Hannah. It should also, with a bit of luck give his age, his father's name and occupation. If your William was indeed William John born 28/04/1880 then he would have been 30 or 31 when the 1911 census was taken. Of course he may have knocked a couple of years off his age as his wife was younger.

The marriage of 21 July 1906 Sacred Heart Church Belfast

William Morrison Hannah O'Hagan
70 Ardilea Street 70 Ardilea Street
RC RC
Over 21 Over 21
Labourer
WIDOWER
Father James Morrison Father William O'Hagan
27 Mayfair Street 70 Ardilea Street
Mother Mary McManus

Witness John McGibbon and Mary Downy
31 Glenpark St

Priest DOR Toal.



This is the date and place you give, this record shows different mother for William. It does show him as widower iam trying to locate an earlier marriage and children. I cant see a date for birth for William John 28/04/1880. where did you get this?

Perhaps a sister for your William?

Hanna Morrison
Gender: Female
Birth Date: 23 Aug 1875
Birth Place: Antrim, Ireland
Father: James Morrison
Mother: Mary Mcmanus
FHL Film Number: 255934