Acheson- Weir

There aren’t any church records in the Longfield West area for the 1700s so tracing this family may be difficult. I had a look in the 1825 tithes. Weir Atcheson was listed then. So he was a farmer in the townland at that time.

http://cotyroneireland.com/tithe/longfieldwest.htmlBy 1859 in Griffiths Valuation Joseph & Alexander Acheson are farming plot 2 in Collow, a 98 acre farm. They were brothers, and  likely descendants of Weir.

The Will of Alexander Acheson late of Collon County Tyrone Farmer who died 19 January 1896 was proved at Londonderry by James Smyth of Bornackatall in said County Farmer an Executor.

The will itself is on-line on the PRONI site and confirms Alexander & Joseph were brothers. Various children are named including Samuel & Joseph.

The Will of Joseph Young Acheson late of Collon Drumquin County Tyrone Farmer who died 25 December 1897 was proved at Londonderry by James Smyth of Bornacatree County Tyrone Farmer and James Condy (Senior) of Drumquin Draper the Executors.

Again that will is on-line.

Occupants in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Drumquin/Collow/1722898/

Family appears to have been Presbyterian.

Same farm in 1911:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Drumquin/Collow/852804/

You can follow the tenants through from Griffiths to 1929 using the Valuation Revision records on the PRONI site:

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni

You could try the registry of Deed records in PRONI or in Dublin to see if there are any early leases for the farm. It was quite big by Irish standards and there's always the possibility of a 3 lives lease being registered there which might add a bit more to your information. A personal visit is required to view those records.

Thaniks very much!

Weir's Son Joseph (born 1815) went to Canada in 1846, leaving his brother Alexander on the farm.  Alexander had at least two sons - Samuel and Joseph.  Samuel's descendants still live in the Drumquin area today.  Joseph who went to Onatario in Canada is my Gr-Gr Grandfather.  

We have Weir as born in 1778 in Co Tyrone and died in Lower Longfield on 29 May 1854 aged 76.  The family story has always been that we are descended from the Archibald Acheson line but we have not been able to find the connection yet.  The names Weir and Alexander and Isabella continued in our family names for generations.  We were told that Weir was originally a surname so may have come into the family from the female side.  It's a lovely mystery!

Using surnames as christian names would be very common in Presbyterian families in Ireland and Scotland, so your explanation for the origin of Weir is probably correct.

Hi Debra,

Joseph Acheson was also my gg grandfather. That should make us 3rd cousins. I am descended from Samuel.How about you/

Virginia in Ottawa, Ont., Canada

Hi Cousin!  I have a bit of info on the Achesons.  My line is from Weir b.1778 through Joseph b. 1815 through Alexander b. 1848.  Alexander's daughter Sarah Isabella (Acheson) Webber  b. 1879 in Ontario was my Grandmother.  She had six brothers and sisters born in Ontario and then Manitoba as the family moved West, eventually my line ending up in Calgary.

Joseph Acheson b 1815 Lower Langfield m Isabella McKennit (b. 1821 not sure if this should be McKenny) on 29 Dec 1845.  Apparently they went to New York for their honeymoon and stayed long enough to have two sons (Alexander b. 1848 NY;  and Weir baptised 17 Jan 1851 in NY) before they returned to Lower Langfield and had four more (Ellen b. 1852 d. Age 8; Elizabeth b.1854 - she never emigrated to Canada with the rest of the family and apparently stayed behind and ran a village inn; Samuel b. 1856 - is this 'your' Samuel?;  Arabella b.1857                            

I'm just getting back into this research after a break of a few years.  My brother in Calgary is having a family reunion for our Webber/Acheson clan next summer and I am trying to get up to speed on all the relatives, so I am so pleased to be in touch with you.  

I moved to England many years ago when I married and have been glad to be able to go to NI and meet with descendants of the Achesons from the Langfield area.  They showed us around the 'old' homestead and took us to where one of Weir's grandsons Samuel Acheson (born c1900 NI) is buried - Samuel's son Bertie was still alive and active at 93 although he died a year ago. One of Bertie's sons (Ian Acheson) was very welcoming and interested.  I have a picture of Samuels old home but I am not sure how to send it to you as I am finding this site difficult to figure out (it's me, not the site probably).  I also have a good picture of our Gr Gr Grandad Joseph Acheson.

If you would like to exchange info I can scan and send my family history sheets and pages of a book written by my Aunt which has some Acheson info in it.

My email is dcanderson90@hotmail.com

My  first cousin Jim Benedict just told me that he has your details.  It would be so wonderful if you could come to the reunion on 5 August next year. But regardless, it's great to be in touch.  

HI I am looking to try and find Acheson relations unfortunately I have very little to no information other than they had a poultry business/farm around Dungannon. My grandmother was called Margaret Anne Acheson Finney we know her mother's maiden name was Acheson nó Christian name she married a Finney man who lived in Downpatrick area and had 3 children MY grandmother who was a primary school teacher she had a brother Alec also a teacher and a sister Jean. We think the name Shaw features strongly in the family as when my dad and his brother were born one was christened William Acheson and the other Alexander Shaw. MARGARET Anne Acheson Finney came as a teacher to Donegal around 1912 and married my Grandfather in 1916 August 25th. I have never heard anything about our Acheson connections only other thing is I am guessing she was brought up Presbyterian but as I say I am clutching at straws

Georgina,

There’s a bit more information in this post than in your other one on IRO so that has enabled me to find your family this time. Here’s Margaret Finney in the 1911 census. You will see she was born in Co. Down. And she was Presbyterian.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Downpatrick/Fountain_Street/237217/

Same family in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Downpatrick_Urban/Fountain_Street/1227882/

Margaret was born 15.3.1893. Her parents were William Finney and Margery Shaw.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1893/02319/1868748.pdf

Her parents married in 1889:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1889/10740/5915929.pdf

Is it possible to discover if Margaret Shaw who married William Finney mother was Acheson or would that be to much of a long shot this is just fantastic and is it through her line the Acheson connection comes you have answered the reason why dad was christened Alexander Shaw and now I need to know was Margaret Shaws parents one of the Acheson you have no idea how Happy you have made me

Georgina,

Alexander Shaw appears to have married Leitita Bailie on 21.11.1867 at Ballynahinch 2nd Presbyterian church:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1867/11509/8232800.pdf

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Downpatrick_Urban/Fountain_Street/1227882/

Their daughter Margery (not Margaret) was born in Downpatrick on 31.12.1868:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1869/03413/2251678.pdf

So there wasn’t an Acheson connection in that generation.

Thank you I have found a Jane's Finney in Antrim wo married a Margaret Anne Acheson and now need to see if I can find a connection to William Finney were they brothers I discovered Williams parents lived on Lanarkshire in England unless this is a wild goose chase she was Bromley married to Finney while Williams occupation in Co Down was coach builder he's diwn as A rope maker in the 1911 census he appears in a UK census accounting for his zbsencde on the Downpatrick census he was also absent if thd 1901 census

Post should read James Finney who married a Margaret Ann Acheson am very tired so not thinking straight

I can’t see a marriage in Ireland for James Finney to Margaret Ann Acheson.