Birth or marriage record - Hugh McCaffrey - Aghalurcher

[gleblanc]

Hello,
I am trying to find any trace of my ancestor Hugh McCaffrey (b. 15 Feb. 1782) who came to Canada in 1814 with his wife Rose McAvoy (abt. 1795-1858) probably after the Peninsula war (Hugh was in the 3rd battalion of the 27th regiment of the Inniskillen Fusiliers) and was given land here in Canada after his discharge from the military (after fighting off the Americans in Plattsburgh). I have all the Canadian records, although the Inniskillen Museum researchers can't seem to find him.

He might have married Rose McAvoy (McEvoy, McEvey) in Spain in 1813. Rose could have been the daughter of a fellow soldier. (I read families sometimes followed soldiers to help at that time).  Based on Canadian census records, their first child (my 5th great-grandmother) was born at sea as they crossed over to Canada.

I can't find any trace of Hugh or Rose in Fermanagh, whatsoever using all available online resources. I know church records are scarce for this period, but any trace would be appreciated. If they married during the Peninsula war Hugh would have needed a permission from his commanding officer so there would have to be some trace. But since the Inniskilling Museum can't find him...

Thanks for your help.

[Jon_ni]

The 1st question would be what denomination Protestant or Roman Catholic.
2nd would be where in Fermanagh.

If Catholic then there are no records before 1835 for Fermanagh (with the exception of Drumlane 1810).
If Presbyterian most written records don't go back that far due to the Penal Laws.
If Church of Ireland (Anglican) records may or may not exist and may or may not be online (some were in Dublin Record Office and lost 1922
There are some local sites eg https://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/fermanagh/church.htm
https://www.cotyroneireland.com/ or https://cotyrone.com/cofermanagh/index.html
For all other surviving Church of Ireland Records you are talking microfilm in PRONI, scrolling through and reading.

Most military service records, and they are not many for the early 1800's, were deposited in the National Archives, Kew, London and are on either Ancestry or Findmypast, there may be pay rosters etc stored there but they would have no family detail. Even the service records that do exist around then do not list any next of kin just an birth parish, attestation place and discharge place.

The thing is he was not the only Hugh McCaffrey eg one was born Enniskillen & served 1st Bn 88th Regiment of Foot 1809 to 1814 discharged with amputated arm aged 24. A Hugh McCaffrey of 27th Foot was a POW in Givet, France 1812. Another Hugh McCaffrey of Clougher, Tyrone was discharged with wound from 3rd Bn 1st or (Royal Scots) Regiment of Foot 1816. There would have been other's farm labourers, shoe makers etc, from baptisms you have no way of distinguishing.
Only a select few wifes accompanied the regiment, they tended not to pay for that or provide accomodation. https://blog.forceswarrecords.com/service-in-the-british-army/
There were 2 Hugh McCaffreys in the 27th foot both awarded Army Gold Medal / Military General Service Medal, 1793-1814 one with 3 clasps and one with 6 & on the Colonial List. Peninsular Medal Roll 1793-1814 Findmypast.
There is a service record for a Hugh McCaffrey in 27th Foot, but decade younger, enlisted 1808 aged 16 but served 24 years discharging with pension 1831 back to Enniskillen. For a service record to survive he would have to have been pensioned on completion of service c.21 years/discharged wounded.

[shanreagh]

Where have you found the name Aghalurcher ie what papers?

https://www.townlands.ie/fermanagh/aghalurcher/
Could you pl supply the names of Hugh's children in date order.

On the census site http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/ there are records going back to 1821 in Fermanagh with McCaffreys (64)

[Jon_ni]

Should have read the title.
The 1821 census survives for Aghalurcher, along with Derryooland, Derryvolland & Derryvullan (other parishes in the county are missing). McCaffry, McCaffrey, McCaffery.
It is a large civil parish with a number of churches https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/irl/FER/Aghalurcher
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/Guide-to-Church-Records-October-2019.pdf

[shanreagh]

Should have read the title.
The 1821 census survives for Aghalurcher, along with Derryooland, Derryvolland & Derryvullan (other parishes in the county are missing). McCaffry, McCaffrey, McCaffery.
It is a large civil parish with a number of churches https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/irl/FER/Aghalurcher
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/Guide-to-Church-Records-October-2019.pdf

I don't really understand this response. OP must have got the name Aghalurcher in connection with his/her family from somewhere. I'm just asking where Aghalurcher comes from eg baptism, family lore etc etc.  If they are able to say where it has come from then we might be able to pin down an a more exact location 

ETA It would be great to get an idea down to townland level. There are 236 townlands in Aghalurcher including one called Aghalurcher Glebe. 

[Jon_ni]

Thats because "Should have read the title" was directed at me, not you. I had asked where in Fermanagh as no location was mentioned in the initial post other than the county, I had the title scrolled off my screen when typing. It was your reply which alerted me to it, initially I was unsure why you had mentioned Aghalurcher. Would be useful to know where it comes from.

[gleblanc]

Thanks for your responses. Hugh McCaffrey was Catholic and the death record from his Canadian church reads: "Born in Aghalurcher, county Fermanagh, Ireland, on Feb 15 1782". He came to Canada in the summer 1814 so he wouldn't be in the 1821 Ireland census anyhow. He came from Bordeaux (most probably on the HMS Warspite) as part of the 3rd batallion of the 27th regiment of Inniskilling fusiliers, after having fought in the Peninsula war. Curiously, the Fusiliers' museum researchers in Enniskillen can`t find him. I'll look at the sources proposed in your responses but FindMyPast doesn't seem to have him.
Many thanks

[Jon_ni]

We appreciated he wouldn't be on the 1821 census himself, but due to the Irish naming convention of naming children after their grandparents and uncles, the names of his children might enable pinpointing his relatives in it - hence the request by Shanreagh for the names of Hugh's children in date order.
I was looking Findmypast as Ancestry puts them in Fold3, no service record but as stated only those discharged to pension from Chelsea or Kilmainham, Dublin have been retained so perhaps not surprising the Fusiliers' museum researchers in Enniskillen have no record (don't know what have or where they look). TNA Kew might have a list of soldiers and pay etc offline but unlikely to contain much more than a name.
If R.C. then Aghalurcher parish registers commence 1835 https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0284

Have no idea what the order books are https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/c/F99995 the Muster Books & Pay Lists held at TNA seem to be later 1878 onwards.

[shanreagh]

We appreciated he wouldn't be on the 1821 census himself, but due to the Irish naming convention of naming children after their grandparents and uncles, the names of his children might enable pinpointing his relatives in it

Thanks Jon_ni exactly!

Some other tips for the OP for this and future research. 

1 If someone gives you a tip or a new database to search, use it.  I have list of the names I am searching for and it doesn't matter where in Ireland or what religion these databases cover I always put my names in.  Being open to searching different religions is essential for those of us who have mixed marriages in our trees. 

2 Another tip is that sometimes you may have to go laterally. You may find a person that looks as if they could possibly be related/connected.  So search for as much info as you can. Sometimes if you are searching for a person who emigrated then records may be found of that person's siblings or Aunts/Uncles

3 The last tip is that not all members of a family emigrated.  I have found families who left an oldest son behind or a married daughter. Looking at the names they used as per Irish naming patterns can help.  Also if they have stayed in the area their marriages will show the churches they worshipped at or the large town nearby where children were registered.