Welcome to the Laird family website.
This site contains the genealogies and biographical information on several Laird families from Londonderry Northern Ireland and County Donegal along with many inter-related families including the Hunter, Neely and Boggs families. It is the historical repository of my research and the work of other dedicated researchers who have spent countless hours in search of the lives and stories behind ordinary everyday people who no longer have a voice. Our ancestors decisions and accomplishments echo across time and are a part of where and who we are today. I hope you will find the information interesting, and that you may be able to find other family members and help contribute to this rich history.
Background:
"Kilderry” is a civil registration district just outside the present day City of Londonderry.
The district covers the Shantallow, Ballyarnett area within Northern Ireland and extends across the border into County Donegal encompassing the village and district of Muff, any birth in the District is shown as Kilderry. Bogstown or Boggstown was built around 1698 and consisted of a farm house and farm buildings with a row of labourers cottages within a stone courtyard. It was situated in the townland of Shantallow on a small country road which leads to the village of Steelstown, the farm house had been the residence to a family of 17th century Scottish plantation settlers called Boggs. From 1742-1753 it was the home of Joseph & Sarah Boggs, in 1797 Richard Laird died leaving Bogstown to his nephew James Laird and subsequent generations of Laird's lived at the Bogstown Farm until the early 1900's.
On August 19th 1886 a grandson of James, Richard Laird at 20 years of age sailed from Tilbury docks in London on the SS Orient for Melbourne, Australia. He joined his older cousin John Laird Hunter who left Donegal and settled in Melbourne four years earlier. Richard's mother Ann Laird, sister Mary and elder brother Thomas remained at Bogstown where the family lived until about 1900. It was later sold in the late 1920's and rented, Bogstown remained largely unchanged up to 1960.
Around 1966 Bogstown was purchased by the Catholic Church, the buildings removed and a new Chapel built there in 1976, which is as it is today. The narrow country lane which led to both Bogstown and Steelstown called the Steelstown Lane was widened to become the Steelstown Road and throughout the 1950's and 1960's new private bungalows and houses were built which now line the road .
Bruce Laird - March 2007
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 CONTACT US |
|
 |
If you have any questions or comments about the information on this site, please contact me by email at the address below.
 Contact us at bruce@laird-bogstown.com
Looking forward to hearing from you. Links: I have assembled some source web pages that have related Laird information. Also in the process of researching I have accumulated additional Laird family material which may not be directly related to me. If you are interested please contact me.
Wanted: Philadelphia
Laird's related to Samuel Laird (1850
Southwark Grain Distillery) or
Sergeant Major John Laird (1865 6th US Cavalry, American Civil War) http://www.rushslancers.com/. Both brothers emigrated from
Elaghmore near Londonderry. More
|
|
|
|
|
|
St Columb's Cathedral Londonderry where James Laird and Beth Boggs were married on March 9th, 1806. Architecture style is "Planter Gothic" |
|
|
|
