Help needed to find death certificate for Matthew PATTERSON

[Kessa]

Yes, how could they prove he was dead and administer his estate without a death certificate.

 I've just had another look at the PRONI wills index entry and it says the date of grant was 22 Jan 1894 almost ten years after Matthew died.  Just something else to add to the mystery.

[hallmark]

Well it is subject to his 2 sisters being looke after so it might not have been probated by nephew until they died??

[Kessa]

Yes that's quite likely.  Catherine Sayers died in July 1892 so that's only about 18mths before probate was granted.  I've emailed the GRO at Roscommon and I'll post their answer if/when I receive one.

[Elwyn Soutter]

It was common for a farmer to leave his widow, and sometimes other dependents, a life interest in the property, after which it would pass to a son (or whoever). In such cases, probate usually can’t be completed until the person with the life interest has also died. Hence you often get big gaps between date of death and date of probate grant.

[rathmore]

donegal resources

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~donegal

then come down the page and click on Clonleigh

Patterson mentioned on this site at Ballybogan (Ballyibogan)
this site might also be able to help you

[Kessa]

Thanks Elwyn, I hadn't realised that. 

Thanks also Rathmore for the link.  I had seen this site and extracted all the Pattersons but always good for a second look.

[aghadowey]

No problem, I'd be inclined to think he was registered because there was a Will and it would need to be produced at some stage for Legal purposes... not certain!!

Actually, if the death wasn't registered or the certificate could not be located (if a death certificate was even required at the time) then all that was probably needed was for someone to make a statement that he had died there on that date.

[Kessa]

No joy  I'm afraid from the Roscommon mob - they want me to apply for the certificate which may not exist.  So I've emailed Strabane Registry Office and asked for a check of the registers.

Thanks for all the replies, each one has added to my knowledge.