Getting started- looking for Margaret

[vonni]

Hi,

I have a branch in my family tree from Longford, Ireland and have been trying to build up the confidence to look for them for some time. I just dont know where to start, feel like a beginner again.

I have done some basic searches on Ancestry, Family History Search etc but nothing obvious so far. I just need a few pointers in the right direction to get me started.

What I know is that a Margaret Morlinn (spelling very questionable) Married a James Young on 17th May 1856 in the parish church of St Helens Auckland, Co. Durham... her age is recorded as 24 (making a birth year of abt. 1832). She remained in the Auckland area for the rest of her life with her husband and family.

Her Marriage certificate has her Father recorded as Henry Morlinn - a Labourer. Margaret herself signed with a simple cross, and I presume the actual spelling of her name could be quite different (although it was spelt it the same on the birth cert. for her daughter Mary Jane)

On the census Margaret consistantly recorded her place of Birth as Longford in Ireland in around 1832 on the uk census returns.

I can find no trace of Margaret or her father in the uk or Ireland prior to the marriage on any of the easily searchable webpages...

Has anyone got any advice they can give me on where to start.

Vonni

[shanew147]

Unfortunately you usually need a more specific place of birth to start a search for records - e.g. a town, townland or parish .. see :

   Introduction to Irish Records
   My Ancestor came from Ireland - where do I start?   



Shane

[vonni]

This is probably why I have avioded it for so long - is it basically a case of -  if I dont have the local town/parish that she was from that I will be lucky to trace her at all?

Vonni

[shanew147]

The date you are searching for are quite early for rural areas...  RC records for these areas often start in the 1830s, or sometimes later.

Do you know what denomination your Morlinn family were ?

Following up in slightly later dates c1847 to 1840 - there are very few  entries for Morlinn or similar surnames on Griffith's Valuation. Just about 5 in total. Morlan all in Co. Monaghan, and a Morlin in Co. Down. Your Morlinns may all have leaft by then, or were recorded under some variation of the name..


Shane

[vonni]

Well they got married in an Anglican Church - but I have no other information other than that.

Thank you for your help on this.

Vonni

[shanew147]

There are some transcripts for the county on the pay-website of the Irish Family History Foundation at www.rootsireland.ie

The direct link for the Longford centre is at http://longford.rootsireland.ie/ but they dont seem to have many of the Church of Ireland parishes  (i.e. Anglican)..



Shane

[vonni]

HI,

Sorry for the delayed reply... I will have a look at that site - something might show up.

Thank you,

Vonni