Carson Family History & Genealogy

Hello I have my grandfather was carson from Birmingham al

Any Carsons/ Kennedys from Michigan?

CARSON FAMILY IN BALLEE /BALLYMENA, COUNTY ANTRIM, NORTHERN IRELAND


a/ Robert Carson of Ballee, Ballymena (sometimes referred to as Robert Duffin Carson)
We know of two children – there may have been more
b/ Jinny Carson
b/ Duffin Carson 11/2/1851 – born Ballee, Ballymena, Ireland he died 15/8/1948 (sometimes also refered to as Robert Duffin Carson)

Married Elizabeth Murray on 9th August 1873

**1901 Census of Ireland
*Residents of a house 46 in Queen Street (Ballymena and Town and Urban District of Ballymena, Antrim)
Carson Duffin, 50, Male, Head of Family, Presbyterian, Co Antrim, Carpenter, Read & Write Married
Carson Eliza , 49, Female, Wife, Presbyterian, Co Antrim, Housekeeper Read & Write Married
Magill Hugh 22 Male Son in Law Presbyterian, Co Antrim, General Labourer, Read & Write Married
Magill Annie, 21 Female Female Daughter Presbyteria, Co Antrim, _ _ _ , Read & Write, Married
Magill Richard, _ _ , Male, Grandson, Presbyterian, Co Antrim, Cannot Read, Not married
Ritchie Annie, 2, Female, Grand Daughter, Presbyterian, Co Antrim, Cannot Read, Not Married
Carson Nellie, 4, Female, Grand Daughter, Presbyterian, Co Antrim, Cannot read, Not married
Carson Robert, 16 Male Son Presbyterian Co Antrim Hardware Shop Boy Read & Write Not Married
Carson Lizzie 14 Female Daughter Presbyterian, Co Antrim, Scholar, Read & Write, Not Married
Carson Sara 11 Female, Daughter, Presbyterian Co Antrim, Scholar, Read & Write, Not Married
Carson Mary 5 Female, Daughter, Presbyterian, Co Antrim, Read Not Married

**1911 Census of Ireland
*Residents of a house 49 in Queen Street (Ballymena No. 3 Urban, Antrim)
Carson Duffin, 59, Male, Head of Family, Presbyterian, Read & Write, English, Married, 36 years married, 9 children born, 5 children living
Carson Lizzie, 58, Female, Wife, Presbyterian, Read & Write, 36 years married, 9 children born, 5 children living
Carson Lizzie, 24, Female, Daughter, Presbyterian, Read & Write, Dressmaker, Single
Carson Sarah, 15, Female, Daughter, Presbyterian, Read & Write, Reeler, Single
Carson Mary, 15, Female, Daughter, Presbyterian, Read & Write, Single
Murray Nellie, 14, Female, Grand Daughter, Presbyterian, Co Antrim, Read & Write, Single
Ritchie Annie, 12, Female, Grand Daughter, Presbyterian, Co Antrim, Read & Write, Single

Their Children

c/ Margret Mary Carson born 10 June 1874 Galgorm, Antrim, Ireland and died 1899 in childbirth
She married Tom Ritchie and they had the following children Elsie Ritchie who married Sam McKelbey and their daughter was Angela McKelbey, and Tom Richie (JNR) who married Meg and their daughter was Doris Ritchie, their third child was born in 1899 Annie Ritchie she married Robert
McNeice and their children were Harry McNeice b 1924 and died 13 March 1984 in Christchurch New Zealand he married Nola C Beard and their children were Justene McNeice, Malcolm Darryl McNeice and Robert James McNeice

c/ Jane Jeanie/Ginny Carson born 14 November 1876 in Ballymena, Country Antrim and died on 14 March 1897 in childbirth married to Mr Murray and their child was Ellen Nellie Murray born born 14 March 1897 and died 18 October 1971. Ellen married on 8th June 1922 Hugh Neill born 31.10.1893 and died 7/9/1943 and their children were

Duffin Carson Neill born 20 December 1923 married Esther Murray d 2007 and their children Robert Roy Neill and Stephen Neill.

Jeanie Elizabeth Betty Neill born 15.8.1925 and died 17.3.2003 married William Larkin b 1921 d 6/10/1982


Hugh Paul Hubert Neill born 27.6.1927 and died 25 Sept 2008 lived in Warrington, Cheshire, England and he married Sarah Caulfield and their children were Ann Neill b 19.1.1958 and Hugh Neill b 15.9.1961 and her daughter is Rhyanna Neill 24.10.1996

Robert Roy Neill born 28.8.1928 d 11.2.1929

Sarah Sadie Neill b 4.4.1930 married Campbell Tennant on 4.4.1949 and divorced August 1960 their children are:

Eileen Elizabeth Tennant b 19.3.1951 in 140 Queen Street, Ballymena d 11.7.2002 of liver failure married Malcolm McDonald their child is Kelly McDonald b 20.3.1980

Sylvia Georgina Tennant b 5.6.1982 in The Cottage, Maternity Home, Ballymena married Robin Balmer 11.2.1972 and their children are
Justin Neil Balmer b 6.9.1973 and his partner was Gillian Hanna and their son is Josh Balmer b 26.7.2001 and his new partner is ? and their daughter is Kara Balmer born 22.3.2010, and
Leon Robin Balmer b 30.4.1975 he has had two children Edward Balmer and Joseph Balmer b 15.5.2006
Christina Joanna Balmer b 3.4.1979 married James McNeilly 27.6.2006
Sylvia Georgina Tennant remarried Alastair Gordon 30.9.2002

William John (Billy) Tennant b 11.2.1954 in The Cottage Maternity Home, Ballymena, Antrim
Billy married Eilesh Elizabeth Mary Arbuthnot Feb 1972 their children are Barbara, Tracy, Julie, Mary, Catherine & Caroline.
Barbara b 27.7.1974 and she has had two children Heather Tennant 6.10.1998 and Tara Tennant 8.5.2002,
Tracy b 12.3.1976 and she has had two children Tarlack Tennant b 23.6.2000 and Naimh 8.10.2001
Julie Ann Tennant b 30.1.1979 and died 4.8.2000 (murdered)




Mary Elizabeth Tennant b 21.8.1980 and her child is Liam Declan Tennant b 4.6.1998 and
She is a Teacher in Carnlough, County Antrim

Catherine Tennant b 28.8.1984

Caroline Tennant b 14.1.1993

Pauline Anne Tennant b 3.8.1955 in The Cottage, Maternity Home, Ballymena
Married to Samuel McAuley 1.1.1972 and divorced 1983 their children are:
Richard Samuel McAuley 30.3.1973 and his child is Danni Ryanne McAuley
Patricia Sarah McAuley b 18.2.1975 and died 20.2.1975 (premature baby)
Ryan Neill McAuley b 20.2.1979
Michael McAuley b 1980 and died 27.7.2007 (drug overdose)
Pauline Anne Tennant remarried Seamus MacRory Dec 1984 and their children are
Paul Seamus MacRory 31.7.1986
Micheal Martin MacRory b 19.5.1987
Ann Sarah MacRory b 7.3.1989
Pauline Anne Tennant d 1.1.1994 - Pauline suffered from post natal depression from 1987, and it gradually got worse. She took her own life during a very bad bout.
Daniel Hugh Tennant b 30.5.1959 The Cottage, Maternity Home, Ballymena married Carol Murphy on 14.7.1984

Sarah Sadie Neill remarried John Davies 26.5.1962 and their children Robert Barry Davies b 7.10.1963 and John Howard Davies 3.8.1965 and his son is Adam Luke Davies b 13.8.1997. John (Sarah’s husband) died 26.7.1978 of Cancer

c/ Annie Carson b 1.5.1879 in Connor, Antrim, married Hugh Magill b 1878 and their children

Richard Magill b 3.12.1900 in Ballymena and died in Ballymena, Antrim

Duffin Magill b 1902

(this is where the Canada connection comes in Annie Carson & Hugh Magill must have been living in Canada at this time)

Hugh Magill b 1904 Toronto, Ontario Canada and died in Toronto, Ontario, Canada he married Nell ? and their sons are Hugh Magill & John Magill

Lizzie Magill b 19.11.1906 and died 14.3.2003. At the age of 13 she had a blood clot which left her brain damaged and she spent 84 years in a mental institution

Sarah Magill b 19.12.1910 and married Samuel McCartney and their children are:
Anne McCartney
Betty McCartney
Maureen McCartney

Mary Magill b 6.9.1908 and d 2002 married William Aicken and their children were Trevor Aicken and Wallace Aicken

Sarah Magill b 19.12.1910 married Samuel McCartney and their children were Anne McCartney and Betty McCartney and Maureen McCartney

Jeanie Magill b 1912 and d 1932

Robert Magill b 1914 Ballymena, Antrim, and d Ballymena, Antrim and his children were/are Eileen Magill, Janice Magill, Noel Magill& Ronnie Magill

Nellie Magill b 2.5.1920 d Feb 2009 married Austin McClintock and their children are Desmond McClintock and Elisabeth McClintock

Anna Magill b 6.4.1922 married James Bell and their children are: Dennis & Yvonne

Dennis Carson Bell and his children are Jason Bell & Sarah Bell

Yvonne Bell and her children are Alan Bell & Tara Bell

c/ Robert Carson b 10.11.1884 b Ballymena, Antrim and d 26.12.1983 Christchurch New Zealand
(My great grandfather)


Married in Belfast Registry Office, Belfast, Ireland - Maudie Elizabeth Quinn (daughter of William John Quinn & Louise Quinn (Nee Priestley) b 1884 Belfast, Ireland and died 6 August 1915 Christchurch, New Zealand

Robert Carson was born in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Robert was an Ironmonger by trade. He was the only son of Duffin Carson, who was originally from Carsonstown. Robert married Maude Elizabeth Quinn in Belfast, before emigrating to New Zealand on the “SS Arawa” in 1912 on account of his health. Robert & Elizabeth settled in Christchurch. Murray was born in 1913 (the name Murray was the maiden name of Roberts Mother. Doreen Louise was born 1915 – Maude only surviving the birth a few days. Robert was left in a strange country with two young children to look after and no relatives. Doreen was left at St Helens hospital, Christchurch. Where she was born until Roberts younger sister May aged about 17 was sent from home (Ireland) to look after Robert and his new family. By then it was wartime and difficult to arrange passage. May arrived in New Zealand in late 1915 not much more than a girl herself and with a accent strange to New Zealanders ears and quite unprepared for life here.
In 1927 Robert married Olive Margaret May(Known as Betty or Bett). This marriage produced two children Beryl Margaret and Derek Raymond. They adopted much later Edwina (daughter of Doreen).
The great depression had worsened and Robert who had risen to become manager of a large furniture factory, was now unemployed due to the closure of the factory. Life was extremely hard for them. Life was extremely hard for them. Robert eventually found relief work. In spite of the hard times Robert & Bett made their own entertainment and had many friends. Robert and his son Murray sometimes bicycled into the country to shoot rabbits, a welcome addition for the table. Sometimes Una Hilary Carson (nee Longton) was invited and included on their camping.shooting holidays. This was on the banks of the Waimakariri River at Harewood, where it was arranged with landowners to pitch tents, use of the wood and remain there for the school holidays. Eventually the depression eased and Robert found work. He was well into his seventies when he finally retired. His family was all married except for Derek. He bought the house that they had previously rented and remained there for the rest of his life, dying at the age of 99 years on 26th December 1983.

Their Children
Murray Carson 1913-2001 (work in progress – This is my line and quite a lot of info to load here)

Doreen Carson 27.7.1915 (Doreen is living in a resthome in Hamilton, New Zealand and I also have Doreen’s line to add here)