Steen family, farmers, Taughboyne parish

[bonjedward]

I had previously posted a question about the Steen family under the Derry board ( http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,43759.0.html  )

Recently I've come to suspect that they originated in eastern Donegal, not so far from the city of Derry. I'm looking for a Rebecca Steen, born anywhere between 1821 and 1826, and whose father was Joseph Steen, a farmer (on Rebecca's death certificate in Scotland her mother's name is not listed).

On the 1796 Irish Flax Growers List there is a Joseph Steen, in Taughboyne, Donegal and also one in Clogher, Tyrone. The first is more likely, as it's only 10 miles or so from the city of Derry. I've found a number of references to this family (see below). From 1789 to 1910 at least, the same family was living in the townland of Dromore Little, Taughboyne parish, and the names Joesph and Rebecca were used in the family.

I found also:
Index to Raphoe Marriage Licence Bonds 1710-1755 &
1817-1830 transcribed by Rosemary ffolliatt
Devenny, Jane & Joseph Steen 1824

(it seems the actual marriage records were destroyed in 1922). This could be the parents of Rebecca, whose daughter was named Margaret Jane Wray.

Matthew, the head of the household on the farm in 1901, would have been born around 1838 and could be Rebecca's younger brother.

Rebecca married a Samuel Alexander Wray, police sergeant, while very young ( a son Samuel Wray was born between  4 Apr. 1840 and 4 Apr 1841 according  to the 1881 Scottish census. I have not found any record of Samuel Alexander Wray or of the marriage.


I'm still not so familiar with Irish records, so can anyone suggest where I might look next? I won't be able to visit Ireland in the next year or so, and would prefer not to hire a genealogist. Even if I got Matthew Steen's death certificate some time after 1901, it wouldn't tell me who his parents were. The family were probably Church of Ireland and/or Presbyterian, although of Margaret Jane Wray's three marriages one was R.C., one Church of Scotland (after moving to Scotland) and the other I haven't found.




Abercorn Rents
The List of Renters who Signed a 21 yr lease with Abercorn
in December 1789, on the Mongavelin Estate

                                                      Annual rent
      (don't know what the first column is)
Drummore East    John Steen                        - - -   19 6 8
                         James Steen                        - - -   20 0 0

Drummore Little     
                     Joseph Steen                   15 6 8  30 13 4

Moness Lower   
                          James Steen                  - - -   8 13 4
                          William Steen                 - - -   17 6 8

TENANTS ON THE ABERCORN DONEGAL ESTATE, LAGGAN AREA, DONEGAL, IRELAND, 1794.

STEEN, James, Moness
STEEN, Joseph, Dromore
STEEN, Wm., Moness



Also http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donegal/abercornrent.htm

1835 Abercorn Estate Townlands

Maps & Data
 Drimmore (Dromore)

Nos       Tenants            Quantity            Quantity
                        Statute Measure -       Plantation Measure -
                        acres/roods/perches     acres/roods/perches


14 to 30  John Steen        33/0/24               20/1/34

31 to 49  James Steen       60/3/17               37/2/11
50 to 70  Joseph Steen      64/0/34               39/2/23

In  1836 Field Books, Parish of Taughboyne
(  http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donegal/taufbooks1836.htm  )

Dromore Little  (townland)               
Steen    Mathew    3.07.00    (valuation in £ s p )
Steen    Joseph    4.19.00

Dromore Big                 
Steen    John    4.00.00    
Steen    James    4.12.00

1857 Griffith's Valuation - Parish of Taughboyne
SURNAME, FIRST, TOWNLAND

Steen, Joseph, Dromore Little
Steen, Matthew, Dromore Little
Steen, Rachel, Dromore Little
Steen, William, Carnshannagh


1901 Census Dromore Little, Taughboyne Parish
No Surname First  Relationship Religion Education Age Occupation Status  Born
                                     
1   Steen   Matthew   Head    Pres   RW   62   Farmer         Widower  Donegal
     Steen   Rebecca E Dau     Pres   RW   28   Farmer's dau   Single   Donegal
     Steen   Matthew   Son     Pres   RW   26   Farmer's son   Single   Donegal
     Steen   Jane      Dau     Pres   RW   23   Farmer's dau   Single   Donegal
     Steen   Mary      Dau     Pres   RW   19   Farmer's dau   Single   Donegal
                                     
2   Steen   Joseph    Head    Pres   RW   30   Grocer         Single   Donegal
     Steen   Samuel    Brother Pres   RW   20   Farmer's son   Single   Donegal

 4  Steen   James     Head    Pres   RW   50   Farmer         Single   Donegal
     Steen   Margaret  Sister  Pres   RW   56   Housekeeper    Single   Donegal
     Steen   Mary J    Sister  Pres   RW   53   Housekeeper    Single   Donegal
     McElhenny James   Servant RC     RW   19   Farm Labr      Single   Donegal
                                     
5   Steen   James     Head    Pres   RW   48   Shoemaker      Single   Donegal


Raphoe, County Donegal
From the Belfast and Ulster Towns Directory for 1910
FARMERS
Steen, James, Dromore





 

[DonnyB]

Regarding my last message, seems like Rebecca was very young when she got married and so highly unlikely to have been a widow.  There may have been an error in the record.  Its possible that Raphoe marriages of the time might have included both parents.