Mcilmurray, Upper Rathmullan, County Down

[Bellaanne]

Many thanks!  I am so excited to at the very least walk in the area they might have lived.  Love Ireland but have never been North.  Anabel

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   I agree with Glensman and Aghadowey. In 1858 my great Grandfather held a 33 acre farm, 26 acres were in one parish and 7 acres were across a road in another parish. The spelling of his name differed between the two parishes.

Regards

[Bellaanne]

Thanks a lot.  That really helps.  I did not want to have to wander all over Down and now perhaps I won't have to do that.  You folks are so helpful!

[chloemcelmury]

With the 'McIlmurray' surname, it suggest, in timescale, it was to be found in County Down along with variation 'McElmorrow'. However, for variation 'McIllmurry', there were some occurrences in County Antrim and County Tyrone. Also, the 'McElmurry' spelling variation was found in County Fermanagh.

I am a McElmury from the McIlmurry/McIlmurrays/McIllmurry from County Tyrone. You seem to be quite educated on the subject, so do you have any information about the County Tyrone McIlmurrys?

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   I can find some information on the Tyrone McElmurray/McIlmurray. If you give us some idea of what you are looking for I will see if I can help.

Regards

[chloemcelmury]

Hi! Well, as far back as I know is James McIlmurray and Fanny who had 8 children: John, Samuel, William, Jane, Margery, James, Duncan, and Daniel. I'm looking for anything on their parents, birth or death dates of them themselves, or Fanny's maiden name. I don't know much about their son John, but I'm pretty sure he died in Ireland. If there was a gravesite or cemetery for him that would be cool. I also think that Margery and Daniel died in Ireland, so anything on them would be awesome. Even anything about their life in Tyrone would be so interesting to learn! I do not know much as they are the farthest back I have researched.

If it helps, I have the birth date of Samuel as about 1802, William about 1804, Jane about 1805, and James about 1809.

To my knowledge, they lived in Sixmilecross, Co Tyrone.

Thanks much! Chloe

[aghadowey]

If James & Fanny's children were born in early 1800s then it will be extremely difficult to find births records for their parents, etc.

Civil registration of deaths started in 1864. If James & Fanny (and their children that stayed in Ireland) died after that date there will be death certificates but Irish certificates contain little details. See here-
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,433043.0.html

Do you know what religion the family were in Ireland? There wouldn't be a cemetery in those days but likely buried in a churchyard. If they were Presbyterian or other Protestant religion then also check the local Church of Ireland burying-ground since that was the State or Established church. The Church of Ireland is usually the only one that keeps burial registers (although odd notes may appear in Presbyterian registers, etc.) but not all their records pre-1870 survive.

This seems to be your McIlmurray family- if it's not your website then this is someone to contact for exchanging family details-
http://www.seekingallancestors.com/my_family/index.php

[kingskerswell]

Chloe,
         As Aghadowey stated your dates are too early for me. I can find marriages for McElmurrys from the 1850s onwards in the Omagh area.

Regards

[chloemcelmury]

Thanks both of you!

Aghadowey, yes I know of that website! It is quite helpful I emailed the woman who the runs the site to hopefully figure out more! Okay, James and Fanny probably have death certificates then. I will look into that. 3 of their children went to Canada. Their son John died in Ireland, apparently of a hemorrhage.

I'm not 100% on the topic of religion. The sons that moved to Canada were apparently Methodist/Wesleyan methodist, but he is one of the ones that moved to Canada. So not sure if their religion choice happened after or before they moved. Or if that is even a Protestant religion? I'm Catholic and that's all I know of regarding religion, ha.