PRONI lookup: McMullen baptism Ahoghill

[Bruiser]

G’day all. This is my first post anywhere so please be gentle if I make any blues. If anyone is going to PRONI I would greatly appreciate a lookup of the Ahoghill 1st Presbyterian registers Ref. No. MIC1P/64 for the baptism of my great-grandmother Eliza/beth (nee McMullen) Gordon.
 
Eliza (as Betty) married John Gordon at Ahoghill 1st Presbyterian Aug 1861. Both were stated to be 21 though I believe Eliza was more likely to be 19 at the time. Her headstone is inscribed ‘Born April 19 1842’ but I don’t know just where this date came from nor how accurate it is. She was also said to be 74 when she died in 1916.
 
When she arrived in Brisbane in Jan 1865 her stated age was 22 which would fit with the dob on her headstone and John gave his age as 25 and I feel that both of these are much closer to the mark. Her death certificate also states she was born at Castletown and I believe this was very likely Casheltown townland and this is one of the things I am trying to verify. When they married they were both residing in Carmagrum sic.

Eliza had three known siblings William, who also emigrated to Queensland, born abt. 1835 and Mary Jane born abt. 1835/6, however baptisms for this church only commence in 1841. Eliza’s younger sister Margaret Ann was stated to be only 20 when she married 11 Jul 1864 so born abt. 1844. Eliza witnessed this marriage as Elizabeth Gordon.
 
All three girls married at Ahoghill 1st Presbyterian. William married at Portglenone 2nd Presbyterian. All were living in Carmagrim when they married and their father was John McMullen and there was no indication that he was deceased from 1858 through to 1864.

I have looked at Griffith’s Valuation which was for 1862 and there is a John McMullen in Carmagrim who would seem the most likely one but there is also one in Casheltown and another two nearby in Kilcurry and Ballylummin however without any ages given this really doesn’t help much. I have also looked at the 1851 partial census and at the headstone inscriptions on The Braid.

As all three girls married at Ahoghill 1st Presbyterian I feel that this was most likely their church but with the records only beginning in 1841 the only ones likely to have had their baptisms recorded there are Eliza/beth about 1842 and Margaret Ann about 1844.
 
I understand that the early records for this church might not list the mother’s name but I am trying to get further confirmation that it was Margaret Barr, which information came from the Scottish d/c of Mary Jane. I would also like to know the abode/s and the occupation of their father John if this was stated. He was a weaver when they married.

If anyone has some time to spare whilst at PRONI I would greatly appreciate the lookup.

Bruce.

[rathmore]

family search, marriage both aged 21

Betty McMullen father John
John Gordon father Benjamin

http://www.familysearch.org

[hallmark]

family search, marriage both aged 21

Betty McMullen father John
John Gordon father Benjamin

http://www.familysearch.org

Any date on it?

[Bruiser]

G'day rathmore,

Thanks for your reply. I actually have the marriage certificates of all four known siblings William, Mary Jane, Eliza/beth and Margaret Ann McMullen who were all living in Carmagrim at the time of their marriages.

William and Eliza both emigrated to Queensland 1864/5 but unusually for Australian death certificates a lot of information normally recorded including their mother's name is missing.

Both families resided close to each other just west of Toowoomba and the children of both were well known to each other however neither William or Eliza have passed down much about their parents hench the paucity of information on their death certificates.

Mary Jane and Margaret Ann both stayed for a number of years before emigrating to Greenock and were in contact with William and Eliza. I also have the death certificate for Mary Jane and it states that her mother's name was Margaret Barr. This information was supplied by her son so is probably correct but I am trying to confirm this through the baptisms of Eliza and Margaret Ann.

I am also hoping that their father's abode and occupation might be recorded to help me get further back with my research and perhaps sort out the several John McMullens living close by in 1862.

All the best, Bruce.     

[Bruiser]

G'day hallmark,

Yes. Interestingly the original date written in the register was 19 Aug 1861 but for some unknown reason it was corrected on the 22 May 1862 in another entry in the register to read 22 Aug 1861.

Bruce.

[mattfrombann]

Hi

I don't know if it is at all relevant, but my ancestors were in Ahoghill for multiple generations and there is but one marriage to a McMullen in my records. Probably a bit late for your interest but Ellen Bankhead, daughter of John Carson Bankhead and Mary Perry (a prominent Ahoghill family) married a Matt McMullen in Grange Presbyterian Church, Ballyscullion, on 18/9/1902

Regards

Matt

[Bruiser]

G'day Matt,

Thanks for that information. Every little bit helps. The oral history that I have suggests that William who emigrated to Queensland 1864 was the only male from this John McMullen line so it probably died out when his father passed away.

It is unfortunate that no records for Ahoghill 1st Presbyterian exist prior to 1841 as they probably hold the key to the several McMullens from around there that are recorded in the 1862 Griffith's Valuation. At least they are available from 1841 if somewhat difficult to search from Down Under.

Bruce.

[mattfrombann]

I had a lightbulb moment. If you can get sight of a hefty volume called "Ordnance Survey, Memoirs of Ireland, Index of People and Places" ISBN 0 85389 812 X (paperback) or 8 (Hardback) you may find it illuminating. You will find a considerable no of McMullens/McMullans/Mcmullins in the index, although you will have to further consult  the individual volume to find out more details. The memoirs mention people for all sorts of reasons , including if you are very very lucky , people who emigrated in the past year or so. Vol 23 (compiled April 1833) covers Ahoghill and mentions a solitary Alexander Mcmullan . He is described as a farmer who along with Ennis McDonald is said to have placed 3 standing stones on a hill called Cloughcurragh in Tullynahuncon townland, on farm of Robert Hilton (Mcdonald is clearly still alive, but not obvious if Mcmullan is). Vol 35 (which I don't have) covers  nearby Killead parish and clearly mentions one or more McMullin families. There are Agnes, Alexander, Anna , Jane, Mary, and Thomas all on on the same page and "man named mcMullen"in Muckamore on another. Oh, and a "Mcmullen family" in Carmavy

Not much I know, but it might keep you occupied for a wee while . Tullynahuncon may be Tullynahinion (see Ahoghill Folk, ISBN 0 9509265-1-5 for map of Ahoghill townlands). you could also (if not already tried) post a query on the Ahoghill page of Ireland Reaching Out

Regards

Matt

[Bruiser]

G'day Matt,

Thank you for the info. I had not heard of those volumes before and will certainly look into them and the Ireland Reaching Out site.

Bruce.