Looking for information about my ancestor, my grandfather Francis Weir

there's quite a good match to most of the clues you mentioned with this family in 1901, a Weir family with son Francis, father is a farmer named William, the location is Ballymore townland not far from Ballina ... only problem is this Francis is age 17, so born about 1884.

Weir was not a common surname in Co. Mayo, and that's the only Francis I found on the 1901 census, although there could be others recorded with spelling variations, or just as initials if in an institution. The only other William Weirs I found were single.

Should your Francis and William have been in Ireland during March 1901 ?

Hello shanew147

Thankyou for replying to my message that was very kind of you.

Yes both my grandfather and his father as far as I know were living in Ireland at the time, my mother when she was alive can remember her father telling her about where he lived near water and he had a ornament of a duck which he gave to her and he said it reminded him of where he lived when he was growing up.

Thank you.

Trisha

That Ballymore townland as mentioned on that 1901 census is right beside Ballymore lough, so definitely fits with the being from 'Near Water' memory.... 

see the townland and the Lough on this link to the OSI map from the 1830s. (The red lines are the borders of townlands), and a view from the townland over the Lough as it is on Google Street view -  here

brings us right back to the problem with the age.. where did the 1897 date come from ?

I'm wondering if that might be inaccurate, or second hand knowledge as it might be on a death cert.

Hello Shanew147

Thankyou for the information about Ballymore Lough, to my knowledge the date of birth is correct, because it is on documents to do with my grandfathers short service with the Royal Field Artillery here in England in 1919.

I do not know what to do now, as I have preety much exhausted all my enquiries elsewhere.isha

Thank yoou

Trisha

I see that service record, unfortunately some of the sign-up details are very vague - Parish of 'Mayo', Town of 'Mayo' , County of Ireland ??

Nothing that I could see in the 19 pages in his file that looked useful in tracing his early life, just his service and marriage etc. The age he's given of a little under 22 years fits with the 1897 date you have.

His birth could possibly have been registered without a firstname, e.g. 'male' Weir, and could be difficult to trace if so. Another possibility is that Francis was not the first name he was registered, or baptised with and one he took on later in life - maybe due to other family members having the same name as him. I have heard of people 'adjusting' their ages to qualify to sign on for certain occupations, particularly military and police etc, so might be another possibility worth checking to see if he was supposed to be under a certain age when he joined the Royal Field Artillery at the date he did.

You can check for all the Weir births in Ballina district on the BMD Index on FamilySearch - see : Weir, 1890-1900, Ballina district - not that many and only two males.

By the way that Francis Weir  I mentioned was baptised 1883, and doesn't seem to have been civil registered, so doesn't appear on the Index either. In case this Weir family connects to anyone else or rings any bells, his mother's maiden name was Murray.

.

Hi Trisha

There is a record of the baptism of Francis Weir with father William Weir on www.rootsireland.ie/

The parish is Attymas R C but the year is 1883.

roots ireland charges to view the full record which MAY have the mother's name.

http://mayo.rootsireland.ie/quis.php?page=1&confirmPageView=Y

Col

that Attymas baptism is the one I mentioned above and fit's with the Ballymore family on the 1901 and 1911 census  - mother's name is Anne Murray.

Hi trisha. I only see your query now, 7 years later! If you see this I will be glad to share what I know. Francis( frank) weir was uncle of my mother, bridget( beadie) weir. I have some information but some dates are obviously incorrect. I understand that he was born 1883 or 1884 in ballymore. I know of 3 of his children, sons. Do I understand from your text that your relationship is through your mother? Have you any other family details that might help us piece this story together?
Best wishes. Mary Gallagher

Hi trisha. I only see your query now, 7 years later! If you see this I will be glad to share what I know. Francis( frank) weir was uncle of my mother, bridget( beadie) weir. I have some information but some dates are obviously incorrect. I understand that he was born 1883 or 1884 in ballymore. I know of 3 of his children, sons. Do I understand from your text that your relationship is through your mother? Have you any other family details that might help us piece this story together?
Best wishes. Mary Gallagher

I am confused re military records. Francis weir got married in 1916 and following his first wife mary's death( they had 2 boys), he remarried in 1921. He had a son william from this marriage. I thought that he lived in ballymore during those years, including 1919 when you mentioned that he may have been in the uk..

Trisha, is there any possibility that your grandad is either john or patrick weir. They lived in ballymore into their teens at least. Their dad was francis weir and their parents deaths occurred when they were approx 3 and 10. Their dad had remarried and had a son william with his second wife. I think this is more likely but maybe and seemingly it doesnt tie in with your information. In brief, I am suggesting that francis weir is your great grandad???? MaryGallagher