Cross beneath baptism entry

[Nick93]

Hello everyone, I was wondering if anyone could answer a question for me. My third great grandfather was illegitimate. We know this because the man listed as his father on his baptism record can't have been married to his mother, long story short he was a soldier and not from around there, and married another woman in India two years after, listed as a bachelor.

However, having seen his baptism record, I was surprised to note that there was no reference to his illegitimacy on it, I thought baptisms back in that day and age (1850s), were usually pretty blunt about the marital state of the parents.

I did note, though, there's a sizable mark, it looks like a cross, it looks like put below the baptism record for my ancestor.

I saw one blog post that said a cross was sometimes used to gently identify an illegitimate child rather than call them a b*stard, etc. But it looks like it was mostly put in front of the record, at least in this one parish in Tipperary where the author seemed to be focused (mine was in Cavan though).

http://fanningfamilyhistory.com/index.php/2017/02/05/priests-comments-on-baptism-and-marriage-records-co-tipperary-ireland/

Then again, I've also heard some Catholic priests didn't even bother to record a child's illegitimacy, it just depended on the time and place.

Here's a link to the image. I apologize for it being slightly blurry... I didn't take it, a third party I knew a while ago who had a Find My Past account did. At the time I didn't know about the potential significance of the cross mark on the record.

https://i.imgur.com/cYW7Lut.jpg

I wasn't sure if anyone else has seen similar, and knows what it means, if it was a symbol for illegitimacy across Ireland. Also, his name, Samuel, is underlined twice. I don't know if that's significant, if all the names on the register are maybe underlined. But if anyone has an FindMyPast account and can view that page, it would be really nice. His name was Samuel Blyth (Blythe on this record) baptized in November of 1854 in the Church of St. Mary's Belturbet, County Cavan.

Thanks so much for reading all of this, I appreciate the input.

[hallmark]

Don't see it..  https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634813#page/29/mode/1up

https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0815

the RC Registers are online, free
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[Nick93]

Oh, now that's interesting, thanks Hallmark. It looks like this one has the exact same info on it though. I understand it says "Sept Samuelem filium of Samuel Blythe and Fanny McEvitie. James McCauley Mary Kinsella" Samuel son of Samuel Blythe and Fanny McEvitie, James McCaley and Mary Kinsella as the godparents.

Is the one you posted perhaps a transcript? Thanks for that, by the way, that's a helpful source, transcript or not, that site.

[hallmark]

Maybe you are talking about St Mary's Drumlane??

http://www.drumlane.ie/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=352&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01dateformat=%25d%20-%20%25m%20-%20%25Y&cntnt01returnid=60

[hallmark]

Oh, now that's interesting, thanks Hallmark. It looks like this one has the exact same info on it though. I understand it says "Sept Samuelem filium of Samuel Blythe and Fanny McEvitie. James McCauley Mary Kinsella" Samuel son of Samuel Blythe and Fanny McEvitie, James McCaley and Mary Kinsella as the godparents.

Is the one you posted perhaps a transcript? Thanks for that, by the way, that's a helpful source, transcript or not, that site.

What register is that??

[Nick93]

Oh, yes, Staghall, that's it! Are their transcripts online too?

[Nick93]

What register is that??

Oh, I think it's the one in Staghall, like you suggested. Sorry for the confusion.

Someone else sent me that small screenshot some months ago, zoomed in on the relevant page. But I'm pretty sure it's the St. Mary's in Staghall.

[hallmark]

Oh, yes, Staghall, that's it! Are their transcripts online too?

https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0831

if it's there then look for others like it....

[Nick93]

Oh, yes, Staghall, that's it! Are their transcripts online too?

https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0831

if it's there then look for others like it....

Great, thank you, looking through it now. Do you know anything about the possible significance of that cross mark on the page?