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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Armagh => Topic started by: James past on Friday 05 February 10 00:47 GMT (UK)
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Trying to find any background details for James Hamilton born 1843 in Armagh. Names of his parents and siblings would be a great start?? James married Eliseb Irwin also born in Armagh 1854 , after emigrating to Emmaville NSW Australia (They married in 1872 at Strathbogie . Lived Rose Valley NSW . Eliseb died in Emmaville 1905. James died in Emmaville 1928 ) Eliseb's parents were Thomas and Rachel Irwin. Rachel died in Emmaville 1891 . Unsure when Thomas died. On all records I have found for James Hamilton , it states parents unknown ?? We all know that's impossible ! They are my Great Great Grandparents. Please help.( I think Eliseb arrived in Australia aged 2years in 1856 on the "Phoebe Dunbar" ) ???
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Welcome to Rootschat. You've been really lucky to have so much information to start with from Australian records but unfortunately Irish research isn't that easy.
Registration of births, deaths and Catholic marriages started in 1864 (other marriages from 1845) and first complete census is 1901. For pre-registration dates (such as James and his wife) you need to search for existing church records from that period (if any) but to do so you need to know both the family's religion and where they lived. It may be that your ancestors came from Armagh city or somewhere in the county.
If you were to find church records of a baptism for Eliseb (Elisabeth?) around 1854 with a father named Thomas and mother Rachel that would be brilliant (although many baptismal records only record the father's name) but James' baptism is another matter. With a common name like 'James Hamilton' there could be many born around 1843 and without even a father's Christian name to confirm this you won't know when you've found the right record.
As far as 'parents unknown' on James' records- death certificate depends on how much information informant is able to provide and is he gave same on his marriage record it could be that he was an orphan from an early age or just didn't know his parents' Christian names.
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James is my wife's ggGrandfather. I've not been able to get much further than him except for a reference to a Peter Hamilton as his father who had a wife Jane (no maiden name available). At that point I've come to a dead end. Coincidentally I'm writing from Emmaville where we've made a detour to have a look at the museum.
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Hi,
Can't find the Hamiltons but there is a marriage of Thomas Irwin to RACHAEL McKittrick in Killyman Church of Ireland on 6 Jan 1853. The parish of Killyman is mainly in the county of Tyrone but part of the parish is in Co. Armagh.
Regards
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Rachel is buried just down the road in Strathbogie. One of the Irwin's is in Emmaville cemetery.