Donaldsons of Cloghore, Kilbarron, Donegal

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Donaldson Family Tree

Donaldson Cloghore Descent  

John Donaldson, 1777 - 01/11/1854,  farmer & miller at Cloghore Ballyshannon married Elizabeth Knox, about 1820. Her father was William Knox a farmer They were my great great grandparents

Here are their known children:-

1 Robert (1825 -1902)           2  George (1830 -1873)           3  Mary(May?) (1834 -)  
4 John (1838 -1874)               5  Simon (1841-1907)              6  William (1842 -1922)

Robert, Simon & William emigrated to Queensland Australia - see Queensland page

1 Robert (1825 -1902) born in Donegal, married his cousin Isabella (1829 -1909), daughter of Samuel Donaldson, in Kilteevoge Co Donegal on 23/11/1847 - see Welshtown  & Queensland Australia pages. They emigrated to Brisbane in 1853

2 George (1830 -1873) born in Donegal, married Anne McBrien (1835 -1885) on 18/03/1858 in Chapel of Erne Slavin Parish. George was a Farmer and Corn Mill & Kiln owner at Cloghore.
See Queensland Australia pages for their descent.- see Anne's Garden   

They had 7 children - all but 2 emigrated to Australia  - see Queensland pages for their descent.
George and Anne are both Buried in Teetunny Graveyard, Belleek. See picture of their grave in photos

3 Mary Ann - born 1834 - she may have died young.

4 John (1832 -1874) born in Donegal, married his cousin Hannah (1834 -1916), another daughter of Samuel Donaldson, in Kilteevogue Parish Church Co Donegal on 06/01/1857. John was a Grocer and Farmer at Cloghore - they had 6 children - see descent further down. They were my great grandparents

5 Simon (1841 -1907) was born in Parish of Belleek. He also went to Australia and did not marry

6 William (1842-1922) was born in Parish of Belleek. He married Catherine Strong (1848-1920) from Carnhugh Ballintra Donegal in Brisbane on 16/02/1869 - See Queensland Australia pages

My Family

John & Hannah had 6 children:- 
Elizabeth born 1858   Alex William born 1859    Ellen 1861-99     
Catherine born 1864   Samuel  born 1866  Robert John  1867-1946

Alex William  married Elizabeth Catherine Crawford in Ballyshannon Methodist Church on 26/08/1896.
They had 9 children
John Victor Alexander,   Laura Kathleen,   Eleanor Beatrice,     Theresa,    Nora Crawford,   Olive May,   Samuel Crawford,   Robert Isaac William,   Robina Isabella Bertha  - all born between 1897 & 1910.

"Victor" born 1897 entered Provincial Bank He was manager at Coleraine in 1947 when his son was born. He later  moved to Bushmills Co Antrim, where he died in 1978. He was buried at Dunluce Parish Churchyard. His wife Dorothy Toussaint died in 1995 and was also buried at  Dunluce Parish Churchyard after a service in Agherton Parish Church. They had 3 children - 2 boys and a girl.

Death of Victor

Death of Dorothy - his wife

Samuel Crawford 1904-66, married Mary Elizabeth (Molly) Earls 1908-1997, from Carranbeg House, Carrenby Belleek, daughter of William John Earls, born 1874 at Gortnalee see large Earl website 
They had 3 children and are buried at Belleek.

Ulster Covenant Signatures 1912

Ballyshannon Voters List 1939/40 Samuel Crawford & Molly Donaldson with perhaps his brother Robert Isaac William born 1907

Ballyshannon Voters List 1939/40 Children of William and Ellen Knox Cloghore Ellen, Mary, David John & Richard

Robina Isabella Bertha married John Lennon in 1937 in Belfast - nothing more is known.

Ellen married David Knox on 20/03/1889 at Pettigo Methodist Church.
He was a commercial traveller in Derry & Belleek.

A James Knox was a witness at the marriage of Hannah & John above

Lowe's Directory 1880 shows Belleek as having
W. Knox, postmaster, telegraph office and general dealer

Catherine lived with her brother in Cloghore - she had a facial disfigurement from the disease lupus.
She helped out in her brother's shop Ulster Covenant Signatures 1912

Samuel born 1866 bought a farm at Belleek - was not married

Robert John - my grandfather - married Louisa Kathleen Hood (1877-1952) from Pubble Newtonstewart, Co Tyrone on 16/07/1903 in Newtonstewart Presbyterian Church.  Ulster Covenant Signatures 1912
Before her marriage she was assistant manageress in the Temperance Hotel & Restaurant in Newtonstewart.
He had a grocery/drapery business & farm at Cloghore.
He died 11/12/1946 - he had not made a will.

Photo Gallery

Family of RJ and Louisa Donaldson Cloghore Ballyshannon

They had 8 children:-

Violet Anna Louisa (1904-1987)  Edith (1906-1988)
Wesley John Wilfred - known as Jack (1909-1995) (my father)     Bertram (1911-1915) 
Basil Ivan Samuel (1913-2001)  Theo (1915-1924)  William Edgar (1917-1995)  Vera Kathleen (1919-1993)

Violet married Freddie McCrea from Pettigo. They had a business in Irvinestown and had 2 daughters.
After Freddie's death in 1937, Violet moved to Armagh, near her brother & family & later married William Stewart. She was a gifted singer and was often asked to be guest singer at Church events.Bill died in 1965 and Violet died in 1987

In 1927 Edith married George Davis b 1906, son of Samuel Davis,from Tullyhue, Tandragee, Co Armagh. She met George there whilst apprenticed to a grocer and staying with her aunt Gracey.
They emigrated to Canada on the Doric II to Quebec - ship was built in 1923, the only completely turbine driven ship built for the White Star Line. They arrived on 10th September 1927.

They settled in Verdun, Montreal District, Quebec and had 7 children:-
Kenneth Ian b 1927, Bernadette Eileen b 1928, Victor b 1929-1935, George Edgar b 1931, Robert Malcolm b abt  1932, Edith Audrey Florence b 1933 and Samuel Donald b 1934. Robert Malcolm died of Leukaemia in 1956 & Victor was killed in a road accident.

George was a motor mechanic and had a lifelong passion for motorbikes. He worked for various outlets in the motorcycle industry finishing with Fred Deeley Imports.

On retirement George and Edith summered in Florida. Edith died in 1988 and George in 2009

George and Edith

Robert Malcolm

Victor

Jack (my father) joined the Provincial Bank in 1929 & married Elizabeth Caldwell Smith, known as Lily, born 1908  - on 29/03/1937. They had 2 children. Jack loved Rugby, Gardening & Male Voice Choirs. Lily loved all sports especially Golf

Cappagh Masonic Lodge membership 1930-32	Jack's & Lily's grave in Mid Calder graveyard. He died in 1995 and she died on 05/05/2006 aged 98
This old picture of Armagh shows Abbey St in the centre - we lived first up the hill round the corner at no 28. The large 2-toned building on the right was the Provincial Bank where my father worked. The building across the road with the archway was the Post Office Sorting Office. Once aged 11, I came down Abbey St on my bicycle and was hit by a Post Office van which came out of the archway. Luckily I was not hurt.

Bertram drowned, aged 3, in the River Erne at Belleek after the sluice gates at the bottom of the farm yard were left open accidentally  - he rode his little tricycle and could not stop.

Bertram 1911 - 1915

Basil entered the Ulster Bank and married living Brown in 1941. He lived in Dublin.
They had 2 sons. Basil was a very keen golfer. Basil died in 2001

Theo died, aged 9, in 1924, after contacting meningitis

Edgar married Joy Adair from Armagh city. He took over the family business at Cloghore. Edgar died in 1995 and Joy in 2005
They had 5 children, including twins who died just after they were born.

Vera married George Mansell and lived in Inverness. They had one daughter. Vera was a keen golfer and was ladies captain of Inverness golf club 1972 and 1973. Vera died in 1993 and George died in 2003.

Cloghore and other Kilbarron 1863 Griffiths Valuations

Cloghore and other Kilbarron 1901 census items

Cloghore and other Kilbarron 1911 census items

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