Robert Bothwell (abt. 1820 - 1888)

Born about 1820 in County Down, Ireland

Husband of Elizabeth (McCrory) Bothwell — married about 1840 in Dromara, County Down, Ireland

Descendants

Died 10 Sep 1888 at about age 68 in Belfast, Ireland

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Biography

Robert Bothwell was born in Ireland.

Robert was a farmer

Birth
Robert Bothwell was born about 1820 in County Down, Ireland.

Robert may have been the son of James Bothwell. (See the Research Notes below) If so, then Robert may have been born and raised in Derry townland in the parish of Dromara, as his "presumed" brothers were residing there when they married. Their marriage records showed that their father was a labourer and a farmer.

Dromara is a village, a townland and a civil parish in County Down.

Marriage
Robert married Elizabeth McCrory. Unfortunately there is no marriage record currently available in the records. Civil registration of non-Roman Catholic marriages only began in 1845.

Their known children were:

1. William Bothwell, born 17 June 1842 ^[1]
2. James Bothwell, born about 1850
3. John Bothwell, born about 1852
4. Thomas Henry Bothwell, born about 1858
5. Robert Bothwell, born about 1860

The Famine Years (1845-1852)
Robert and Elizabeth would have been raising a family during the Irish Potato Famine. The years both during and after the famine were ones of terrible hardship. We cannot know for sure how their family was affected by the famine.

There is a Robert Bothwell in the "Ireland, Griffith's Valuation" which surveyed County Down in 1863-64. The land record shows Robert Bothwell renting land (house, office, yard and small garden) from the Marquis of Downshire in Dromara townland in the parish of Dromara (parcel 8b), valued at £1, 10s. annual rent. ^[2]

Robert was a labourer

Belfast
Street directories for Belfast show that Robert's sons William Bothwell, John Bothwell and James Bothwell were living in Belfast by at least 1880. Robert, Elizabeth and their unmarried sons seem to have moved into Belfast as well. Two sons who married in 1885 and 1886 listed their residence as 9 Pitt Street in Belfast and state that their father was working as a labourer. This same address was mentioned in the death record for Robert's wife.

Widower
Robert's wife Elizabeth (McCrory) Bothwell died from chronic bronchitis on the 25th of March 1886. On her death record, she was listed as the 61-year-old married wife of Robert Bothwell, a labourer, residing at 9 Pitt Street in Belfast. Her son William Bothwell, of 14 Powerscourt Street, was present at her death and was the informant for the death record.

Death
Robert died from "general decline" on 10 September 1888. On his death record, he was listed as age 63, a widower and labourer, residing at 21 Park Cottages. His son Thomas Bothwell, also of 21 Park Cottages, was present at his death and was the informant for the death record. ^[3]

Mentioned in children's marriages
Robert was mentioned his children's marriage records (as marriage records in Ireland list the name of the fathers of both the bride and groom, but not the mothers).

On 17 October 1872, John Bothwell, a full age bachelor weaver from Dromara in the parish of Dromara, married Agnes Clarke, a full age spinster from Burren townland in the same parish. They were married in the 2nd Presbyterian Church of Ballynahinch in the parish of Magheradroll. John’s father was listed as Robert Bothwell, a farmer. ^[4] John and Agnes had four children. John worked as a weaver and then a labourer. By 1880, John and his family were living at 50 Pitt Street in Belfast.

On 11 September 1873, William Bothwell, a full age widower and draper last residing in Ipswich, married Elizabeth Stevenson. They were married in Great Victoria Street Presbyterian Church in Belfast. William's father was listed as Robert Bothwell, a farmer. ^[5] William and Elizabeth did not have any known children.

On 22 June 1876, James Bothwell, a bachelor weaver from Begny, Dromara, married Mary Stevenson, a full age spinster from Moydalgan townland in the parish of Dromara. They were married in the 2nd Presbyterian Church of Ballynahinch. James' father was listed as a Robert Bothwell, a weaver. ^[6] James and Mary had seven children. By 1879, they were living at 1 Pitt Street in Belfast where James worked as a labourer.

On 19 November 1885, Robert Bothwell, a bachelor labourer from 9 Pitt Street in Ballymacarret (Belfast), married Matilda Guiney, a servant from Strandtown, Belfast. They were married in Belmont Presbyterian Church in the Parish of Holywood. Robert's father was listed as Robert Bothwell, a labourer. ^[7] Robert and Matilda emigrated to Toronto, Canada and had five children.

On 17 March 1886 , Thomas Henry Bothwell, a bachelor rivetter from 9 Pitt Street in Ballymacarret (Belfast), married Matilda Wright from 247 Conway Street. They were married in the University Road Methodist Church in Belfast. Thomas' father was listed as Robert Bothwell, a labourer. ^[8] Thomas and Matlilda had seven children.

On 26 June 1901, William Bothwell, a widower and insurance agent from Belfast, married Anna (Chambers) Hanna, a widow from Crossgar Townland in the parish of Dromara. They were married in the 2nd Presbyterian Church of Ballynahinch in the parish of Magheradrool. William’s father was listed as Robert Bothwell, a farmer. ^[9] William did not have any known offsrping.

Research Notes

Links to father James Bothwell
James Bothwell was mentioned in the marriage records for his known/confirmed children, but Robert married before civil registration of non-Roman Catholic marriages began in 1845. However, relatives of Robert's wife Elizabeth McCrory appear in records belonging to a son of James Bothwell, suggesting that there is link among these family members:

• Martha McCrory of Crossgar was the informant for the death record of Robert's presumed brother James Bothwell who died on 29 November 1889 in Crossgar, Dromara. She was listed as his "grand niece." Martha McCrory of Crossgar was also the informant for the death record of James' wife Martha (Peel) Bothwell who died on 20 September 1889 in Crossgar, Dromara. She was listed as her "niece." Martha McCrory was the wife of Campbell McCrory, the nephew of Robert's wife Elizabeth McCrory.

1851 Census Search Forms
The table below comes from search forms submitted in 1916 to search the 1851 census forms for a record of Robert Bothwell (father) and Elizabeth McCrory (mother) in Begny, Dromara. The census was searched and no records were found: "not fd." (THIS IS NOT A CENSUS RECORD, BUT RATHER A RECORD OF A CENSUS SEARCH) The applicant for the search of the records was their son William Bothwell who would have been seeking "proof of age" in order to receive a pension under The Old Age Pensions Act of 1908. ^[10] The censuses from 1821 through 1851 were mostly destroyed in the 1922 fire at the Public Record Office in Dublin, but were still available to be searched in 1916.

For more information about the 1841 / 1851 Census Search Forms, visit the National Archives of Ireland site (http://censussearchforms.nationalarchives.ie/search/cs/home.jsp).

The Irish Potato Famine (1845-1852)
The Great Famine or the Irish Potato Famine began in 1845 and was caused by a blight which attacked and destroyed the potato crop, the main staple of Ireland's peasantry. The potatoes rotted in the fields, leaving millions with nothing to eat and unable to pay their yearly rents to the landlords. Relief measures were introduced, but when the crop failed the following year, the crises became a catastrophe. Between 1845-1850 the population of Ireland fell from around eight million to about five million. As many as one million died from hunger and disease. Another two million were forced to emigrate.

The north of Ireland didn't suffer as badly from the Great Famine as did the south and south west of Ireland because they were sheltered by the textile industry. But they still suffered. The effect of the famine in County Down can be seen from census records. Between 1841 and 1851 County Down's population declined by almost 44,000. Ulster’s population declined by 15%, all of Ireland’s by 20%. ^{[11] [12]}

See also
Irish Potato Famine (1845-1852)

• YouTube video by Geographics (24 min), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKh71EHGXwI
• Great Famine (Ireland), Wikipedia - Extensive reading - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_(Ireland)
• The Great Famine - https://www.newrymournedown.org/the-great-famine
• Irish Famine: How Ulster was devastated by its impact - BBC News, presents an Ulster perspective - https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-34369080
• The Irish Famine - BBC article - Ideology helped the ruling class avoid grappling with the problem of mass starvation. - https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/famine_01.shtml

Sources

1. ↑ Birth of son William Bothwell: "Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881", database
   citing FHL microfilm: 496723;
   FamilySearch Record: F5TR-4PL (accessed 20 July 2023)
   William Bothwell born to Robert Bothwell on 17 Jun 1842 in Dromara, County Down, Ireland.
2. ↑ Griffith's Valuation Record Information: Ask about Ireland (http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation); Tenant: ROBERT BOTHWELL, Landlord: MARQUIS OF DOWNSHIRE, County: DOWN , Barony: IVEAGH, LOWER, LOWER HALF, Union: LISBURN , Parish: DROMARA, Townland: DROMARA, Position on Page: 16, Printing Date: 1863 , Act: 15&16 , Sheet Number: 28, Map Reference: 8.
3. ↑ Death Registration: "Civil Records of Irish Births, Deaths and Marriages"
   General Register Office, Ireland; Group Registration ID: 6073334; SR District/Reg Area: Belfast
   IrishGenealogy.ie Image - IrishGenealogy.ie Record (accessed 19 November 2023)
   Robert Bothwell death 1888 (age 63) in the Belfast Superintendent Registrar's District.
4. ↑ Marriage of son John: "Civil Records of Irish Births, Deaths and Marriages", database
   General Register Office, Ireland; Group Registration ID: 2774015; SR District/Reg Area: Downpatrick
   IrishGenealogy.ie Image - IrishGenealogy.ie Record (accessed 20 November 2023)
   John Bothwell marriage to Agnes Clarke on 17 Oct 1872 in the Downpatrick Superintendent Registrar's District.
5. ↑ 1873 marriage of son William: "Civil Records of Irish Births, Deaths and Marriages"
   General Register Office, Ireland; Group Registration ID: 2821614; SR District/Reg Area: Belfast
   IrishGenealogy.ie Image - IrishGenealogy.ie Record (accessed 18 November 2023)
   Robert Bothwell, father of the groom in entry for William Bothwell marriage to Elizabeth Stevenson on 11 Sep 1873 in the Belfast Superintendent Registrar's District.
6. ↑ Marriage of son James: "Civil Records of Irish Births, Deaths and Marriages", database
   General Register Office, Ireland; Group Registration ID: 2897367; SR District/Reg Area: Downpatrick
   IrishGenealogy.ie Image - IrishGenealogy.ie Record (accessed 24 November 2023)
   Robert Bothwell, father of the groom in entry for James Bothwell marriage to Mary Stevenson on 22 Jun 1876 in the Downpatrick Superintendent Registrar's District.
7. ↑ Marriage of son Robert: "Civil Records of Irish Births, Deaths and Marriages", database
   General Register Office, Ireland; Group Registration ID: 2343948; SR District/Reg Area: Belfast
   IrishGenealogy.ie Record (accessed 19 November 2023)
   Image of marriage record
   Robert Bothwell marriage to Matilda Guiney on 19 Nov 1885 in the Belfast Superintendent Registrar's District.
8. ↑ Marriage of son Thomas Henry: "Civil Records of Irish Births, Deaths and Marriages"
   General Register Office, Ireland; Group Registration ID: 2353431; SR District/Reg Area: Belfast
   IrishGenealogy.ie Record (accessed 19 November 2023)
   Image of marriage record
   Thomas Bothwell marriage to Matilda Wright on 17 Mar 1886 in the Belfast Superintendent Registrar's District.
9. ↑ 1901 marriage of son William : "Civil Records of Irish Births, Deaths and Marriages"
   General Register Office, Ireland; Group Registration ID: 2307979; SR District/Reg Area: Downpatrick
   IrishGenealogy.ie Image - IrishGenealogy.ie Record (accessed 18 November 2023)
   Robert Bothwell, father of the groom in entry for William Bothwell marriage to Anna Hanna on 26 Jun 1901 in the Downpatrick Superintendent Registrar's District.
10. ↑ 1851 Census Search: "Ireland Census Search Forms, 1841 and 1851", database with images
    citing Digital film/folder number: 007246687_002_M99V-7SD; FHL microfilm: 007246687; Image number: 264
    FamilySearch Record: QV9D-34V8 (accessed 30 October 2023)
    FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-894N-TKGN
    Robert Bothwell father in household of William Bothwell in Dromara, Banbridge, County Down, Ireland.
11. ↑ ”The Famine in Co. Down, Ireland 1845-1850”, Rootsweb, Ros Davies' Co. Down, Northern Ireland Family History Research Site, https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~rosdavies/genealogy/WORDS/Famine.htm
12. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Great Famine (Ireland)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Great_Famine_(Ireland)&oldid=1097436696 (accessed July 11, 2022).

See also:

• FamilySearch Person: MZD1-GVV