Isaac Johnston, Armagh

[aghadowey]

I think Rachel married Robert Meaklim in 1908, but again I have no confirmation of this.

Using various free database searches-

Rachel Gillanders m.(1918 Armagh registration district) Robert Meeklin.

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   The 1918 marriage took place in Drumhillery Presbyterian Church, Tynan Parish, Armagh.

Regards

[augereau]

Thank you for that - the 1911 census has Robert as MEAKLIM
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Monaghan/Castleshane/Drumneill/807096/

I've never heard of Drumhillery !  I suppose it can't be too far away from Middletown ... I'll have to go and have a look when I am back in the summer.

[augereau]

Hello again Rootschatters,   I don't know if it is possible to pick up this thread again .  I was in N. Ireland in the summer and went to Middleton, and found NOBODY in the graveyard !!
I was hoping that the whole Johnston family would be there - the presbyterian one.  The church of I one seems to be next door, but everything was locked and I couldn't get in ....  And then I tried Drumhillery, no luck there either !
My great great grandmother Rachel Johnston is the Head of Family in the 1901 census. I know she is buried in St Mark's in Armagh with her husband William Johnston who died in 1875.  Her daughters Margaret Ann, Isabella, Martha and Ellen don't seem to have married... And her sons Matthew and James , I didn't find anything either. So where are they all buried ? 
The only daughter to marry seems to have been Sarah who married John Gillanders in 1889.  Sarah died about 1900 but I can't find where...
Her daughter, another Rachel, married Robert Meaklim in Drumhillery in 1918.
They had two children , Sadie and Robert John.  Apparently he died in 1984.

I am going around in circles and getting nowhere - I hope to get back to N Ireland at the beginning of Dec so would really like to get more information .  Any help would be really appreciated, many many thanks in advance .   Liz

[aghadowey]

Not everyone had the money or inclination to erect headstones for the family plot so your relatives could easily be buried in the Presbyterian one, for example, without a headstone for you to locate the plot. Most Presbyterian churches didn't keep burial records but sometimes there are a few records for a few years kept by minister or sexton which has survived. More common, although not for all churchyards, is a map of the ground showing plots (notes may contain minimal detail such as just a surname or the name of the original holder or last person to have claimed the ground). Suggest that you contact the relevant church and ask if they have any record of a Johnston plot.

The Church of Ireland will likely contain burials of other religions going back to the days when everyone had to pay tithes to the Established (State) Church, i.e. the Church of Ireland. However, if the burial register does survive (many old ones were sent to Dublin for safekeeping and were unfortunately destroyed in 1922 when the Public Record Office in Dublin was burned) it may have only recorded the burials of their church members. Additionally, some C. of I. plots for 'outsiders' were later 'recycled' with headstones removed and another family taking over the plot.

[augereau]

Thank you very much for all your advice - I am going to contact the church to start with, and see what they have to say.  Many thanks again, Liz