Kilrea - Richard McCotter

[aghadowey]

1912 Ulster Covenant- Rebecca McCotter, Lislea Co.Derry, signed at Westminter, London.

Only Will extract from PRONI is Thomas J. McCotter granted 13/12/1918 at Londonderry (index gives date of death as 1/1/1900 but no date of death listed under details)- the date of death may not be 1 Jan.1900.

[Cat_Kilrea]

Thank you to everyone - it is brilliant to get all this information and dates etc.

Thomas James McCotter definitely died in 1918 - the family then left Kilrea/Lislea. I saw that will record and assumed Thos was an entirely different name - I now realise it's simply short for Thomas - thank you. Out of curiosity is it worth requesting death certificates for prominent ancestors or am I to understand there is some issue with a lot of NI records being destroyed?

[aghadowey]

Kilrea Church of Ireland:
16 Jan.1849 Robert McCay? married Sarah Jane McCay of Lislea- witness Richard McCotter.
3 July 1860 John Campbell married Peggy Anne Mayberry (both Lislea)- witness Richard McCotter.
6 Feb.1890 Thomas Henry Kyle married Margaret Ann McKay of Lislea- witness Sarah L. McCotter.

First Kilrea Presbyterian Church Session Book- new communicants:
11 Oct.1828 Thomas McCotter and wife Peggy Anne McCotter.

The above are probably your Richard McCotter's parents but the date (when he was about 5 years old) makes me wonder if they only came into the area around 1828.

[aghadowey]

No civil birth, death or marriage records were destroyed. Some pre-1901 census records were either pulped deliberately or destroyed in civil war in Dublin. For County Londonderry some 1831 survived and there's also 1901 and 1911.
Death certificates aren't very helpful in most cases: name, sex, date of death, occupation, cause of death, name and address of informant, date of registration. Does NOT list date of place of birth, parents, spouse, children, place of burial.

[Cat_Kilrea]

I saw that Thomas & Peggy-Anne note from 1828 too but I was unsure what age communion took place - I had imagined it was likely to be around 12yrs. However assuming this is Richard's father Thomas he would have been 38 in 1828. I wasn't sure who Peggy Anne was but on writing this I've realised it must be short for Margaret Ann, his wife. I've seen that name before so that is very helpful!

[aghadowey]

Communicants were adults received into the church. Since both names are mentioed together they must have been married by that date (and probably a while before). It seems strange that they joined the church in Kilrea at that time and I think it likely that they joined that congregation around 1828 if they'd moved into the area within the last 6 months (Presbyterians hold Communion twice a year- now May and November). Some later records specify whether joining by transfer (from another congregation) or by profession of faith (new communicants) and if by transfer give the congregation they've brought their lines from.

[peter55]

the 12 girls were all my great aunts
thomas was my grandfather
emily went to texas
carrie to london
i have a photo of all 13 children outside the lislea house
are we related?!
my mother was the yougest daughter of thomas who died in 1918

[Cat_Kilrea]

Hi Peter
I'm guessing you are Rhona's brother and my Dad's (Derek) cousin? He mentioned this week that he had been speaking/emailing I think with Rhona and she had said you were doing some research. I understand you are due over for a visit soon? I look forward to meeting you if you manage to catch up with my Dad!

[aghadowey]

Moderator Comment:
RootsChat policy prohibits publishing details of living people. This is to protect all concerned from spam, identity abuse, internet abuse, etc, etc.
Please use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data, email addresses, etc.