I know that my great-grandfather William Humphries left Irvinestown, Fermanagh in around 1898 for north-east England. I believe that there was only a small Humphries family in Irvinestown. Does anyone have any information that can help me track this side of the family?

I believe that Keys and Humphries families may have been connected by marriage. The only families in which the given name Royal appears in Fermanagh are Humphries and Keys, and the two families are present on at least one legal document. In my branch, the name Royal has persisted (in contracted form) for 4 generations.

Roy Keys

My great grandmother was born in Fermanagh and immigrated to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba Canada around 1905, I think. Her name was Elizabeth Catherine Humphreys. She had a brother Edward? and a sister Ervina. She was always called Evy, but I believe she was christened Ervina. My Grandmother's name is Irvina, and my Mom's is Irva. All stemming from Irvinestown. Not sure what the connection is. Elizabeth was around 18 when she came to Canada. My grandmother, Irvina, kept in touch with relatives, but we have now lost our connection.
Would like to hear if there are any relatives.

HI - I am really sorry took me so long - email got lost and I only just refound it! I don't know for sure if your great-grandmother and my great-grandfather William were cousins. He left in about 1898, but they must have been related because Irvinestown was so small? I don't think he had a brother Edward but I am going to check again. He must have only been about 6 years older than your great-grandmother - so surely in a small village they knew each other? He did have a brother or sister who went to Canada - I am going to check the list at my father's house again.

my great great grandfather edward humphries married elizabeth tumath and one of the witnesses was thomas keys. hope this information is useful to you.

suzanne

Hi Suzanne,
Thanks for your reply. Can you give me some details (dates, places) that might help connect the dots. My own ancestor was Dorothy Humphries, who married Hugh Keys of Coolaness, near Irvinestown in Fermanagh. The date of the marriage was probably around 1764.

Thanks,
Roy

edward humphries married elizabeth tumath on 2nd june 1881 at irvinestown church of ireland church.Edward's address at the time of marriage was main street pettigo, Donegal.his father was also called edward.

thanks suzanne humphries

Hi - I am sorry that I haven't been much help. I have found out since I originally posted that my great-grandfather William Humphries (born 1879 in Irvinestown)had a father called Thomas (I think and a farmer), an older brother John (emigrated States), younger brother George (emigrated Toronto), younger sister Lilian (emigrated NZ - married name Murray), younger sister Sarah/Sally (emigrated Canada married name Wyckham), and youngest Margaret.

I am guessing if you don't have a Thomas Humphries born around 1850-1860 in Irvinestown area it isn't going to be much good to you!

Hi Isabelle,

Since all the Humphries in Fermanagh are (or were) related to one another (descended from Thomas Humphrys of Holbrook, Suffolk, son of Charles Humphrys of Rishangles, Suffolk), the question is really how we are related. Unfortunately I have not researched the later line of Humphries, although I do know that my ancestor Royal writes in the 1830s about his uncles Christopher and William Humphreys. Royal's mother must therefore be Dorothy Humphreys born 1748 in Drumard, daughter of Christopher Humphreys (1715-1805) and Maria Beatty (1720-1802). Dorothy was buried 25 Jan 1824.
(IGI has Christopher Humphreys Jr. born 1749 buried 11 Sep 1823; William Humphreys born 1751 buried 5 Jul 1834: perhaps not these)

Cheers,

Roy

Thanks for this - it may help me when I get the parents of Thomas. Do you know for certain that all the Humphries in Fermanagh (at least up to late 1800s) descended from Thomas Humphrys of Holbrook