It would appear that James Lafferty was born about 1817 in the Parish of Kilmore, Co. Armagh (which lies between Armagh City and Portadown and includes the town of Richhill). According to his death certificate, his parents were Bernard Laferty and Mary Gordon but his army records, which I would expect to be more reliable, name his father as Patrick.Unfortunately, the records of the Roman Catholic parish of Kilmore in the Diocese of Armagh available on the National Library of Ireland website commence in 1845. Neighbouring parishes are equally late starters except Armagh itself where I found no Laffertys in 1816-17.
James enlisted in the 16th Regiment of Foot at Armagh on July 13, 1839 and was discharged at Dublin on May 15, 1844 "being unfit for further service". [Click here for service record.]
1851 March 30 I think this is our James in that part of the village of Omoa - "Exclusive of the Village of Omoa Iron Works". From the description of the district boundaries, I suspect that this was what we now know as Cleland.
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace James Carruthers Head Mar 55 Shoemaker, Master
employing (2) menIreland Sarah do. Wife Mar 45 do. James do. Son U 25 Shoemaker do. Martha do. Daur U 17 do. Samuel do. Son U 14 Shoemaker do. Isabella do. Daur 12 do. Margt do. Daur 10 do. David do. Son 7 Scholar do. Sarah do. Daur 5 do. George Johnston Lodger Widr 48 Pit Lab do. James Lafferty Lodger Widr 35 Coal Drawer do. Muir Donald Lodger Mar 34 do. do. do. If we take later references at face value, he was born in the Parish of Kilmore, Co. Armagh (which lies between Armagh City and Portadown and includes the town of Richhill) and his parents were Bernard Laferty (no occupation given) and Mary Gordon, both of whom were dead by 1868. He had one child, a daughter, from his first marriage who was still living in 1855 (when Mary was born). Since I have found no other reference to her, I would guess that she stayed with one or other set of her grandparents, possibly in Ireland.
James was almost certainly illiterate as he made "his X mark" on the official documents when registering the births of five of the six children he had with Helen.
Helen Allan was born about 1838 in Co. Tyrone, Ireland. (Two census returns give Shotts and Cleland but I think we can discount them.) I have found an Irish born Ellen Allan, aged 12, in a family at Knownoble, not far from James in 1851, matching father's name but not mother's. Further investigation will be required. [See Section AL-4-1 for possible family background.]
She too was illiterate as she made "her X mark" when she registered various births, the death of James in 1868 and on her second marriage in 1870. Oddly enough, in the 1851 census and on the couple of Reynolds documents where she appears (Mary's marriage and death certificates), her name is given as Ellen but all other references have Helen so I will stick with that name.
Both surnames appear with various spellings but Lafferty and Allan are the most frequently occurring.
1854 On Friday, February 3, James Lafferty married Helen Allan in Wishaw, according to the birth records of several of their children.
Now, there is a family story that Mary Lafferty became a Catholic when she married Ritchie Reynolds. However, the names of James's children look more Catholic than non-Catholic. I might conjecture that James was a Catholic, Helen was not, and she called the tune. Unfortunately, Old Parish Registers of the Church of Scotland parish of Cambusnethan for the few years immediately preceding the start of civil registration in 1855 seem to be missing so I am unable to confirm whether the marriage took place in that establishment.
To complicate matters, there is an entry in the Proclamation of Banns for Shotts Parish dated January 15, 1854 for
"James Laverly and Elenor Allan both in this Parish" called three times for a fee of 6/6d. There is no annotation to show that they married elsewhere, as there is on several other entries.James and Ellen had the following children (that I know of) —
Mary born in 1855 in Omoa Town [Cleland], married Richard Reynolds in 1873 and died in 1932. Elizabeth born in 1857 in Cleland, married Andrew Buchanan in 1876, last sighting 1911. James born in 1859 in Newarthill, married Mary Ann Jones in 1883 and died in 1905. John born in 1862 in Newarthill, last sighting 1911. Agnes born in 1864 in Newarthill, married Thomas McCormick in 1885, last sighting 1885. Helen born in 1867 in Newarthill, married Samuel Tait in 1889, last sighting 1911.
1855 Mary Lafferty was born at 4h30m p.m. on Friday, February 23 at Omoa Town [which I think is the present village of Cleland] to Helen Lafferty m.s. Allen, her first child, aged about 20 years, born in County Tyrone, Ireland and James Lafferty, Ironstone Drawer, aged 36 years, born in the Parish of Kilmore, County Armagh, Ireland who married on February 3, 1854 at Wishawtown, Parish of Cambusnethan. James already had one girl living. Mary's birth was registered No.36 at Shotts on February 28 by James Lafferty, "his X mark", Father, Present. James's mark was witnessed by John Baxter, Shotts and James Carruthers, Omoatown.
Now, the presence of James Carruthers as a witness tends to confirm my identification of James as the lodger with the Carruthers family in 1851 when he was allegedly aged 35, despite his current claim to be 36. If I have found the right Ellen Allan, aged 12 in 1851, her age is correct in all censuses (1861 to 1911) and she married at 15 (perfectly legal) and should now be 16 rather than "about 20". I have the feeling that James may have been embarrassed by the age difference and sought to diminish it.
Mary married Ritchie Reynolds in Newarthill in 1873 and died in 1932.
1857 Eliza Lafferty was born at 12h30m p.m. on Tuesday, April 21 at Ravenshall to Helen Lafferty m.s. Allan and James Lafferty, Iron Miner. Her birth was registered No.106 at Shotts on May 2 by James Lafferty, "his X mark", Father, not Present.
The registration has her name as Eliza but all subsequent references are to Elisabeth or Elizabeth so I will stick with the longer form, using whichever spelling is used in the records.
Where was Ravenshall? There is a Ravenshall Colliery on the 1899 map on the eastern edge of the Niebald Plantation which corresponds to an unnamed Coal Pit in 1864. [But that's in Holytown Parish.]
Elizabeth married Andrew Buchanan in Newarthill in 1876.
1859 James Lafferty was born at 4h0m a.m. on Friday, July 22 in Newarthill, Parish of Bothwell to Helen Lafferty m.s. Allan and James Lafferty, Ironstone Drawer. His birth was registered No.304 at Holytown on August 9 by James Lafferty, "his X mark", Father, not Present.
James married Mary Ann Jones in Newarthill in 1883.
1861 April 8 The family were living on Hamilton Road, Newarthill in a house in which only one room had one or more windows.
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace James Lafferty Head Mar. 40 Coal Miner Ireland Helen do. Wife Mar. 23 Tambourer do. Mary do. Daur. 6 Scholar Lanarkshire, Shotts Elisabeth do. Daur. 4 do., do. James do. Son 1 do., Bothwell Now, when Mary was born in 1855, James claimed to be 36 (one year older than he had been in 1851) and Helen was "about 20" so she seems to be ageing very gracefully.
Helen's occupation "Tambourer" derives from tambour - an embroidery frame. Many women in weaving communities worked at home hand embroidering cloths: at her second marriage in 1870, Helen gives her occupation as "Cotton Tambourer".
1862 John Lafferty was born at 10h30m p.m. on Wednesday, February 12 in Newarthill, Parish of Bothwell to Helen Lafferty m.s. Allan and James Lafferty, Labourer at Colliery who married on February 3, 1854 at Wishaw. His birth was registered No.93 at Holytown on March 5 by Helen Lafferty, "her X mark", Mother.
1864 Agnes Lafferty was born at 1h30m p.m. on Friday, December 16 in Newarthill, Parish of Bothwell to Helen Lafferty m.s. Allan and James Lafferty, Labourer at Colliery who married on February 3, 1854 at Wishaw. Her birth was registered No.485 at Holytown on December 31 by James Lafferty, "his X mark", Father.
Agnes married Thomas McCormick in Newarthill in 1885.
1867 Helen Laverty was born at 4h0m p.m. on Saturday, May 4 in Newarthill, Parish of Bothwell to Helen Laverty m.s. Allan and James Laverty, Pauper, formerly Labourer at Colliery who married in February, 1854 at Wishaw. Her birth was registered No.217 at Holytown on May 23 by James Lafferty, "his X mark", Father.
James in now a Pauper, formerly Labourer at Colliery. I take this to mean that he was unemployed and had managed to persuade the Parish Relief Committee (or whatever it was called at that time) that it was through no fault of his own. In view of the imminence of his death, I think it likely that he was unfit for work.
Helen married Samuel Tait in Newarthill in 1889.
1868 James Laferty, Pauper, formerly a Coalminer, Married to Helen Allan, died at 11h a.m. on Friday, June 19, at Newarthill, Parish of Bothwell, aged 49 years [more likely 52], of lung disease after [an unspecified number of] years, as certified by John I. Barrie, MD. His death was registered No.122 at Holytown on the following day by Helen Laferty, "her X mark", Wife, Present.
Following the death of her first husband, James Lafferty in 1868, Ellen remarried.
John McNicol was born in Ayrshire, possibly in the Parish of Beith, about 1848 to Hanah McDonald and James McNicol, Hardware Hawker, formerly a Soldier, who was dead by the time of John's marriage in 1870. [There is no sign of John's baptism in the OPR for Beith 1847-1854 inc.]
1870 On Tuesday, December 20, John and Helen were married by John Wilkie, Minister of Holytown, at Holytown Manse, Parish of Bothwell, after Banns according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church of Scotland. The marriage was registered No.75 at Holytown on December 22.
John was a Bachelor, gave his age as 22, occupation Coalminer and usual residence as New Stevenston in the Parish of Bothwell. His parents are recorded as James McNicol, Hardware Hawker formerly a Soldier and Hanah McNicol m.s. McDonald, both deceased.
Helen was the Widow of James Lafferty, age on this occasion was 29 [I think 32 would be nearer the mark], occupation Cotton Tambourer [embroiderer] and usual residence as Watson's Square, Newarthill, Parish of Bothwell. Her parents are recorded as Isaac Allan, Labourer at Colliery and Mary Ann Allan m.s. Williamson (deceased).
The witnesses were Mary Ann Wilkie and Annie McNeil.
Both John and Helen made their marks on the official documents. the witnesses both signed.
John and Ellen had the following children (that I know of) —
Thomas born in 1871 in Watson's Square, Newarthill, last sighting 1891. Janet born in 1871 in Watson's Square, Newarthill, last sighting 1881. Hannah born in 1874 in Metal Row, Newarthill, last sighting 1891. Jeanie born in 1876 in Metal Row, Newarthill, last sighting 1911. Isaac born in 1880 in Metal Row, Newarthill, last sighting 1901.
1871 April 2 The modified family were living in Watson's Square, Newarthill, still with only one windowed room.
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace John McNicol Head Mar. 22 Coal Miner Ayrshire, Beith Helen do. Wife Mar. 30 Lanarkshire, Shotts Elisabeth Lafferty Step Daur. Unm. 13 do., do. James do. Step Son 11 do., Bothwell John do. do. 9 do., do. Agnes do. Step Daur. 7 do., do. Helen do. do. 3 do., do. Note that Helen has lost three years off her age since the previous census and is still seven years older than her second husband. He must have been a determined man to take on a widow with five dependent children.
Mary is missing from the family home but I think this is she at 167 Main Street, Hutchesontown in Glasgow.
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace William Morrison Head Mar 29 Draper & Hosier Lanark, Glasgow 2 Barbara do. Wife do. 29 do., do. Mary B. do. Daur Unm 5 do., do. Andrew do. Son do. 3 do., do. Christina L. do. Daur 1mo do., do. Mary Lafferty Serv Unm 16 General Servant Lanark, Clelland
1871 Twins Thomas and Janet Nicol were born at 4h and 4h30m a.m. respectively on Tuesday, October 24 at Watson's Square, Newarthill, Parish of Bothwell to Helen Nicol formerly Lafferty m.s. Allan and John Nicol, Coalminer who married in December, 1870 at Holytown Manse. Their births were registered Nos.357 and 358 respectively at Holytown on November 9 by John Nicol, "his X mark", Father.
[The only occasion I've come across where John gave his surname as Nicol rather than McNicol.]
1873 On Tuesday, June 17, Mary Lafferty and Richard Reynolds were married in Newarthill after Banns According to the Forms of the Roman Catholic Church. [See Section RS-6-1 for further information.]
1874 Hannah McDonald McNicol was born at 4h p.m. on Monday, April 6 at Metal Row, Newarthill, Parish of Bothwell to Helen McNicol m.s. Allan and John McNicol, Coalminer who married on December 20, 1870 at Holytown Manse. Her birth was registered No.196 at Holytown on April 27 by John McNicol, "his X mark", Father.
1876 Jeanie McNicol was born at 3h30m a.m. on Saturday, June 24 at Metal Row, Newarthill, Parish of Bothwell to Helen McNicol formerly Lafferty m.s. Allan and John McNicol, Coalminer who married on December 20, 1870 at Holytown Manse. Her birth was registered No.311 at Holytown on July 17 by John McNicol, "his X mark", Father.
1876 On Friday, February 4, Elizabeth married Andrew Buchanan in Newarthill after Banns according to the forms of the United Presbyterian Church. [See Section BN-6-1 for further information.]
Andrew is believed to have become an affluent farmer and allegedly turned up in top hat and claw-hammer jaiket at Dick Reynolds's funeral in 1945 (when he would have been about 90?).
1880 Isaac McNicol was born at noon on Friday, August 27 at Metal Row, Newarthill, District of Holytown to Helen McNicol formerly Lafferty m.s. Allan and John McNicol, Coalminer who married on December 20, 1870 at Holytown. His birth was registered No.310 at Holytown on September 16 by John McNicol, "his X mark", Father, Present.
1881 April 3 The expanded McNicol/Lafferty clan were now living in the hamlet of Metal Row, still with only one windowed room.
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace John McNicol Head Mar. 31 Coal Miner Ayrshire Helen do. Wife do. 42 Ireland James Lafferty S.Son Unm. 22 Coal Miner Lanarks., Bothwell John do. do. do. 19 do., do. do., do. Helen do. S.Daur. 14 do., do. Janet McNicol Daur. 10 Scholar do., do. Thomas do. Son 10 do. do., do. Hannah do. Daur. 7 do. do., do. Jane do. do. 5 do., do. Isaac do. Son 7 mo do., do. Agnes Lafferty was not in the family home but I think it likely that this is she in the following household at Yett Farm, Newarthill.
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace James Shanks Head Mar. 44 Farmer of 140 ac. arable Lanarkshire, Newarthill Janet do. Wife do. 33 do., do. Andrew do. Son 13 Scholar do., do. John do. do. 10 do. do., do. Agnes do. Daur. 8 do. do., do. Mary G. do. do. 4 do., do. Jessie do. do. 2 do., do. Margaret Brown Serv. Unm. 17 General Servant do., do. Agnes Lafferty Serv. do. 16 Domestic do. do., do. Elizabeth and Andrew (Buchanan) were living in the hamlet of Gowkhall, not far from Metal Row with son Charles aged 5 and Jeannie aged 4 months.
1883 On Friday, August 17, James Lafferty married Mary Ann Jones at Metal Row, Newarthill, District of Holytown after Publication according to the Forms of the Free Church. [See Section LY-6-1 for further information.]
1885 James Lafferty (Illegitimate) was born at 5h30m p.m. on Tuesday, February 3 at Metal Row, Newarthill, District of Holytown to Agnes Lafferty Dairymaid. His birth was registered No.56 at Holytown on February 23 by Helen Nicol previously Lafferty, "her X mark", Grandmother.
1885 On Thursday, December 31, Agnes Lafferty married Thomas McCormick at Metal Row, Newarthill after Publication according to the Forms of the Free Church of Scotland. The marriage was registered No.3 at Holytown on January 4, 1886.
Thomas was a Bachelor, he gave his age as 20, occupation River Dredger and usual residence as Lennox Place, Dumbarton Road, Parish of Renfrew [which extended across the Clyde to include Partick]. His parents are recorded as Thomas McCormick, Forester and Elizabeth McCormick, m.s. Dorman.
Agnes was a Spinster aged 21, occupation Dairymaid and usual residence Metal Row, Newarthill. Her parents are recorded as James Lafferty, Coalminer (deceased) and Helen Nicol formerly Lafferty m.s. Allan.
The officiating minister was Thomas Ramage, Free Church Minister of Cleland and the witnesses were Thomas McCormick and Helen Lafferty.
Nell is reputed to have married Doctor Tait, a prominent citizen in Newarthill but...
1889 On Friday, September 20, Helen Lafferty married Samuel Tait, Coal Miner, at Newarthill, Parish of Holytown according to the Forms of the United Presbyterian Church. [See Section TT-6-1 for further information.]
1891 April 5 Helen was living at Garner's Land, Newarthill in a house with two windowed rooms
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace Helen Nicol Head Mar 52 Coal Miner's Wife Lanarkshire, Cleland John Lafferty Son Unm 28 Coal Miner do., Newarthill Thos Nicol Son Unm 19 do. do. Hannah do. Daur Unm 17 Miners Daur do. Isaac do. Son 12 Scholar do. John McNicol is missing. Helen is not described as a widow so he may not be dead but I have had a look for him in the census index and failed to find a likely candidate in Lanarkshire or Ayrshire. In John's absence, Helen has consistently used Nicol rather than McNicol as her surname.
The Buchanans were living at Watson's Land, Newarthill in a house, now with six children [see Section BN-6-1] and the Taits were not far away on Main Street, Newarthill with one child Samuel aged 4 months and Jeannie Nicol, aged 14, masquerading as a domestic servant [see Section TT-6-1]. James Lafferty and his Welsh wife Mary Ann were living in England [see Section LY-6-1].
1901 March 31 Ellen was living in Gibbs Land, Newarthill (next door to the Taits) in a house with one windowed room.
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Birthplace Ellen Nicol Head W 62 Ireland John Lafferty Son S 39 Coal Miner Lanarkshire, Newarthill Isaac Nicol Son S 20 do. do. do., do. Which leaves Thomas and Hannah unaccounted for.
Elizabeth and Andrew [Buchanan] and James and Mary Ann [Jones] were living not too far away on North Road, Newarthill.
1911 April 2 Ellen was living in Andrew Brown's Land, Newarthill in a house with one windowed room.
Rel. Mar. Age Occupation Status Birthplace Helen Allan or Nicol Head Mar 72 40 - 1 - 1 Ireland 1 John Lafferty Son S 48 Coal Miner Hewer Worker Lanarkshire, Bothwell
1919 Helen Nicol, (Widow of 1st James Lafferty, Coal Miner, 2nd John Nicol, Coal Miner), died at 1h a.m. on October 10 at 350 High Street, Newarthill, aged 80 years, of Bronchitis, 21 days, and Senile Debility as certified by Geo. Hugh Logan, MBChB. Her parents are recorded as Isaac Allan, Coal Miner and Mary Ann Allan m.s. Williamson, both deceased. Her death was registered No.193 at Holytown on the same day by Isaac Nicol, Son, 418 High Street, Newarthill, Present.