McGiffords of County Down Ireland
redwillow
Hello ,
My name is Marilyn.
My grandfather was Hugh McGifford from Govan Glasgow where he was the son of several children of Arthur McGifford and first married to Margaret O.Hara and secondly to Jane Barclay.
His afther was James McGifford who was married to Mary Carson
Their lives began as all McGiffords in County Down Ireland where they were a part of the plantation families of the early 1600 era. Most McGiffords lived and died in one of three areas. Downpatrick , Lisburn/Hillsborough and Belfast.
My line seems to have originated around Downpatrick where James McGifford was born and was a ploughman on an estate. He had two daughters and a son married in Downpatrick. Arthur who married Margaret O,Hara was married in Belfast. In the late 1870,s he was to go to Govan area around Lanarkshire Scotland as so many of the clan did due to economic disaster in Ireland. There he was to have my grandfather who married one Isabel Clark Stewart and immigrated to Canada in 1925. There wereseveral other children . One went to Winnipeg and we never found him until long after my grandfather had passed.
Too bad as they were directly related. Another went to New York and later returned to Scotland where he lived until death.
Anyone knowing the whereabouts of this McGifford family today please let thwem know I am searching for them. Their names were John...William...James...Eliz...Mary....Thomas
I am sure if we look a bit harder we will find that all McGiffords link to one name somewhere in Ireland County Down.
Lets hear from all who know,
Thanks,
Marilyn
m_gwynn@lycos.com
Comments
marieathome on 2007-02-01 14:33:06This is a good page for me, I have e-mailed
Marilyn and patiently waiting for her reply.
redwillow23 on 2007-02-02 18:00:19Hello John ,
What can you tell me about the early McGiffert / McGifford families who immigrated to Ringdufferin with the Baillie family and settled in the Killyleagh area of County Down Ireland around the mid sixteenth hundreds. This was the beginnings of this surname. Before this it appears they were lowland scots from Lanarkshire and / or English farmers who took up the offer of free land in Ireland.
What is the significance of the ert or ord .
Which families came to America and which ones emmigrated to Australia / New Zealand. Have you ever heard of the McGiffert papers on file at the PRONI There was eleven children in the family of Arthur and Jane Barclay. Some of these were William , Martha , Sarah . Arthur , Margaret...?
Where was James married and who was his father. Who was MAry Mcgifford who came to America ...Steubenville Ohio , and lived with Thomas Mark...or were they married.
James was living in Ohio until the depression and he returned to Scotland where he married and had one daughter.
Who were the Bailies of Ringdufferin and how are they related to the McGifford line.
Marilyn
marieathome on 2007-02-16 10:59:02Hi Marilyn; Sorry I never got back to you sooner.
It appears from the info., that you already have that I will not be able to add too much. I just started into this "family history" a few months ago so I probably don,t have as much as you.A great deal of the info., I have I received from
another website, " www.williamdavidson.com ". You go back to James McGifford & Mary Carson and
that is far as I go back on the McG side. I,m also doing the Stewart side. I have no info on the Baillie,s. As for the ert v/s the ord, I think that was just a personal preferance. No info.,on the PRONI papers. As for Arthur& Jane,
I show them having nine children, John, Mary,
Hugh, Thomas, Jane, William, Elizabeth, James and
Robert. I have the same info., on Mary in Ohio as
you. They tell me James visited my family in
Sask. before I was born. As you stated about my
father Hugh & Isobella [Stewart] coming to Canada
in 1925 is close. Their was 10 children born into
this family, 5 in Scotland & 5 in Canada. Their
is many descendants in Canada, residing from B.C.
to Nova Scotia. You stated that Hugh was your father, this is very interesting to me and I,m
anxious to hear your details on this,I have no negative thoughts, just anxious to hear & meet you, if you so desired. I do have some more info.
on the McGiffords from James down but would like
to find out where my Dads siblings lived and who
and where their descendants are. Regards John
LisaMcGifford on 2010-11-07 23:14:17Thomas McGifford...a clothe trade dyer from Ireland and Janet McGee were married sometime and somewhere in Ireland. They had James McGifford who was born in 1823.
He was classed as a journeyman clothelapper in the clothe trade. He met and married one Jane Sloan. They were married at Belfast in Jan 8 , 1847
It has not been found as to if Jane was working but am sure she was.
According to the 1881 census of Scotland they lived in several areas such as Lanarkshire , Ayrshire , and Renfrewshire. The census reads as follows..#4 Murry Street 1881 census Backland Barony.
Head was James McGifford...58yr...born in Ireland...clothelapper journeyman
Wife..Jane..52yrs..born in Ireland no trade
Agnes..31 yrs..born in Renfrewshire shirtdresser
Samuel...29 yr...born in Eastwood Renfrewshire...masons labourer
* James 27 yrs...born in Eastwood Renfrewshire... Engine fitter at works
William 24 yrs Eastwood Renfrewshire ...Butler
Thomas...21 yrs...Eastwood Renfrewshire...Barber
David...18 yrs...Eastwood Renfrewshire...Bottler at works
Mary...16yrs...Lockwinnock Ayrshire..bottler at works back stitch
John...10 yrs...Lockwinnock Ayrshire...scholar
There was also another son that we have found and will ultimately send a certificate of authenticity ...John McGifford born 1868 died 1 year old.
James McGifford died in 1893 at 73 yrs
Jean died in 1907 at 68
The children mentioned are;
Agnes who was born 1849
Married Daniel William Carmichel
Died in Glasgow of senility at age 82
Samuel born 1852
Little is known as to what happened to Samuel
He was a mason and could well have immigrated , There is no marriage or death for Samuel McGifford
* James born in 1854
Occupation engine fitter Married Catherine Latta
Their children are..
1884...Jessie...July 30
*!886.. James...Apr 4.........Later married Janet McMaster .(This was MY Great-grandfather)
1888 was born a McGifford male but died Jan 27
1889..Robert Latta..June 21
1893..Mary Sloan..Dec 11
1896...Jeanie Feb 10
William was born 1856 Aug 10
Married Martha Ann Fortune
Died a brick layers helper in 1924 Sept 25 began life as a butler
Their children were..
Jean..born Apr 22
Henry McCombe born 1896..Aug 22
Robert Orr..born 1899..May 15
Elizabeth..Born 1902...Aug 4
Thomas..1859..Apr 28
Married Margaret Fairlee Paton 1883
Died..1901 Jan 25
Hairdresser
David ..born..1861..Oct 22
Died..1924
Married Elizabeth Fortune...this could be the sister of Martha Ann Fortune..July 16..1886
Charles Fortune..born June 12..1898
James..born Sept 22..1890
David McGifford was an oil store manager
died 1924 age 63 yr
Mary Sloan..born Dec 11..1893
Married John Simpson an umberella maker
died 1927 dec 28
age 63
John born 1867..
Died 1868 age 1 yr
John born 1871
There seems to not be any information on John. He may also have immigrated as if he had died there would be a death certificate
When Janet & James immigrated they to Canada they moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Their children were James (who inexplicably disappeared in New York during the Depression), Robert (my grandfather), Margaret, & Jessie.
My father is Robert James and he lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
I have all the documents related to the above and I am happy to email them to you if you like.
Lisa
vicki_hillion on 2014-07-19 06:09:39Hi my name is Vicki, I was adopted by William Sloan McGifford, born 24 March 1939, son of Joseph McGifford boilerman (deceased) married to Jessie McGiifford,
We came to life in South Africa in 1964, we lost contact and the last time I saw him was in 1997. Not sure if he went back to , Goven , Glasgow Scotland?
Still searching for him !