Henry Magee and Eliza Dargan

[besondere]

Henry Magee and Eliza Dargan (born Moira 1837) married on 19 November 1871. Their children were James, born 5 May 1874 in Derryhirk, baptised Aghagallon Catholic Church on 28 December 1874, and Margaret baptised on 23 July 1875.

Trying to find out what happened to this family, especially the children

[Elwyn Soutter]

This looks like Henry in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Aghagallon/Derryhirk/1002429/

The revaluation records show that to be plot 17a in Derryhirk, a house and 1 acre. It remained in Henry’s name till 1920 when it changed to Patrick Downey.

Can’t see him in the 1911 census though.

[besondere]

Thanks very much for the census link. He certainly looks like the correct Henry Magee, but Eliza (born Elizabeth) would be about 10 years older than the age given, though born in County Down as stated. The age could be a mistake so I need to follow up with a birth certificate for the daughter. So many coincidences occur in family history research.

[Elwyn Soutter]

Discrepancies in ages in the censuses were widespread. Apart from the obvious vanity reasons, a lot of people only had a vague idea of their age, and so this led to significant errors, often of 10 years or more. Clearly if Eliza was around 65 in 1901, then she isn’t the mother of Thomas aged 2. Possibly a grandchild?

Griffiths Valuation for 1862 lists James Magee senr on the farm. Nearby there’s James Magee jr renting land. So are they perhaps Henry’s father and brother? James snr is deleted in 1867, suggesting he may have died around that time, and replaced briefly by Patrick Burke for 1 year and then in 1868 Henry Magee takes over. James Magee jr is deleted from his land in 1874. I don’t see him again in the records for that townland.

There’s a couple of possible deaths for James Magee senior, regd in Lurgan. The most likely is 1797 – 1865. You can view that on the GRONI site for £2.

[Elwyn Soutter]

I think this might be Henry’s probate file:

Administration of the Estate of Henry Magee late of Derryhisk County Antrim Farmer who died 13 July 1910 granted at Belfast to Margaret O'Rawl Married Woman. Effects £65

So Derryhirk has been mistranscribed as Derryhisk (there’s no such townland). And it tells you his daughter Margaret appears to have married a Mr O’Rawl. (Another minor spelling mistake).

Searching the marriage registers finds Margaret Magee married Patrick O’Rawe on 10.11.1895 in Lurgan.

This looks to be them in 1901 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Kilmore/Kilmore/1242480/

By 1911 they are living back in Derryhirk, where Margaret grew up:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Aghagallon/Derryhirk/202891/

[besondere]

Dear Elwyn, I am due you two big thank-yous. Firstly for the tip that I can now access GRO certificates for Northern Ireland online for £2. In July 2012 I paid £14 for a copy of the birth certificate of James Magee (1874) purely to get the name of the dwelling place (Derryhirk), having already a copy of the entry in the baptismal register. However, it was interesting to see that James was 7 months old when baptised, an explanation, perhaps, of why Henry paid the priest 4 shillings instead of the basic 2/6.

I think the James Magee junr you mention rented land in the Montiaghs. Henry seems to have used the land purchase Acts to become owner of that land and the holding in Derryhirk. Henry's father was named James and I'll view the death certificate you mentioned.

I had found that the death of a Henry Magee was registered in Lurgan RD in the September quarter 1910 but Magee is a more common surname than Dargan is in Northern Ireland and at the time I was reluctant to chance £14. Thanks to you, I know this must be the right person and I need spend only £2 to see the details.

My second thank-you relates to the fact that I would never have thought of searching for a will, thus revealing the drawback of preconceived ideas about people.

So thank you very much for your help. I have had 2 visits to Northern Ireland, where I'm assuming you live. I spent 10 days based in Belfast in 2009 and a further week this summer. I found people unfailingly helpful and friendly.
Shelagh