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.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 When the Census was taken, James Lafferty was a lodger in the house of James Carruthers, Shoemaker, in that part of the village of Omoa - "Exclusive of the Village of Omoa Iron Works". I will check this out but from the description of the district boundaries, I suspect that this was what we now know as Cleland. He was a widower, aged 35, born in Ireland and occupation Coal Drawer.
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 Ireland, Co. Tyrone according to her daughter Mary's birth certificate. (Later census returns give Shotts and Cleland but I think we can discount them.) Her age varies considerably across the various records, allowing any date between 1834 and 1841. 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.
She too was illiterate as she made "her X mark" when she registered the birth of John in 1862 and the death of James in 1868. Oddly enough, in the census above 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.
They had the following children (that I know of) —
Mary born in 1835 in Omoatown (Cleland), married Richard Reynolds in 1873 and died in 1932. Elizabeth born in 1857 in Cleland, married Andrew Buchanan in 1876. James born in 1859 in Newarthill, married Mary Ann Jones in 1883. John born in 1862 in Newarthill, last sighting 1901. Agnes born in 1864 in Newarthill, married Thomas McCormick in 1885. Helen born in 1867 in Newarthill, married Samuel Tait in 1889.
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 were married elsewhere, as there is on several other entries.
1855 Mary was born at 4h30m p.m. on Friday, February 23 at Omoa Town [which I think is the present village of Cleland] to James Lafferty, Ironstone Drawer, aged 36 years, born in the Parish of Kilmore County Armagh, Ireland and Helen Lafferty m.s. Allen, her first child, aged about 20 years, born in County Tyrone, Ireland who married on February 3, 1854 at Wishawtown, Parish of Cambusnethan. James already had one girl living. Her birth was registered No.36 at Shotts on February 28 by James Lafferty, "his X mark", Father, Present, 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 at the censuses of 1881 and 1891 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.
Elisabeth was born at 12h30m p.m. on Tuesday, April 21 at Ravenshall. The birth was registered No.106 at Shotts on May 2 by James (not present) who made his mark and gave his occupation as Iron Miner. 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? The nearest reference I have found so far is a Ravenshill Drive in the present day town of Cleland.
Elizabeth married Andrew Buchanan in Newarthill in 1876.
1859 James was born at 6h0m a.m. on Friday, July 22 in Newarthill, Parish of Bothwell. The birth was registered No.304 at Holytown on August 9 by James who made his mark and gave his occupation as Ironstone Drawer.
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 was born at 10h30m p.m. on Wednesday, February 12 in Newarthill, Parish of Bothwell to James Lafferty, Labourer at Colliery and Helen Lafferty m.s. Allan who were married on February 3, 1854 at Wishaw. The birth was registered No.93 at Holytown on March 5 by Helen Lafferty, "her X mark" , Mother.
1864 Agnes was born at 1h30m p.m. on Friday, December 16 in Newarthill, Parish of Bothwell. The birth was registered No.485 at Holytown on December 31 by James who made his mark and was still a Labourer at Colliery.
Agnes married Thomas McCormick in Newarthill in 1885.
1867 Helen was born at 4h0m p.m. on Saturday, May 4 in Newarthill. The birth, with surname Laverty, was registered No.217 at Holytown on May 23 by James who made his mark as usual. The date of parents marriage doesn't give a day but is still February 1854 in Wishaw.
On this occasion James's occupation is listed as 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 At 11h0m a.m. on Friday, June 19, James died at Newarthill, Parish of Bothwell, aged 49 [more likely 52], of lung disease (after an unspecified number of years), certified by John I? Barrie, MD. His death was registered No.122 at Holytown on the following day by Helen Laferty, Wife, Present, who made "her X mark" and gave her late husband's occupation as Pauper, formerly a Coalminer.
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 rather than signing the official documents. The witnesses both signed.
1871 April 3 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 was missing from the family home and I have been unable to find her anywhere else in the Newarthill area (including Metal Row), or in the Omoa/Cleland area (though there were a couple of Lafferty families in Omoa Square).
1871/2 Janet and Thomas were born.
1873 On Tuesday, June 17, Mary married Ritchie Reynolds in Newarthill after Banns According to the Forms of the Roman Catholic Church. [See Section RS-6-1 for further information.]
1873 Hannah was born.
1875 Jane was born.
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 he 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 was born.
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 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 Leinox (or Lennox) Place, Dumbarton Road, Parish of Renfrew. 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 seem to have been 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.
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 Williamson, both deceased. Her death was registered No.193 at Holytown on the same day by Isaac Nicol, Son, 418 High Street, Newarthill, Present.