Loughlin, Urney or Ardstraw

[shanew147]

see Details included on a Marriage Cert


Shane

[Andrew C.]

My great grandparent’s wedding certificate states they where married on the 16th March 1876 at Ardstraw Presbyterian Church. The certificate states Robert Laughlin, full age of Clady Hood married Catherine Ann Atchison, eighteen, of Kinkit. Their father’s are given as Robert Laughlin and Samuel Atchison.
I struggle with the various new Family Search sites so relying on the IGI I can find three entries for a Robert Loughlin: a birth 1853 Castlederg; a birth 1853 Stoney Falls; a christening 1856 Urney. Having had Castlederg thrown up before as  a place of birth only to work out this was probably the registration district, knowing that all of Robert and Catherine’s children where born at Stoney Falls, knowing that Stoney Falls although in Ardstraw is very close to Urney, is it likely these three entries are for the same person?
As for Catherine the IGI doesn’t seem to throw up anything. If anyone has the time and inclination could they give me their thoughts. 

[Elwyn Soutter]

Statutory registration of births did not start in Ireland until 1864 so you won’t find a birth certificate for either Robert or Catherine. The information on the IGI may be from submitted records (in which case it comes with the usual health warning) or it may be from parish records.

You may find baptism records if they have survived, and you know the persons parish and religion. It was traditional to marry in the wife’s church so you could start by searching Ardstraw Presbyterian church’s parish records for Catherine’s family. According to the PRONI website Ardstraw’s baptism and marriage records go back to 1837, and they hold copies. If you cannot get to PRONI, you should be able to order a copy of the microfilm in to your nearest LDS library. The records are not on line, as far as I am aware.

www.proni.gov.uk/index/research_and_records_held/catalogues_guides_indexes_and_leaflets/online_guides_and_indexes.htm

Griffiths Valuation has a record of Samuel Acheson of Kinkit renting a house, offices (outbuildings) and 31 acres of land there in 1858, making it a fairly prosperous farm for the time. A Robert Acheson lived beside him. Presumably a relative.

www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml

There was a family of Atchisons in Kinkit in the 1901 census:

www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Altaclady/Kinkit/1750939/

[Andrew C.]

Thanks for that.  I have struggled with the Griffith Valuation in the past but managed to have a good look there. Interesting there are Robert and Samuel Loughlins who seem to be farming close by also. I have the baptism records for Urney Church of Ireland and there is a Robert and Margaret Loughlin who baptised a number of children including a Robert (1856) and Samuel. I was hoping I could confirm this Robert was my ancestor. Interesting the Samuel married an Ellen Acheson whose father was Samuel Acheson I was guessing Loughlin brothers married Acheson cousins.  I had been working on the mis presumption that my ancestors where one of the two on the IGI (these where submitted records) but I suppose there could be many others who have just not been submitted to the LDS.

If you Google Aitchison there is lots of stuff on them and they seem to have been farming in Ardstraw from at least 1730. I went over to Tyrone in 1981ish with my father and we visited a farm with distant Aitchison relatives then so they where still about then. On Catherine's marriage certificate one of the witnesses is John James I found him I beleive on 1901 and 1911 census along with a sister Margaret. There is an LDS library close by so I will give them a phone

[aghadowey]

Have you searched the Will Extracts on PRONI website yet?
http://applications.proni.gov.uk/DCAL_PRONI_WillsCalendar/WillsSearch.aspx

[Andrew C.]

A few Aitchisons / Achesons in the will Calenders but the Samuel is too late and not in the right area.

When I was over in Tyrone with my father we went to a church to look at Robert and Catherine Loughlin's grave. I have been looking at pictures of churches but none look familiar. The church sat out on its own at the brow of a hill not near any houses, close to a T- junction if that means anything to any one. Loughlins where Church of Ireland Aitchisons Presbyterian.

[aghadowey]

Here's a few to look at-
Ardstraw Church of Ireland- http://www.geograph.ie/photo/89137

Ardstraw Presbyterian Church- http://www.geograph.ie/photo/1450469
http://www.geograph.ie/photo/135242

Christ Church (C of I), Urney- http://www.geograph.ie/photo/191371

[Andrew C.]

Thanks again. I think Urney is the likely candidate. What was puting me off was the trees as I don't remember any although it was thirty years ago and I have this image of the graves been adjacent tp the church but they don't seem to be in that picture. Urney Certainly seems to be the right position on the brow of a hill and quite isolated. Hope I am not just vering towards that as it fits in with some stuff I already have. Really excited about getting a sight of the Ardstraw Church records these could tie a few things together.

[dhalaughlin]

Just want Andrew C. to know I sent him a PM. This is now an old post but I did notice he's been on line recently today since I sent the PM and he may not have noticed it is there.