Hello Karen, CTI’s webmaster, Jim McKane is not a researcher, and I do not have free time to undertake searches for folk (life, work and transcription of documents for CTI https://www.cotyroneireland.com/ consume my time). However, I must respond to your mistaken assertion that I claimed that John Stevenson had Donegal origins.
As with most Irish family research, it is essential to locate all data surviving at the country and port of arrival; Irish records are scant for the years prior to the Great Famine (1845-9). Huge numbers emigrated leaving no record of their lives in Ireland. I recall assisting a Canadian researcher many years ago whose Stevenson (John) forebear was a builder in Strabane, but he was located in Lifford, Co. Donegal – across the River Foyle from the town. Have you ascertained the estimated year of emigration of John Stevenson? Have you searched JOHN STEVENSON and MARGARET BAIRD in the 1841 and 1851 Canadian censuses? Have you been successful? I have no recollection of stating that your forebears hailed from Co. Donegal in response to your original query of August 2016. I did suggest you contact the historical society in Fitzroy, Ontario where considerable research has been undertaken on original settler families, several with origins in Donagheady parish in north Co. Tyrone. What has this produced? Also, further research has been undertaken by others which may be useful. I also recall Desmond Gourley submitting an article (including names of all Fitzroy families with Tyrone origins extracted from the 1851 Canadian census) to an edition of “North Irish Roots” (NIFHS) in 1995 publicising his research into the numbers of Tyrone-born families within the settlement; he subsequently contacted me seeking data on the same folk and the possibility that they had Donagheady origins. Indeed many of these family names were found in the 1858 Griffiths Valuation of Donagheady including the names Arbuckle and Towers (both rather rare in Ireland) and subsequently a Walker researcher confirmed that her forebears were also from Donagheady. Bairds and Stevensons were rather prolific within the parish. There appears to have been an enthusiastic emigration agent operating in the parish. Please refer to the online 1858 Donagheady Griffiths Valuation on CTI https://www.cotyroneireland.com/griffith/donagheady.html Regrettably, a comprehensive tithe applotment book for Donagheady has not survived, but a fragment is available for viewing (again on CTI) https://www.cotyroneireland.com/tithe/donagheadytithe.html which contains both Stevenson and Baird entries. Have just taken a look at the online 1851 Canadian census https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1851/Pages/1851.aspx and found the family of John Stevenson and Margaret Baird, although she stated at that time that she was a native of Co. Tyrone which is at odds with your assertion that she was born in Londonderry (considering the close proximity, I am prepared to accept that she is the same person). I note that their neighbours were Kilgores, another name recorded in the parish (four entries). John Stevenson stated that his family were member of the Church of England; the Donagheady Parish registers (Church of Ireland) have survived (with quite some gaps) and have been microfilmed by the staff of the Public Records Office of Ireland (PRONI), Belfast, where they may be consulted. Until very fairly recently these records (and many others relevant to Donagheady and Leckpatrick parishes) were available online via the Bready Ancestry website, but astonishingly, website has shut down; Jim McKane has attempted to ascertain the survival and future availability of this data but has been met with silence. C.I. DONAGHEADY (DERRY DIOCESE) Baptisms, 1697-1723, 1753-65, 1818-19 and 1826-74; marriages, 1697-1726, 1754-64 and 1826-44; marriage licences, 1817 and 1829-53; burials, 1698-1726, 1754-57 and 1826-89; vestry minutes, 1697-1723 and 17541919; accounts, 1829-1922; confirmation lists, 1872,1875, 1877, 1880, 1883 and 1886 My response has become quite a document, which was not my intention, but as I progressed, it became obvious that there is data available, albeit in various forms and locations. Again, I suggest that you consult the historical society in Fitzroy and enquire the extent of further research into pioneer families. Good luck, Karen. Regards, Len Swindley, Melbourne, Australia Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 10 From: Karen Spychala via CoTyroneList<mailto:cotyronelist@cotyroneireland.com> Sent: Monday, 16 September 2019 2:20 AM To: cotyronelist@cotyroneireland.com<mailto:cotyronelist@cotyroneireland.com> Cc: Karen Spychala<mailto:krspych...@comcast.net> Subject: [CoTyroneMailingList] John Stevenson Dear Jim I can’t find any info on my 3X’s Great Grandfather. Years ago Len thought he was from Donegal. His wife, Margaret Baird was from Londonderry. I contacted the city of Strabane and they gave me other Stevenson names but I found no connections . My Dad’s Y DNA has some Stevenson contacts but those people know nothing about their history. He was a rancher farmer and made cheese in Ontario. There the Stevenson farm still exists and also I met 5 descendants. Where else might I look? Thanks Karen Stevenson Spychala Sent from my iPhone _______________________________________________ CoTyroneList Mailing List Mailing List Email Address: CoTyroneList@cotyroneireland.com Change Your Preferences: http://cotyroneireland.com/mailman/listinfo/cotyronelist_cotyroneireland.com Mailing List Archive: https://goo.gl/mQCKrY
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