There exist two strains of Newry families currently living within the Commonwealth of The Bahamas:  the descendants of James II and the descendants of Simeon.  It is believed that both men were brothers, sharing the same father, James Newry I, who we believe to be the original Newry to immigrate to The Bahamas in the late 1800s.
 

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

The Newry name is believed to be of Irish decent; however, how the name became to be ‘owned’ by people of colour is not quite known.  Currently, there are two stories circulating amongst the Newry families: one being that the original Newry was a banished Irish aristocrat that married/copulated a black woman from south America¹, subsequently having children; the second is that the name was adopted by former slaves who were owned by people with the last name Newry or people who immigrated from Newry, Ireland.
 

In any event, the Newry name has 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 I and Clarinda Newry had been mentioned to have a number of children; a number of them being female whose records we assume 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 and Long Cay².   In fact, to this day, a vast amount of generation property can still be found on these islands. 
 

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 throughout 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.