Moses Wellwood, Northern Ireland died 1852

[DebbieAnn]

Trying to find more actual documentation on this Moses Wellwood. He's buried in Clifton Street Cemetery in Belfast. Died 30 Jan 1852, age 70. Had been an inmate at the Belfast Charitable Institution. Supposedly born in Broomhedge, but lived in Hillsboro.

I THINK this may be MY Moses Wellwood - If so, all his children went on to Scotland and some abroad. SO, what I need is info that dovetails with what I have on MY Moses. The birth/death years could fit, so that's a start. My Moses was married to Jane McDowell and had children as early as 1805. There's a Jane Wellwood buried in the same cemetery, but she was born in 1802, so this can't be her, though it's possibly a daughter-in-law, as he had a son also named Moses that returned to live in Ireland.

So, Would it be at all possible to find a birth record for Moses Wellwood in or around Broomhedge in about 1782? And maybe a marriage record for him in either Broomhedge or Hillsboro after 1800? to maybe 1810? Or maybe any of his children's births in one of the two places? I have 13 children for him, from about 1805 to 1833, with a gap between 1816 and 1823 where Jane may have lost a child or two.

If anything exists that ties this cemetery entry into what I know of MY Moses Wellwood (other than the name and rough dates), I'd really appreciate it! Thanks!

[Elwyn Soutter]

You haven’t said what denomination your Moses was. Looking at the 1901 census for Co Down most Wellwoods were either Church of Ireland or Presbyterian. If Moses attended Hillsborough Church of Ireland then they have baptism and marriage records from 1772 onwards without a break. (And they have earlier records with some gaps).

If Presbyterian then Hillsborough Presbyterian only has records from the 1830s. Annahilt Presbyterian is nearby and has baptisms from 1780 but no marriages before 1838.

Copies of all the above records are in PRONI in Belfast. A personal visit is required to view them.

[DebbieAnn]

Sorry, they were Protestant. Some of his kids were Methodist, though some were Presbyterian. His son Moses became a missionary and went to South Africa for 5 years, but I'm not sure which of the 2 he was. I have several pages from a journal written by one of his granddaughters, and the missionary info for her Uncle Moses was in there. Thank you for the other info - but I won't be going to Ireland, so I guess that's it, then.

[Elwyn Soutter]

You can probably exclude Methodist records in Ireland. Methodism took much longer to get established as a separate denomination than in other locations. Mostly because Irish Methodists didn’t want to break from the established church. Consequently there are no Methodist baptisms before the 1820s and no marriages before 1835. Prior to those dates, Methodists would have used the Church of Ireland for their baptisms and marriages.

[DebbieAnn]

Thank you - any idea about Broomhedge records? For his birth about 1782?

[Elwyn Soutter]

Broomhedge looks to be in the neighbouring parish of Blaris. Broomhedge Church of Ireland lost its early records in the 1922 fire during the Irish civil war, and now has nothing earlier than 1855. There are several Presbyterian churches in the area. Lisburn 1st Presbyterian has records from 1692, Railway St Presbyterian from 1860, Sloan St Presbyterian from 1861 and the Maze Presbyterian from 1856. (Copies in PRONI).

[DebbieAnn]

Thank you for looking.

[DebbieAnn]

The last of his children was Fanny Wellwood. She was born about 1833, not sure where in Northern Ireland, but likely Hillsborough, if this is my Moses. There was also a Margaret Wellwood, his next-youngest daughter, born about 1830. What records I have for his children all list Belfast as place of birth, but that may have been convenience because it was a large city nearby...

[DebbieAnn]

Well - it pays to never give up!!! Yesterday, I found Moses' and Jane's marriage record! They were married in 1805 in Annahilt! And it IS my Moses Wellwood - the father, not the son. You don't know how MANY times I've re-read all the replies to my threads on here, hoping to glean that one glimmer that leads me to the correct record. Thank you, all! ~DebbieAnn

[christanel]

What a fantastic result for you DebbieAnn. Your perseverance has been rewarded.
Also thank you for coming back and letting us know about your find, it encourages us to keep on helping others and to persevere with our own research.
Christina