John McHenery aka McKendry

McHenry (and variant spellings) is quite a common surname in Co Antrim. You would really need to have John’s parents names from a marriage or death certificate to be sure of identifying the right person.

You have posted this query under Culfeightrin parish, so presumably you know of a connection to it. There are 2 RC churches in the parish. One has records from 1825 but the other has none before 1848.  So if that’s where he originated there may be no record. The records can be viewed on the nli site (free):

http://www.nli.ie

You might want to get a copy of Brian S Turner’s recent book: “Family names in the Glens of Antrim” which has a bit about the McHenry name. According to Turner (p 31): “At the beginning of the seventeenth century they (O’Kanes) are found established at the ancient fortress of Dunseverick on the north coast near Ballintoy, and constituted a group distinct from the senior branch in what later became the county of Londonderry. To this day they remain numerous around Dunseverick but without the O’ prefix. A further distinction among the O’Kanes of these parts was made when another branch adopted the patronymic MacHenry.”

Turner’s book gives details of where the various McHenry families lived and which early records they show up in.

Elwyn,

Thank you so much for the quick reply. Looking at John McKendry's (McHenry) baptism record I note his father was Robert McHenry born about 1805 in Antrim, Co.  His mother was Caty McAllaster (or McAlister) of Antrim Co. So I am pretty sure the John McKendry who arrived in Australia in about 1850 was infact John McHenry borm to Robert and Caty (Catherine).  I just can't find his actual birth certificate, unless there was only a baptism record kept?  Nor can I find any other records of his mother and rather or the village they came from.  Hope you can assist further. Garry.

Aussie Researcher,

You are not going to find a birth certificate for your ancestor as they weren’t introduced in Ireland till 1864. His baptism may be in church records but only if the relevant church has records for that period, and many don’t. I have looked up the Culfeightrin baptism you have mentioned. To me the correct date is 8th March 1826. The parents were Robert & Caty (Cathy or Catherine) M’Allister. Sponsors were John M’Mullan & Sara Black. (Could be useful in narrowing where the family lived. Look for Blacks & McMullans nearby).

https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000633139#page/10/mode/1up

Here’s a link to the tithe applotment record for Culfeightrin in 1831. The tithes were a very unpopular tax on land.  However for genealogy purposes they give us a useful list of people with land in that period.  You’ll find many McHenry and McAllisters in the parish. No easy way of saying which, if any, is your family. And if your ancestors were not landowners eg labourers, servants etc., then they won't be listed. But they are about the only records that exist for that period. 

http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/antrim/tithe-applotments/culfeightrin-parish.php

The names in your family fit with coming from the Culfeightrin area.  The McHenrys were well known, being O’Kanes who had lived in that area for centuries, and the McAllasters are known to have had to flee Kintyre (10 miles away in Scotland) in the 1640s due to a bit of unpleasantness with the Campbells at Dunaverty at the bottom of the Kintyre peninsula.  Some fighting, a few severed heads. That sort of thing. Many of the survivors ended up across in Ireland in the Glens of Antrim. The cover of Turner’s book has a fine photo of Arthur McAlister’s house in Cushendall. Now a coffee shop, but no bad thing. Photo attached. But that’s the McAllaster origins. Turner explains it in a bit more detail.

I have also attached a page from Turners book with a reference to McHendry in Culfeightrin. Doesn’t mean it’s your family but just to confirm they may come from that area.

Possibly DNA testing may be a way of matching with others who have additional information about precisely where the family originate in Culfeightrin. Family Tree DNA reportedly has more people with Ulster roots than any other company. That obviously increases the chances of finding a match. You might want to try them or, if you have already tested, you can transfer your results to them for no fee.

The North of Ireland Family History Society is running an Ulster DNA project in conjunction with FTDNA and can offer testing kits at a reduced price.  http://www.nifhs.org (Go to DNA project on the website).

Have you looked for other children to those parents (Robert & Cathy)? If any stayed in Ireland then it might be possible to trace the family further. (With a quick check I can see Hugh bapt 1st April 1829 & Mary 16th Oct 1831. The Blacks pop up as sponsors. You might want to work on them to see what you can find).

Culfeightrin is a hill farming area with a few small towns/villages at the coast such as Cushendall. Couple of good pubs I could recommend but probably not much use if you are in OZ.

Happy to answer more questions.  

As posted elsewhere on this site, I descend from Patrick & Mary (Laverty) Hamilton of Culfeightrin (likely Tornamoney Townland) Their son (and my ancestor) Dennis Hamilton married Margaret McKendry and I think it is likely that she was a native of one of the Townlands near Tornamoney. Dennis & Margaret were both born just before the available catholic parish registers commence in the late 1820s.

In any case, I welcome Autosomal DNA comparisons with descendants of McKendry families of Culfeightrin Civil Parish and especially those of Cushendun Roman Catholic Parish. Some comparisons are possible at Family Tree DNA and MyHeritage but I recommend copying DNA results to GEDmatch.com for free, where more comparisons are possible with better tools for analysis.

Perry Streeter (perry@streeter.com)

My McHenry's are from this parish. I have visited the parish RC church and viewed the baptism register. It is spelled that way. My gandfather, Henry Mchenry b. 1861 and some of his siblings immigrated to Philadelphia USA during the 1870-80's. i have done my Y-DNA at FTDNA. Some of my matches are McKendry. 

Mike McHenry New Jersey USA

Great photo of the chuch Mike. Thanks. My husband Peter is a descendant of Rose Ann O'CONNOR, whose parents were Daniel O'CONNOR and Rose MacCAULEY from Cushenden also in Culfeightrin. He is a DNA match to you and other members of your family. I have not yet figured out how you are connected. Nor have I pinpointed Rose Ann O'CONNOR although I'm leaning towards West Torr.

I have been in communication with Perry Streeter previously.

Elwyn it's interesting too see a page from Turner's book. I think I'll take a closer look at this book.

Dale Fogarty

What site was the match at? 

Dale i see the matches at GEDMATCH