Roots Researches

Members are able to take advantage of the extensive collection of Armstrong pedigrees that have been accumulated since 1969. Over 20,000 Armstrongs are now listed on computer databases worldwide.

Limited research is also undertaken for members in the UK by a member who donates the balance of all fees to the Association. If you are a member and would like details of the service please e-mail here giving details and your membership number.

Published below are the detailed requests which appear in the current and previous editions of the NEWS. If you have any clues to these links please e-mail us. The last three editions are below - the latest being the first.

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ROOTS ENQUIRIES FROM EDITION 65 November 2007

3546/1822 New member David must have known of my love of large wall charts and Armstrongs marrying each other! He did not disappoint on either count! When I had pieced together his 24 sides of A4 and made them into two separate charts (one six foot long) I was able to add a number more lines to the database and link him with one other member. There are also a number of US connections which come from this original Scottish/Co Durham/NBL line. David has got the line back a little bit further finding that MARGARET Armstrong (1806) had married ROBERT Armstrong, son JAMES (1827) being our previous ancestor. James’ children were GEORGE (1851), WILLIAM (1855), THOMAS (1857), MARGARET ANN (1859), JAMES (1861), ANDREW (1864), WALTER DALGLISH (1866) MARY JANE (1868), JOSEPH (1870), JANET (1872) and GEORGINA 1875). Dealing with only offspring new to the database (Do contact Nick for other connections) we have….. Thomas married Georgina Charlotte PATTERSON (1857) in 1881 at Gateshead producing CHARLOTTE (1892), MARGARET (1894), JAMES (1895), ELIZABETH (1891), WILLIAM (1893), THOMAS (1897) and MARGARET ANNIE ( 1892) She married John W ROUTLEDGE and emigrated to the USA. Margaret Ann married George ARMSTRONG of Hexham in 1889, giving birth to PHILIP (1894) who married Margaret Norton HART in 1921. Walter married Mary Ann PEEL and eventually emigrated to the USA having children ELIZABETH ETHEL (1891), MARGARET ANN (1892), WALTER DALGLISH (1896), OLIVE CLARA (1898) AND EDNA GLADYS (1903). George A*’s line start with WILLIAM DAERE A* born 1793 in Allendale NBL. He produced (with a 91831wife for whom we have no name!), WILLIAM (1814), MARY (1825), JOSHUA (1827), NICHOLAS (1831), and PHILIP (1834) who was his father.

1781 Patricia’s home of New Zealand is far from her roots in Ireland…. and guess what … she’s stuck! This is not for the want of trying and her detailed documentation of father and son Francis can be read in this edition of the NEWS. THOMAS was born possibly in Kiltoghert Leitrim IRE in about 1777. He married Catherine CARNEY and son FRANCIS was born in Boyle, Rosscommon in 1817 marrying Mary Ann JOHNSTON. They were in Manchester ENG when FRANCIS (1845) was born, but they returned to Ireland. Francis wed Wilhelmina LOANE at Lislle Co Cork in 1867 and daughter JANE ELIZABETH from whom Patricia is descended was born in Rosscommon in 1878. All you out there looking for Irish ancestors note this!

5421 James has finally linked his late father's mother's Armstrong family to the rest of the clan. ADA LYDIA A* b 1 Sept 1893, d 2 Aug 1984. Her brother was HOWARD FOSS b 23 August 1896, d 2 August 1984. Their parents were ABIA (pronounced (a BYa) ALVEROW b16 Dec 1849, d 14 April 1928 and Irena Elizabeth GAUT b 21 Nov 1859, d 30 Mar 1934. Abia's parents were EBENEZER A* b 15 Jul 1820, d 4 Feb 1885 and Mary Elizabeth WILSON b 12 Jan 1827, d 28 Sept 1911. Ebenezer's mother was Sally BARNUM whose gravestone lists "wife of F. Armstrong”. The family records only went this far but a key land deed was found that links Sally to FRANCIS Armstrong of Genoa, Cayuga County, NY, USA. This part of NY was considered pioneer territory so very few records exist from when Francis' father moved the family to this military tract area in 1793. FRANCIS b 1781 in Goshen, Orange Co NY. He was son of DAVID b. 30 Jun 1742, d 1832 and Anne MILLER b 1741, d 1825. David is son of Francis A* b 1695 in Ulster Co Fermanagh IRE d 1785 and his mother was Debora LATTIMORE. b 1695, d C1760. They arrived by Long Island, NY and moved up the Hudson River. Although several genealogies on the web, take this line back to the origins of the clan, James has not been able to verify the data yet. This line has DNA on file at FTDNA as ID# F587K. He would appreciate contact with anyone familiar with this line.

1183 Helen has made some interesting discoveries and put forward some interesting suggestions on the “Holehouse Armstrongs”. The farthest she has got back and absolutely confirmed is JAMES A* born 1785 in Canonbie married to Agnes(s) BOWRAN/BOWRING/BOURAN/BOURIN - they married in Canonbie 9 July 1813 James and Agnes(s) had the following children GEORGE baptised 31 October 1913 residence given as "Hollis". HELEN baptised 1 October 1815 residence given as "Hollowshillyett". (Yett means Gate) FRANCIS baptised 26 October 1823 residence given as "Nether Hollas" - died in infancy. Twins FRANCIS and JAMES baptised 4 October 1825 residence given as "Hollashillyett" HELEN baptised 19 October 1828 residence given as "Hollas". On James Sr's death certificate on which Francis is the informant, it says his parents were Francis Armstrong and Helen Lithgowhelen has not found a marriage for these two. On the 1841 census were Francis born circa 1761, Helen and Jean living in Canonbie. The clan’s record on the “Holehouse Armstrongs” differs slightly from the information found by Helen on the OPRs. FRANCIS A* and HELEN A* of Hollis/Holehouse were married 13 March 1785. The only children found for them were as follows and all listed as Hollis or Holehouse except for Elizabeth. JOHN born 18 October 1787. GRIZEL born 12 October 1791 ELIZABETH born 21 April 1797 at Brockwoodslee MARY born 17 April 1799 JEAN born 30 July 1801 (this would be the one on the census above, given the rounding of ages on the 1841 census) CHRISTOPHER and AGNESS twins born 12 April 1804 Robert born 15 July 1807 . There was no THOMAS in 1794 but there is a gap between Grizel and Elizabeth where he could have been born. However on Francis’ and Helen’s marriage entry  the word "Rebuked" was written in the margin of the register (Helen's name given variously as Ilian, Nelly and Hellen as well as Helen) Helen is now thinking that Francis the informant had the wrong surname for his grandmother seeing James (1785) had all his children at a version of Holehouse. She thinks he might have been in the Holehouse gang - especially if his parents were "rebuked" as Ilian was pregnant with him at the time of the marriage - there was a gap of 31 months from Francis and Ilian's wedding to John's birth where James could have been born. Anyone like to give their thoughts on this?

3501/3547 We have been able to trace back Felicity’s and Claire’s ancestors three more generations! The only clue that we really had apart from the fact that he was born in Stocksfield was that his daughter was born when he was 59! He had married Isabella BRIGHT at Hexham NBL in 1808.When I had ascertained that this was correct it narrowed down the fields of possibility to one. ROBERT JOHN A* was born in 1850 and by tracing him in the later Censuses that his father was JOSEPH (1809) born in Stanfordham NBL. Joseph married MARY (the butt of some jokes no doubt), but we have no details of this at present. Joseph’s father was JOHN (1777) of Kirkharle NBL. This is where the details get sketchy and further careful investigation is required, unless someone knows something already!

3545 Here’s another Haltwhistler, Judith, looking for connections. (Sudden thought….have we a keen member somewhere who would like to get hold of the Haltwhistle registers and transcribe the Armstrong entries for us? Volunteers contact Nick.) NICHOLAS A* was baptised in Haltwhistle in son of JOHN A* and Mrs DOROTHY A*. This is one of these vague IGI entries which you don’t know whether to believe or not. A look at the real microfilm would help. However… John married Jane TELFORD producing FLETCHER (1868) living in Sunderland Co Durham. (That’s an interesting name and it’s not his mother’s maiden name.) Fletcher married Elizabeth Annie BOWDEN and James was born in 1889. DORIS (1910) was the offspring of James and wife Eleanor ANDERSON. Can anyone put any flesh on these bones?

3540 There was a small mistake in Isobel’s listing in NEWS 64. JOSEPH CROWTHER A* (1851), who married Margaret PRINGLE in 1871, not his younger brother JAMES A* (1856). Please note this.

962 Jeanine has been rooting about in the US Censuses and found out the following A* info that might be useful to someone. 1860 Census for Nemaha county Kansas, when it was still a territory.  TIMOTHY 29, $500 real value and $500 personal value.  CHARLEY 26, $500 real value and $200 personal. WILLIAM 25, $500 real value and $100 personal.   All were from Scotland and it looks like they got shares according to age on the personal value.  Jeanine has all sorts of ideas of how they ended up in a really tough area, and hopes someone can yell Eureka and solve the mystery.  On checking the same county in 1870 they were not there anymore.  Kansas was now a state and there were some other Armstrongs scratching with the chickens.  It was a real tough act there.  We are talking plagues of grasshoppers, violent winds, freezing blizzards and tornados that plucked the roof of a house and two girls from their beds.  Her great grandmother was 10 at the time. The next Armstrong bunch. DAVID A* 34,  Farmer  $4,700 real and $1800 personal value. REBECCA 22, his wife from Pennsylvania and 3 Kansas born youngsters, ROBERT 4, WILLIAM 2, and baby SUSAN 7/12 years born in January.  SIMON 37, Farmer, $4,700 and $1,650 personal.  Again I'd think they were probably brothers from location and equal worth.   By listing them as Farmers it put them at a higher status than the ones listed as farm labourer. Hope this does someone some good!  

5162 Karen from “Down Under” has roots in CMB ENG. We’ve managed to get her back one further generation unearthing a veritable nest of A*s! Her G grandfather WILLIAM (1863) married Annie FORSTER in Carlisle in 1884 before emigrating to Queensland. He was the son of JACOB (1830) born in Irthington and Mary. Well, we found Jacob’s parents along with TEN other children! THOMAS (1784) married in 1810 Ann THOMPSON (1788). We also found that Thomas died prematurely (not surprising really!) and Ann remarried and had at least three other children. Jacob’s siblings were: JANE (1813), SARAH (1813), THOMAS (1814), JOSEPH (1816), JOHN (1817), MARY ANN (1820), WILLIAM (1821), ISAAC (1823), JAMES (1826) AND EDWARD (1828). Joseph married Ann and had at least four children: THOMAS (1842), JAMES (1844), ELIZABETH (1847) AND JANE (1849). None of these are on our database. Anyone connect? After further correspondence Karen provided us with another seven generations!! Here goes… Thomas’ father was JOHN (b. Carlisle 1758) and mother was Margaret SOMERVILLE. Another child was JOHN (1790). John’s parents were JOHN (1741 of Langholm) who married Agnes THOMPSON in 1758. John’s father JOHN (1717 of Haltwhistle)….Here we go again…. Another Haltwhistler with no database connections, married Janet BELL in 1740. John’s father, yet another JOHN (1693 of Haltwhistle) married Eleanor RAMSEY. The Johns continued with JOHN of Hexham (1665) marrying Elizabeth DAWSON, his father ISAAC (1630) and his grandfather ISAAC (1602). Surely someone has some connections here…. We haven’t!

5470 New member Carol has her roots back in Cumberland ENG where WILLIAM A* married Susanna BLYTHE in St Andrew’s on Esk in 1724. This is listed in the LDS records as a copy of the register which is quite a safe assumption. However when one then starts to trace other ancestors if the source is listed as “Record submitted after 1991 by member of LDS Church” you need to be a little careful as this record has been entered by an individual with no reference to its source. This is a good case in point. While Carol lists William’s father and mother as JOHN and Janet CARRUTHERS it needs to be authenticated by another source as this in the IGI is an individual’s submission. It all becomes very confusing when you find entries for the same(?) William being born in Dumfries in 1701, Canonbie in 1707 (He then would have been only 17 when he married), having parents otherwise listed as ALEXANDER A* and Elizabeth CARLISLE and having married Jean GRAHAM, Mary SCOTT or Elspeth ARMSTRONG! To throw the cat among the pigeons there was a William A* christened in St Andrew’s on Esk 1n 1704 which would also fit! Fortunately the other parts of the pedigree are more straightforward! William and James had five children all born in Dumfries SCO (or thereabouts!). JOHN (1732), WILLIAM (1733), LANCELOT (1735),  ROBERT (1737) AND JAMES (1738). Lancelot married Rachel Gamble in VA. Son JOSIAH (1801) was born in Knox County TN. Josiah’s wife Elizabeth B CONNER produced LEWIS ALEXANDER in 1809 in TN. WILLIAM HENRY son of Lewis and Amelia Carlton was born in AL in 1851. WILLIAM LEWIS son of William Henry who married Mary Frances ROBERTS was born in AL in 1877. The off-spring of William Lewis and Alice MCCANN, WRALPH LEWIS (1911) brings us into the C20. If anyone can connect let us know…. And if anyone can sort out the duplicity at the beginning of the tree we would certainly like to hear from you!!

3309 We have managed to get Sue back a couple more generatios but the database doesn’t show any matches. Perhaps you can help? THOMAS A* was a native of Ryton DUR when his son GEORGE was christened in 1788. George married Elizabeth SPENCER and they had four children: SARAH (1816), GEORGE (1818), MICHAEL (1821) – all born in Whickam DUR – ELIZABETH (1823) AND THOMAS (1826). George married Jane PICKERING in 1850, bringing us to the current George (1853)

3351 New member Geoff is in search of SAMUEL A* b. C1720 who married Susanna ABLEWAITE 19/07/1748 in Somersby, Lincs. They were the parents of AMBROSE (13/07/1764), Bag Enderby, Lincs. He would also like to find the marriage details for JOHN MARKHAM A* (07/12/1863), Caistor, Lincs and Jane?, around 1895, likely in Lincs but could have been further south. John Markham is descended to Ambrose by way of JOHN (05/07/1798) and (ROBERT) SMITH (16/05/1834).

3350 New member Jane can certainly trace her roots back to 1789 and possibly beyond. More of that later! The basics are BENJAMIN A* (1789/90) of CBL married Mary JOHNSTONE of Kirklinton CBL in 1821. Son BENJAMIN was born in 1828 and married to Mary FORRESTER in 1852 at Gretna Green (!). The name BENJAMIN was carried on through with their son‘s birth in 1862 in Borrowdale CBL. He married Sarah MUNRO in 1887 and the name chain was broken in 1898 with the arrival of JOHN ANDREW. Now John and Mary had six other children besides BENJAMIN, JOSEPH (1822), DAVID (1823), JOHN (1826), SARAH (1830), WILLIAM (1834) AND THOMAS (1836). They were all christened in Kirklinton. Now, in the 1851 Census Benjamin gave his birth place as Newby Gill. As such this can’t be found, but Newby isn’t a million miles away from Kirlinton and relates closely to Irthington. Jane has traced a Benjamin who was christened in Irthington in 1729 and could be related especially with the sequence of Benjamins. Anyone any ideas/ Hang on…. Go back to 5162… there are roots here in Irthington as well! Could there be a connection!

5161 Patricia has given us some more information on her Irish link which might assist someone else. Charles A* married Jane A* (her maiden name) in 1832 at Ardess Parish of Magheraculmoney. His parents were possibly CHARLES and MARY giving him a birth date of 1808 with siblings ROBERT TULLINAGINN (1802) AND MARY (1805).They were married in the presence of John A* and another undecipherable A*! The following are possibly their children: MARY TULLANAGIN (1833), CHARLES (1835), JOHN (1837), MARGARET MULLAGHFARNE (1839), ROBERT (1841), IRVINE TULLINAGINN (1844), ADAM (1846), GEORGE (1848), JAMES (1850), JANE (1852) AND JAMES (1856).

5472 Bob’s lack of information on his pedigree is that two of his great-great-aunts went to nursing school, learned about germs, came home and decided all those musty old papers in the family safe must be laden with germs and took them all out and burned them - birth certificates, marriage licenses, everything! The only clue he has of his Scottish ancestry is that his father always said his family was from England or Scotland somewhere.  He starts with a ROBERT A* (1805), place of birth unknown whose son JOHN OLIVER (1828) born in Virginia, married Eveline SHARP. Son JOHN ROBERT, born Bath Co VA in 1867 married Mary Elizabeth BAKER and son ROBERT WALTER was born in Gordonsville VA in 1905. Can anyone give Bob any clues?

3548/3529 You may have noticed that after due time I always put the Roots requests on the website for the world to see. This means that links can be established with other interested parties and members can be recruited. Happily in this case both happened! In new member Charles is our first representative from Gibraltar! This has helped Barry get back another two generations. CHARLES THOMAS (1840) a merchant and landlord of Gibraltar had married Julia PODESTA. His father THOMAS (1814) who was Colonial police Service Chief in Gib was born in Co Monaghan IRL had married Angela MONTADO. Thomas’ father THOMAS (1875-80) was either born in Co Monaghan or Scotland. He married Elizabeth JORDAN. Anyone spot any Irish or Scottish links?

1884 Trinna has an interesting line which starts with Francis A* who married Helen Telfer in Castleton ROX Sco in 1771. He, but none of his progeny, is on our database where it is added his place at marriage as “Fairloanes”. They had two children Frances (1777) and Thomas (1776) who married Sarah WILKINSON with offspring all born at Southdean ROX :- SIMON (1804), JOHN (1806), WILLIAM (1808), RICHMOND (1810), ALICE (1812), MARGARET (1814), JANE (1817), ANNE RUTHERFORD (1819) AND SARAH (1821). However there is a dispute at the moment regarding John whether he emigrated to United States then to Canada or he emigrated to New Zealand. There are different wives involved as well both named Margaret.  Trinna’s version is that he emigrated to USA then to Canada. The other version requires checking which at present isn’t possible. There maybe in fact two different John Armstrongs. So going with Trinna’s…..John married Margaret MARSHALL in ROX Sco in 1831. They had seven children the first six of whom were born in the States and the last one in Ontario Canada. Viz: THOMAS (1833), JANE (1835), ELIZABETH (1837), MARY (1840), PETER (1842), JOHN (1843) AND ROBERT (1845). Thomas married Mary ANDERSON and their first child was JOHANNA (1864), from whom Trinna is descended. There are many other A*s on this pedigree so if you think you are linked please get in touch.

5163 There is already a possibility that we have made a connection for new member Beverley, but until it is proved here are her ancestral particulars! WILLIAM ALEXANDER A* was born somewhere in Ireland C1841. He marries Theresa KELLY in 1867 and son WILLIAM ALBAN was born in Redfern NSW AUS in the same year. He married Annie Thamar PERRY and son WILLIAM HENRY was born in 1891 He and his wife Sarah Kington LEWIN carried on the naming tradition with WILLIAM ALFRED in 1915, from whom Bev is descended…. Luckily they didn’t carry on the naming tradition there! However… was there a sibling William? Don’t forget folks we want the siblings as well!

3556/7 Here’s an interesting one from Chris, his ancestors certainly moved around. His GG grandfather JOHNNIE A* was born in 1856. Where he was born or how his parents arrived in Australia is a mystery, but the eldest son always has John in his name. When Johnnie was four his parents moved to South Africa. He had two sons, JOHN DOUGLAS and STUART. JD married Ivah Lillian WHITFIELD producing children JOHN WHITFIELD, IVAH MARY, FRANCES VERNA and AMY JEAN. John W married Nina WADDILOVE in Brighton ENG in 1943 and moved to SA where Chris was born. Well… let’s get some folks in Oz and RSA down to the Record Offices to help out!

3555 New member Paul has sent me a massive chart with no less than 85A*s on it, and as far as I can ascertain none of them link in with anything on the data base. So here goes… not that you are going to get the whole lot but just the important bones in the skeleton! John A* (1786) married Mary Capes (both born in Lincolnshire) and they had nine offspring, all born in Scotton Lincs ENG. WILLIAM (1806), JOHN (1808), MARY (1810), GEORGE (1813), JULIANA (1814), ELEANOR (1815), CAPES (1818), ELLEN (1818), JOSEPH (1820).George married Ann Allison in 1813and their children were born in East Butterwick Lincs. ANN (1843), GEORGE (1845) who married Caroline FOWLER, WILLIAM (1847) who married Mary THEAKER, JOHN HENRY(1850), CHARLES (1851) who married Margaret LOCKWOOD, JOSEPH (1856) who married Alice COULSON, and MARY (1858). John Henry married three times, to Elizabeth FITCH, Sarah COULSON and Mary COULSON. It is from Mary that Paul is descended. Any Lincolnshire devotees see any matches? If you want fuller details of the others not mentioned email Nick.

5541 David goes a long way back to the middle of the 18C in the States. This is very unusual for us as it normally ends up with an Irish brick wall! However… that’s not to say there isn’t one lurking here! MARTIN A* was the son of TIMOTHY ROBERT (nothing more is known about him) and was born in 1745 in Norwich, New London CT. He married an unknown Abigail and had children ELLIOTT (1772) b Essex County NY, LOIS (C1776) and JEWETT (C1769). Elliott married Eleanor PHELPS in 1793 and their offspring were CHAUNCY (1793), WILLIAM (1793), CHESTER (1796), ERASTUS (1798), RANSOM (1798), IRENE (1801), BRENCER (1805), DAVID WILLIAM (1807), ELLIOTT ORLANDO (1812) AND ELEANOR (1817). David William married Sarah TREADWAY in 1831 and children JEROME BONAPARTE (1832) and ROLLA SILAS (1844), born in Westhaven, Rutland VT. He married Eliza Maria GOODELL in 1869 producing RANSOM (1873), EFFA (1877), HOWARD GOODELL (1883) born in Chelsea, Washtenaw MI (from whom David is descended) and ARTHUR (1886). Can you help in two ways here? Have you any connections, and can you find any ancestors beyond 1745?

5165 Derek has done an escape act to Oz and has left all his ancestors in England! His line starts with MATTHEW, a miner born in 1768 in Kirkhaugh NBL, marring Elizabeth Dryden in 1793. They had children SARAH (1796), JOSEPH (1796), JANE (1799) and MATTHEW (1802). Matthew, a joiner, a wife Margaret produced ELIZABETH (1833), GILBERT (1836), JAMIMA (1839), MATTHEW (1841), MARY J (1844), and SARAH (1846). Matthew, a cooper, born at Heworth DUR, married Margaret BELL in 1845 and had 8 children : MARGARET (1866), GILBERT HENRY (1869), JAMIMA ((1871), SARAH (1874), MATTHEW (1877), ADA (1877), ETHEL (1887) and FLORENCE (1890). Gilbert Henry’s family brings us into the 20C. He married Annie Hogarth in 1895 and their children were FREDERICK H (1897), MATTHEW (1899), ROBERT (1900), GILBERT S (1901), JACK (1904), and RITA (1910). These have all been run through the database but without a match. Can you help?

3349/50 Eric is looking for a little help in locating his uncle who emigrated to Australia early in 1930. HENRY A* was born 10th Sept 1908 in Bootle Liverpool and married Dorothy Thelma SLATER. His service # qx14112. Enlistment: 5th July 1940. Discharge: 2nd April 1941. Posting at discharge: 11 Training Battalion. Can anyone help down under?

3135 Bob has had his DNA 37-marker results through, and they show him to have a 92% -99.69% match for a common ancestor around c1250- 1500 with an Armstrong in the US whose ancestors went to America in the 1700’s. Apparently, his ancestors were from Ballymena in the 1740’s, linking back to Canonbie prior to that. It seems to solve some of the mystery surrounding where his Bedfordshire ancestors came from. Now he’s working on finding out why they came to the county. Ring any bells across the pond?

ROOTS ENQUIRIES FROM EDITION 64 May 2007

3317/3271 Well, I got another of those big charts, this time from Alan, which of course had to go on the wall to be processed! From it I made one link up but I am sure that there must be others as there are many names on it that weren’t on the database. Also the name GRIZEL(LE) has cropped up again and I am sure that there is another member researching it other than those above. This all starts with MICHAEL (1717) b. Hairland Hole, Canonbie marrying Mary SCOTT. They produced eight children: GRIZEL (1736), JEAN (1738), ANNA (1740), FRANCES (1743), WILLIAM (1746), JAMES (1747), THOMAS (1751), and CHARLES (1754). William married Margaret CARRUTHERS in 1773, and continued the dynasty with JOHN (1777), GEORGE (1781), WILLIAM (1784), MARY (1787) and GRIZEL (1791). They were all born in Canonbie.

John married Margaret NICOL who gave birth to ten children including, amazingly, three sets of twins! WILLIAM (1805), CATHERINE MATILDA and JEAN (1807), LYDIA and JAMES (who died in infancy) (1809), JAMES (1813), JOHN (1816), JANE and EUPHONIA (1819) and GRIZEL (1821). In 1836 John married Hannah PARKES and were living in the Midlands of England. The offspring were, JAMES (1840), WILLIAM (1841), SARAH ANN (1845), MARGARET (1847), ISAAC (1850) and SAMUEL JOSEPH (1852). Samuel married Isabella MITCHESON in 1847. their children were, EDWARD (1875), JAMES (1877), SAMUEL (1883), Jane/JEAN (1888) and HANNAH PARKES (1891). William (1805) has connections with the USA as he emigrated there with his second wife, Catherine CRADDOCK and their six children, MARY (1840), MARGARET (1842), JANE (1846), JOHN (1848), JOSEPH (1850), WILLIAM HENRY (1853). They had three more children in Salt Lake City, CATHERINE MATILDA (1855), WILLIAM (1858) and JAMES (1841). Now with all those names I am sure we can make some more link ups. Also will the other member/s who have Grizels in there line make themselves known!

5146/631 They always say never give up and here is a case in point! Those of you who have been members for a long time should go back into their archives to 1988 NEWS No 26 and refresh their memories with the article entitled “Kingo Hunting”. Further to this in edition 61 the Rons had traced GEORGE (1879) back to County Tyrone IRE. George married Barbara KING and the name Kingo appears many times in the pedigree (In transcriptions it universally is translated as “Kings” - beware transcriptions!). Now we had a brick wall in Ireland. However another researcher who was checking a parallel line came up with the blindingly obvious solution that had been staring us in the face for all those years that Barbara was in fact Barbara KINGO! This immediately got us back another generation to GEORGE (C1760) who married Anne BLEEKS in 1783 at Arboe Co. Tyrone, IRE. In addition to George Jr there were two other daughters ANNE (1784) and MARGARET (1787). It is not known where George Sr was born, but apparently the name Kingo is restricted virtually exclusively to Fife in Scotland, so the likelihood is that both families originated from there. So can anyone help on this one…. Please don’t leave it for another 18 years!

 3339/40 Eric has got back one further with his pedigree. (See News 62 p.19) He was back as far as THOMAS (C1853) born in Ireland but where we don’t know. It has been established that his father was also a THOMAS and that he married a Margaret, still in Ireland and up against the next brick wall!

 1859 In 1829 Hap’s ancestors WILLIAM A*, (1776) born at Longelinghiel, Cumberland, his wife Margaret BEATTIE, (1778) and their family came to Canada. It is told that they landed in Quebec, where they stayed for a time, arriving in Beverly Township, Rockton, Ont. (just outside of what is now Cambridge Ont.) William and Margaret's family were all born in  England. The family consisted of 3 sons and 6 daughters. They were born in rowhouses, Parish of Kirk Andrews. ELIZABETH (1802), ISABELLA (1804), JEAN (1806), MARGARET (1809). JOHN (1811), HUGH (1815) (Hap’s Great Great Grandfather) MARY Born (1818), WALTER (1821) and ELLEN (1825). William also had a sister, MARGARET A* and her husband Adam ELLIOT immigrated from Northumberland England to the Rockton area in 1828. Hap interested in obtaining any information about the lineage of  his great, great, great grandfather email haparmstrong@shaw.ca.

 3536 New member Moni has got NE England roots and we have been able to put a bit more flesh on the bones using Census information. I am always banging on about this but this is where other members can usually find connections. In this particular instance I have added on ten other A*s who aren’t on the pedigree – hopefully this might throw up a link. Here we go then….. THOMAS, a lead ore miner, was born in Hexham NBL in 1797 and married Esther STOBART in 1821. They had the following children:- JOHN (1826), ELIZABETH (1826) (twins?) THOMAS (1829), ESTHER (1834), JANE (1836) and GEORGE (1839). George married Mary LETHARD in 1863 and together produced six children. WILLIAM THOMAS (1863), CHARLOTTE (1867), ESTHER (1869), GEORGE (1870), MARY (1874) and JOSEPH (1882). Son Joseph married Margaret LOFTUS in Durham and was a steelworker. Any Durham Northumberland connections anyone?

 1454 Here’s another American pedigree we are hoping to expand on. Marion is looking to extend her husband’s Armstrong pedigree in any way possible. In particular it would be helpful to get back further than JAMES who was born in 1770. Nothing is known about James’ roots, even where he came from so if we can jog someone’s memory we will give you what we’ve got! James married C1800 in SC. His wife is unknown, but he had six children:- BURTON WILLIAM (1803), ISABEL (1805), LOUISA (1806), DAVID (1809), JOHN (1811) and JAMES (1813). Burton married Rebecca WALKER in 1825 and produced five children all born in Barnwell Co SC. JOSIAH LAFAYETTE (1824), JOHN BOLIVAR (1826), MARY ELIZABETH (1827), NATHANIEL WALKER (1829) and WILLIAM JEFFERSON (1834). Josiah wed Jane Amanda WOODWARD in 1849. Children were:- MARY ELIZABETH (1848), JOSIAH NATHANIEL (1851), REBECCA ISABELLA (1854), SAMUEL W (1856), JOHN BOLIVAR (1858), BURTON WILLIAM W (1860), LAURA ALICE (1865), ELBERT BENJAMIN (1868), ANNA M (1870), and FRED LAMAR (1872). John Bolivar had two children with his wife Elizabeth MILLER:- GEORGE MILLER (1894) AND JESSIE CLYDE (1896). GEORGE MILLER, Marion’s late husband was born in 1925. Any leads on this line?

 3540 New member Isobel is indeed one of the lucky ones as she has Armstrong links on both the paternal and maternal sides of her pedigree. Sadly though neither side scored any hits with our database! So it’s your turn to help! JOHN A*, a joiner, was born in Ireland about 1820. He married Mary MILLER producing WILLIAM (C1845) in Belfast. (Although the 1871 Census says Newcastle!) (He married, in 1865 at Newcastle on Tyne Hannah KINSLEY.) along with ROBERT (C1842), JAMES (C1844), ARCHIBALD (C1845) and ALEXANDER (1849) William was a cabinet maker. Daughter MARY JANE was born in Newcastle in 1866. By 1871 she had WILLIAM (1869) and ELLEN (1870) for company. Soon to follow were ALEXANDER (1874), ROBERT (1877), JOHN JAMES (1880), EDWARD (1882), VINCENT (1884) and HANNAH (1887). Mary married Henry HENDERSON in 1901. The other side of the pedigree goes back to CLEMENT A*, a cordwainer, possibly born in Northumberland ENG early 1800s. His wife was Catherine. Son CLEMENT, a shoe and boot maker, was born in Wooler NBL in 1820. He married Ann CROWTHER in 1842. Children were SARAH (1845), HANNAH (1847), JOSEPH CROWTHER (1851), ELIZABETH (1854), JAMES (1856) and THOMAS (1858). James married Margaret PRINGLE in 1871, producing ANNIE (1874), JOSEPH CROWTHER (1878), THOMAS (1884) and NORA (1888). Joseph married Hannah VICKERS in 1902 with daughter NORAH ISABELLA (1903) marrying Henry Henderson’s son Henry. Surely someone can link up with all these Armstrongs!

 5023/4 Ted, Denise and family have recently rejoined and are descended from the famous family of Armstrong surgeons from Brecon Wales. We have a pretty comprehensive tree from DAVID A* (1754) which was researched by a late member, Jill Wilson. Son THOMAS married Mary JONES and latterly Mary Ann WILLIAMS. The two wives produced 14 children. CHARLES EDWARD was born in 1833 and married Sarah COLLINS in Australia in 1863. They had 12 children the fifth of which, EDWARD JAMES (1872) married Mary Elizabeth JORDAN in 1901. Ted is descended through their son WILLIAM (1910). We have a lot of info on this family which we can share with you if you connect. Maybe you have got more info than we have and you could help us!

 5463 Roger is up against the all too familiar Irish brick wall, but perhaps you can help break it down! He can trace his ancestry to JAMES A* (1832) from Aghalane, County Tyrone, Ireland. He married Annabelle CHITTICK in 1855 in Morgan Co IL. Son ROBERT HENRY was born in 1858 and married Dora SCHOONOVER in 1878. CLAUDE JOHNSON (1889), their son was Roger’s grandfather. If you can break the wall or have other connections let us know.

 5425 Janet Armstrong Shook has some corrections to make for John. Roy Armstrong's father was JOHN THOMAS born in Oro, Ontario in 1874. John's parents were WILLIAM and Margaret PERRY. William was born in Montreal, son of SAMUEL and CATHERINE.  John did not die in a lumbering accident at Frank's Bay as we were told, but left Ontario and married another woman and had 4 more children, ending up in Duluth MN where he died in 1941 from complications from diabetes.  Two of his children died young.  The other two were VIOLA and ROY HENRY. They can't track them in the census.  Interesting that he named another son Roy.  Grandfather Roy was from his first wife in Barrie, Ontario, Hannah MUIR. Is there is anyone out there who knows any more about Samuel and Catherine who might have arrived in Canada about 1820?  William was born in 1828. Is there any one connected to Roy or Viola from Duluth?

 5421 James’ tree starts with DAVID A* born in Florida, Orange NY. He married Nancy MILLER and had son Francis (1781). He and his wife also only had EBENEZER (1821). Ebenezer and his wife Mary Elizabeth WILSON produced ABIA ALVEROW (1849), Abia’s daughter ADA LYDIA (1893) was James’ Armstrong descendant. Do you know of any other siblings from these generations?

 5464 Martin is another new member who is stuck in Ireland. ROBERT A* (for whom we have no details) married Sarah SCOTT who was born in County Donegal in 1824. They had one child ROBERT (date of birth unknown) who married Florence SWING whose only son WILLIAM ROBERT (1883 De Land Volusia FL), who married Frances TAIT, was Martin’s father. Help on this line would be appreciated.

 3135 Bob has been looking into his Armstrong ancestors in Bedfordshire for over 25 years and is still trying to prove where they originally came from. The earliest ones he has found are in Riseley, Beds in 1700, yet he can’t find earlier marriages for them in the county. However, someone told him that priests/vicars often abbreviated the surname Armstrong to Arms or Armes. He’s checked this out and found this to be true in several cases in Bedfordshire where IGI records & Apprenticeship records for the same person are spelt in the full and abbreviated versions. He wondered if this is a rare occurrence, or is the abbreviated spelling a common habit? Also, would people with the modern surname Armes really be Armstrongs? Can you shed some light on this?

 3539 Not only is Miranda a new member but she is also a member of the Haltwhistler Club! Furthermore we have been able to get her back two more generations with the help of the IGI. Miranda’s A* connection runs out when JANE (1812) married Roland Stagg in 1837. However we have discovered that her parents were ROBERT (1787) and Ann BROWN who were married in 1810. Robert’s parents were NICHOLAS (1766) and Mary HANKIN who were married in 1787. These are all good Haltwhistlers! It would also appear that Jane had a number of siblings: MARY (1811), ROBERT (1814), WILLIAM (1817), ROSANNAH (1826), SARAH (1829), JOHN (1831), and MARY (1834). Well!.... surely one of the “Club” can connect with this lot!

 ???? New member Patricia has some tales to tell about her Armstrong ancestor MARY whose husband accidentally killed himself with a shotgun and her brother that was murdered! Still that’s a story you’ll see in the next edition… a roots search is more important at the moment. Mary was born in Co Fermanagh IRL in 1826. She married Robert FRAZER in 1856 at the Church of Ireland Templemaghera, Tullanaglug, Co Fermanagh. Mary’s parents were CHARLES and Mary (possibly ARMSTRONG). She arrived in Sydney along with her brothers, CHARLES and JOHN, as free settlers, in April 1857. Patricia is of course looking for her Irish ancestors and joins many others at the “brick wall”! She is also interested in tracing relatives of Charles and John “down under”. A two pronged attack, please!

 3505 Mary has noticed that there was a 100 year typo in her entry in Edition 63! So here it is again – but corrected! Her ggg-grandfather ANDREW Armstrong, born 1773. He lived initially in Papcastle and Bridekirk following his marriage to Isabella SANDERSON of Unthank, Dalston in April 1801. The family moved to Dalston where Andrew and Isabella remained until their deaths (1829 and 1848 respectively) Anyone having a Andrew A. born around that time would be helpful to Mary. Please contact Nick.

 5462 Herbert’s ancestors were no doubt on one of the five small ships bearing the first Armstrongs to arrive on American shores, tied up at the wharf at the end of State Street in Boston, Massachusetts on October 14, 1718, They were under the direction of their pastor, Reverend James McGreger, and later went on to Portland where they underwent deprivations for one winter. Among the first Portland settlers were JAMES A*, Mary, his wife, and their infant son THOMAS. Also JOHN A*, his wife and their infant son, JAMES. Other Armstrongs were known to have reached America in 1750 and settled in New Hampshire. It is not known when descendents of these early settlers came to Nova Scotia but one of them whose name figures prominently in the early history of Kempt Shore, was “Squire” George C A*, who moved to Kempt Shore soon after his marriage in 1816 to Matilda MOSHER of Newport. “Squire” George was born in 1792 in Newport, Hants the son of THOMAS A* and Elizabeth COCHRAN. His parents probably emigrated from Rhode Island along with the Moshers who settled and named the village of Newport Landing (Avondale) around 1760. Thomas and Elizabeth are buried in Newport Landing/Avondale (Old Section). “Squire” George lived in Newport until his move to Kempt Shore in 1816. He was one of five children. His brother JOHN married Sarah MOSHER and settled first in Cheverie, later moving to Ontario with his family. WILLIAM moved across to the Minas Basin Adverate. JAMES went to New York. BRIAN (or BLAIR?) went to Massachusetts. Of PRISCILLA, the only girl, little is known. George and Matilda had ten children, eight of whom married. GEORGE (Priscilla Ann MORRIS), THOMAS (Mary McNEALY), JANE ELIZABETH (John CARD), PRISCILLA JANE (William GLENN), DANIEL W (Sarah McNEALY), JOSEPH (Phoebe MacLAUGHLIN), HANNAH (Richard McNEALY) and ELIAS BENJAMIN (1841) (Sophie McNeil REYNOLDS). Elias and Sophie had eleven children:- ISRAEL BOYNTON (C1864), AMELIA JANE who married LEAH A*, SARAH, JULIA MAY, LILLIAN BELLE, WILLIAM GARVIE, EDNA RAY and the others who all died young. Israel married Helen L SUMMERS and their surviving children were SUMNER BOYNTON (1884), LILLIAN AMELIA, HELEN LOUIS, MARION SOPHIA, HARRY EDGAR, FLORENCE MAE, SAMUEL CALDWELL and MARTHA LYDIA. Sumner, who married Mary Josephine BEYLES had five children, one of which, SUMNER BOYNTON (1908) is the father of Herbert. Now I am sure YOU can find some connection with all these names, those of you on the other side of the pond!

 2383 Bonnie thought she had joined the Haltwhistler Club when she read an entry in the May 2006 NEWS but on checking the database and pedigree charts it was found out that she couldn’t become a member! However on revisiting her info again we were able to make some headway and hopefully someone else can take us further. Thomas SHORTREED born in Scotland in 1777 married ISABELLA A*. We discovered from the IGI that she was baptised in Jedburgh, Roxborough SCO in 1774 at the Associate Congregation of Freechurch Church. Her parents were JOHN A* and Margrat (sic) WAUGH. The trail then goes cold.

 1878 Craig from Canada just about beat the deadline for copy with his timely membership application. It has proved to be very lucky as with a little bit of digging around we have got a lot of information. None of this has come off the database as there has been no time to check the multitude of possible links, so it’s up to you to spot them in the first instance! ALLAN MCLARTY A* (Craig’s grandfather) was the last of the generations born in Scotland in 1888. He had the following siblings ANDREW (1886), JAMES (1890), IRVING, ADA, MIMA, JEMIMA, ISABELLE and WILLIAM. Their parents were IRVING (1860) who married Jeanie ALLAN. Well, that’s as far as Craig had got as in two generations we have found 24 more Armstrongs, which would give us an amazing number of offspring. (I heard the other day of someone who has 38 grandchildren. Can you beat that?). Irving’s parents ANDREW (1816) and Isabella WILSON were married in 1839 and were pretty busy after that producing 11 brothers and sisters for Irving. They were:- ELIZABETH (1840), AGNES (1842), JOHN (1844), ALEXANDER (1848), THOMAS (1850), JAMES (1853), ROBERT (1858), ELIZABETH (1865), JOSEPH (1866), ISABELLA (1869), and ANDREW (1870). To add to this Andrew came from a large family as well. His siblings were:- MARGARET (1808),  ROBERT (1809), MARY (1810), George (1811), JOHN (1812), JANET (1813), ALEXANDER (1818), WILLIAM (1820), JANE (1824), JOHN (1825), JAMES (1827), and IRVING (1829). The parents were ALEXANDER (C1781) and Janet IRVING (C1785). (So that’s where the name came from!) All these events took place in Gretna or Graitney SCO and all the family of these two generations were involved in weaving. I am very confident that someone can come up with a match for some of these folk. Don’t let me down!

 3541 New member Steve has cracked it! He is a Haltwhistler…. And guess what? He became the first member of the “club” to get a match with another member! On joining he received Edition 63 and 3050 Audrey who has been waiting for a connection for years at last proved lucky. SARAH A* was born in 1784 (or 1876) in Haltwhistle Nbl and married George NIXON in 1807. He has two, maybe three possibilities for her parents and lots of potential siblings but nothing looks definite. He is starting to look through wills for any mentions. What is most interesting, and a cautionary tale at that, is the entry for her in the IGI. What you end up with is 10 entries for Sarah in three different parishes, Plainmiller/Plainmellor/Plenmeller, Haltwhistle or Hindley Steel, all in NBL with different dates of birth, two sets of parents but a common link by marriage to George Nixon!. For the record… for the former the birth date was 17 July 1764 with parents WILLIAM and Elizabeth SHORT/ARMSTRONG at Haltwhistle with the same date and parents, but the latter 16 October 1786 with parents JOHN and Jane CARRICK and to cap it all the same entry in Haltwhistle! So beware… make sure you look at Parish records! Steve has, but came up with the possibility that Sarah was buried twice! However Steve can confirm this poor woman wasn't so; there are 2 burial records for her, one in Haltwhistle and another in Simonburn for the same day, 24 December 1818 when aged 34 years. The original record shows that the Rector in Simonburn made an entry in his burial register reporting the news from the Curate at Haltwhistle that she had been buried there. Mind you, if there is one double entry, perhaps there are more, or was George leading a double life! Help!

ROOTS ENQUIRIES FROM EDITION 63 November 2006

5461 New member Christine is stuck in Scotland (Makes a change from Ireland, but what’s the betting when you get to page 18 there will be a few!) She is chasing her LITTLE line and (of course) her ancestor William married Agnes A* born probably in Westerkirk SCO C1800. They produced  a son WILLIAM (1840) and sailed on the Silas Richard for America in 1841.

3301 Sheila is still looking for relatives of MARY A* (daughter of JAMES of Chapelknowle) Earlier family connections include links to FARRIES, CARRUTHERS, and CARLISLE families. Known relative and descendants include John MOUNSEY a cattle dealer, b. C1817, Castleton, son of John and Elizabeth SMITH; James GRAHAM  b. C1849 Cummertrees near Annan who lived in Gretna in 1901 and in Langholm in 1912; Ellen TINNING b. C1897 daughter of David an oat mill miller, Canonbie and Mary TEMPLE. Ellen married Arnold LAMBERT of Skipton; William IRVING b. C1867 son of George  and Janet RICHIE. William lived at Thorneyburn, Bellingham, NBL in 1901 with his extended family including his wife Elizabeth (MOUNSEY) TEMPLE. Any info appreciated.

5159 New member Catherine’s relatives go back to Kirtletown SCO. DAVID A* (birth date unknown) married Agnes BELL. Possibly David’s parents were THOMAS and Agnes MURRAY. David and Agnes had one son DAVID (1724-1813) who married Margaret BUNCLE in 1752. Their children were WILLIAM (1753), MARGARET (1755), ANNE (AGNES) (1757), CATHERINE (1759), EDWARD (1760), JEAN (1761), FRANCIS (1762), FRANCIS (1763), DAVID (1765). There are two questions. Does anyone have any info on this family, and can anyone throw any light on the possibility of a DAVID A* (C1620) allegedly a son of Christie’s Will being related?

1247  Jane is having another go at getting a result on her Irish ancestors. (Told you it wouldn’t be long before the Irish popped up again!)  THOMAS (1732) married Agnes GILCHRIST. Only son WILLIAM was born in Dublin IRE in 1742. He married Flora Belle CAMPBELL C1761 in Ireland. They emigrated to PA and had eight children: ALEXANDER (1765), MARGARET (c1767), WILLIAM (1769), MARY POLLY (c1773), THOMAS (1775), JOHN (c1777), ELEANOR (1779) and NANCY J (c1789). If anyone has any connections with this American family, or even with their A* ancestry, let me know.

3050 Audrey has a couple of connections which she wants to pursue. She is stuck on NICHOLAS of Stamfordham married to Mary SCOTT in 1803. He  may possibly be the son of GEORGE of Fenwick and his wife Margaret and was born in 1783. JOHN (1805), son of Nicholas married Esther WINSHIP, whose first wife was an ELIZABETH A* married at Ryton in 1776. Secondly on her NIXON line George, the father of her g.grandmother, had a first wife SARAH A* bp. Haltwhistle 1784 daughter of MATTHEW and Elizabeth DALTON. (Hello! Haltwhistle appears again!) Can anyone help Audrey?

A KIND SOUL FROM THE ETHER! This will interest anyone with West Indian connections. An ELIZA A* died of Yellow Fever in St Vincent, West Indies on 7 July 1841 [ref. letter written by Mary Sutherland in Sept. 1841 from Brandon, Norfolk] - probably the wife of HENRY (Father JAMES) who married Eliza's "most dear friend from the earliest times" Mary SUTHERLAND in Nov. 1844 at St Pancras. Henry Armstrong was Inspector of Schools. Children of Mary and Henry: KATHERINE b c.1846 Islington,  HENRIETTA CECILIA SUTHERLAND b. c. 1847 married   1868 William Vardon PATERSON. HENRY JABEZ BUNTING  b. 4 July 1848 Islington. Attended Christ College Cambridge and became vicar and later rector of Broughton near Salford. In 1881 m. Anne BAINES from Liverpool. ROBERT STOWE b. Islington c.1851. GP Paddington in 1881. Later described as a surgeon, Paddington, Single. ARTHUR JAMES b. c.1857 became doctor, Southgate, London. Wife Florence and children – KATHLEEN (1894) and son ARTHUR H (1898). EMMA FRASER b c1855 London. JANETTA ADELAIDE b c.1858 in Weston Super Mare. Living with sister Emma in Bedford 1901. Henry died in Bedford in 1867 and Mary died in 1896 having continued to live at 41 St John's Street, Bedford with daughters Janetta and Emma. If you want a contact name on this one, let me know!

5154 William has traced his line back to CHARLES who was born in 1817 in Golspie, Sutherland SCO. He married Mary ROBSON in 1842 in NSW, AUS.His father was possibly JOHN and mother Charlotte GUNN. Anyone with these Scottish connections?

1142 Jean has some newly discovered cousins of her father, ERNEST JOHN A* From the 1901 Census, she has found ERNEST VICTOR b.1898 (same year as her father) and HILDA FLORENCE EDITH b.1896 - both born in London (Middx.) Their father was ALFRED JOHN (brother to her grandfather ERNEST WILLIAM 1874-1899) sons of gt.grandfather JOHN A* .Her late father, whose own father was killed when he was just 3 weeks old, apparently had no knowledge of these cousins, at least he never told her - but she would love to know if they survived WWI, married and had any families. This one is pushing into the 20C….. Anyone out there?

3505 Mary has hit a brick wall finding the birthplace of her ggg-grandfather ANDREW Armstrong, born 1873. He lived initially in Papcastle and Bridekirk following his marriage to Isabella SANDERSON of Unthank, Dalston in April 1801. The family moved to Dalston where Andrew and Isabella remained until their deaths (1829 and 1848 respectively) Anyone having a Andrew A. born around that time would be helpful to Mary. Please contact Nick.

3531 Another Christine, another new member, can trace her roots back to an Armstrong/Bell marriage. SAMUEL, born c1798 in Kirkhaugh married in 1823 Margaret BELL, born c1800 in Cbl, ENG. Daughter ELIZABETH born c1831 married in 1857, William LEE, both hailed from Kirkhaugh. Can anyone connect with Samuel?

5322 Elba is trying to trace her Armstrong ancestors who originated from St Croif one of the Virgin Islands. Her great grandfather  PETER A* (1772) was one of eleven children. The others were THOMAS (1769), ANNE MARIE (1771), MATHEW (1773), ISAAC (1775), BENJAMIN (1776), SARAH (1778), WILLIAM (1781), FRANCIS (1783), GEORGE (1786) and ABRAHAM (1787). Thomas, Peter and Mathew were all doctors. Their parents were THOMAS and Elizabeth MARKOE, married in 1769. He came to St Croif when the Virgin Islands were still owned by Denmark. Possibly his ancestry was Dutch, English or Scottish. When Peter went to Connecticut he said that a college student had mentioned that his mother knew the Armstrong family history perfectly. Can anyone from that area share any information about this?

5425 William and Margaret A* are the parents of JOHN THOMAS A* who married Hannah MUIR (who was called Ida) in about 1895 or 96. The Armstrongs and the Muirs lived in Minesing, Ontario. The family story was that John and Hannah (Ida) were not married; the guess is that they were not married when she became pregnant with their son, ROY who was born March 29, 1895 but married just before or just after his birth. John was killed in a lumbering accident at Frank's Bay when Roy was a baby. John was working for the Smith lumbering company at the time of his death. Roy married Clara Lillian HARVEY in about 1922. It is thought that William and Margaret did come to Ontario from Ireland, but it is not known from when or where they came. Does anyone have any info on William and Margaret?

3345 Here’s an interesting one from new member Pete. The first trace of his ancestors was that they were living in Carmarthen, Wales in 1828. FREDERICK WILLIAM A* was born in 1828 to ISRAEL and JENIVAR A*. They packed up and moved to the Dominican republic in 1830 where HENRY M was born in the same year. However by 1851 they were back in Carmarthen, but by this time Israel had died. It is believed that they then went to live in Swansea. Can anyone make any connections with this family?

3346 New member Phil come from a long line of pipe-makers. In fact the “Armstrong Collection” of pipe-making equipment is currently in use in the museum in Broseley, Shropshire, UK. Info can be found on www.netcentral.co.uk  Phil has sent a massive tree that will take me ages to put onto the database… but here is the direct line of Phil’s ancestors. Phil’s father FREDERICK GEORGE (1911) was the last of the pipe-makers the second to last child of ten born to JOHN (b. Darlington 1872) and Jessie TEASDALE. Frederick’s other siblings were ANNIE (1895), LENA (1896), JOHN WILLIAM (1898), ROBERT HENRY (1900), JESSIE (1902), EDDIE (1904), MINNIE (1906), ISABELLA (1909) AND ALFRED (1913). John’s father was another JOHN (b. Darlington 1849). He married Annie HEWITT and had eight other children: MARY-ANN (1874), SARAH (1879), HENRY (1881), MINNIE (1884), ANNIE (1887), LIZZIE (1890), JANE AND WILLIAM (1893 twins). John was one of four children, brother JAMES dying in infancy and two sisters ANN (1873) and SARAH (1875). All were born in Darlington. Their parents were JAMES (C1795) and Sarah HUNTER. Phil is looking to go further back with this Darlington collection. Can anyone help?

3534 New member Kathleen has traced her roots back to Canonbie, the birthplace of many Armstrongs. Unfortunately we can’t link any of them up on our database but perhaps you can help! Her “brickwall” is with ABEL born in Canonbie C1795. He married Isabella Taylor in 1822 and they produced six children:  WILLIAM (1825), JESSIE (JANET) (1827), Helen (1830), BEATRIX (1832), FRANCIS (1833), and ELIZABETH (1834). I thought I had a match but it was another Canonbie Abel!

5656 Bobbie Jean’s great grandfather lived at Woodhead as a Yeoman when he married his wife, Mary NOBLE. There are Nobles in the parish of Bewcastle that she needs to study but they are in the Asketon Estates of Lanercost Parish which is much further away.  In the marriage licences of Lanercost Parish, Cumberland, no originals survived just indexes. The entry reads: Armstrong, John, Woodhead, yeoman; Noble, Mary, Camock Loning Head, parish Lanercost. Bondsman - John Hogg, Patchill, yeoman. Lanercost.
JOHN Armstrong age 48 was at Woodhead in 1797 when he married Mary Noble. The next step is to study all the Armstrongs of Lanercost and Bewcastle. Woodhead was in Armstrong hands as early as 1603. Does anyone have any connections with these records?

5107 David has been doing a lot of research on the two SIR THOMAS Armstrongs the younger being convicted of involvement in the Rye House Plot and who was consequently executed. There are a number of members who are connected to this line. David has done an extensive search of the Heaton-Armstrong papers which were copied by us for our records with the permission of Anthony Heaton-Armstrong some years ago. With other sources David has made some headway into getting some substantial clues who the ancestors were and where they came from, but without drawing any single cast iron solution.

ROOTS ENQUIRES FROM EDITION 62 May 2006

5449 Another Irish one from new member Nancy kicks off this edition! EDWARD A* married Eliza J HUTCHINSON in Pittsburgh PA C1860. MINNIE was born in June 1860 and married Thomas Jefferson HOWARTH in 1893. Edward came from Ireland and died in the States in 1891. No traces in our databases. Any Irish experts know?

5149 We’ve been able to make one link up from our database for new member Maureen in Australia… yet another Irish one! ROBERT A* was born in Co Fermanagh IRE and married an Isabella. Son JAMES (BEDAD) was born in Fermanagh in 1773 marrying Jane JOHNSTON and produced CATHERINE in 1822 and THOMAS WILLIAM 1826 (Ederney, Magheraculmoney, Co Fermanagh) Catherine married George WOODHOUSE and ended up in Australia as did T W. If we’ve got one link there must be more!

5451 Another new member another Irish connection! Surely we must have some from Haltwhisle soon! (In joke… see previous editions of Roots.) Timothy’s fifth generation came from Londonderry IRE. JOHN was born in 1831 and married Mary DONAGHY C1850. WILLIAM was born C1850 followed by THOMAS LESTER in 1853. SARAN was born C1855 and SARAH C1857. Thomas married Anna MCGARR at Seneca Fall, New York in 1880. Timothy is descended through ELMER HOOD A* (1892) and his daughter SHIRLEY ANN (1923). Any connections?

3524 Yes! You guessed… but maybe you didn’t…! Another new member and YET ANOTHER Irish connection. This one’s good because it links up with a long standing member in Australia, so I’ve been able to introduce the two cousins. There is a moral to this one as well. Many defaulted members joined thinking they would get an instant fix… you know eight generations … no problem. It doesn’t, they lose interest, default and then a couple of years later they get a link. This one proves that patience is indeed a virtue! Details: MARY A* was born C1866-71 in the Cavan/Clones Monaghan area of Ireland. Mary’s parents were JAMES and Martha. That’s all we know. Do you know more?

3337 We’ve had a good result for new English member John on his Canadian ancestry. This is the sort of problem we are geared up to with our world wide organsation. Just get onto Merle, our Canadian Convenor, and in two days he’s got the answer! John had his furthest ancestor WILLIAM GEORGE born C1866 in either Scotland or Canada (!) His wife died in childbirth producing daughter Helen. W G then married Jessie Matheson in Canada and produced WILLIAM S (1897) and JESSIE (1904) in Lion’s Head Ontario. John also said that W G might also have been called G S, the Mayor of Edmonton, Alberta! Merle solved it all! W G was G S (why is another question!) 1901 Census, was the Mayor and is buried in Edmonton along with his wife. All we want to do know is to find out Helen’s year of birth and her mother’s name then we may pick them up in the UK Census for 1871 or 1881.

3129 Ann is very interested in the current series of articles on William of Sorbietrees as he was her gg grandfather. WILLIAM (1812) married Elizabeth HALL. They had two children, WILLIAM (1846) who married Johanna MACDONALD (daughter MARY born 1882) and AGNES who married a Dr COCHRAINE of Carlisle. The rest of the ancestors from William were WILLIAM (1882) of Sorbitrees who married Jane/Jean A*, ARCHIBALD (1739) of Saughtree who married Margaret ELLIOTT, JAMES of Kershopfoot (1705) and his father ARCIBALD of The Bush Field who was alive in 1692. Anyone else link up?

3122/1767/5450 et al Calling all Haltwhistlers!! Well it had to come didn’t it, and yes I did ask for at but at what cost!! About THREE days hard labour! First of all Alan sent me two charts that were given to him by Maurice Lincoln of Whitley Bay linking together a number of Armstrong families in the Haltwhistle area and then Ana kindly sent me her charts. Ominously they arrived in a large cardboard tube containing one chart that linked together Armstrongs from all over Northumberland and ran to FIVE feet in length! The only thing was to stick it on the wall (literally) and work from there! This threw up a lot of names that we had already got and some that we hadn’t. Some fitted with our current members and others with “lost” members. To put down the whole lot of links would take up about two copies of the NEWS alone, so I will just headline the beginning of the pedigree and anyone wanting further specific information should contact me. Here goes: FRANCIS A* of Haltwhistle who married Sarah Whitfield. Son JOHN (1753) who married Ann PICKERING and son WILLIAM (1754) of Plenmellor. ROBERT of Whitfield who died in 1795. DAVID of Knaresdale who died in 1772. ROBERT of Lanercost (1710). JAMES (1723) of Horseholm. WILLIAM (1715) of Low Starward. WILLIAM (1724) of Scotscoulthard. These are linked in one way or another by these other surnames:- WARR, BORROW, BUSHBY, HUDSPITH, TEASDALE and PICKERING. The above members are all in touch. If you are an “et al” let me know and I will put you in touch with the others.

5450 Specific to the above Ana is trying to find the father of WILLIAM A* of Edges Green, Haltwhistle, Northumberland. He was her gggg grandfather.  His wife was Elizabeth Kirk. He was the father of WILLIAM A* born about 1766/7 and died at Edges Green on 30th Nov 1861 aged 95.  Her father found records in Haltwhistle Parish Church.

5107/5307 Both Neil and David go back to common ancestor Sir THOMAS Armstrong who was born in at the beginning of the 17th C and married Anna ANDERSON a Dutch woman. Their son another Sir THOMAS (1635) was executed for alleged complicity in the Rye House Plot. We are trying to establish the link between the two Thomas’ and the Lairds of Mangerton. There are possible links through Christopher of Gilnockie or as is sited in the Heaton-Armstrong papers through Hector of Harelaw. At present David is going through these 600 (!) pages of information and is going to write up an article for us in a later edition of the NEWS. However, in the meantime, if you have any further information or thoughts on this link, let me know.

5656 Bobbie Jean, our US Convenor, has finally got back one more generation!  WILLIAM (1802) had a twin brother JOHN both christened 3 May 1802 in Lanercost.  William died in 1849 from cholera in Carlisle along with his wife Elizabeth.  His brother, John, was made the Guardian.  Their parents were JOHN (C1780) and Mary Noble married in Lanercost Abbey, Cumbria 18 Dec. 1797. They had two other children MARY (C1802) born Lanercost and ANN (1805) born Bewcastle. Guardian John married Mary CREIGHTON Their four children being LETITIA (1825) who married Simon HETHERINGTON, MARY (1826), WILLIAM (1829) and JOHN (1834) all born in Wetheral , Cumberland.

3202 Linda is still looking for the birth of her grandmother JANE. The only clue we have so far is that Jane appears in the 1881 Census aged 18 and born in Scotland and the 1891 and 1901 ones as being born in Kirk Andrews, Cumberland which is very close to the border. What we really want to find out now is Jane’s whereabouts between her birth C1863 and the 1881 Census and between then and 1885 when she was married in Warwickshire. Any clues anyone?

3338 John (see article p.9) has submitted his pedigree. It did turn up on our database as an entry for Castleton Cemetery (Note to Gathering Tour Party—this was the one you missed as you spent too long in the pub at lunchtime!) ROBERT of Saughtree Grain was born in 1755 and married Mary SCOTT. They had four children, ADAM (1802), WILLIAM who married “BETTY” and ELIZABETH who married Robert TELFER. William and Betty had eleven children six of whom died of scarlet fever. See the article for more details.

5148/1717 We were able to link up new member Noel from Australia with our ex NZ Convenor Bob in Hamilton. (See p.6 NEWS Edition 61.) through WILLIAM (1840) and his son SAMUEL 1870, both then takes the line back one generation further, but Bob has WILLIAM rather than JAMES marrying Eliza DAVIS! I'll leave them to sort that one out! Also through a deceased member's documentation which has attached a certified copy of William and Sarah WHITBREAD’s Marriage Cert. Sadly the details relating to his father and mother are left blank, but gives his occupation as a saddler and consent had also to be given as Sarah was a minor at that time. The marriage actually took place in the house of the bride's father. I also have a copy of the marriage cert. of Samuel to Mary Roberts. William was born in Cavan, Co Fermanagh. WILLIAM MANNING (1879) was Samuel’s brother. He married Margaret STUBBS in 1905. Their son JOHN WILLIAM was born 1911 in Taree where he was the third generation there. Does anyone else link up with this family?

5149 and 5050/1 Well… they say that when one door closes another open…. and this one is rather barn like!! I had made a link for 5149 Maureen (See p 17) with a lapsed member who by my calculations was well into his 90s, so the likelihood was that he had joined the other reivers in the sky. However just to make sure I set one of our local members in the same town onto it (We don’t quite have one in every town, but we are working on it!) to try and find out some info… which they did even down to the inscription on the gravestone which proved conclusively that he was “above”. Then lo and behold the NEXT new Oz member to join was following the same line. So Maureen got a lot of help so maybe you can help Neville and Dorothy. So here’s the info.. ROBERT of Magheraculmoney, Fermanagh, Ire married Isabella prior to 1770. They had children THOMAS (c1770), CHRISTOPHER (c1770), JAMES BEDAD (1773), JOHN (1785), SARAH (1792) and CATHERINE (no date). Thomas married Catherine and produced CATHERINE (1798), WILLIAM (1800), PRUDENCE (1800), JANE(1802), CHARLOTTE (1803), ISABELLA (1804), WILLIAM (1812), GEORGE (1813), IRWIN (1814), JAMES (1815) and THOMAS (1818). Thomas married Isabella EMERY and had five children WILLIAM ALEXANDER (1842), THOMAS HENRY (1845), CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON (1847), MARGARET (1850) and JOHN JAMES (1853). They were all born at Parkhill, Magheraculmoney. Thomas Henry married Margaret MUNDAY in Braidwood NSW Aus. in 1868. Their children were ISABELLA (1869), THOMAS HENRY (1871), CHRISTOPHER (1872), GEORGE (1874), MARGARET (1875), ELIZABETH ANN (1878), ELIZA SARAH (c1878), WILLIAM ALEXANDER (1872), MAINIE THERESA (c1882), GRACE (c1888) and GERTRUDE ILENE (1890). There follows two generations to Dorothy.

Following the other side of the pedigree through James Bedad who married Jane JOHNSTON at Derryvullan, Ire. Their children were ROBERT (1815), MARY JANE (1817), ISABELLA (1818), CATHERINE (1822) (Maureen’s link to the tree), JANE (1823), THOMAS WILLIAM (1826), married Jane GRAY 1858, MARGARET (1828), JAMES (1830), and JOHN (1833). James Bedad was widowed but married in 1866 Alice MCREEDY when he was over 90! More than that he produced two more children REBECCA (c1866) and EDITH ELIZABETH 1868. He is reputed to have lived until he was 107!! Well there’s plenty of info for those with Irish/Australian descent to get your teeth into!!

1818 Dorothy has been kind enough to do what I have requested all to do regularly…. That is to send in the “side shoot Armstrongs” to your pedigree. We have already got links with the first two generations here listed but by far the majority of the “side shoots” are unattached! FRANCIS A* married Helen TELFER and had two sons, WILLIAM (1774) and ADAM (1779). We are following the Adam link who married Jean NICOL in 1804 and are only dealing with the offspring who reached adulthood. HELEN (1807) married George RICHARDSON. WILLIAM (1811) b. Newcastleton Sco. married Susan PALMER in Kent ON Canada and they had 15(!) children. WALTER (1837), DELILAH (1838), WILLIAM (1840), MARY (1841), ADAM (1844), JAMES (1845), JOHN P (1847), NANCY (1853), ELIJAH (1855), SUSAN (1860), CATHERINE (1860), SARAH (1860) and THOMAS (1862). FRANCIS (1813) b. Glengarry SCO married Mary BUCHANNAN in 1846 in York ON Canada. They produced eight children—ADAM (c1848), JANET (1849), ROBERT (c1849), FRANCIS (1855), JAMES (1866) and GEORGE (1870). WALTER (1816) b. Glengarry SCO married Joan SCOTT in 1848 in Ancaster ON Canada. The children who reached adulthood were ROBERT (1850), JAMES (1854), ELLEN (1859), FRANK (1862) and BESSIE (1865). Nothing is known of JOHN (1818) b. Edinburgh SCO. ADAM (1823) b. Sandwich ON Canada married Mary WRIGHT in 1846. They had four Children WILLIAM (1849), ELIZABETH (c1853), HULOT (c1853) and MARY (c1857). GEORGE (1825) b. in Ancaster ON Canada and wife Elizabeth produced MARTHA (c1853) and RACHEL (c1855). Can anyone link in with these Scottish/Canadian roots?

1874 Mike has sent a printed ancestor chart of great detail which is testing my ageing eyesight and new varifocals! His line starts with JOHN A* of Stapleton CBL ENG whose first wife was possibly Elizabeth ROUTLEDGE by whom he had a son WILLIAM (1758) who died soon after. On her death he married Jane DAVIDSON. They had three children JOHN (c1774) who in 1807 had three children details of whom are unknown, MARY (1871) and JOSEPH (1779) of Hagg Farm Stapleton. Joseph married Mary ELLIOTT by whom he had three children JANE (c1803), ANN (c1805) and JOHN (c1808). After Mary’s death Joseph married Jane MURRAY and produced JAMES (1811), JOSEPH (1812) and ISAAC (1814). John married Margaret MURRAY who gave birth to seven children, MARY (1832), HENRY (1833) b. Nicholforest CBL, JOSEPH (1835), ANN (1836), ELIZABETH (1839), MARGARET (1840) and ROBERT (1843). Henry married Sarah ELLIOTT and produced eleven children all born in the Irthington/Walton district of Cumberland. Thy were: JOHN (1854), LEONARD (1856), ROBERT (1858), ELIZABETH (1860), MARGARET (1862), JOHN JAMES (1864), SARAH ANN (1856), MARY (1868), JANE (1870), EMMA (1872) AND HENRY JAMES (1876). Mike has got a lot more Armstrong connections on his chart to show here, but you can rest assured they are all in the filing cabinet and on the computer! If you think you have got a link with any of the Borderers just contact Nick

1142 Jean’s GGrandfather JOHN A. was born 1843 in Cornanuckla, Co.Fermanagh, N.I. to WILLIAM & Elizabeth A. In 1881 census, he is living in Buckhurst Hill, Essex and is a policeman. Wife Jane (SIMPSON) and children ALFRED JOHN b.1869, FLORENCE b.1871 and ERNEST WILLIAM b.1873. Florence died young and unmarried and Ernest William was her grandfather. He married Sarah BOATMAN 1898. Her father ERNEST JOHN was born in 1898 and grandfather Ernest William, a railway worker, was killed by a train in Jan 1899. Her father was 3 weeks old and Sarah was a bride, mother and widow within a year. Her father never spoke of any other A* relatives but she has just discovered ALFRED JOHN in the 1901 Census—a railway booking clerk living in Walthamstow. Wife Edith Alice and children HILDA F.M. b.1896 and ERNEST V. b.1898. So we have two Ernest A. cousins born in the same year 1898 who apparently had no knowledge of each other! Strange?Did Ernest V. or Hilda marry and have families? Has she got cousins out there somewhere? She would love to find a contact.

5452 New member Blair has got us all scrabbling around! As is usual US Genealogist Jim checked his data and submitted the first draft of Blair’s ancestry. Interest at the UK end was heightened as the line ran out in England, which makes a pleasant change from brickwall Ireland! Jim had got back as far as JOHN who was born in 1754 marrying Dorothy KELLEY in 1787. All this seemed a bit vague, so onto the IGI. Well this threw up a first! They were married in the Isle of Man at Bradden. Dorothy was a native showing a baptism in 1766. Of more interest one record placed John as being born in Cumberland, England and that his father was JOHN. I therefore checked the database and found a prospective match which placed this John as being the poet Doctor of Castleton. However how this link was made is unknown and it would appear that although Ted added this to the tree he has no knowledge as to where it came from or proof that it is correct. It would appear that this would be unlikely due to the Doctor’s movements about this time (See article on Doctor John page 3.) and the lineage chart from William J Maloney’s book shows no marriage or offspring attributed to John. However… back to John (1754)… He died in Wetheral, Cbl, England in 1807 but was buried in the Isle of Man. Dorothy did not die until 1824 in Wetheral. Now all these emails are flying around and suddenly US Convenor Bobbie Jean notices something familiar… her research was based in that area and she had remembered the name “Kelley” on some fiches she had purchased and came up with a wealth of information. John and Dorothy had more than the one child that was mentioned on the draft tree! JOHN (1789) was born at Douglas IOM, the following children were all born in Wetheral: CHRISTOPHER (1791), ROBERT(1794), ELIZABETH (1796), JANE CHRISTIAN (1800) and DOROTHY (1803). John married Eleanor GRAHAM (1790) there in 1808 and had two children batised there: THOMAS (1809) and WILLIAM (1811). JOHN CHRISTOPHER GRAHAM (1813) was born in Carlisle in 1813. JCGA* married Mary PEEL and after emigration to the USA produced three surviving children JOSEPH HYRUM (1846) (from whom Blair is descended), MARY ELEANOR (1848) and JOHN GRAHAM (1850). What we would like to do is to follow the IOM connection. It seems rather strange that someone born in Cumberland should go to the IOM, marry, produce one child, return and later die in Cumberland and then be buried in the IOM two days later. Also who WAS father John?

5149 (again!) This is in the form of a policy vindication! I’m always saying… “Give me whole pedigree with side shoots and be sure to enter the spouse’s maiden name”. Well this had paid off. After I had stuck together the six sheets that Maureen sent me I came up with two matches on the database, both down to side shoots and maiden names. So if you have any Armstrongs married to James HARVISON, Joseph VANCE, John GRAHAM, Mary CLEGG, Susan MORROW, Eleanor CLINTON, Robert McCLELLAND or Mary DEANE contact me!

3527 Ken has his Armstrong Roots in Scotland starting with ROBERT (1830) of Lowick. Robert married Catherine Marshall WATSON and they produced five children, JOHN (1865), ROBERT (1869), EDWARD (1871), ALBERT (1872) and LAURA (1879). They were all born at Framwellgate Co. Durham. Ken’s mother was ETHEL b. 1895 Gateshead. Ken is seeking information on Robert (1869) and his son ROBERT last known addresses in the 1950's in Chester-le-Street and South Pelaw, Co. Durham. His mother Ethel and Robert met as a result of being beneficiaries in a will from someone in Australia. Robert had a background of Catering before taking a job at the Ministry of Pensions and Insurance at Benton Newcastle .He was also a keen local supporter of Toc H.

203 Rex is another of hundreds who is stuck in Ireland! He has got back as far as Capt. FRANCIS A* of Caramable, Co Mayo IRE who married Rebecca WALDRON in 1796 in Cork. They had two children JOHN (b. 1801, Roscommon) and SARAH. John married Catherine LLOYD and was Vicar of Kinton and Common near Athlone. They had 8 children:- CATHERINE SARAH (1826), REBECCA FRANCES, MARIAN (1829), ELLEN (1831), LOUISE (1833), FRANCIS (1834), JOHN HENRY (1835) and WILLIAM (1836). William married Ellen Sophia O’HARA in 1862 and Rex is very interested in tracing the offspring of their marriage:- CATHERINE ANN (1866), DOROTHEA ELIZABETH (1868) m. Hugh LAW, CHARLES ARTHUR (1869) (Canada), ELLEN FRANCES (1870), JOHN (1872), WILLIAM CROFTON (1874), FRANCIS JAMES O’HARA (1876), GEORGE INNES (1872) (Canada). Rex is related through the John Henry line.

3321 Ross is trying to trace some of the family we dicovered for him in ROOTS 60. He has traced two of them to Slealands Burn. He is now looking for CATHERINE (1843), ELEANOR (1845), JANE ANN (1848), FRANCIS (1850), ROBERT (1852), MARGARET (1856), MARIANNE (1858) AND CHRISTINA (1861). He is also looking for the parents and family of MARGARET A* born in 1920 in Slealands

3528 Susan is a “married” Armstrong and has set herself the task of tracing back her husband’s line. This runs back through ROBERT (1887) who married Beatrice WALTON, ROBERT (1856) who wed Dorothy HORSELY and MATTHEW (1813) who teamed up with Mary HUMBLE. All these generations were born and bred in Newcastle upon Tyne. Matthew’s father ROBERT was born in Whitfield in 1771 and married Jane SHORT of Allendale. He was an Excise Officer. Now here is the interesting bit…. Was Robert the illegitimate son of Mary A* of Side House, Whitfield and Francis NICHOLSON? Anyone know???!

5153 New member John’s Armstrongs came from Scotland. ALEXANDER (1829) of Bower, Caithness married Christina GROAT in 1847 in Wick in 1847. They had three children in Scotland. WILLIAM (1848), ANN (1850), ALEXANDER (1855) who married Mary HOLDER. After emigrating to Albany, Western Australia they had three more JAMES, ELIZABETH and ISABELLA. William married Margaret Campbell MACKAY in Wick and they had three children, ALEXANDER (1880), JAMES (1882), DAVIDENA (1878), and CHRISTINA (1883) was born on the voyage. Further children were born in Albany WA, Elizabeth (1884), MARGARET (1888), MARY (1890) and VICTOR WILLIAM (1894). All these offspring have left many descendants in Western Australia. Can anyone link into either end of this tree?

3339/40 Eric is another one stuck in Ireland, and our database won’t help him. Perhaps someone else can! Eric has gleaned his information from the 1881 census, which, unfortunately, when it comes to giving birth places that involves countries other than England it just gives the country! THOMAS (C1853) born somewhere in Ireland married Jessie SCOTT who was born in Scotland. Son JOHN (1879) was born in Liverpool. He married Amelia CARNEY.

3529 Barry has got a very interesting Armstrong pedigree. His grandfather Henry VASQUEZ married ANGELA MARIA A* (1879-1940) in Gibraltar. They left Gib. In 1910 and settled in London. Her birth certificate records that both her parents were of Gibraltarian nationality. It is uncertain whether CHARLES THOMAS (a merchant or builder) was a first generation settler or that it was his parents who first emigrated. The birth cert indicates that JULIA PODESTRA A* (of Italian descent) was her mother. It is thought that either Charles or his parents left Scotland for Gibraltar. Now…. If anyone can come up with an answer to this one…….!!

5459 New member Robert is another who is also stuck in Ireland. Our database can’t help either! JOSEPH (1860) born in Ireland married Jane McCUTCHEON also born in Ireland. They had one son, OLIVER (18 May 1902). He was born in Belfast. The family emigrated to the USA. Oliver married Allie HAYES and son OLIVER was born in Gray, Hodgeman, Kansas in 1924. He married Loretta Mae CANADAY in 1942.Has anyone come across this Irish connection, especially as it has 20C connections in Belfast

ROOTS ENQUIRES FROM EDITION 61 NOVEMBER 2005

1872 John has added some minor corrections and additions to his entry from Issue 60, and the following should be read with reference to it. Perhaps the revision for the Grycetail entry could be this: "William (c.1691) was born in Canonbie and lived at Grycetail (Gricetail, Grystail, and other variations) which was located at the site of the present day Priors Linn, on the south side of Canonbie, according to Roy's mid 1700's military map." "John and Elizabeth settled at Mosside, about 1/2 mile to the east of Grycetail, where they had the following children ...etc." so that no-one else gets misdirected (as we were by a local) to the English farm of Mosside nearby on the Sark. It might be helpful for some Canadian researchers in particular to know that "Benjamin Bell A. settled at Torwood Farm, Zephyr Ontario and had 7 children" and for English researchers to know that "Abel (1795) settled near Penrith and had lots of children there"

3319 (Corrected from Issue 60) Betty is looking for her ancestors in the Midlands of England. The furthest back is JOHN WILLIAM A* (C1825). He was born in Northampton, and married Ann OWEN producing WILLIAM JOHN (1856) JESSIE (1860), AGNES (1867), and ALBERT (1870).  William who married Emma YATES, were married in Stafford, Lincs in 1875 and had children AUGUSTUS JOHN, ADA, FRANK, ELLEN ELIZABETH, LILIAN and LIZZIE. Has anyone got anything on this line, or on Armstrongs around that area?

1822 Marjorie has been doing some renewed research on her line.She found another Scot who either doesn’t know where he was born or won’t admit it’s not Scotland. JAMES (1825)  was born in Nichol/Nicol Forest (parish), Cumberland. James’ second wife, Margaret LOCKEY, and he were married 7 May 1854 in S Paul’s Church, in the parish of Yarrow/Jarrow, Heworth, Co Durham. However the census record shows that he had a son, GEORGE, born in 1852, so it is assumed for now that he had another wife. Margaret LOCKEY was born in Coldstream, Scotland and her parents, Thomas LOCKEY & Margaret also came to the Gateshead, Heworth, Durham area. In the 1861 census records, it shows that “Margaret” remarried to William LAMB. (My great-grandfather, William b 1855 was visiting at the time.) He is listed as “stepfather,” was he one or the father of the first wife of James? He is only 8 years older than James Armstrong. Was it Margaret LOCKEY’s mother or James Armstrong’s mother who remarried? Well, unless Thomas LOCKEY married another Margaret, we’ll accept it. Thomas LOCKEY was a widower in 1881 census. And William LAMB lived with James & Margaret Armstrong in the 1901 census. So, was ROBERT (c1800)  born in Scotland or not and where did he die?

3) James and Margaret had the following children, all born in the Felling, High Felling, Gateshead area, Co Durham:WILLIAM (Marjorie’s g-grandfather) (1855), THOMAS (c1857) MARGARET (c1859), JAMES (c1862), ANDREW (c1864), WALTER (c1867), MARY JANE (c1868), JOSEPH (c1870), JANET (c1873), GEORGINA (c1875). William married Elizabeth MCARTHUR (1856), Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Northumberland had the following children, all in Durham. GEORGE WILLIAM (1877), Felling-on-Tyne. ALFRED ALEXANDER (1879), Gateshead. ROSINA MATHEWS (1881), Gateshead. JAMES (1884), Gateshead. MARGARET OLIVE (1889), Egglescliffe Junction. CATHERINE LILY (c1892), Egglescliffe.

The biggest problem is not knowing the Armstrong descendants in England or if there are any!

5425 John’s father  ROY A* was born 1895 and died in 1967 the son of JOHN ROBERT who died in 1896 (Birth date unknown) in a logging accident at Franks Bay, Canada. His mother was Hanna MUIR (1876) John Robert was the son of  David and Anna A* who moved to Minesing, Canada from Northern Ireland in 1854. Can anyone help John?

5342 Here’s one that goes back to Irish roots. ALEXANDER A* was born before 1744 and emigrated to Cumberland Co PA. I’ve looked Alexander up on the UK/Irish database but there is no apparent connection. Alexander had a son ALEXANDER (1762) who married Catherine TAYLOR. Any members connected?

3122 Well this is a new predicament! In Edition 56 May 2003 I published a request from a member for whom I did not have a name or number just ??? P17. Trouble is now Alan has got a match. WILLIAM (1754) was an elder brother of MATTHEW (1764). To refresh someone’s memory…… William married Elizabeth SHORT in 1783, FRANCIS being born in Haltwhistle in 1795. Francis married Mary TEASDALE in 1817. Who is the mystery sender?

3333 New member Tony  has Armstrongs in his maternal line. His grandfather EDWARD JOHN A* was born in Stockton on Tees in 1916. G grandfather WILLIAM was born in Co. Durham and was a Councillor. We have no other dates available, so even the 1881 Census can’t help. Can you?

714 Kath was really pleased to see the article on “A Double Armstrong Golden Wedding” (p.13 NEWS 60) as with the help of  member 1872 John has now found out where Becknowes is! DAVID A* (1817) came from there where he lived with his parents JOHN and Jean TELFER.  David, his wife Mary and his family MARY JANE (c1840), JANNETT (c1843), JOHN (c1845) and DAVID (an infant) left England after Oct 1847 and were in Illinois in March 1849 when Mary died. The family returned to England in July 1849 where it is believed David married Mary JARDINE widow of Alexander BECK. They emigrated to Australia in 1862, although the second Mary had by then died. Kath is interested in connections and with anyone who has access to shipping arrivals in America in 1848.

5143 Rose Mary  has an English ancestor HERBERT A* who was born in Chester in 1876. His father was HENRY whom we have discovered from the 1881 Census was born in Malpas, Cheshire c1845. Wife Mary SHENTON was born in Chester c1848. Their children, all born in Chester, are JESSIE (1867), ELIZABETH (1869), HENRY (1873), ALBERT (1874), HERBERT (1876), JAMES (1878) and JOSEPH (1880). Anyone link up with this family?

3511 and family members 3513 and 3515 New member Judith lives in England but has American roots which originate in Ireland. We were able to get back this far through our records. The first generation American was WILLIAM LEWIS A* born 1725 in Enniskillen, Fermanagh, Ireland and died in Surrey Co, North Carolina. This is seven generations back from Judith. William married Catherine CHILDERS and they had seven children: CATHERINE (1752),  HUGH MARTIN (1752), JOHN (1753), ANNE (1754), ELIZA (1755), MARGARET (1756), JAMES (1758), and WILLIAM L (1766). William Lewis’ parents WILLIAM DENUS (1695) and Margaret HAMILTON had three other children all born in Fermanagh. They were JOHN (1727), married Jeanette COKER, HUGH (1735) and SAMUEL (1742), married Mary Ann BOYD. Has anyone any links with these Irish ancestors?

5146/631 The two Rons in Australia (Do d(u)o Ron Ron—apologies to the Supremes….but I couldn’t resist it) are back on the trail of their ultimate ancestor GEORGE A*. Previously we had ascertained that he had died in Scotland, but subsequently it has been discovered that he was born  on 12 January 1789 in Co Tyrone IRE. He married Barbara KING. As with all these Irish connections this is about the time the trail goes cold and this one is no exception. Son Mitchell King A* (1833) born in Glasgow SCO married Sarah Ann ANDERSON in Melbourne AUS and their descendants still live around the Kyneton/Bendigo area. So there MUST be someone who can link up with the Co Tyrone connection!

5433 New member Bette’s pedigree has been traced back to ADAM A* (1685) in Cumberland ENG. He married Mary FORSTER and had five children of whom JOSEPH (1722) was the last. He married Janet WILSON in 1743 and had nine children (who have previously been listed in previous editions of Roots). RICHARD (1749) was the second, born in Graitney, Dumfriesshire SCO who married Catherine SCHAFNER in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada. Second child out of  nine, Richard (1782) married Ann Corintha WALKER in 1803. Their son STILLMAN A* (1815) married Maria LOVELY to whom a son THEODORE was born in 1851. It is through four other generations of descent that Bette is related. Does anyone else fit in with this pedigree?

5435 Deloris has been lucky enough to get her pedigree back to JOHN (1480) of Gilnockie. The line can then be traced forward through CHRISTOPHER (1523), WILLIAM (1655), EDWARD (1604), JAMES (1649) and ANDREW ANDRO (1686). First son  JAMES was born in Brooksborough, Fermanagh IRE in 1705. The line runs through JAMES (1762), JOHN (1800), ALEXANDER (1832), ANDREW DIXON A* (1866) who married Laura Elizabeth LAUE whose first child was ETHEL HORTENSE A* (1919). Connections anyone?

5442 We have got new member Julie’s pedigree back nine generations and beyond (see 5435 above) to ANDREW ANDRO A* born C 1686 in Brooksborough, Fermanagh IRE. The line runs through ALEXANDER (1715), ALEXANDER (1762), SAMUEL (1797), JOHN ALEXANDER (1833), [siblings ROBERT WALKER (1822), SAMUEL (1824), ELIZABETH JANE (1826), MARGARET STEWART (1829), SAMUEL PRESSLEY (1836), JAMES TAYLOR (1838) and REBECCA EMELINE (1841)],   JOHN CALVIN (1874) and RUTH MINERVA (1913). If anyone wants to link up with Julie, let me know.

3518 new member Ronald has a very short pedigree that ends up guess where? That’s right….Ireland! ERNEST VIVIAN was born in Wallesey, Cheshire ENG in 1915. He married Edna Ethel GREEN in 1946. His father was ALEXANDER A* born C1880 in Ireland who married Alice MORELAND possibly in 1912 in Liverpool. A troll through the marriage indexes will find them which should give the name and occupation of Alexander’s father. This is a possible use of the English search service—see this page  for details.

FROM A HELPFUL SOUL ON THE INTERNET Chris’ wife says that her great grandfather lived in Cavan even though he was born in Dublin. His name was GEORGE ALEXANDER A* and was married approx 1890 to Sarah Annie TELFORD. They had the following children JOHN (JACK), GEORGE, HELENA, VICTORIA, ALFRED, MABEL and WILLIAM ARTHUR. John married Elizabeth CUNNINGHAM and then Margaret MCEVOY, George married Lily DORAN, Helena Victoria and Alfred all died in infancy, Mabel  (b 1895) married Basil James O'FERRALL who became a clergyman in Jersey, William Arthur (b 27.4.1896) married Elizabeth Irwin (b 25.1.1898). Elizabeth Irwin was sister to Robert Irwin the renowned Classical singer. If you want Chris’ email address just let me know.

3516 Soon after joining Beth did some “reli” hunting and came up with the following. Mother NETA was born in Thornley, Co Durham ENG, her father also being born there in 1896. His mother was Isabella and father ROBERT born 1854 in East Rainton, Co Durham. Robert’s father was JOHN born in Washington, Co Durham in 1819…… Hang on a sec….this is familiar!!! No I don’t believe it ….someone's got the same line as me!! His father was also JOHN (1784) who married Elizabeth HAY. He was born in Brandon, Co Durham as was his brother ROBERT (1786) which is my part of the pedigree. Unfortunately the line comes to a grinding halt one further generation back with JOHN (1748) who lived in Brandon. Well…. I’ve got another cousin!

3523 New member Elizabeth has given us a number of names to work from as her pedigree details don’t match up with any information on our database. The line goes back to RICHARD (1819)  born on Ireland but living in the Manchester area. In 1861 he was a police constable. He married Elizabeth and produced two children CHARLOTTE E (1850) and RICHARD THOMPSON (1851). (Could the mother’s maiden name have been Thompson?). He married Fanny CROFT. Producing one child RICHARD (1873) before his untimely death at the age of 24. Richard married Elizabeth VEARE and had the following children RICHARD HENRY (1894), who married Ida PENNINGTON, ALBERT HASLAM (1896), who married Gwendoline HILDITCH, JOHN FRANCIS LAURENCE (1905), who married Beatrice SPENCER and FREDERIC ARTHUR (1910) who married Alice LEESE. The four brothers started a Glassworks in Salford which was family owned until the 1960s. Help wanted here! Both Richard and Richard Thompson were policeman so anyone who knows about police records could be in a position to help.

1957 I’ll let Roy tell this one in his own way….“In the beginning there was JOHN Armstrong. He knew not where he was born but was inclined to say 'Brampton' when pestered by census enumerators. He knew not when he was born and guessed. The results leave a wide field but we may hazard that it was in the first decade of the nineteenth century. All his census entries advise us that he was married, originally to Jane HECKLES (transmogrified by degrees into ECCLES), and following her sad demise in 1853 to Jemima ADAMSON. His life was spent either as a grocer or cotton weaver or both and came to its end in 1877. All his census returns are from Carlisle, usually Botchergate. His offspring were JAMES who died in infancy in Little Corby, THOMAS, JAMES, MARY JANE = James GLEGG, MARGARET = William PAGAN, and SIMON, all by Jane Heckles. All the boys became telegraph clerks in Scotland. Thomas rose to be the superintendent of telegraphs for the G.P.O. (Scotland), married twice (Rachel HOPE and Margaret DONALDSON) and bred, continuously. The trouble with being born in or around Brampton in the first decade of the nineteenth century is that half the population of Cumberland fit that description and most of them were called John Armstrong. Any information pertaining to his antecedents or the whereabouts of either marriage would make a decrepit researcher very happy and spare the long suffering staff of the Carlisle Record Office the need to cope further with the same.”

5107 David inherited a legend in our family that he was descended from Johnnie  Armstrong (hanged in 1530). For some years now he has been trying to get beyond his great great grandfather A. and to his surprise believes he may have succeeded. Here is the supposed line, going from Scotland to Ireland to the island of Jersey to Australia. JOHN A, b. 1480, married Elizabeth GRAHAM, parents of
WILLIAM A, b. 1565, married Margaret ELLIOT, parents of SIR THOMAS A, b. 1603, Gilnockie, married Anna ANDERSON (Dutch), parents of CAPT. WILLIAM A, b. ?, of Farney Castle, Tipperary, married Alice DEANE, parents of THOMAS A, b. 1671, of Mealiffe (now Moyaliff Tipperary, married Mary CAREW, parents of REV. ROBERT CAREW A, b. 1709, of Shinrone, King's County, and Jane ATKINSON, parents of THOMAS A, b.?, married Frances WHEELER of Ballywire, Tipperary, 1771, parents of FRANCIS WHEELER A, b. approx 1780, married in Jersey C.I., 1819, Esther  DE QUETTEVILLE parents of CAPT, RICHARD RAMSAY A, b. 1833, Jersey C.I., married Eliza Susanna MALET in Jersey C.I, 1857, parents of DR WILLIAM GEORGE A, b. 1859, Essex, married 1888 in Sydney, Elizabeth Jane GARNSEY, parents of CAPT. JOHN MALET A, b. 1900, Sydney, married 1924 in Jersey C.I. Philippa Suzanne MARETT, parents of PROF. DAVID MALET A, b. 1926, Melbourne. David has many other details of this tree which he is willing to share with interested members.

3301 Sheila would like to hear from anyone related to JOHN A* (C1638-1710) who married Blinch CARRUTHERS (C1691– 1721 the daughter of John. Their known children were FRANCIS (1670), JENNET or JANET (1672-1716), CHRISTOPHER (C1675– 1720) who married Helen CARRUTHERS (C1691-1713) and JOHN (C1740) whose unknown spouse died C1787. Sheila would also like to hear from anyone who has a connection to any of the following people—a woman known as Jean born C1900-1940 who married a baker’s son from Brampton, Cumbria; Helena N M BROOKES who live in Banstead, Surrey C1960, possibly also C2002 and who may have been born in Hampstead, London C1911-13 or a female child born C1958 who was brought up by her distant relatives. She may also have a connection to Banstead or Gargrave, Yorkshire. Associated family names include: William BEATTIE, Mary BELL, Thomas DAVIDSON, Mary FARRIES, James GRAHAM, William IRVING, Richard JOHNSTON(e), a tailor, John MOUNCY, born Castleton 1817, a cattle dealer, and David TINNING an oat meal miller.

5418, 5420, 1420 et al I am still not fully happy with this one reference the parents of HANNAH A*. Perhaps someone can give me some additional evidence to prove it one way or the other. First of all it is possible that there are two ADAM A*s marrying Elizabeth OLIFERS, one in Staplegorton on the Scottish Borders and one  in Kirkandrews on the English Borders. There are certainly entries in both registers but only under Adam not under Adam Abraham. The Kirkandrews’ Adam also appears to have been married twice, once to Margaret NIXON and then to Elizabeth Olifer. All the chilren were born in the States, but it would appear that Adam and Elizabeth were married in Langholm, Dumfiesshire VERY close to Staplegorton. So…. Who can come up with some answers—the jury is out!

3332 Peter has a basic line that goes back to Ireland. I have checked it against the database and the 1881 Census but with no luck. The Armstrong line ends with SUSAN MINNIE (C1877) who died in Camberley, Surrey, Eng. Susan’s parents were FREDERICK MACNAGHTEN A* CB (b1834) and Minnie WORSLEY. Dates are unknown thereafter But Frederick’s father JAMES was in the Bengal Civil Service, his father JAMES WELLS A*, followed by THOMAS, and then JAMES who died in 1812. Can anyone put any flesh on these bones?

5051/1574 John has picked up from Margaret a branch of his family that he didn’t know existed. Several members of his Australian branch of the family (Those descendants from WILLIAM A* and Betty Elliot, and their sons JOHN, from Bush Station, Geelong,Victoria, and JAMES, from The Lakes Station, Mortlake, Victoria). They have been trying, unsuccessfully, to find some details of a third brother, ADAM. They have complete records of the families and descendents of John and James, but many of them had never heard that a third brother, Adam, had migrated to Australia. Margaret lists Adam as William and Betty’s sixth child born in 1812 at Cavers, Roxburgh, SCO who married Helen TAIT, John being the first offspring in 1853 born in Cleubrae, SCO. Ther followed ten other children all born in Victoria, AUS. DAVID (1855), ADAM (1857), JAMES WILLIAM (1859), WALTER HUIE (1860), GEORGE PHILLIP (1862), ISABELLA (1864), EDWARD (1865) ELIZABETH MARY JESSIE (1869), IRVINE LUCIUS (1870) and WILLIAM (1872). If anyone is related to any of the above let us know so that we can confirm the link.

2429 Nancy’s line goes back to Ireland where it is stuck. (I’ve heard that one before!!) JOHN A* married Elizabeth in Munally, Clones, Co Monaghan, IRE in 1775. They had four children: JOHN, WILLIAM, ANDREW and GEORGE (b.1782 Munally). He married Anne NIXON C1803. They had nine children, the first three MARGARET (1803), ELIZABETH (1811) and JOHN (1812) being born in Munally. ANNE JANE (1816) in Teernahinch, Co Monaghan, GEORGE (1819) in Munally, WILLIAM (C1820) and JAMES A (1825) in Clones. An unnamed female was born in Canada C1826 followed by the last child PHILLIP (1832) in Canada. John married Annie BEST and had eight children all born in Quebec, Canada. They were: GEORGE (1845), ELIZA JANE (1846), MARY ANNE (1847), HANNAH SOPHIA (1748), HENRY BEST (1850), NOBLE (1852), JOHN JAMES (1852) and MARIA HARIET (1857). Can anyone else link up with these names?

3238 Joan (see previous ROOTS editions’ entries) did actually find record of JOHN’S marriage to Isabella LIVINGSTON and no wonder she had problems - his name was actually WILLIAM JOHN A* !!!! and her name had been put down as Levingston. They were married March 3rd 1851 at the Parish Church in Sunderland and he was 21 and she was 19. The address is Back Woodbine Street, Sunderland within and her father is given as John Levingston, Mariner and his father is given as JOSEPH A*, Labourer. One of the witnesses is MARGARET A* who made her "mark" and the other was a Jonathan Dunn. William John is described as a Mariner and he could also write but Isabella couldn't. All the census info. gives his name as John A* and the birthplace as Manchester and as Joan has no idea where to go from here and is hoping that someone will see this and give her a lucky break!

2314 Guy  has traced his roots back to SAMUEL A* (1792) of Hawkins Co Tennessee. He was the son of  JAMES and MARGARET A*. He married Margaret SPROUL in 1828 and they produced seven children: ABNER (1828), JAMES (1829), MARY JANE (C1830), JANE (1831), SARAH E (1835), LYDIA ANN (1835), and HANNIBAL (1840). Abner married Mary Frances KARNES and they had eight children: ANNE (1861), LIZEY (1862), EDMONIA (1863), MARGARET SYDNEY (1865), ORVILLE (1865), JAMES (1867), IDA C (1868) and HORACE LAFYETTE (1872) from whom Guy is descended. If anyone links up with any of these names let me know and I can put you in touch..

3502 Ian (See Roots Edition 60) has been able