Isabella Stevenson (abt. 1824)

Born about 1824 in Ireland

Descendants

Died [date unknown] in Taghart, Enniskeen, Cavan, Ireland

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Bonnie Frantz [send private message]

Birth year is pure speculation..

Need help Tracing Scot-Irish Stevensons (1596-1829)

James Hamilton was the eldest child of the first Protestant minister of Dunlop in East Ayrshire, Scotland. He became a schoolteacher in Glasgow.

About 1587, he left Scotland by ship and due to storms unexpectedly arrived in Dublin, Ireland. He decided to stay and took up the position of master at the Free School in Ship Street. On the side, he was an informer for King James VI of Scotland and in that process was able to gain some property and eventually a title.

James Hamilton recruited tenants from the Scottish Lowlands to migrate to Ulster to farm his newly acquired lands for low rents. He persuaded members of his extended family to come and, in May 1606, the first group of farmers, artisans, merchants and chaplains arrived to form the Ulster Scots settlement, four years before the Plantation of Ulster in 1610. The settlement was deemed a success and Hamilton was knighted by the king at Royston on 14 November 1609. By 1611, a new town of eighty houses had been established at Bangor, where Hamilton lived. His brother John acquired lands in County Armagh and founded Markethill, Hamiltonsbawn and Newtownhamilton.

Some Stevensons were among the Scots that James Hamilton transplanted. In 1617, William, John and Thomas Stevenson settled on land that they bought from the Hamilton family. William Stevenson (born about 1595 somewhere in Scotland probably Lanarkshire) settled in Bangor, County Down; John Stevenson settled in Armagh and Thomas settled in Tyrone.

William Stevenson is said to have had five sons who married and farmed in Ireland. In 1850, a couple of his descendants, David Alexander Stevenson (b. 1829) and his brother John Stevenson emigrated to the US. I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has figured out the generational connections from David (b 1829) to William (b. abt 1595)

William Stevenson’s property was inherited by his son John Stevenson born about 1620 who married into the Hamiltons – Rachel Hamilton. Their daughter Eleanor was born in 1677 and sons included Hans “John” and James.

It is very possible that Isabella Stevenson (born about 1824), is descended from one of the three Stevensons that emigrated to Ireland in 1617 from Scotland. She and her husband attended the Glasleck Presbyterian Church in Shercock, County Cavan. Isabella seems to have died before the 1901 census . Isabella Stevenson is one of my brick walls and I am looking for any information on Stevensons in County Cavan.

A man that was perhaps her brother, was alive for the 1901 census. John Stevenson ,age 75, farmer, Presbyterian, lived in Horath, Newtown, Meath, next to James and Margaret Brady . Birthplace is given as Scotland . In the same house is Mary Stevenson, his wife, age 74, birthplace Scotland and Margaret Blackwood, stepdaughter 35 - Presbyterian born County Wicklow.

I am interested in hearing from anyone who is working on the Stevenson family tree in County Down, Meath, Cavan. Other names for the area include Lisagoan, Taghart, Tahart, Parish of Enniskeen, Sheognegleagh.

Sources

• WikiTree profile Stevenson-1160 created through the import of doug english.ged on Oct 16, 2012 by Katharine E. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Katharine and others.