John and Rose Mullen, Kiltest, Aghadowey

[Ross Kennedy]

I am trying to find out more information on my Great x3 Grandmother Bridget Mullen born on 26/11/1833 in Co Derry/Londonderry and her parents John and Rose Mullen.

Very little is known on John as he was dead by 1851 I believe. Rose also shows as Rose Ann or Rosann in some Scottish records and she was born in Co Antrim around 1809. Her maiden name is either McDuff, Duffy or Dunphy as it shows differently in her childrens marriage records in Scotland.

Rose and Bridget moved to Scotland around the 1840s and the earliest Scottish census they show up in is 1851 when Bridget was 18 and they lived in Glasgow. John had died by this point but it is unclear when. Bridget married Denis Burns from Co Fermanagh in Glasgow on 17/07/1855 and she died in Scotland in 1893.

From searching the Griffiths Valuations the only John and Rose Mullen I can find living together around the time in question in Co Derry are John and Rose Mullen of Kiltest, Aghadowey and I am trying to find out if they are my Great x4 Grandparents and Bridget's parents. If I can find details of their daughter Bridget's birth or baptism in 1833 or their marriage record this could potentially tie it all together.

I appreciate this is a bit of a needle in a haystack but can anyone help with this information? Are there any catholic birth or baptism records from the Aghadowey parish available?

Randomly my wife is from Derry and it's been strange to find out that I have roots going back to her home county and many other places in Ireland. I will be over in September for a family visit and plan to spend some time digging around if I can find anything to go on.

Any help appreciated!! Thanks!!

[aghadowey]

Welcome to Rootschat  There's good news and bad news, I'm afraid.

The good news is that there are/were lots of Mullans in and around Kiltest and the bad nws is that there are/were lots of Mullans in Kiltest! I tried to sort out one family a few years back and everyone I spoke gave me some details of their family and suggested another person to contact but I still couldn't make a connection to the family I was researching.

https://www.townlands.ie/londonderry/coleraine/aghadowey/kiltest/

The chapel at Boleran is still there with lots of gravestones and some records are online (free)- it comes under Errigal R.C. Parish but unfortunately baptisms start 1846 and marriages 1873 and those are the oldest surviving records.
https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0367

However, I'm a bit puzzled by this-

From searching the Griffiths Valuations the only John and Rose Mullen I can find living together around the time in question in Co Derry are John and Rose Mullen of Kiltest, Aghadowey

Griffith's doesn't list married couples- John & Rose could be widowed mother & son or some other relationship. The published date in this area is around 1859 by which time John is deceased & Rose possibly in Scotland.

You said Rose Mullen moved to Scotland- have you found a death record there for her? might give names of parents or other important details.

[Ross Kennedy]

Thanks so much for your detailed reply, it's very much appreciated 

It seems I may have got my hopes up prematurely! I wasnt aware Griffiths Valuations didnt list married couples and the dates are too late so this wont be the John and Rose I am looking for unfortunately

I have Bridget Mullen's death certificate but I havent yet located John's or Rose/Rose Ann's. I will keep looking though!

Bridget died on 16/03/1893 in Glasgow at age 61 and the cert lists her parents as John Mullen and Rose Ann Mullen (MS Dumphrie on this however this is the 4th close variation of her maiden name I have seen!). Both were deceased by this point. The last trace I can find of Rose in Scotland is 1875 so I have a window from 1875 to 1893 to search.

I had got my hopes up on this one due to the relative proximity of Kiltest to the Antrim border as I know Rose was born in Co Antrim and John Mullen in Co Derry. I also know they had Bridget in Co Derry in 1833 and at least 2 other children once they moved to Glasgow. 

The info you have kindly provided means it's unlikely to be them (but could be relatives of theirs) and it might be difficult to find records from the 1830s. I have had a bit more success with Bridget's husband, Denis Burns, on the Fermanagh side so I might try and chip away at that a bit more!

Thanks again for your help, much appreciated 

[aghadowey]

Don't be too sure John & Rose weren't born in same area or even the same townland. Some portions of Aghadowey & Agivey parishes had until 1900s Ballymoney, Co. Antrim as the postal address.

[Ross Kennedy]

After weeks of searching I have finally located Rose's death certificate in Scotland. She died in Glasgow in 1881 at age 76 so would have been born around 1805. The cert confirms her mum and dad as Alexander Dumphy (but this could be Dunphy?) and Mary Duffy. Both were deceased by then and Alexander's occupation is noted as a Farm Labourer.

I have also located what I am fairly sure is her husband John Mullen/Mullans death details from 1854 in church records which is unfortunately just before civil registration records start in 1855 to verify it.

I have also found details of their and their daughter Bridget and son in laws (Denis Burns from Fermanagh) lair locations, all at the same cemetery in Glasgow so I will be paying them a visit soon when time permits!

I would imagine Dumphy/Dunphy is a popular surname in the area. Are there any good resources I could use to look for Alexander and Mary?

[aghadowey]

I would imagine Dumphy/Dunphy is a popular surname in the area. Are there any good resources I could use to look for Alexander and Mary?

Which area? certainly not come across Dumphy/Dunphy in Aghadowey Parish.