The Titteringtons of Northern Ireland

Researchers:  Dianne and Trayce

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This tree comprises at least 69 people over more than 5 generations.  It has been developed by the research carried out by Dianne and Trayce.  

James Titterington of Ballykeel-Artifinny, Hillsborough born about 1802, is top of this tree.  He was married to Mary Gilligan  His son John Titterington, also of Ballykeel-Artifinny married Sarah Wilson.  There is evidence that suggests that in America, Sarah referred to her deceased husband as ‘Captain’. He was a Lighterman, most of his children being born aboard the lighter in various towns served by the canals.  There is a news report that tells us that a little boy named John, died on the lighter as it crossed Lough Neagh, from drinking laudanum.  

 

It is understood that John died at sea, drowned. If he died at sea, rather than in the Canals, then it is possible that he may have transferred to working on ships.    The ships transported coal from Newry to Dublin, which might be how he got into that line of work. Coal came from a colliery in Coalisland, transported by lighter along the Coalisland Canal to Lough Neagh, across Lough Neagh, sometimes tugged, to join the Newry Canal –passing through Scarva en route to Newry.  Arriving at Newry port, it continued by ships to Dublin! Note that he also worked the Lagan Canal between Lough Neagh and Belfast - probably carrying coal to the linen mills and/or linen for export via Belfast docks. All this is known by his children’s birthplaces on the birth certificates and newspaper stories.  A restored lighter boat is now on the Lagan Canal and it makes for an absolutely fascinating visit, knowing that a whole family lived/cooked/slept in such a tiny cabin - with children being born there too!

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Later research has revealed that John, a Boatman, was found drowned on the River Bann on 25th October, 1889.  See the death certificate below.

 

John and Sarah had several children, but interestingly, an IGI record for the birth of their daughter Margaret in 1874 states that her parents were Sarah Wilson and Edward Titterington.

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Note 1:  Edward Titterington, b. 1828 was married to Margaret Trimble.  Her sister, Mary Ann was married to Joseph Wilson.  There are a lot of Wilsons in this part of Ireland at about this time, but it might be worth exploring the possibility of a link between Sarah Wilson and Joseph.

 

Two of their other sons were Davis Wilson and William.  Davis married Sarah Maginnis and William, a Lighterman,  married Susanna/Annie Brown.  Trayce is descended from Davis and Dianne is descended from William. 

 

Note 2:  In Chart Wb18, Whitfield Titterington, son of Hugh and Catherine, married Anne McGuiness and their son, Edward b. 1854 married Margaret McGuines in America.

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John and Sarah's son, William Titterington married Susanna Brown.  They had four children who were abandoned by William, after the death of his wife.  He left for America to join his mother and siblings and remarried a woman also named Annie.  Their mother, according to family legend, died of a broken heart, but research challenges this.  Susanna died of a miscarriage well in to her pregnancy.  He death certificate is below.   A neighbouring family,  took in the children who were now orphans.  One of the children, Robert, joined the army in 1911 at the age of 21 and was killed in WW1.  You will be able to find on this website a photo of him and other life facts relating to him.

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William and his siblings mainly lived in Ballykeel-Artifinny, Hillsborough, Lisnashanker, Belfast, then Greenwich Village, Saratoga Springs, New York, or Paterson in Passaic Co, New Jersey.

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Some of the names found in this tree include Davis, Whitfield, Wilson, Couser, Brown.