Author Topic: Help in confirming if I have the right marriage (Tyrone/Derry)  (Read 1118 times)

Offline M_ONeill

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Help in confirming if I have the right marriage (Tyrone/Derry)
« on: Thursday 27 December 18 23:51 GMT (UK) »
Hey all, so I’ve been trying to find the first marriage of my 2x great grandfather John O’Neill. I descend from his second marriage to a Jane McCann of Ballynenagh, county Derry. They were married in the R.C. chapel of Moneymore, on Jan 25th 1895. John is listed as a widower and his father is listed as a Michael O’Neill, still living. John is living in the townland of Ballydawley at the time of the wedding.

In looking for the first marriage, I’ve found one in the R.C chapel of Killeenan, County Tyrone, just to the west of Cookstown. The marriage took place on 18th November 1883 between a John O’Neill, aged 23 and a Bridget Sanner* (not sure on the reading of the surname. It’s listed as ‘Sanver’ on irishgenealogy.ie, but I think that’s a mis-transcription). Bride and groom are both living in Gortnagross, Tyrone. This John’s age seems correct, based on later census entries, and the father is listed as a Michael O’Neill, living - so it’s at least a candidate for being my 2x grandfather’s first marriage.

What I could help with is confirming whether this is indeed the right marriage. I’m still not very practiced with Irish records, so I’m not sure what information I could use to cross reference and check the match. Does anyone have any tips or advice on double checking these kind of Irish family history finds?

Offline Sinann

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Re: Help in confirming if I have the right marriage (Tyrone/Derry)
« Reply #1 on: Friday 28 December 18 00:22 GMT (UK) »
Does John have children in the 1901 census too old to be his second wife's children?
If so find their births, for mothers name.
Look for a death of Bridget.
If no children with him in 1901, find children born to the couple to narrow down when Bridget could have died.
Look for John and Bridget in the 1901 census with those children to see if she is still living.

Offline solidrock

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Re: Help in confirming if I have the right marriage (Tyrone/Derry)
« Reply #2 on: Friday 28 December 18 00:25 GMT (UK) »
It's a pity John only made his mark and did'nt sign. His father was a laborer in one and a farmer in the other' Neither much help to you.

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Offline M_ONeill

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Re: Help in confirming if I have the right marriage (Tyrone/Derry)
« Reply #3 on: Friday 28 December 18 00:45 GMT (UK) »
Hey all, thanks for the replies!

So in the 1901 census the only children seem to be from the second marriage, judging by age. I looked for a death record for a Bridget O’Neill, but I’ve yet to one that matches her age and general location.

@Solidrock, yeah it’s a shame there’s no further identifying info on the marriage records. There’s nothing to confirm it’s the same person, but equally nothing that rules it out!

I’ll start looking for children of a John and a Bridget in the cookstown area between 1883 and 1895 and see if I find anything usefu. Thanks for the ideas!


Offline solidrock

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Re: Help in confirming if I have the right marriage (Tyrone/Derry)
« Reply #4 on: Friday 28 December 18 00:48 GMT (UK) »
Looking at his condition on the second marriage it looks like widower but not clear.

Offline Sinann

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Re: Help in confirming if I have the right marriage (Tyrone/Derry)
« Reply #5 on: Friday 28 December 18 00:49 GMT (UK) »
Where does John say he is from in the 1901 Census?

Looked at a good few births and don't see any in Cookstown or a death.

Offline Sinann

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Re: Help in confirming if I have the right marriage (Tyrone/Derry)
« Reply #6 on: Friday 28 December 18 00:54 GMT (UK) »
Better still where are they in 1901 or a link please.

Offline M_ONeill

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Re: Help in confirming if I have the right marriage (Tyrone/Derry)
« Reply #7 on: Friday 28 December 18 01:05 GMT (UK) »
The 1901 census simply says born in county Derry for John. From 1901 he and family are living in a village called the Loup, Ballynenagh (about halfway between Moneymore and Ballyronan), on a farm owned by a Rose Donnelly, John’s mother-in-law (mother and daughter don’t share a surname as Jane was illegitimate and took the father’s surname). I know that part of the tree is correct, as my great grandfather was raised on that farm, and distant cousins own it to this day.

So John was apparently born in county Derry, though he was living in Balleydawley when he remarried, which is the other side of Cooksdown from Gortnagross, southeast of Moneymore and south of the Loup.

Offline Sinann

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Re: Help in confirming if I have the right marriage (Tyrone/Derry)
« Reply #8 on: Friday 28 December 18 01:23 GMT (UK) »
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Londonderry/Loop/Ballynenagh/1534997/

If he's from Derry, he's living in Derry, if he married a woman from Tyrone he may have brought her to Derry, so if they had children they may have been born in Derry.
Or he could have married a Derry woman.