BRENNEN FAMILY CHRONICLES

© Christopher Earls Brennen

Appendix 6B. FAMILY OF MARY JANE MCWATTERS

The following is what we know of our direct ancestors, Samuel McWatters and Mary Jane McWatters:

  1. Samuel McWatters of Ballymullen, our direct ancestor, was the father of
    1. Mary Jane McWatters, our direct ancestor, was born in 1802. She married James Palmer in the Kircubbin Presbyterian Church on May 4, 1839. They had three children described in Chapter 6:
      1. John Palmer
      2. Samuel Palmer
      3. Eliza Palmer (1842-1904) who married Robert Gibson. Their wedding was witnessed by Jame Pippers and Mary McWatters, perhaps Eliza's mother.
    2. Eliza McWatters was born in 1806 to Samuel McWatters of Ballymullen and was baptized in the Kircubbin Presbyterian Church on Sep.21, 1806.
    3. James Cavan McWatters was born in 1809 to Samuel McWatters of Ballymullen and was baptized in the Kircubbin Presbyterian Church on Apr.2, 1809. James died on Mar.12, 1867, and is buried in the graveyard of Kircubbin Presbyterian Church.

James McWatters was born in 1720 in Cork, Ireland, when his father, William McWatters, was 30 and his mother, Mary Ann Lemon (Aikens), was 27. James had one son and one daughter with his first wife. He then married Catherine Frances ?? and they had six children together. He died in 1790 in York, South Carolina, at the age of 70. James and Catherine had 7 sons and one daughter. One son Alexander McWatters was born in 1740, and died on August 30, 1828, in Fairfield, South Carolina, having lived a long life of 88 years. Another son Samuel was born in 1742 in Northern Ireland and died on Jun.18, 1781, in South Carolina at the age of 39. [From the Skip McWatters family tree at Ancestry.com.]

Elizabeth McWatters married John Pendleton on Nov.12, 1781, in Kirkcubbin Presbyterian Church, County Down.

Thomas McWatters married Jane Jounsoun on Apr.16, 1787, in Kirkcubbin Presbyterian Church, County Down.

Eliza McWatters, whose father was James McWatters was baptized in Kirkcubbin Presbyterian Church on Sep.29, 1801.

Sarah McWatters married Robert Reid on Sep.29, 1821, in Kirkcubbin Presbyterian Church, County Down.

John McWatters married Mary Jane Pentland on Oct.5, 1822, in Kirkcubbin Presbyterian Church, County Down.

Eliza McWatters married Alexander Pentland on Dec.28, 1826, in Kirkcubbin Presbyterian Church, County Down.

Samuel McWatters married Elinor Wightman on Dec.2, 1826, in Killinchy Presbyterian Church, County Down.

Margret McWatters (born in 1826, father Samuel McWatters) married David Patty on Dec.20, 1847 in Inishargy.

Thomas McWatters married Elizabeth Morrow on May 28, 1834, in Kircubbin Presbyterian Church.

William McWatters married Catherine Allen in 1838 in Inch, County Down.

Margaret McWatters (father Andrew McWatters) married George McCormick on Mar.3, 1865 in Killileagh, County Down, Northern Ireland.

Hugh McWatters (father James McWatters) married Martha Morrow on Mar.5, 1852, in Shankill, Belfast.

Elizabeth McWatters (father James McWatters) married John Hatch on Mar.29, 1867 in Down, Ulster, Ireland.

James McWatters of Ballymullen, Kircubbin (oldest son of William McWatters) married Catherine Frances McWatters (youngest daughter of James McWatters) on Nov.4, 1873, in Kircubbin Presbyterian Church.

Jane McWatters, wife of the late Thomas McWatters of Ballymullen, Kircubbin, died on May 1, 1887.

Hugh Alexander McWatters was born on Jul.10, 1905, in Kircubbin and died in Illinois in Jan. 1995. His wife was named Lela.

On Sep.23, 1906, David McWatters, a 25-year-old joiner from Kircubbin, his 25-year-old wife, Jeannie, and their 1-year-old son, Hugh, arrived in New York on the "Lucania" from Liverpool. They are heading for Chicago to join his brother James McWatters who lives at 6133 Honore Street, Chicago.

James McWatters, a 27-year-old carpenter, departed Belfast on Apr.23, 1908, on the "Lake Erie" bound for Quebec and Montreal.

On Apr.28, 1906, James McWatters, a 23-year-old labourer from Kircubbin, arrived in New York on the "Lucania" from Liverpool. He is headed for Chicago to join his friend Miss L. Bailey who lives at 6133 Honore Street, Chicago.

Sarah Jane McWatters, a 35-year-old domestic, departed Londonderry on Sep.25, 1910, on the "Pretorian" bound for Quebec and Montreal.

Jas McWatters, a 26-year-old labourer from Belfast, departed Liverpool on Jun.7, 1912, on the "Lake Manitoba" bound for Quebec and Montreal.

Mary McWatters, a 31-year-old domestic from Kircubbin, arrived in New York on May 7, 1920, aboard the "Celtic" from Liverpool. She is headed for her brother, James McWatters, who lives at 36 Thorndike Street, Everett, Boston.

Isabella McWatters, a 26-year-old parlour maid of 47 Malone Road, Belfast, departed Belfast on Feb.5, 1927, on the "Montnairn" bound for Saint John, New Brunswick.

Rachel McWatters, a 71-year-old housewife from Ballymullen, Kircubbin, departed Belfast on Sep.3, 1932, in the "Cameronia" bound for Boston and New York (accompanied by 51-year-old Mary Carlton of the same address).

Hugh McWatters, born Apr.25, 1835, in Newtownards died on Feb 15, 1917 in Maryborough, Fraser Coast, Queensland, Australia. His wife was Jane (Willis) (born Feb.24, 1837, and died in Belfast and died Apr.29, 1904) and his son Hugh Andrew McWatters.

William Alexander McWatters, born in 1832 in Newtownards died on Dec.15, 1915 in Maryborough, Fraser Coast, Queensland, Australia. His wife was Ellen McKee (born 1832 in County Down and died on Jun.26, 1890). Their children were Andrew, William, Hugh Andrew and John Alexander.

John Alexander McWatters, born Nov.7, 1862, in Belfast died on Nov.14, 1929 in Ipswich City, Queensland, Australia. His father was William Alexander McWatters, his mother was Ellen McWatters, his wife was Annie Flannigan (born in Newry on Sep.26, 1869, and died in Brisbane on Sep.21, 1936) and his children were Vera May, Mitylene Irwin Patrick, Hila Fern Gleve, Ellen Chant and William James.

James McWatters, born Aug.13, 1861, in Northern Ireland died on May 10, 1944, in Maryborough, Fraser Coast, Queensland, Australia. His father was Hugh McWatters, his mother was Jane, his wife was Rose Eleanor McWatters and his children were Charlotte Elizabeth, Lynton John, Jane Willis, Rose Ellen and Eric William.

  1. ?? McWatters was the father of
    1. Alexander McWatters was born in 1855 and,in 1880, married Rachel ??, born in 1861. Alexander died on Feb.28, 1901. In the 1901 Census Rachel, a 40-year-old widowed farmer, is listed as living in House 33 in Inishargy, Kircubbin with her 7 children listed below. In the 1911 Census Rachel, a 50-year-old widowed sewer, is listed as living in House 34 in Inishargy, Kircubbin with 4 of her children as listed below and one 4-year old grandson, William James McWatters, born in America. On Sep.3, 1932, Rachel McWatters, a 71-year-old housewife from Ballymullen, Kircubbin, departed Belfast in the "Cameronia" bound for Boston and New York (accompanied by 51-year-old Mary Carlton of the same address). Rachel died on Nov.16, 1950; she and her husband are buried at Kircubbin Presbyterian Church. Their children:
      1. David McWatters, born about 1881, is listed in the 1901 Census as a 20-year-old carpenter living with his mother in House 33 in Inishargy, Kircubbin. On Sep.23, 1906, David McWatters, a 25-year-old joiner from Kircubbin, his 25-year-old wife, Jeannie, and their 1-year-old son, Hugh, arrived in New York on the "Lucania" from Liverpool. They are heading for Chicago to join his brother James McWatters who lives at 6133 Honore Street, Chicago. In the 1920 US Federal Census, David is listed as a 38-year-old carpenter working for Green Construction Co. and living in W. 64th Street, Chicago Ward 29, District 1804 with his 38-year-old wife Mable (born in Illinois) and their 9-year-old son David (born in Illinois). In the 1930 US Federal Census, David is listed as a 48-year-old ctory superintendent living in W. 64th Street with his 48-year-old wife Mable, their 24-year-old son Hugh (born in No.Ireland), their 23-year-old son William (born in Illinois), their 18-year-old son David (born in Illinois), their 17-year-old daughter Jean (born in Illinois), their 12-year-old daughter Francis (born in Illinois), their 11-year-old son Morland (born in Illinois), and their 4-year-old nephew Leland Bailey (born in Illinois).
      2. William James McWatters, born about 1883,is listed in the 1901 Census as a 18-year-old farm labourer living with his mother in House 33 in Inishargy, Kircubbin. This is most likely the James McWatters, a 23-year-old labourer from Kircubbin, who, on Apr.28, 1906, arrived in New York on the "Lucania" from Liverpool. He is headed for Chicago to join his friend Miss L. Bailey who lives at 6133 Honore Street, Chicago. On Aug.21, 1937, 42-year-old William James McWatters arrived in New York from Belfast aboard the "Caledonia" from Liverpool, heading home to 235 Fullerton Avenue, Chicago.
      3. Mary McWatters, born about 1887, is listed in the 1901 Census as a 14-year-old living with her mother in House 33 in Inishargy, Kircubbin. This may be the Mary McWatters, the 31-year-old domestic from Kircubbin, who arrived in New York on May 7, 1920, aboard the "Celtic" from Liverpool, heading for her brother, James McWatters, who lives at 36 Thorndike Street, Everett, Boston.
      4. Frank McWatters, born about 1889, is listed in the 1901 Census as a 12-year-old scholar living with his mother in House 33 in Inishargy, Kircubbin. He is also listed in the 1911 Census as a 22-year-old farmer living with his mother in House 34 in Inishargy, Kircubbin.
      5. Maggie Jane McWatters (1891-1894) died on May 19, 1894 and is buried at Kircubbin Presbyterian Church.
      6. Robert McWatters (1894-1966), known as Bertie, is listed in the 1901 Census as a 7-year-old scholar living with his mother in House 33 in Inishargy, Kircubbin. He is also listed in the 1911 Census as a 16-year-old farmer living with his mother in House 34 in Inishargy, Kircubbin. Bertie died on May 20, 1966, and is buried at Kircubbin Presbyterian Church.
      7. Nellie McWatters is listed in the 1911 Census as a 14-year-old scholar living with her mother in House 34 in Inishargy, Kircubbin.
      8. Alexander McWatters (1894-1917) is listed in the 1901 Census as a 2-year-old living with his mother in House 33 in Inishargy, Kircubbin. He is also listed in the 1911 Census as a 12-year-old scholar living with his mother in House 34 in Inishargy, Kircubbin. He died on Feb.12, 1917 and is buried at Kircubbin Presbyterian Church.
    2. Thomas McWatters (1857-1937) married Eliza ? In the 1901 Census Thomas, a 42-year-old farmer, and Eliza, aged 43, are listed as living in House 32 in Inishargy, Kircubbin with their 13-year-old son William. In the 1911 Census Thomas, a 52-year-old farmer, and Eliza Jane, aged 54, are listed as living in House 22 in Inishargy, Kircubbin. Thomas and Eliza are buried at Kircubbin Presbyterian Church. They had children:
      1. William McWatters is listed in the 1901 Census as a 13-year-old scholar living with his parents in House 32 in Inishargy, Kircubbin. In the 1911 Census 22-year-old scholar, Willie McWatters, is listed as living with his aunt, Maggie Warnock, in House 3 in Kircubbin. William died in Mar. 1966 aged 78 and is buried at Kircubbin Presbyterian Church. William had a son:
        1. William McWatters, junior, was born in 1918 and married Mary Elizabeth ?. William died on Jul.2, 1982, and Mary Elizabeth on Jan.15, 1977; they are buried at Kircubbin Presbyterian Church.
    3. Margaret McWatters (19??-1937) is buried in Kircubbin Presbyterian Church.

Last updated 20/5/19.

Christopher E. Brennen