Cullen and Shillington

[JDC]

Hello everyone,

I have the marriage record for my ancestors Mary Jane Shillington and James Cullen held in Clonfeacle, Tyrone, Northern Ireland the 24th July 1846. Robert Cullen and James Shillington are shown on the document as the couple's fathers.  I am looking for the couple's mothers and the birthplaces and dates of all 4 parents. I am thinking the parents were likely born in the area. James was born Nov 1822 and Mary Jane Dec 1829. After their marriage, this couple ended up living and having their children in Portsea, Hampshire.

I will appreciate any help given, thx.

JDC

[JDC]

Hi all.

meant birth dates and places

JDC

[Kiltaglassan]

Can't help with the fathers and mothers birth dates, but for the benefit of others, here's the marriage record from 1846-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1846/09309/5370587.pdf

They married in Derrygortrevy Parish Church (Church of Ireland).
https://www.townlands.ie/tyrone/dungannon-middle/clonfeacle-tyrone-portion/derrygortrevy/

James from Mullybrannon townland.
https://www.townlands.ie/tyrone/dungannon-middle/clonfeacle-tyrone-portion/mullybrannon/
Mary Jane from Lismulrevy townland.
https://www.townlands.ie/tyrone/dungannon-middle/clonfeacle-tyrone-portion/lismulrevy/

Have you seen this guide for church records in PRONI?
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/Guide-to-Church-Records-October-2019.pdf
See page 157

Also the RCBL in Dublin.
https://www.ireland.anglican.org/cmsfiles/pdf/AboutUs/library/registers/ParishRegisters/PARISHREGISTERS.pdf
Note the Colour Code and Symbol Key at the top.

KG

[JDC]

Hi Kiltaglassan

Thx so much for responding to my query. I dont have the guide and RCBL document. That is the same marriage document that I have. I will have a closer look at everything later today :-)

JDC

[Elwyn Soutter]

Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church so the Shillington family at least were probably Church of Ireland (ie Anglican).  That’s where she may have been baptised. And if James was the same denomination then his might be there too. Unfortunately Derrygortreavy’s early records were destroyed in the 1922 fire in Dublin and they have no baptisms earlier than 1875 now. There’s no real way round that. Both fathers were farmers. They tend to stay put, so it’s as likely as not that the couple were born in that parish.  (There are some other Church of Ireland churches in the parish as you will see from the guide, but the 2 main ones also lost their records in 1922). The bottom line is that there are probably no relevant records to search.

[JDC]

Thx Elwin,

I kind of suspected that the records were destroyed somehow, but did not know for sure, thx for letting me know about the fire.

It would be nice to find out who the mothers/wives are. Is there a way of finding that out? I am guessing the parents would have married abt 1820-30ish - likely, as you say, in that same area.

Cheers for now, JDC

[Elwyn Soutter]

You could search the death records for Cullen & Shillington deaths (registered in Dungannon) 1864 onwards.  1864 is when they start. For the years 1864 – 1870 you have to pay to view on the GRONI site £2.50 a time. 1871 onwards are free on the irishgenealogy site.

I have a hunch that Robert Cullen died before 1860. Griffiths for that year lists a William Cullen in Mullybrannon, so possibly his son had taken over the farm. But you could search the female deaths (narrowing by age) to see if you can identify a widow. There were 2 other Cullen farms in the townland all beside each other so likely related. Anthony & Sarah (probably a widow) each had a property beside John.

James Shillington’s farm in Lismulrevy passed to John in 1885 so he may have died around then.

I noticed this death in the townland of Ann who appears to have been married to John:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1886/06253/4790687.pdf

Family may have gravestones in the local churchyard. That’s another possibility.

[gaffy]

There is quite a cluster of Shillingtons in Lismulrevy and surrounding townlands, which is difficult to work with, but a process of elimination might help. For example, the Sarah Shillington who died in 1886 at Lismulrevy with a reported age of 86...

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1886/06235/4785083.pdf

... is not a strong candidate for the wife of James, given the following two records (ie. a suggested Lismulrevy family unit of Anthony married to Sarah, with a son Joseph):

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1882/06417/4843001.pdf

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1892/10632/5873473.pdf