Thomson family

Good afternoon. My name is Peggy Thompson from Nova Scotia Canada. I am researching my great great grandfather “John Thomson” who came to Nova Scotia, Canada circa 1820. I have tried to find him on a passenger list but so far I have not been able to locate him, my great Aunt wrote the following about 100 years ago. I find the wording somewhat confusing. I assume my gg grandfather was born in Northern Ireland? Or was he born in Mullinahone? What do you think?
“John Thomson (Pioneer) one of the early settlers in Antigonish, Nova Scotia was the son of a Lowland Scottish Presbyterian, who from the North of Ireland moved southward into Tipperary County.  He settled at Mullinahone, near the mountain of Slievenamon, and there married a lady of the Catholic faith, who brought up their children as Catholics although her husband never turned from the creed of his fathers. Their son, John Thomson learned the trade of shoemaker and immigrated to America. He landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, spent some time there, and then came to Antigonish Village, Nova Scotia. A deed recorded October 28, 1823, shows that he bought a house, store, and a lot of land at the lower end of Antigonish Village. (Court Street, see early map of Antigonish, MacLean’ s History of Antigonish). The following year he married Mary Shea, daughter of Walter Shea of Antigonish Harbour. On November 4th, 1825 is also recorded the purchase from John Munn of another lot on Church Street (see map of Antigonish, MacLean’ s History).  The house built on the Court Street lot still stands.  Here all John Thomson’s children were born: William, Elizabeth, Robert, Margaret, Mary Ann, Walter, Alfred, and John.   He died in 1837. His wife survived him till 1891, when she died at the age of 84 years.” 
Any ideas on how I could find his birth certificate or mention of him on a passenger list circa 1820 would be greatly appreciated. I have been trying to figure this out for many years.  

Thanks again 

Hi Peggy
 
I suspect your Thompson/Thomson ancestors in Ireland trace their ancestry back to Scotland. It is estimated that 100,000 Scottish migrants settled in northern half of Ireland during the 17th century Plantation of Ulster. 

By the end of the 17th century a self-sustaining settlement of English and Scottish colonists had established itself in Ulster. One estimate of British population of Ulster is 40,000 by 1640 (with 60% of Scottish origin), 120,000 by 1670 and 270,000 by 1712. It is also estimated that by 1715, when Scottish migration to Ulster had virtually stopped, the Presbyterian population of Ulster, i.e. of essentially Scottish origin, stood at 200,000. 

Your problem, of course, is you know exactly where they lived in Tipperary, i.e. Mullinahone in Kilvemnon parish, south Tipperary but hold no clues as to where they migrated from in northern Ireland and where they originated in Scotland. Without additional clues as to place of origin of John Thomson in Northern Ireland you hold insufficient information at present to identify his birth place. 

Thompson is among the fifty most common names in Ireland and among the first ten in Ulster. Three-quarters of all Thompsons in Ireland are to be found in Ulster. It is the single most numerous name in County Down, among the first five in County Antrim and among the first twenty in Counties Armagh and Fermanagh.  

Thompson is the fourth commonest surname in Scotland. The first record of the name in Scotland was of a John Thomson, leader of the men of Carrick, Ayrshire in Edward Bruce’s invasion of Ireland in 1318. 

In his 1988 book, Irish Migrants in the Canadas A New Approach, Bruce Elliott traced the movements of 775 Protestant families from North Tipperary to the districts of London and Ottawa in Upper Canada (i.e. Ontario) in the period 1815-1855. His research demonstrated that the locations of family members who had gone before was the major determinant of an emigrant’s choice of destination.

Hi Brian - thank you very much for all of the detailed information you provided. It is certainly very interesting. I really appreciate your time and attention to my enquiry.

Do you think there might be family information in Mullinahone? I have tried to join and contact a webpage in Mullinahone but so far no answer. I was thinking perhaps when John Thomson took the trade of shoemaker there might be paperwork regarding his apprenticeship and information about who his parents were. Maybe Catholic church records of births would have info on his parents and where they came from? Also maybe records in Mullinahone kept track of who left and went to Canada? From my great aunts notes (she was a nun) indicated my ggf John Thomson was Catholic. John Thomson’s father (Lowland Scottish Presbyterian) married a catholic Irish girl and she raised them catholic.

I am aware of Elliot’s book however my family didn’t move to upper Canada but settled here on the east coast in Nova Scotia - 1820.

Again thank you so much for all of your great information.

Regards, Peggy Thompson
P.s. John Thomson’s son William (my great grandfather - born Antigonish, NS) added the “p” to our name because of mixup in mail delivery here in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Hi Peggy

I agree, your first priority should be to examine record sources for Mullinahone area for any references to your ancestors. The relevant church registers for this area will be those of Kilvemnon Church of Ireland and Mullinahone Roman Catholic. Also check census substitutes such as mid-19th century Griffith’s Valuation, http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation, and early-19th century Tithe books, http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp, for references to Thompsons in Tipperary. You could also contact the South Tipperary Genealogy Centre, see http://www.rootsireland.ie/south-tipperary-genealogy-centre.

It should also be pointed out that a quite sizeable Protestant population,predominantly of English origin, settled in Tipperary during the second half of the 17th century, and in the 18th century Tipperary drew further Protestant settlers from neighbouring counties. It is, therefore, possible, but not proven, that your Thomson ancestors may be descended from this English settlement.  

Thanks! I will follow up with your suggestions. I can’t wait to go to Ireland and visit places my ancestors may have lived so long ago. My daughter has visited twice and absolutely fell in love.
You have been so helpful. I am going to send you a separate email regarding Donovan’s.
Regards, Peggy Thompson
Antigonish, Nova Scotia

Hi Peggy,

I had a Thomson too in my family tree (not along your lines though, sorry), and I recently got this feedback when doing research in Scotland: The spelling of “Thomson” is almost universal in Scotland, whereas it is “Thompson” in England, probably exported to Canada.  Your great-grandfather did the right thing -- most people take the line of least resistance, and use the spelling prevalent in the local area, but it is a genealogist's nightmare for sure.

Good luck with your search.

Phil Sheehan, New Zealand

Thank you for your note Phil. Are you on Ancestry? I also have a connection to New Zealand. When my maternal great grandfather Charles James Gardiner immigrated to Nova Scotia Canada (from England) circa 1900 a few of his siblings immigrated to New Zealand.
Do you know where your Thomson was from?
Regards, Peggy Thompson
Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada

Hi Peggy,
Our Elizabeth Thomson was born in Edinburgh, before marrying into the Moffat family in Lanarkshire in 1832.  I have no other info on her at this time sorry.  I'm currently researching the Irish roots of the Kelly family.

Cheers
Phil