Anna & Ned Rodgers, 1915
When I started working on the Rodgers' family history I was immediately impressed by two things: 1) the accuracy of the earlier research done by my mother's cousin Nan (Gallagher) Fleming, and 2) the reliability of the oral family tradition in the Rodgers clan. Here is just one example:
Nan Gallagher's information said that Edward "Ned" Rodgers parents were Pat Rodgers and Margaret Quinn. The family said that Ned was from somewhere called "Ballamadurphy" and had been in the British Navy. His wife Anna Cunningham was said to be an excellent seamstress. Was all this true?
A transcription of their marriage record, that at one time appeared at http://stage.bicsystems.com/banbridge, reads:
Ceremony Details
Date of Marriage Parish Priest Sponsor 1 Sponsor 2
01 Mar 1865 Kilkeel GEORGE MAGUIRE PAT SLOAN ROSEY DEVINE
Husband Details
Name Age Occupation Address
EDWARD ROGERS No Record SAILOR BALLYMADERPHY
Wife Details
Name Age Occupation Address
ANNE CUNNINGHAM No Record SEWER BALLYGOWAN
Husband Family Details
Father Mother Father Occupation
PATT ROGERS No Record FARMER
Wife Family Details
Father Mother Father Occupation
JAMES CUNNINGHAM No Record FARMER
Church Reference
KKLCMA
Unfortunately the transcription is no longer on line, but the original should still be accessible in Ireland. It's possible that Nan (Gallagher) Fleming, librarian that she was, sent for copies of the original records.
Another example: Her research also said that Ned Rodgers had a brother John who stayed in Ireland, and the 1901 Census of Kilkeel provides this as a likely candidate for John. Note the son named Patrick in the household:
Household 5 in Ballymadeerfy Place of Birth
John Rodgers Head RC 49 M Farmer M Down
Mary Rodgers Wife RC 49 F M Down
Maria Rodgers Dau RC 18 F S Down
Patrick Rodgers Son RC 17 M Farmer S Down
William Rodgers Son RC 15 M Farmer S Down
Selena? Rodgers Dau RC 13 F S Down [Celia in 1911 image]
These are just two examples of the reliability of the earlier research and the oral tradition. It was repeated over and over. So I think we can confidently say that Edward "Ned" Rodgers also had a sister Margaret, a brother Hugh, and a brother Will who went to Australia, although I haven't found supporting records for them yet.
For this complete series of articles, see:
Part one: Edward "Ned" Rodgers of Kilkeel and Cleveland
Part two: Edward and Anna Rodgers: the Outbound Journey
Part three: Edward and Anna Rodgers: the Cleveland Years
Part four: Ned Rodgers and the Blind Pig
Part five: Anna (Cunningham) Rodgers, of Kilkeel and Cleveland