Yeah I Wrote This!

Both James and Simeon were farmers owning vast amount of land in the southern district of the archipelagic islands of the Bahamas .  However, due to economic constraints, the descendants of James and Simeon eventually abandoned their ancestral homes to migrate north to the island of New Providence , the capital of the Bahamas and to the United States in order to seek employment and greater opportunities.

The Newry name is believed to be of Irish decent; however, it is believed that the original Newry came to the Bahamas by way of British Honduras sometime in the late 1800s.  In fact, the Newry name can still be found within the Honduran phone book. 

Slavery was abolished in the British Empire on August 1, 1834. This led to many fugitive slaves from the American contenent braving the perils of the Atlantic for the promise of a free life in the Bahamas.   Perhaps James Newry I was one of these brave souls.  Another story circled amongst the Newry family here in the Bahamas is that, James Newry I was the son of Irish aristocrat who had been banished to Honduras due to his perpetual shinangigans.

In any event, the Newrys have been mentioned in the Bahamas ’ birth records as early as 1872.  In the St. David and St. Augustine ’s Anglican Church records for Long Cay, Acklins and Crooked Island , 1861-1934, James and Clarinda Newry had a number of children; a number of them being female whose records have vanished due to them taking on their husband’s titles.

The history of the Newry family can be traced back to three islands of the Bahamas : Acklins Island , Crooked Island & Long Cay.   These islands lie in the shallow lagoon called the bight of Acklins, of which the largest is Crooked Island followed by Acklins Island , then Long Cay.  The islands were originally settled by American Loyalist in the late 1780s; the loyalist set up cotton plantations employing over 1000 slaves.  However, after the abolition of slavery in the British Empire these plantations became uneconomical, consequently, the early inhabitants had to depend upon the replacement income of sponge diving, fishing and small-scale farming.   

Along with fishing, farming, sponging and participating in the islands’ salt industry, the men of the islands also sort work as stevedores on passing ships.  It is believed that a number of Newry men may have migrated to different countries due to this.

The Newry family similar to perhaps their Irish ancestors continues to live in clan type families.  There are at least 20 sets/clans of Newry families living independently within the Bahamas , a number of them not even being acquainted with each other.  Moreover, there are several other Newry families that have settled within the United States and Canada over the years.  Nevertheless, in spite of the distance and unfamiliarity, it is agreed by all, that all Newrys are related and share the same bloodline of the original Newry.