The Weatherup Family
of Westfield

Written by Michelle J. Speirs, 2009.

 

County Antrim, Ulster, Ireland (mid 18th Century) to Chautauqua County, New York (1840s) and on to various points in the USA (Titusville, PA, Detroit, MI Dayton, OH Oahu, HI and Kings County, CA).

 

The furthest back that the Weatherup line has been confirmed is to three brothers in the mid 18th century in Co. Antrim, Ulster, Northern Ireland.  All three of the brothers married Doorman/Dorman sisters and there is much confusion as to who is who.  Many of the branch's of Weatherups have rumors about the family being not from Ulster, but rather having moved there from elsewhere (not uncommon for Ulster) but the different rumors vary drastically as to from whence they came - Scotland, England, Norway, Southern Germany, Normandy, etc. Given that the customs house burned down in Dublin during 'the troubles', we may never know the answer. Further, most agree that the name was likely originally not Weatherup but either corrupted (as happened to many names in that age) or was purposefully changed (Anglicized so as to overcome discrimination from the royal English - bureaucracy in Ulster) to Weatherup from something else such as Weatherope or Waldrup.

There is circumstantial evidence indicates that Weatherup is Scotch-Irish.  Further, in an as yet unconfirmed written chart by Ione Weatherup Klotz, the story related is that the Weatherups, corrupted from Waldrup, was a Norman family that came to Scotland with the Stewart/Stuart clan and that the first record of a Waldrup was a physician in the court of King David.

Another unconfirmed rumor about the Weatherup line is that two Weatherup brothers came from Scotland to serve as officers in the American Revolution and settled in Back Bay Boston.

Today there are Weatherups in not only Ulster but also the United States (particularly New York, California, & Michigan), Canada (especially in Ontario), & England. There are also (or perhaps were) Weatherup families in Australia & Scotland.

Bryan Weatherup has set up a Blog: http://www.fortunecity.com/banners/interstitial.html?http://wxup.blogspot.com/.

 

This record starts with the father of the three brothers, My 6th Great Grandfather.  Alexander Weatherup who was born in 1728? and died in 1763 or 1784.
3 Children, birth order unknown:

 

My 5th Great Grandfather, James Weatherup of Carrickfergus born in Ballyvannon in the Parish of Glenavy. married one of the Doorman or Dorman sister's.
7 children:

 

My 4th Great Grandfather, John Weatherup
Born Feb 12th, 1785. died May 29th 1843.  Married Susan Johnson.  Possibly used the nickname "Jack".
7 Children:

 

My 3rd Great Grandfather, John B. Weatherup
Born May 2nd, 1823.  Died 1899.  Married 9 Nov. 1845 (date of Marriage certificate) at Carrickfergus to Margaret Houston.  John, his wife, his father-in-law, and their children at the time, immigrated to Westfield, Chautauqua Co., New York.  He was a Tailor.

 

8 Children:

·                    My Great Great Grandfather, Cecil John Houston Weatherup (1855-1930).  His descendants constitute the Chautauqua Co. (Westfield) Weatherups, whom are now spread throughout the USA.

 

My Great Grandfather, Harold Robert Weatherup Harold was a conductor on the JW & NW Railroad.

Born 12/17/1884.  Died 1925?.  married Mabel Trask (born Corry, PA 10/18/1889).  Resided in Westfield, NY, Gowanda, NY, and settled in Jamestown, NY.  Two children:

 

My Grandmother, Margaret Ethel Weatherup

Born 8/20/1908 in Gowanda, NY.  Married Harry E. Speirs (Canadian citizen).  Resided in Jamestown, NY.

 

My Mother Grace Caroline Speirs, Hokanson, Delong, Diamond, has resided in Norwood, PA since 1955. 

 

Michelle Jean Speirs:

Married William C. Wells 9/1/67

Married Robert N. Bechmann 6/24/75

 

Jennica Patrice Wells Kalbaugh married David E. Kalbaugh 10/3/2001(Finally! An Irishman in the family!) reside in Frederick, Maryland

 

Jude Anthony Bechmann married Dawn Ehmke 12/26/96 – reside in East Amherst, NY

Joseph Robert Bechmann unmarried (resides in Bluemont, Virginia.