Church Family - Dullaghy Townland, Londonderry

[crickard]

Hi,
I am looking for any information about the Church family from the Dullaghy Townland, County Londonderry.

My 3x great grandfather was Arthur Church who lived at Dullaghy as an Esquire. He died in 1872 and was born about 1793. He married an Elizabeth, however I do not have his marriage details nor the maiden name of his wife. Nor do I have his parents names. His children were

William Church who married Sarah Clarke. Their son Arthur Church is named in an article in the
Coleraine Chronicle, Saturday, November 23, 1940 as coming from a junior branch of the Church family.

Hessie (Esther or Hester) Church  married William Johnston from the neighbouring townland of Drumsaragh. Their son Arthur Church Johnston, my great grandfather, immigrated to New Zealand. Another son Joseph Clarke Johnston married his cousin Margaret Clarke Church after they immigrated to America.

Would anyone be able to assist me in finding out more about this family? Are they related to the prominant Church family of Northern Ireland?

Thanks
Cheryl

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   Arthur Church's will, complete with image, is available in PRONI. See http://applications.proni.gov.uk/DCAL_PRONI_WillsCalendar/WillsSearch.aspx

Regards

[crickard]

Hi,
Thank you for your reply. Yes I have a copy of Arthur Church's will. It did provide me with quite a bit of information. I have also searched the Griffiths Valuation, done quite an extensive Internet search and a variety of directories and the earliest that I can find documented evidence which shows that Arthur Church was at Dullaghy is 1846.  However none of these tell me who Arthur's parents or siblings were.

Whilst searching for Arthur, I have come across quite a few Church's but cannot seem to connect them to me. I have also seen quite a few forum messages about the Church Family and I was wondering if my Arthur Church is somehow connected.

Cheryl

[aghadowey]

Welcome to Rootschat. One of our members here is a relative of yours and has done extensive research on the Church family (I'll send them a message about this thread) but in the meantime-

William Church (c1761-14 Mar.1835) of Dullaghy House married Ann. He graduated Glasgow University 1779 and was agent for John Church of Oatlands in 1811. Children: Arthur (c1793), Elizabeth (c1786-1854), daughter (m. Henry Hunter), Jane (c1789-1857), Thomas (c1795-1840).

Arthur Church (c1793-8 May 1872) m.(1832) Elizabeth Crawford. Agent for James Church of Oatlands 1861. Two children: Hester & William (c1836-1908).

Hester Church (c1834-23 Sept.1919 Dullaghy House) m.(21 Apr.1853 Moyletragh Parish Church) William Johnston (d.21 Feb.1883), Drumsaragh.
1. Richard James Johnston, eldest son.
2. Susan Clinton Johnston (d.1902) m.(24 June 1889 Kilrea Parish Church) James Michael, grocer, Kilrea, and had: James Alexander (1890), Isabella Lennox (1892).
3. Arthur Church Johnston.
4. John Kennedy Johnston (c1853).
5. William Crawford Johnston (17 Sept.1864 Drumsaragh)- to N.Z. 1888.
6. Thomas Courtnay Johnston (5 Sept,1867).
7. Catherine Elizabeth Johnston (19 Mar.1869).
8. Joseph Clarke Johnston (8 Sept.1870), N.Z., m. his cousin Margaret Clarke Church.
9. Sarah Isabella Johnston (23 June 1874).

[crickard]

Thank you so much for this information. You have answered so many questions for me
Alot of these questions have stumped me for quite a few years. Unfortunately family memories and stories have become mixed up over the years and I could not make sense of it all.

I have been slowly chipping away at the Johnston story. It appears that once William Johnston's Will went through probate the children of William and Hessy (as she was known), started to emigrate. Arthur Church Johnston, William Crawford Johnston and Sarah Isabella Johnston all went to New Zealand. Richard James Johnston and Thomas Courtnay Johnston went to Queensland Australia, with Thomas ending up in New Zealand. I am still tracking Richard as I am unsure  if he also went to New Zealand or stayed in Australia. Joseph Clarke Johnston married his Church cousin in Iowa, after arriving in America about a year apart. Catharine is proving elusive although rumours in the family suggest she may have also gone to America.

John Kennedy Johnston stayed with his mother Hessy Church. Thank you for providing her details as well. There was talk that the family in New Zealand went back to Ireland for her funeral but I was unsure of when she died.

Again thanks for your information. I am still digesting this news.

Cheryl

[aghadowey]

Have sent a PM to your distant Church relative but meant to add that William Johnston was born 20 June 1825 (baptised 20 July 1825 at 1st Kilrea Presbyterian Church), son of John Johnston & Susan Clinton of Drumsara House.

[crickard]

I have had a little more success with my Johnston side and have been able to connect with another family who is researching them. I believe William's father maybe James. The problem I have with both my Johnston and Church families has been with the recycling of names, which makes it difficult to know which families to connect too! On the Johnston side there are so many Williams, James and Johns. So I am grateful that there are people out there who are also searching as not being close to the Irish repositories, I feel a little disorientated by it all.

In regards to names, my great grandfather kept with the tradition of naming most of his children after family members. I often wondered where my grandfather's name, John Church Johnston, came from as I could not locate it amongst his relatives. Now I have a better idea!

[aghadowey]

According to my notes William's parents were John Johnston & Susan Clinton (William's eldest daughter Susan Clinton Johnston which makes sense).

[crickard]

Hi aghadowey
I have doubled checked my resources and William's father is James Johnston. William's marriage certificate states his father's name was James. I also have death records for James and Susan Clinton that matches this information. There are several John Johnston's in the family tree. One of those is the father of Samuel Johnston who started the first timber mill in Bunderberg, Queensland, Australia.
There are some many Williams, Johns, and James in the Johnston lines that it does make for confusion in trying to connect them!