My interest in this family derives from the marriage in 1871 of Cornelius Houston and Sarah Reynolds.
We start with Cornelius Houston and Mary Hanny (or Henny or Haney etc.), both born in Ireland, who were married in Donegal in January, 1835 according to the birth certificate of their daughter Ellen born in 1862. Cornelius's parents are "unknown" on his death certificate (in 1870) and Mary's mother is "not known" on her death certificate (in 1881) while her father is named as Hugh Hanny, Quarry Labourer, deceased. Their recorded ages are variable so I'm just guessing when they were born.
1841 June 6 The 1841 Census rounds the age of adults down to the nearest 5 years, and it does not give the relationships between members of a household so I'm not sure how to take the following group of people in Dennyholm Street, Kilbirnie —
From the enumerator's notes —
As this District comprises many houses occupied by more than one family, the Enumerator has observed the following Method to distinguish each apartment occupied by a family, viz, Two strokes are drawn at the end of every distinct apartment occupied by a family and so on in like manner till the whole house is completed; then two strokes are drawn and the figure 1 inserted to point out that he had proceeded to another house.
Age Occupation Birthplace //1 Edward Grimes & family // Thomas Reid & family / Edward Houston 28 Coal Miner blank //1 John Houston 30 Coal Miner Ireland Catherine do. 25 Ireland Patrick do. 3 Ayrshire Rosina do. 9 months Ayrshire Constantin Houston 25 Coal Miner Ireland Mary Hanny 20 Ireland Rosina Marchy 15 Ireland // Michael Danoghy & family //1 More questions than answers here, but the simplest interpretation which would fit with later information is that John and Catherine were the parents of Patrick and Rosina, and Edward and Constantine were John's brothers. Why Constantine rather than Cornelius? I will guess that Cornelius gave his name as Con (as he did in the 1851 and 1861 censuses) and the enumerator expanded it to Constantine. And why is Mary Hanny rather than Houston? Perhaps they weren't married yet or perhaps she gave her own name because she thought that was what was wanted. (I have come across other similar instances.) And who is Rosina Marchy? (Catherine's sister?)
If Con and Mary were indeed married in 1835 in Donegal then they might have left one or two children in Ireland, alive or dead, but for the purposes of this study, I don't intend to enquire into that, I'll stick with events in Scotland.
Nor do I intend to look further into the fortunes of Edward and John & Catherine and their children.
Cornelius and Mary had the following children (that I know of) —
Mary born about 1841 in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, last sighting 1851. Thomas born about 1843 in Kilbirnie, married Sarah Coogans in 1870 and died in 1914. Patrick born about 1845 in Kilbirnie, married Eliza Coogans in 1871 and died in 1883. John born about 1847 in Kilbirnie, married Catherine Murphy in 1872 and died in 1900. Edward born about 1850 in Dalry, Ayrshire probably died before 1861. Cornelius born about 1852 in Dalry, married Sarah Reynolds in 1871 and died in 1898. Elizabeth born about 1854 in Glasgow, married Henry Dunigan in 1881, last sighting 1911. Manus born in 1857 at Milton, Glasgow, married Cecilia Boyle 1882, last sighting 1901. Ellen born in 1861 at Blairdardie, Dunbartonshire,
married Josey Tonner in 1881, last sighting 1881.
1841 Mary was born. She did not marry William Nichol in 1860 in Dalry. (587-5)
1843 Thomas was born. His birthplace is consistently given as Kilbirnie (3 times). He married Sarah Coogans at St. Paul's, Eastmuir in 1870.
1845 Patrick was born. His birth place is variously given as Kilbirnie (2) and Dalry (1). He married Eliza Coogans at St. Paul's, Eastmuir in 1871. Eliza was not the sister of Sarah.
1847 John was born. His birthplace also appears as Kilbirnie (2) and Dalry (2). He married Catherine Murphy at St. Paul's, Eastmuir in 1872.
1850 Edward was born. He does not appear in the 1861 census, possibly an infant death.
1851 March 30 The family were living at 13 Swindlees Row in that part of the Parish of Dalry bounded on the north by the road to Haining, on the west by Rye, on the east and south by the Largs Road. [I'll have to get an old map to find out where that was.]
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace Con Houston Head Mar 33 Coal & Ironstone Miner Ireland Mary Houston Wife Mar 34 do. Mary Houston Daur 10 Ayrshire Thomas Houston Son 8 do. Patrick Houston Son 6 do. John Houston Son 4 do. Edward Houston Son 10mths do. John Laughery Lodger 15 Assistant Ireland
1852 Cornelius was born. His birthplace is given as Kilbirnie twice, Dalry once and in 1891 as Boston, Ayrshire! He married Sarah Reynolds at St. Paul's Eastmuir in 1871.
1854 Elizabeth was born in Glasgow. She married Henry Dunigan at St. Paul's, Eastmuir on February 10, 1881.
1857 Manus was born at 9h p.m. on Thursday, January 8, at 14 Possil Road, Glasgow to Mary Houston m.s. Henny and Cornelius Houston, Iron Stone Miner. His birth was registered No.56 at Glasgow (District of Milton) on January 10 by Cornelius Houston, "his X mark", Father, Present.
One curious point, Manus is recorded as Man(n)an about as often as he is Manus, and I don't think it is a matter of my misreading the handwriting.
Manus married Cecilia Boyle at St. Michael's, Parkhead in 1881.
1861 April 7 The family were living at Blairdardie Rows in the Parish of New Kilpatrick, Dunbartonshire, in a house with one windowed room.
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace Con Houston Head Mar 45 Coal Miner Ireland Mary do. Wife Mar 38 do. Thomas do. Son Un 17 do., do Ayrshire, Kilbirnie Patrick do. Son do. 15 do., do do., do John do. Son do. 13 do., do do., do Con do. Son do. 8 Scholar do., do Elizabeth do. Daur do. 6 do. Lanarkshire, Glasgow Manan do. Son do. 4 do., do We are missing Mary (20) and Edward (10), presumed dead.
1862 Helen (Ellen) Houston was born at 10h30m p.m. on Wednesday, May 7, at Colliery, Blairdardie, Parish of New Kilpatrick in the County of Dumbarton to Mary Houston m.s. Haney and Connor Houston, Coal Miner who married in January, 1835 in Donegal, Ireland [it says]. Her birth was registered No.96 at New Kilpatrick on May 16 by Connor Houston, "his X mark", Father, Present.
Ellen married Josey Tonner at St. Paul's Eastmuir on March 1, 1881. (q.v.)
1870 Cornelius Houston, a Coal Miner married to Mary Haney, died at 5h15m p.m. on Tuesday, March 8, aged 47 [I think he was nearer 57], at Provanhall, Shettleston of Phthisis [wasting], 3 years, as certified by George Willis, Surgeon. His death was registered No.53 on the following day by Thomas Houston, "his X mark" Son, Present. Cornelius's parents are recorded as "unknown, deceased".
There is an entry in the records of St Peter's Cemetery, Dalbeth - Internments in Common Ground on March 10 for Cornelius Houston, age 47, cause of death Dropsy and a fee of 5/-.
Thomas gave Provanhall as his residence when he married Sarah Coogans three month later. (q.v.)
1870 On Friday, June 17, Thomas married Sarah Coogans at Eastmuir RC Church. [See Section HN-6-1 for further information.]
1871 April 2 On the Main Road, Middlequarter, Shettleston, in a house in which two rooms had one or more windows, there dwelt:
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace Mary Huston Head W 50 Ireland Patrick do. Son Unm 23 Miner Coal Ayrshire, Kilbirnie John do. Son Unm 21 do. do., do. Cornelius do. Son do. 19 do. do., do. Elisabeth do. Daur do. 16 Lanarkshire, Glasgow Mannan do. Son do. 14 do., do. Ellen do. Daur do. 9 Dunbartonshire, Blairdardie On the same date, Thomas and Sarah with 5 month old daughter Sarah were living in Gray [now Denbeck] Street, Shettleston in a house with one windowed room.
1871 On Tuesday, July 4, Cornelius married Sarah Reynolds at Eastmuir. [See Section HN-6-4 for further information.]
1871 On Friday, December 1, Patrick married Eliza Coogans at Eastmuir. [See Section HN-6-2 for further information.]
1872 On Thursday, November 7, John married Catherine Murphy in St. Paul's RC Church, Eastmuir. [See Section HN-6-3 for further information.]
1881 On Thursday, February 10, Elizabeth married Henry Dunigan at the RC Chapel, Eastmuir. [See Section DG-6-4 for further information.]
1881 Mary Houston, Widow of Connor Houston, Coal Miner died at 11h10m p.m. on Saturday, February 26, aged 51 [I think nearer 61], at Firpark [now Darleith] Street, Shettleston, Lanarkshire of Acute Bronchitis after five [or two] weeks as certified by Alexr. Scott, MBCM. Her father is recorded as Hugh Hanny, Quarry Labourer, mother not known. Her death was registered No.34 at Shettleston on February 28 by Thomas Houston, "his X mark", Son, residing in Shettleston, Present.
There is an entry in the records of St Peter's Cemetery, Dalbeth - Internments in Common Ground on March 10 for Mrs Mary Houston, age 51, cause of death Bronchitis and a fee of 10/-.
1881 On Tuesday, March 1, Helen married Josey Tonner at the RC Chapel, Eastmuir after Publication according to the Forms of the Roman Catholic Church. The marriage was registered No.15 at Shettleston on March 2.
Josey was a Bachelor, gave his age as 21, occupation Scourer and usual residence as No.11 Small Street, Parkhead. His parents are recorded as John Tonner, General Dealer and Mary Tonner m.s. Tonner.
Helen was a Spinster, gave her age as 18 [she was two months short of her 20th birthday], occupation Bleachfield Worker and usual residence Firpark Street, Shettleston. Her parents are recorded as Conn Houston, Coal Miner, deceased and Mary Houston m.s. Hanney. [I don't know why her mother's recent death has not been mentioned.] She made "her X mark" on the official documents.
The celebrant was G. McBrearty, Cath. Clergyman and the witnesses were Thomas Houston [Helen's brother] and Margaret Donnelly, both of whom made their marks.
The marriage is recorded in the Register of Marriages in St Paul's, between Joseph and Ellen.
Helen and Joseph appear in the 1881 Census, residing at 58 Gray Street, Parkhead, Glasgow. Gray Street became Denbeck Street and no longer exists. It ran between Westmuir Street and Wellington Street East, between Duke Street and Ravel Row.
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace Joseph Toner Head Mar 21 Scourer Ireland 1 Helen do. Wife do. 19 Bleachfield Worker Dunbartonshire, Bladarrbrie Helen's birthplace - Bladarrbie - should be, of course, Blairdardie.
And this appears to be more of Joseph's family residing at 63 Bain Street, Calton, Glasgow .
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace John Toner Head M 60 General Dealer Ireland 2 Mary do. Wife M 50 do. Bernard do. Son U 24 Commercial Traveller do. James do. Son U 20 Joiner do. Francis do. Son U 18 Salesman do. Peter do. Son 15 Telegraph Messenger do. Mary do. Daur 11 Scholar do.
1881 April 3 Manus and his brother Patrick were living at 21 Firpark [now Darleith] Street, Shettleston in a house with one windowed room.
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace Patrick Houston Head Widower 30 Coal Miner Ayrshire, Dalry Manus do. brother Unm 23 do. do. Lanark, Glasgow Elizabeth and Henry Dunigan were living not far away at 2 Reid Street in a house with one windowed room.
1882 On May 1, Manus married Cecilia Boyle at St. Michael's Chapel, Parkhead, Glasgow. [See Section HN-6-5 for further information.]