Gilchrist and Cultra family Country Down

[e1435]

Hi,

Looking for information about my ancestor Margaret Gilchrist b. 1860 County Down, daughter of James.

Married Robert Robinson 1879, Portadown County Armagh and have all information about their children.

Father James Gilchrist, mother possibly Catherine Ann Cultra

Was hoping for any confirmation that Margaret's mother is Catherine Cultra (father William Cultra) , and if so any information about the family. Know very little about the name or if there are other spellings such as CLUTRA/CULTRAGH/COULTER

Also if our James Gilchrist's father is Hugh Gilchrist, any further information.

Appreciate the difficulty so far back, but very grateful for any information. MANY THANKS

[aghadowey]

Since Margaret was born before the start of civil registration there will be no birth certificate so you need to see if church records survive showing baptisms, etc.

Marriage (1846) so likely quite a few children born 1846-1863-
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGN9-TQT

Other children of James Gilchrist & Catherine-
daughter (1863) https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F52J-PHM (mother Coulter)
son (1864) https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FG1K-MFC (transcribed as Coutter)

Added- contrary to what was posted on earlier topic you won't have gotten birth certificates for Margaret or her husband.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=740980.new#new

[e1435]

Thank you very much! So it's safe to assume that Margaret's mother is Catherine Cultra?

[aghadowey]

Only if you are absolutely sure that you have the correct James Gilchrist as her father and don't find a baptism with conflicting details.

[sam.b]

First Name   Surname   Year   Father's First Name   County
MARGARET   GILCHRIST   1860   JAMES   Down
Parish/District   KILCLIEF
Address 2   Lecale
Address 3   Down
Date of Birth   20/07/1860
Date of Baptism/Registration   26/07/1860
Father's First Name   JAMES
Father's Surname   GILCHRIST
Mother's First Name   CATHERINE ANNE
Comment 2   REV F BARBER

Above from: https://www.ancestryireland.com (subscription site)

[sam.b]

Record Type   Civil Marriage
Date of Marriage   22 Dec 1846
Groom Name   James GILCHRIST
Bride Name   Catherine  CULTRA
Church   Ballee Non Subscribing Presbyterian Church
Parish   Ballee
Civil District   Downpatrick
County   Down

Surname   First Name   Year   Father's First Name   County   
GILCHRIST   JAMES   1846   HUGH                   Down   

Surname   First Name   Year   Father's First Name   County   
CULTRA   CATHERINE   1846   WILLIAM   Down   

[sam.b]

Do any of these assist ?
Surname(s)   Graveyard   Civil Parish   Graveyard Location   County
GILCHRIST   Dunsfort CI   Dunsfort   Dunsfort   Down
Gravestone Inscription   Erected to the memory of Hugh Gilchrist of Sheepland, died 15th March 1840 aged 62 years 'Through life respected, in death lamented' Also on the 29th December 1860, died his wife Margaret aged 73 years Also their son Hugh died 8th May 1868 aged 40.

Surname(s)   Graveyard   Civil Parish   Graveyard Location   County
GILCHRIST   Dunsfort CI   Dunsfort   Dunsfort   Down
Gravestone Inscription   Erected A D 1865 by William Gilchrist of Artole in memory of his son Thomas who died 1st April 1865 aged 38 years Also his son Hugh died 31st July 1867 aged 38 years Also his daughter Eliza died in Michigan, U S America, 16th December 1861 aged 33 years Also the above William died IS July 1869 aged 83 years He lived in usefulness and honour and died in peace and humble hope Dec 14th 1875, Esther his wife, aged 76 In memory's silent register they live Also his daughter Esther died 15th January 1892 Also his daughter Mary died 6th May 1909.

Surname(s)   Graveyard   Civil Parish   Graveyard Location   County
CULTRA, BEAN, HUNTER   Ballee NSP   Ballee   Church Ballee   Down
Gravestone Inscription   A D 1863 Cultra's burying ground The number prefixed shows the grave of each No 1, William Cultra, Ballybranagh, died 25th Jany 1849 aged 72 years 4, Agnes Cultra, his sister, died 1st Octr 1844 aged 72 years 3, Eliza BEAN, alias Cultra, died 25th Jany 1843 aged 29 years 2, Jane Cultra, daughter to Eliza, died 29th June 1861 aged 15 years 1, Agnes HUNTER alias Cultra, his wife, died 24th March 1867 aged 75 years Robert Cultra died 8th January 1881 aged 68 years John Cultra died 25th August 1890 aged 64 years His wife Elizabeth aged 60 years Also Thomas W Cultra died 24th Nov 1896 aged 73 years.

[BallyaltikilliganG]

please also exhaust http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rosdavies/SURNAMES/G/Gi.htm
there are more Gilchrist in Dunsford/Dunsfort than I extract below
GILCHRIST . Ardglass; Dunsfort   popular surname in this parish in 1836 V17 p4, 68 OSM
Mr.   Hugh GILCHRIST & Sons Ballee area gave £1.6.6 to Ballee Famine Relief Fund in May 1847   FCD p 24
Hugh GILCHRIST . Dunsford of Sheepland; married Margaret Keaghey 18 Mar 1815 at Ballyculter Church of Ireland; died 15 Mar 1840 aged 62; Margaret died 29 Dec 1869 ; father of Hugh who d. 8 May 1868 aged 40; buried Dunsford graveyard   MIs; PR; John McTopy
John   GILCHRIST . Ballee   married Elizabeth Fee 24 Nov 1901 at Ballycruttle Catholic Church   CR; Marian Knox
Mr.   Joseph GILCHRIST .   Ballee of Ballyhossett; compensated for driange pipe going through his farm 28 Aug 1937   DR*
Mr.   William GILCHRIST .Ballee area gave £3 to Ballee Famine Relief Fund in May 1847   FCD p 24

there must be earlier records, to keep it simple I start with Gilchrists elsewhere because I hav’nt yet discovered the Co Down surviving records of the same period.. it’s the Ulster Hearth Money Rolls and earlier muster rolls see
Antrim-Cary-Ballintoy-Ballintoy -Ballagnestred-Wm-Gilcreest-Gilchrist
Antrim-Cary-Ballintoy-Magherahar-Mahereihere-Shane-McChrist-Gilchrist
Antrim-Cary-Culfeightrin-Glenskesk Valley-Glensheske-Brian -McGilcreest-Gilchrist
Antrim-Dunluce Lower-Dunluce-Craigaboney-Cragbony-Wm -Killicrist-Gilchrist
Antrim-Dunluce Upper-Kilraghts-Drumbest-1 Qr Drimnebest-Gillernew-McIlchreest-Gilchrist
Antrim-Dunluce Lower-Billy-Urbal-Ulbillriagh Qr-Edmond-McIlchreest-Gilchrist
Antrim-Dunluce Lower-Billy-Urbal-Ulbillriagh Qr-Gill-McIlchreest-Gilchrist
Antrim-Dunluce Lower-Billy-Ballynagor-Ballynegorr-Teige-McIlchreest-Gilchrist
Antrim-Dunluce Lower-Billy-Carnbore-Carnboare-Ruar-McIlchreest-Gilchrist
Antrim-Antrim Upper-Antrim-Farranshane-fferanshane-James-Kilcreest-Gilchrist
Antrim-Antrim Upper-Antrim-Ballycraigy-Ballycregy-John-Gilcreest-Gilchrist
Antrim-Antrim Upper-Antrim-Ballycraigy-Ballycregy-John roe-Gilcreest-Gilchrist
Antrim-Antrim Upper-Donegore-Donegore-Dinigor-John-Kilchrist-Gilchrist
Antrim-Antrim Upper-Doagh Grange-Ballyclare-Ballyclare-John-Kilchreest-Gilchrist
Antrim-Massereene Upper-Camlin-Ballyvollen-Ballyvolane-Thomas-Kilchreest-Gilchrist
Tyrone-Dungannon Middle-Donaghenry-Killymurphy-Kilimurfie-Humphrey-Killcrist-Gilchrist

then more recent accessible Co Down recordsl records
1796  The Flax growers of ireland see http://www.failteromhat.com/flax/down.php
Gilcriest         Nugem                Ardglass                        Down
Gilcriest         Thomas              Ardglass                        Down
Gilcriest         William              Ardglass                        Down
Gillcriest        James                 Dunsfort                        Down
Gillcriest        Peter                  Dunsfort                        Down
Gillcriest        William              Dunsfort                        Down
1823-1837  Tithe Applotment Books which are so limited so selective so simple , yet still useful see the the irish genleaogy Hubas indexs , the originals are in PRONI BELFAST

Gilchriest, Hugh-Townland: Irish Ardtole Year: 1833-Ardglass-Down
Gilchriest, Thos.-Townland: Irish Ardtole Year: 1833-Ardglass-Down
Gilchriest, Wm.-Townland: Irish Ardtole Year: 1833-Ardglass-Down
Gilchrist, Mary-Townland: Ballee Year: 1834-Ballee-Down

Gilchrist, Chas.-Townland: Ballydocks Upper and Lower Year: 1835-Dunsfort-Down
Gilchrist, Eugene-Townland: Ballydocks Upper and Lower Year: 1835-Dunsfort-Down
Gilchrist, Hugh-Townland: Ballydocks Upper and Lower Year: 1835-Dunsfort-Down
Gilchrist, Jas.-Townland: Ballydocks Upper and Lower Year: 1835-Dunsfort-Down
Gilchrist, Peter-Townland: Ballydocks Upper and Lower Year: 1835-Dunsfort-Down
Gilchrist, Pierce-Townland: Ballydocks Upper and Lower Year: 1835-Dunsfort-Down
Gilchrist, Thos., Jr.-Townland: Ballydocks Upper and Lower Year: 1835-Dunsfort-Down
Gilchrist, Thos., Sr.-Townland: Ballydocks Upper and Lower Year: 1835-Dunsfort-Down
Gilchrist, Jas.-Townland: Ballydocks Uppper and Lower Year: 1835-Dunsfort-Down
Gilchrist, Pierce-Townland: Ballydocks Uppper and Lower Year: 1835-Dunsfort-Down
Gilchrist, Hugh-Townland: Sheeplandmore and Newtown Year: 1835-Dunsfort-Down

next I would study GRIFFITHS VALUATION the quick index but be careful the spelling you search a thttp://www.failteromhat.com.  and more detail sometimes giving map references see http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/

more individual history will appear in that https://www.ancestryireland.com subscription website
Irish Birth/Baptism Records – Co. Antrim & Co. Down, c. 1660-1930--137 results
Irish Marriage Records – Co. Antrim & Co. Down, c.1660-1930--227 results
Irish Death/Burial Records – Co. Antrim & Co. Down, c. 1660-1998--25 results
Northern Irish Gravestone Inscriptions--5 results
and familysearch.org

Have fun with your family history , it looks interesting
Good luck

[mfl2017]

Hi there. I think I can confirm that Catherine Ann Cultra (of Ballyorgan) is your ancestor. I too am a descendent of the Gilchrists of Ardglass, but from a slightly different branch of the family, although it's likely that we are all descendents from the original James Gillchriest (born in 1636) who is buried in Ardglass Cemetery. He was a land agent for the Earls of Kildare! James and Catherine are buried close by him.

You are so lucky! There is a huge amount of information on your branch of the Gilchrist family in the Down County Museum, including letters exchanged between James and Catherine Gilchrist, and their son James who moved to New Zealand. A daughter Maggie, who settled in Ardmore, is referenced in those letters, and a Mr. and Mrs. Robinson are mentioned. There is also at least one letter from Maggie herself to her brother James and she refers to her husband Robert, and two young sons, John and James! It has to be your Margaret Gilchrist. 

James Gilchrist was indeed the son of Hugh Gilchrist and Anne Stockdale. Hugh's parents were Eugene Gillchriest and Margaret Smyth. They are all buried in the little graveyard beside Dunsford Church of Ireland, near Ardglass. The Museum has the will of Anne Gilchrist (Stockdale) on display. It also has a copy in storage of the will of Eugene Gillchriest, who was born around 1730! I took photos of some of the letters etc. when I paid a visit to the museum. I can email some of them to you if you want - they aren't great quality? Someone called Ian Gilchrist in England has done a lot of work on your branch of the family.

Hope this helps!