Daleyard Ireland

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Christopher and Catherine Wilson (nee McFall or Bunton/Bunten/Bunting) – their missing children from the family tree

Christopher Wilson married Catherine Bunting (or McFall) on 14 March 1853 at Moyntaghs-Armagh.   So far I know the rough history of the younger three of the Wilson children – Thomas, Robert and Abraham, but nothing of the older ones.  More information on the other children, especially the older ones, might assist in further tracing both Christopher’s and Catherine’s family trees.

As I’ve said in a previous post, Catherine appears to have used her step-father’s surname earlier in life, so her history is not easy to trace, without knowing about her mother’s marriage to Thomas Bunting.

According to Catherine’s death certificate, Christopher and Catherine had 8 children in total.  Who were they, and did they also emigrate?

A search for the earlier born children were not easy to find, as Ireland did not have civil records of births, deaths and marriages until 1864 (however there are records of non-Catholic marriages from 1845 onwards).  So children born earlier than this only have christening dates (as I understand).

The Children are:

William John Wilson, born approximately 1854-55; died after 1922 (still living at the time of Catherine’s death)

Christopher Wilson – born  1858-59;  died after 1922 (still living at the time of Catherine’s death)

Thomas Andrew Wilson – born 1865; died 1945

Robert Wilson – born 6 June 1866; died 1915

Edward Wilson – born 2 June 1869; Christened: 803 Lurgan No2, Armagh,  died before 1922 (deceased at the time of Catherine’s death)

Emily Wilson – born 4 November 1871; Christened: 803 Lurgan No2, Armagh, died before 1922 (deceased at the time of Catherine’s death)

Mary Wilson – born 15 Feb 1875, died before 1922,

Abraham Wilson – born 27 June 1876, in Derry-Add; died 1969.

The Children’s birth records all list Catherine’s maiden name as Bunting, except Abraham’s where the name ‘McFall’ is listed (another mystery – why the name change then?).

What happened to the Children?

We know that Thomas, Robert and Abraham moved to Australia.

There are no death records for Edward, Emily, or Mary Wilson (on the PRONI database that I could search), but it is likely they died prior to Catherine and sons departing Ireland for Australia in 1891.

According to one of Abraham’s sons, the older two brothers (William and Christopher) possibly emigrated to the United States of America.

Given William and Christopher were listed as still living at the time of Catherine’s death, possibly there was still communication between the brothers in Australia, and the brothers in the USA (if they did emigrate there).  Should the descendants of William and Christopher be looking for family history on their mother, then hopefully they know about both of Catherine’s maiden names i.e. McFall, and Bunting.

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Catherine Wilson (nee McFall) (1832 – 5 November 1922)

Catherine Wilson was the mother of Abraham Wilson.

Catherine was born in Ireland in 1832 (birth date unknown).  She married Christopher Wilson, at the age of 19 years, in Daleyard, Ireland.

Catherine’s parents were John McFall (Farmer) and Mary Sturger.  It appears John McFall died and Mary remarried Thomas Bunting.  Catherine may have assume the name of her stepfather while growing up, though she later used the name McFall when recording the birth of her son Abraham.  Mary then had another daughter, Ann Eliza, who later moved to Australia.

Catherine probably had little to no schooling as she was illiterate.  When registering the birth of Abraham, she used a mark ‘X’ to sign her name.

At the time of Abraham’s birth, the family lived at Derryadd, Armagh Ireland.  Christopher later died suddenly in a Shipyard accident in Northern Ireland.

Catherine emigrated to Australia, with sons Robert and Abraham.  Older brother Thomas Andrew had probably already arrived in Australia, and met them on arrival. (I have not confirmed this, hopefully further research will find the answer).

She died aged 90 years 5 November 1922 at the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum.

The Dunwich Asylum was located on  North Stradbroke Island, Moreton Bay, Queensland.  It ran from 1865 before closing in 1946.   It was an institution for people of all ages who were unable to care for themselves, which included the elderly, infirm and the senile.