Ferrie Family History

Searching for Stevensons
and Colemans ...

Oral History tells us, that the Hessies came over from Ireland. Hessie Ferrie's Grandmother, Hessie, married a Stevenson, and when he died, she married a Coleman.
All that is known of Mr. Stevenson is that he was a well sinker, and moved around a lot, wherever his job took him.


The first breakthrough, was a copy of the 1901 Scottish Census Data, from R. at SP:


"Scholar" usually means "school child", making John Stenson under 14, born in 1887 or later.

R. (SP):

"Note that ... the spelling of Stevenson has become "Stenson" (the Irish accent ?).
Practically all the adults in the street are Irish and the men seem to work in the ship-yards. "

R. then discovered, through his death certificate, another child, Warren Coleman, born and died in 1902

1902 Warren Coleman, Age 0, Born Govan, Scotland, Informant: Warren Coleman, Father

The next breakthrough came courtesy of Annette (SP), who supplied the following details from Emily Stevenson's wedding certificate:

"Robert Ferrie (Range Builder) aged 27 married Emily Stevenson (French Polisher) aged 23 at The Parish Church in Govan on 17th July, 1911. The usual address is shown (for both parties) as 39 Logie Street, Govan. Robert's parents are shown as John Ferrie (Iron Driller) and Margaret Ferrie MS Morrison. Emily's parents are John Stevenson (Well sinker - deceased) and Hessie Coleman previously Stevenson MS Baxter [..] The witnesses were John Wallace and Theresa Ferrie."

So now we have:

• A Birth-Year - 1884 - for Robert Morrison Ferrie
• A new Birth-Year - 1888 - for Emily Stevenson (?)
• Robert Morrison Ferrie's parents - John Ferrie, Margaret Morrison
• A name - John - for Emily's dad !
• A Maiden-Surname - Baxter - for Hessie Stevenson-Coleman !!

Incidently, what we also have, is that Hessie Stevenson is a Pickle Worker !
Could this be where the Hessie's love of pickles all started, i.e. they inherited it through osmosis ?

Enter R. once again:

"Hessie Coleman's death certificate in 1932 (District of Plantation, Glasgow) states that she was 71 years old and that her parents were Joseph Stevenson - occupation Tailor (deceased) and Hessie Stevenson (MS Baxter) deceased. [...]
Perhaps Hessie Coleman wasn't married before she married Warren ? At the time of the births of her later children, she may well have 'borrowed' her mother's maiden name. This would fit in with a perfectly understandable desire for 'respectability', especially in those days."

One other piece of information, this time from Patricia (RC):

BIRTH
WILLIAM JOHN COLEMAN
28 July 1897, 30 Great Eastern Road, Glasgow
REF: 644/2/1221
Son of Warren Coleman, Engineer's Machine Worker and
Hessie Coleman, previously Stevenson MS Baxter.
Married 1886 May 18, Belfast.
Informant: Warren Coleman, Father. "

Here for the first time, we have not just Ireland, but Belfast, in Ireland !
This ties in with various references and vague memories: "... she mentioned Belfast Lough ...", Hessie F.'s "... Mum's cousins, in Caith Hill, Belfast ... ", etc., etc.

This is all we have for now, the next stage is to start scouring Irish Record Offices for more details ...

Watch this Space !

.. but don't hold your breath, while waiting !
Irish Records are very difficult to find !