Henrys of Derry County - Pre 1800

[DrHenry]

VERY interesting and useful.  Looks like a good lead; I'll bet we're on to something.  Any suggestions as to how I might seek out pre-1800 Henry info in Cavan County, with emphasis on the three Derry townlands?  Thanks so much!! 

FYI - I am also looking in Ayr and Ayrshire for any early 1600 info which might shed light on the Henry emigration from Lowland Scotland to Ulster.  DrHenry

[Gortinanima]

I think the key to all of this is Mary Woodburn.

There were Woodburns near Garvagh, county Derry and when you
put the 2 surnames together Henry/Woodburn I immediately think
County Derry!!

[DrHenry]

You well may be right - I don't want to become so enamored of the County Cavan possibilities that I walk away from our search of long standing in Derry County.  Nevertheless, I think I'll start a "Henrys of Derry, Cavan County - Pre 1800" parallel thread just in case we can turn up something there.  After all, unless Rachel Henry in Flower Hill, Newton Limavady, was a cousin or other family relative of Robert Henry, Mary Woodburn, and their son John Henry b. 1763, how would they have negotiated the lengthy courting distance between Cavan and Derry Counties?  However, I guess True Love has managed such distances and greater in the past!  DrHenry

[aghadowey]

Link to Co. Cavan thread-
www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=415511.new#new

[DrHenry]

Never having been to Ireland, I'm having a little trouble with geopolitical designations.  We've pretty well established that Rachel Henry, b. abt 1767, was the daughter of Matthew Henry and Jennie Long who lived at Flower Hill, a farm located on the outskirts of Dirtagh - the latter being a townland generally north of Limavady, east of Londonderry, west of Coleraine - and included in Aghanloo Parish.  She is also reported as having come from Newton, Limavady, Londonderry.  Is Newton a townland?  Does Newton embrace Dirtagh?  Will someone clarify the apparent contradictions?  DrHenry

[aghadowey]

Newtownlimavady is the former name of the present town of Limavady.

[kingskerswell]

The name was formerly changed by an act of Parliament about 1875 when the name LIMAVADY was used but it is still possible to find informal documents after this date which still referred to NEWTON, an abreviation of Newtownlimavady.

Regards

[DrHenry]

To attempt a resurgence of interest in this thread, let me just mention the Bann Valley Henrys.  I believe Rachel Henry b abt 1767 near Dirtagh could well be considered a Bann Valley Henry.  My question now is to John Henry b 1763 - could he also be a Bann Valley Henry?  And if not, how might he have developed a relationship with Rachel sufficient to lead to marriage in abt 1787?  At age 24, his means of transportation were scarce - and pretty much limited to Shank's mare, if not the mare herself.  Perhaps an 'arranged' marriage?  Other ideas?

[DrHenry]

 I just found an Ancestry.Com entry for John Henry 1763-1854 that lists "Brookfield" in Derry County as his place of origin.   We found that "Flower Hill" was a farm on the outskirts of Dirtagh where his wife Rachel Henry came from, perhaps "Brookfield" was also the name of a farm in the 1700s - any thoughts?  (Another Derry location for John Henry's origin says "5296" - although I believe that may just be code with meaning only to the poster.)  DrHenry