confusing parish records, advice needed if I am on the right track.

[Airdriehunter]

Hi,
I'm Hoping somebody can help me as I found some parish records for lower Kileevy roman catholic church in Co. Armagh. Parents are Eliza/Elisa/Bess Morrison/Morison b.1829-1886  and John Hunter b. 1828-1891,  Birth dates are derived from death records. I have no marriage record for the couple either.  John was a tinsmith and most likely lived in Co. Armagh and later lived in Newry.  Eliza's address on death record is definitely a match for my ancestor's and now I am trying to research her maiden name.  I found children from this couple in Armagh in parish records but I'm having difficulty following up.   I found the following births but very misleading and as there is no fathers occupation.
Mary Jane Hunter 1846 - Father John Hunter /Eliza Morison witness Mrs Carroll
William John Hunter 1847- Father William!/Eliza Morrison witness Jane Carroll - William Gribbon
John Hunter 1848- Father John Hunter/Eliza Morrison witness Henry Devlin & Alice Curley
William Hunter 1850- Father John Hunter/ no Mother recorded - witness Alice Cully Samuel McCullow?
Anne Hunter 1852 - Father John Hunter/Mother Bess Morison witnesses Michael Murphy
Patrick Hunter 1853 - Father John Hunter/Eliza Morison - witness Ellen McDonald/Colm Crilly
James Hunter 1856 - father John Hunter/Eliza Morrison - witness Edward Hunter/Shevlin.
I am confused with the matters I have highlighted i.e. different Mother's name and no mother recorded at all. Is this common? Witnesses seem to be the same on these records.  But the record of William John Hunter, first born child father William, has me most confused, could my John Hunter have been called William John or is this another person.  I am sure there must be other baptism's as well after 1856 but I can not find any yet and apart from Patrick and James I have not located them in any census as yet.  Do you think I can conclude that this Eliza Morrison is the husband of John Hunter and mother of James Hunter and Patrick Hunter on my tree.
Thanks

[Maggsie]

Hi,
If you got these birth records from the rootsireland.ie site. Then yes, Elizabeth/Eliza Is the usual type of records you will see.
The Occupation is not always inserted, also if John William or William John, then the record would only show the first name.....John or William.
In those days records where spelt how you said the name, you may be Bessie to one family member and Eliza to another family member.
Also, it depends on the person typing the name into "The site" they may have been told to copy what is on the record. This can really be funny!
Keep trying, you will get there.
Maggsie

[Airdriehunter]

Thanks Maggsie,  I also have different birth dates to these baptisms on the death certs that I have,  they are out about 2 and 3 years,  is this usual? My Census records for the same are different again. It is all fun and games!  Catholics usually baptized their children straight away, are there any exceptions that they would wait two or three years. 
Thanks

[Maggsie]

Hi,
Yes this is the usual, always search plus and minus 5 or 10 years.
A lot of people didn't like giving out their age and many relatives found the correct date of birth on their death age.
If you see records, born about, that's because they don't know the exact year of birth. This is usually on the records for ships to the USA and Australia.
Be careful, when searching, spellings of names is another pain!
Ok
Maggsie

[Sinann]

Death Certs are only as reliable as the informant on the day.
People didn't celebrate birthdays so many didn't know what age they were and therefore their children etc didn't know either.
When pensions were introduced people often had to 'write home for their age' usually to the priest to know if they were old enought to apply for one. This occured even in living memory.

RootsIreland records are only as reliable as the person transcribing them, many were done on a job scheme by people with no interest in what they were doing.

[Airdriehunter]

I will continue following this family then to see if I can get more proof.  Is there a better way of checking Armagh records?  Are you saying the original records could hold more reliable information? Parish records are all new to me, I have little experience on the whole genealogy thing but trying to learn along the way and listening to plenty of advice.   I have used ancestry Ireland a bit as well for earlier records. I'm not in Ireland at the moment so it's difficult to get hold of information.  Thanks again for your time.

[Sinann]

When you can't see the originals you just have to hope what you are getting is correct.
This site might be useful https://www.emeraldancestors.com/

As they are RC I had a look on the National Library of Ireland parish records.
Is Killeavy Lower (Bessbrook) the correct parish if so images should be available to view in the summer if everything goes to plan.
http://www.nli.ie/en/parish-register.aspx
http://www.nli.ie/GetAttachment.aspx?id=7b58a068-ac21-4bd1-a2d9-244ff778a041
Page 28.

[Airdriehunter]

That is brilliant news Sinann, thanks a million.  Killeavy, is around Bessbrook.  I did see the site Emerald ancestry and it was a toss up between it and the one I went for. 

[healyjfch]

The 1850 baptism record with missing mother's name.
It may have been illegible, due to blotch of ink, or so faded that it was impossible to transcribe.
Some priests had very neat handwriting, but not all of them.
Remember that they were writing with ink. No ballpoint pens back them.
Have you found where the family are buried ?
You may find an earlier generation by doing so.
Unfortunately not all families could afford headstone.

Relatives and neighbours were often used as witnesses.
Enjoy the search.