Eliza Anne McIlhagga

Following up yesterday's blog, I have come to the conclusion that Eliza Anne, the daughter of James and Mary Ann (nee Gardiner) McIlhagga, must be the single mother who had no fewer than five children by an unknown father or fathers between 1869 and 1879. They were James born about 1869 who must have died as an infant as Eliza Anne's second child was also James, born 13 May 1872. Andrew followed born 21 May 1875, and then on 19 February 1879 Eliza Anne had twins, William John and Mary Jane.

She was employed as a Weaver like her father and eventually, on 12 April 1890 she married another Weaver, William Buchanan (son of Weaver John Buchanan) at Connor Church of Ireland. The spelling of her surname at marriage appears to have been McIlhaggi. She was then still living at Slaght town and her marriage witness was a John Curry. At present I have no record of whether any of the above children were baptised, or whether she had further children who were registered in her married name.