Unravelling
the threads of CF 121
James Matthew's 1941 version
oldest dau
married John McMurtray a relative
oldest son
John McMurtray went to
younger
son James and the daughter Jane went to
James Matthew's 1947 version
Sarah dau
of John & Jane Hay McMurtray married John McMurtry who was born 1751. They came up to
James son
of John & Jane Hay McMurtray was a smith, he and wife Jane went to
My notes:
Sarah
Smith (of Strandtown, Co Down) married, in 1825, Thomas McMurtray and came to
Elizabeth
Smyth (also of Strandtown, Co Down) married, in 1827, to Matthew McMurtry,
James Matthew's grandfather.
Jane
McMurtry, James Matthew's aunt, married James Smith McMurtry, son of Thomas and
Sarah Smith McMurtry.
Thomas and
Sarah Smith McMurtry came to
Notes: Since the letters James Matthew had were
written in 1831 and 1835, by Ezekial McMurtry (1778-1859) to Matthew McMurtry
(1807-1887), it is not likely that the names have been confused, nor is it
likely that there could have been confusion with the emigrants of the
1820s. Therefore, I assume that the
problem is one of confounding the mother's side of the family with the father's
side. That is to say, that when Ezekial
mentioned a son John, this was the son of Matthew's maternal grandfather (Jane
McAllister's father) or possibly Matthew's maternal great-grandfather (Susan
McIlroy's father).
James
Matthew reports some misinformation about Alexander Hay Hill's branch of the
family.
Only
finding the letters will tell.