I have done extensive research on my Graham ancestors. Two brothers (including my 2xGG) married 2 sisters. Thomas (2xGG) married Elizabeth Martin. Robert married Martha Martin. Their father was Andrew. After the sister's Father died, their Mother and 4 brothers left Ireland for America. I have finished with that part of my tree.
I followed Robert Graham and Martha as they left Monaghan for Belfast and had great success with that part of the tree.
My frustration is with my 2xGG Thomas and Elizabeth. They married in 1842 and had a son in 1843 while living in Tullygoney and then I find them in Rafeenan where they had more children and stayed living in Rafeenan until their deaths, Thomas is 1882 and Elizabeth in 1892.
On Griffiths valuation both for Tullygoney and Rafeenan I found a Thomas and Robert renting a house with no land for 5 shillings. It appears they were "labourers" and assume very poor. Robert leave for Belfast in the 1870's, my Thomas stays all his life there with his wife Elizabeth.
All around them either in Drumcoo Jackson, Killycreen there are Grahams who did have land and as the years went by, did very well in farming, breeding cattle etc. The ones that passed away in the early 1900's I found obituaries where everyone is listed who attended, but not my Thomas Graham.
My question is could they have been related and just worked on a brother's farm as labour, therefore didn't need land just a house to live in? Could they have not been related even though there are so many Grahams living all around them? Is there anything else I can do to try and link all these Grahams? I have just done areas close to Tullygoney and Rafeenan where other Grahams lived. Drumcoo Jackson, Killycreen. I also looked at the custom of naming children.
They stayed all their lives in the Rafeenan area as well their oldest son Robert and a daughter who had a son Richard out of wedlock and was living on Drumbin Road up to 1940 when she passed.
I have done Tithe's Applotment, Griffiths, census, newspaper articles, church records for the children's baptisms and just would really like to find something out about them before giving up. I hope they weren't so poor that they couldn't even have a small patch of land to grow food for themselves.
I am curious about opinions or other options to check out and any help would greatly be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
