Birth of James Groves, abt 1801, Dromore, Donegal, Ireland

[Peggy13]

this is my first research into Donegal. my ggg grandmother was Margaret Jane Groves born abt 1803, Ireland, place of birth unknown. She married James J. Johnston in Ireland 1819-1821, not sure where but they lived in Magherafelt in 1821-1824. They then emigrated to Canada abt 1826.I suspect that Mary Ann Groves born abt 1812 who married Thomas Millikin in Ohio was her sister.  My Margaret Jane had a son Adam Groves Johnston who married Sarah E. Millikin and I do believe that I heard they were cousins before marriage but I have no proof of that. When I started researching the Millikins in Ohio, I found they had business dealings with James Groves, born abt 1801, in Dromore,Donegal,  Ireland. I think the odds of James being a sibling of Margaret Jane and Mary Ann are very high. Is there any chance of finding the birth of James in Dromore or area? Might be a crucial breakthrough in the tree. My Margaret Jane may be from Dromore as well.  Not sure how far Dromore would be from Magherafelt and co. Antrim, which is where James J. Johnston's death certificate says he is from, although other sources say he was from Londonderry.
Thanks for any help
Peggy

[aghadowey]

There are 6 townlands called Dromore in County Donegal as well as 2 others called Dromore Big and Dromore Little.

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[iluleah]

Magherafelt is a small town and civil parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, which is why some sources say Londonderry
The nearest Dromore is a village, townland and civil parish in County Tyrone Northern Ireland about 40 miles from Magherafelt and Dromore is about 20 miles from the Irish border (County Donegal Ireland) and 40 miles from Donegal town itself.

However there is another village called Dromore in Co Down Northern Ireland
https://www.townlands.ie/search/?q=dromore

There is no chance of finding a record of a birth in 1801 as it is many years before civil registration started, so the best would be a baptism record and that would mean you need the religion and narrow down which Dromore and which church

[aghadowey]

There are also several Dromores in County Londonderry- as you can from the list it's quite a common placename-
https://www.townlands.ie/search/?q=dromore

[Peggy13]

 Thank you Aghadowey and Iluleah.  Goodness,  here I thought I was zeroing in on a possible place of birth and now I see there are just so many Dromores.   Back to the drawing board.
Peggy

[Peggy13]

I  haven't given up on  finding the  area that my Groves are from.  I  see that this Dromore is very near Magherafelt - Dromore, Desertmartin Civil Parish, Barony of Loughinsholin, Co. Londonderry. Doesn't mean it is the right one but Catherine Groves married in Magherafelt First Presbyterian in 1824 to John Caulfield and marriages are typically in the  bride's parish.
I have learned that James who seems to be the eldest had siblings Catherine who married John Cauffield in Magherafelt, Mary Ann who married Thomas Millikin in Ohio in 1835, John who married in Ohio, and William who married 1834 in  Ohio. The father of all of them was John Groves and they emigrated to Ohio in 1820/1821, along with the mother.  John Sr. must have married about 1800 but where?

[rathmore]

have a look on donegal resources

http://www.donegalgenealogy.com

type in search box Dromore or Groves

seems lots of town land celled Dromore around donegal

[Peggy13]

Thank you,Rathmore.
Peggy

[aghadowey]

I would be very suspicious of a Donegal-Magherafelt connection. Perhaps you need to go back to "James Groves, born abt 1801, in Dromore,Donegal,  Ireland." It's quite possible the 'Donegal' bit is an error, especially if originally selected from a drop-down menu of some sort. On the other hand, if that James Groves was from Donegal it could just be a co-incidence that your family knew him in Canada.