James Taggart 1785

Sauntag,

PRONI has the following document: MIC/68

It’s a set of title deeds & testamentary papers relating to property at Glenwhirry. Graham, Taggart & Killen families. Dated 1725. Might be worth looking at.

Also I see in their names index that an Archibald Taggart of Glenwherry had a will probated in 1695; John in 1791 & Grisell Taggart alias Bell, of Glenwherry had one in probated in 1718. (She was likely a widow). All of those 3 will were destroyed in the 1922 fire. All that remains is the probate information given here.

You are up against what genealogists refer to the 1800 barrier in Irish research. It can often prove very difficult to get back much earlier than 1800 due to the absence of sufficient records.  Did this Taggart family live in Glenwhirry townland, or Glenwhirry parish? If it was the parish do you know which townland. (I see 3 Taggart properties in Glenwhirry parish in Griffiths in 1862, in Glenhead, Jockeysquarter and Glenwhirry itself, so it’s important to identify the right family.)

What was James senior’s occupation, do you know?

Have you searched local graveyards for the family? If they were farmers, you may get a gravestone. If they were weavers or labourers you mostly won’t.

Hi Elwyn,

Thank you for your reply. It's great to have a response this way.

I made an enquiry to dfcProni last month regarding that document you mentioned MIC/68 but no action yet, they say they are swamped with requests.

James b. 1785 was a farmer and his information says that he was living in "Upper Glenwhirry" townland

This comes from a survey dated 1813 made by Ballyeaston Parish.

There was a John Taggart b. 1783 listed also a farmer and living in the same townland.

From the names you listed in the probates, John 1791 looks interesting.

About the cemetery; I would love to browse through those records, but I live in Canada. Maybe one day, I'll get over there.

Thanks again for your reply.

Regards

Sauntag

PRONI tend to be quite expensive, and they won't do trawling requests. So if you want a copy of a baptism or marriage with a reasonably acurate date, or a copy of a lease or something like that, they will do it, but if you need to go through a whole microfilm (the prefix MIC = microfilm) looking for possible references to a family, they tend not to do that as it just takes too long. You might need to employ a local researcher, in the Belfast area, who will probably do it quicker too.

Elwyn

Thank you for your reply and that piece of advice, I'll have to be wary.

About a local researcher: do you know how I would find such a person?

I was looking at what records I have and noticed that my Taggarts were living in "Lower Glenwhirry Townland" not the upper part.

I suppose the people taking the survey might have made that division, for their own purposes; or is that a real division?

Thank you again for your interest and help

Regards

Sauntag

Sauntag,

If PRONI agree to do the work, they will quote you a price, and then if its acceptable you pay in advance. Their rates tend to be around £18.50 per 15 minutes work. Most researchers are less than that. Researchers in the PRONI area: http://sgni.net

Or, if you want, I can do the research for you next time I am in PRONI.  If so, e-mail me on Ahoghill@irelandxo.com

Regarding the townland name, today there is simply one townland called Glenwhirry. At 1243 acres, it’s a fair size and so it wouldn’t be surprising if locally it was divided into 2 halves. But I don’t see that on the Griffiths map. There’s areas called Whitehaw, Brae Hill, Reddale and Grahamston, but I don’t see any Upper & Lower. Asking locally might produce more information though.

PRONI have a couple of maps that might help.  T1853/1 is dated 1831 and T2971/1/19A & B are dated 1720. Both may show more detail.