Antrim McMullen or McMullen in Clough

[Phil99228]

I can't find my great great grandparents. My great grandfathers death certificate (Brisbane Queensland Australia) 24 Dec 1932 shows his name as Robert McMullen or McMullan was aged 71 years and was born in Clough Antrim in or about 1861. His religion is shown as Church of England but this may have been Presbyterian. 

His father was John a farmer and mother Annie Bracen. Any guidance would be appreciated

Cheers Phil

[Elwyn Soutter]

Statutory birth registration only started in Ireland in 1864 so you won’t find a birth certificate for Robert. You might find his baptism, but for that you need to rely on church records, and to know his denomination.

If he was Church of Ireland (which is the same as C of E) then the bad news is that save for the years 1824 – 1827, all records prior to 1877 were lost in the 1922 fire in Dublin. Clough Presbyterian church likewise has no records earlier than 1865 (their records also having been lost in a fire). It’s possible that his family attended a different church, whose record do survive but the 2 closest churches to Clough don’t have any at all.

Statutory records of non RC marriages start in April 1845. I searched the records for the Clough area. John McMullen/an is a very common name in the area but I cannot see a marriage to an Annie Bracen (or similar).

I looked at the lust of interments in Clough graveyard. There are 6 McMullan graves listed but none to John or Annie. I also have access to the stipend list for Clough Presbyterian church in 1864. There were no McMullen families listed as contributing to the Minister’s stipend. That doesn’t mean they weren’t attending that church but it’s less likely.

[Jak of Oz]

Thank you very much for your time and effort Elwyn.
I don't know for sure that he was born in Clough its what is shown on his death certificate, printed version only at this stage the original still not yet available. They were hand written by an officer of the court hence the spelling. Clough may be the first place he remembered as a child and his emigration records to Australia have not been found. He married Mary Cassidy (COI) from Dublin, they married in Gympie, Queensland, Australia about 12 months after she emigrated.  A great aunt of mine told me that they knew each other in Ireland but I feel this is just rumour. As for Roberts parents they may well have emigrated to England??? I never could find any Bracens or similar in Ireland and this may just be a badly transcribed document.

Thanks again Phil

[BallyaltikilliganG]

From frustrating fragments of the 1851 census, the only John McM* I could find are the following http://www.ulsterancestry.com/ShowFreePage.php?id=1721851 census Dunaghy civil parish 
I could find no trace of Bracan Bracen, Bracin, Braken etc
21 Ballycregagh Townland , Dunaghy County Antrim (1851)
David Mcmullin, Head, ....,
John Mcmullin, Son, U, 13, Linen Weaver, Ant,
....
11 Caragan Townland , Dunaghy County Antrim (1851)
Neal Mcmullan, Head, M, 53, Labourer, Ant,
...
John Mcmullan, Son, U, 12, At School, Ant,
........
2 Caragan Townland , Dunaghy County Antrim (1851)
Bernard Mckart, Head, U, 24, Linen Weaver, Ant,
Nancy Mckart, Mother, W, 64, None, Ant......,
John Mcmullan, Nephew, U, 12, At School, Ant,

Bracan Bracen, Bracin, Bracken, Brackin, Brakin etc seem a scarce name in the north, the references one I could find in
Bracen. Joseph   Corkish in Bailieborough   Cavan see Griffiths valuation of Ireland ~1860s at www.askaboutireland.com
And from http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rosdavies/

John BRACKIN Bright died 30 May 1819 aged 70; buried Killough graveyard   MIs
Thomas BRACKEN Bright of Killough; died 19 Dec 1859 aged 73;buried Killough graveyard MIs
William BRACKEN BRAKEN   .  Down son of Andrew Bracken ; married Eliza Brown 30 Nov 1853 ; emigrated to USA; Eliza died in New York 17 Mar 1872   CR; AG 10/5/1872

The Irish Times ancestry doesn’t list Bracan at all bit does list
SURNAME
Ó Breacáin
Bracen
Brachan
Brackan
Braken
Breaccon
Breckan
Breeken,
with a note the Bracken is a sept located on the borders of Kildare and Offaly in the Middle Ages and still flourishing there.MIF.  The Ó Breacáin seems to have a Belfast location.

Thats all I can offer
good luck onwards JimG