James Kerr And Sarah Sproule From Meaby, NewtownStewart

[shaboh]

My Great grand father James Kerr (b 1851) & his wife Sarah Kerr nee Sproule (b 1853) lived in, according to a death cerificate I have of one of the kids, Strabane in County Tyrone. One of there children Patrick (b 1881) came to Australia in 1910 & died here in 1960. I know he had brothers named John (b 1873), James (b 1875), William (b 1877), Joseph (b 1883), George (b1885) & Thomas (b 1891) as well as sisters (I have their married names) Mary Campbell, Sarah O'Connor (B 1889 and Bella or Bridget Gray (b 1893). All the above people were born in Ireland but moved to Scotland before the 1901 census. Can anybody assist me. Are any of these your relatives?

My relatives were born in Ireland but lived in Scotland. Here is all the info I have on the family from 1901 Census. My grandfather is Patrick who was born in 1881. He married Elizabeth Colvin in 1909 and came out to Australia.His father was James Kerr and his mother was Sarah Sproule.
The family were living at house with three windowed rooms in 1 Winton Terrace, Main Street. Winton Terrace was a tenement block on Main Street, several closes. It was a common affectation for a builder to ignore street names and give his development a name of his own choosing. Other families in the same close were Smillie, Hanning, Black and McMahon - I don't know if these are significant - plus three unoccupied houses. Mary was not there but when she was married in 1906 she had her occupation as Domestic Servant, usual residence 8 Cathkin Place, Shettleston. Are any of these people related?

[TF13]

hi,

there was a new thread started about the sproul family and i was searching the boards when i came across yours. you probably have this information by now but i'll post it just in case;

james kerr married sarah sproule 27-nov-1868
castlederg roman catholic church
parish of urney
county tyrone

if you have it already, no harm done

tony

[shaboh]

Great info Tony

You mention James Kerr & Sarah Sproule were married 27 November 1868 at Castlederg Roman Catholic Church in the parish of Urney in County Tyrone, Ireland. There appears to be 3 Catholic Churches.
St. Francis of Assisi,
St. Eugene's
St.Mary's
Were they around in 1868. Would you be able to assist me in finding more info.

[TF13]

hi, just sent you a p.m. about ordering the marriage cert

tony

[shaboh]

I received the marriage certificate. The certificate lists Sarah Sproule as a minor (no age) & a servant. James Kerr is shown as??
James Kerr's father is shown as James Kerr while Sarah Sproule's father is shown as Joseph Sproule. No mention of mothers
The residence at the time of marriage is Meahy. They were married by Thomas Boyle.

Can someone assist me.

[aghadowey]

IGI lists 3 children of James Kerr & Sarah Sproul:
1. Patrick born 15 Feb.1870 Co. Tyrone
2. William born 6 Nov.1877 Co. Tyrone (not 1877)
3. Mary born 6 Dec.1878 Meahy, Co. Tyrone

Meaghy townland is in Ardstraw Parish in Strabane Poor Law Union.

The church records would hopefully give you some details of the family (baptisms, etc.)

[TF13]

there is a marriage for a joseph sproule to isabella brown,4-nov-1846,castlederg first presbyterian church,ardstraw parish,castlederg.
i see one of james and sarahs daughters was called bella, maybe named after the grandmother, or maybe i'm just stretching it a bit far
tony

[shaboh]

You guys are pretty amazing. I need to know how it can be done from here in Australia. I'm impressed many thanks.
This is the info I had. It came from George who died in 1949 without a will. In NSW the trustee administrated his affairs. I got the probate 5 years ago & it showed his estate was divided 9 ways amongst his brothers & sisters. As James was listed as dying in 1946 it went to his sons William & Thomas Kerr while John who was listed as dying in 1905 the 1/9 went to his daughter Ruby who I believed lives/lived in the United States.  Maybe there were 2 Patricks with one dying young???
 

Sibling   Born   Died
John   1873   1905      
James   1875   1946      
William   1877         
Mary   1881   
Patrick   1881   1960
Joseph   1883         
George     1885   1949      
Sarah   1889   
Thomas   1891      
Bridget/Bella 1893         

I have a distant relative in Scotland gave me this info recently. He got it from the Strathclyde Genealogy Centre :

1933 644/5 (Garngadhill) No.359
1933   Sarah Kerr, widow of James Kerr, Farm Labourer, died at 2h40m p.m. on Tuesday, July 4, aged 84 years at St Joseph’s House, Gardgadhill, Glasgow .Shettleston (Usual residence 1002 Shettleston Road, Glasgow), of Cerebral Haemorrhage as certified by W.J.Davil, L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S.. Joseph Sproule, Farmer (deceased) & Isabella Sproule m.s. Brown (deceased). Her death was registered 1933 644/5 (Garngadhill) No.359 by S Connor, Daughter, 82 Springfield Road, Glasgow. [on] 1933 July 5th at Glasgow, John Reilly, Registrar

[shaboh]

More food for thought. The relative in Scotland also provided this info:

He found

*1933 644/5 (Garngadhill) No.359*

Sarah Kerr (Widow of James Kerr, Farm Labourer)
1933 July 4th 2h40m p.m. [died] at St Joseph's House, Garngadhill,
Glasgow (Usual residence 1002 Shettleston Road, Glasgow) aged 84 years.
[Parents] Joseph Sproule, Farmer (deceased) & Isabella Sproule m.s.
Brown (deceased)
[Cause] Cerebral Haemorrhage as certified by W.J.Davil, L.R.C.P.,
L.R.C.S,
[Registered by] S.Connor, Daughter, 82 Springfield Road, Glasgow.
[on] 1933 July 5th at Glasgow, John Reilly, Registrar.

So, who is S.Connor?

*1915 644/19 (Shettleston) No.20*

1915 15 February at St Mark's Chapel, Shettleston, Glasgow After
Publication according to the Forms of the Roman Catholic Church.
William Connor, Labourer - Cleansing Department, Bachelor, age 23, 50
Wellshot Road, Shettleston, Glasgow.
[Parents] Daniel Connor, Shepherd & Kate Connor m.s. Halpin
Sarah Kerr or Farrell, Widow, age 26, 50 Wellshot Road, Shettleston,
Glasgow.
[Parents] James Kerr, Labourer (deceased) & Sarah Kerr m.s. Sproule
[Celebrant] Andrew Joseph O'Brien
[Witnesses] Owen Fegan & Sarah Campbell
(Registered on] 1915 February 17th at Glasgow, Wm.L.Campbell,
Registrar.

There are quite a few possible James Kerr deaths between 1906 and 1915,
none in Shettleston.

But I got another one, it pays to make no assumptions. <g>

*1906 622/2 (Shettleston) No.6*

1906 22 June at The Manse, Shettleston After Banns according to the
Forms of the Church of Scotland.
Alexander Campbell, Coal Miner, Bachelor, age 23, 2 Park Lane,
Tillicoultry [Clackmannamshire]
[Parents] Thomas Campbell, Coal Miner (deceased) & Christina Pow
Campbell m.s. Kerr
Mary Kerr, Domestic Servant, Spinster, age 25, 8 Cathkin Place,
Shettleston.
[Parents] James Kerr, Labourer & Sarah Kerr m.s. Sproul
[Celebrant] Hector MacKinnon
[Witnesses] Sarah Kerr & Hugh Campbell
[Registered on] 1906 June 23rd at Shettleston, M.D.Toner

You could spend some time wondering whether Mary worked in Tillicoultry
or Alexander worked in Shettleston.


A lot of info can be found but very hard downunder. The marriage certificate which costs 12 pounds cost me $33 Aussie dollars. That is quite dear. I will now get Joseph Sproule & Isabella Sproule m.s. Brown's marriage certificate. If anyone wans James Kerr & Sarah Sproules certificate just let me know. I have it scanned.