He was born in Rathmelton townland in Aughnish Civil Parish, in Barony Kimacrenan, in County Donegal, Province of Ulster, Ireland.
He enlisted in the British Army at Glasgow on 28 Oct 1863, aged 18 years and 0 months, and was a resident of the parish of Barony, county Lanarkshire. This is the first of many records I have for him but can find none from Ireland.
I do not trust his age, so he could have been 14-18 years giving a birth date of 1845-1849, although most records quote 1846.
His marriage record, 24 Dec 1879 at Hounslow Heath, Middlesex quotes Father Edward Marlow, a deceased farmer.
I think he had a happy life. 21 years in the Army, 6 in India. And retired to become a farmer. Married with 8 children, most married and had long lives 50-80 years. He died in 1928 aged 82, well above the life expectancy of a Irish boy born in the 1845-1850 Great Irish Famine.
