James Gill born 1861

Barlow:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

I looked at the subscription site Roots Ireland and located an 1861 baptismal record for a James Gill. Is this your ancestor? Roots Ireland also had records in 1854, 1858 and 1863. If he left around 1874 did he emigrate with his family? Not sure if you accessed the National Archives site but I checked the records for Curraghmartin townland and there were six different Gill households.

Roger McDonnell

Name:James GillDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:17-Feb-1861Address:CurraghmartinParish/District:ANNADUFF ROMAN CATHOLICGender:MaleCountyCo. Leitrim
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:Thomas GillMother:Elizabeth Guckian

Thanks for Hanks for the reply...I have been having trouble logging on so this has come from my wife’s email address. 

Yes these are my gggrandparents. James arrived in NZ we think in 1874. I have contacted Gills in the Carrick on Shannon area but there does not seem to be a point of contact that is into genealogy.

I have not been able to trace any relatives apart from these you have outlined so any help appreciated.

We are coming to Ireland in late June this year and will endeavour to makes contact personally in the area where several Gills still reside.

Thanks again

Kerian,

Roger has traced your family to Curraghmartin. In the 1901 census there were just 7 houses in the townland. 6  were occupied by Gill families. They are likely to all be related somehow:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Leitrim/Drumsna/Curraghmartin/

What I would try to do is trace those 6 households back, using the statutory records then, pre 1864, parish records. This may help build up a picture of who is related to who. You can also use Griffiths Valuation records and the Valuation revision records, which should show change of owner/tenant to help fill the gaps.

4 Gills who died in Curraghmartin left wills. They are: John died 9.9.1898; Francis 4.3.1902; Thomas 2.2.1910 & Francis 19.2.1920. You may be able to get some of those wills from NAS in Dublin, and get a bit more family information from them. (Many probated by the Principal Registry in Dublin were lost in the 1922 fire but some probated in regional locations do survive).

http://www.willcalendars.nationalarchives.ie/search/cwa/home.jsp

No Gill in the area being interested in their family history is not too unusual. Sadly, from your perspective, not every family is that interested in their ancestors. You may find you know more than they do. But with a bit of research you may be able to make a connection.