James was born on 10th July 1855 in County Down and is the second of his siblings to have married twice, the other being his older brother William Henry (see William Henry McGaffin 1845-1927). He married Ellen Sloan on 24th April 1877 in Warrenpoint, County Down, his occupation was stated as a farmer and she didn't appear to have one. They went on to have 10 children:
- Matilda McGaffin b. 18th December 1879 in Crieve, County Down and d. 14th August 1900 at the age of 20 in Annaghbane, County Down. She had been suffering from Phthisis (pulmonary TB) for five months
- George McGaffin b. 11th December 1811 in Sheeptown, County Down
- James McGaffin b. 7th July 1883 in Sheeptown, m. Emily Strain 2nd September 1904 in Shore Street Church, Donaghadee, County Down and d. 15th September 1916 aged 33 in France
- Ellen McGaffin b. 16th August 1886 in Crieve, m. Hugh Rea on 17th November 1903 in Shore Street Church, Donaghadee, County Down
- William Henry McGaffin b. 12th October 1887 in Annaghbane
- Joseph McGaffin b. 5th January 1889 in Annaghbane, m. Isabella Morrow on 22 January 1918 in Kingsmill and d. 18th February 1982 in Toronto. There is one son Robert James McGaffin b. 28th December 1921 in Toronto and d. 14th October 1938 aged 16 in Toronto
- Robert Sloane McGaffin* b. 7th July 1890 in Annaghbane and d. 15th September 1916 in France
- Isabella McGaffin b. 25th November 1892 in Annaghbane, m. Joseph Stewart on 20th December 1912 in Newry. They had two children - Robert James Stewart b. 9th October 1913 and Ellen Stewart b. 28th December 1915 in County Down.
- Maggie McGaffin b. 15th March 1896 in Annaghbane and d. 7th November 1896 aged 8 months
In 1901 the family are living in house number 7 in Annaghbane, County Down where they are listed as having a stable, cow house, calf house, piggery, fowl house, barn, potato house and a shed. A few months after the census was taken, Ellen McGaffin Snr died on 21st September 1901 aged 46 as a result of hip disease.
James married for the second time in Warrenpoint, County Down to Sarah Hendry Martin on 2nd February 1902. They had two children:
- Tillie Hendry McGaffin b. 29th November 1902 in Annaghbane and d. 16th March 1919 aged 16 in Belfast, County Antrim. Cause of death was given as TB and Influenza
- Hugh McGaffin b. 1905
Children of James McGaffin Jnr and Emily Strain:
- George McGaffin b. 11th September 1905 in Donaghadee, m. Grace Ethel Leather on 14th February 1948 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and d. 18th October 1988 also in Ontario
- Alexander McGaffin b. 18th Janauary 1907 and d. 3rd February 1923 aged 16 in York, Ontario, Canada, cause of death was pneumonia and heart problems
- James McGaffin b. 1911 in Glasgow, m. Helen Marie Howatt on 26th June 1937 in Toronto and d. 1976 in Norwood, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Children of Ellen McGaffin and Hugh Rea, all of them were born in County Down:
- John Rea b. 25th December 1904
- James Rea b. 19th April 1906
- William Rea b. 21st April 1908
- Samuel Stewart Rea b. 15th April 1910
- Hugh Rea b. 5th January 1912
- Isabella Rea b. 29th May 1913
The family are living in house 38 in Ballyhay, Donaghadee in 1911. The Out Offices and Farm Steadings Return lists the same buildings that Ellen's father James had in 1901 except for a calf house.
James McGaffin died on 3rd August 1924 at the age of 69, he had been living at 33 Castlereagh Road in Belfast. He is buried in Dundonald Cemetery next to his wife Sarah and daughter Tillie.
*You can read about Robert, James and Joseph's military careers in the post Fighting at the Somme.
