Ancestry search

Hi, 

Thanks for your message.

Have you tried looking for information in Church records? If you could find a baptismal/birth cert for Matthew  it will give you the names of his parents, which in turn should help you find records for any siblings he may have had. Unfrotunately, the chances of finding birth records for his parents are quite slim, as the reality is that documents prior to 1800 simply may not exist.

Most Catholic records are held locally. One website which may help you is the irishtimes website. Here they give an overview of what records are available in specific parishes. For Larne, follow this link:

http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/fuses/rcparishmaps/index.cfm?fuseaction=showlikerecords&citycounty=antrim&CityCounty=Antrim&parish=Larne

For Church of Ireland records check:

 http://ireland.anglican.org/about/42

 http://www.nationalarchives.ie/

http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/family_history/family_history_key_sources.htm

Also, some Catholic and C of I records are currently being uploaded free of charge to www.irishgenealogy.ie/index.html However, this is an ongoing project so not all records are available yet.

You could also do a search of your great great grandfather (once you have a name) in the Tithe Applotment Books. This is a land survey that dates from 1823 to 1838. You can do a search of this at http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp

In terms of finding out information on Catherine, do you know much about her emigration? Generally, more information was given at the port of arrival rather than that of departure. If you knew where she landed, this may be a place to find information-and perhaps even an exact place of origin. Once you have this, it should be easier to find information on her. For immigration information in Canada check the National Library and Archives at  http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/index-e.html

Some other websites which may help you are:

The National Archives of Ireland http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/

The National Library of Ireland http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx

The National Archives UK ? genealogy search: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/

The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/family_history.htm

Family Search: https://familysearch.org/  

I hope that this helps you. Remember to post as much information as you can with regard to the people you are researching. The more information you post, the more likely it is that one of our volunteers will be able to advise or assist you. Also include information concerning which sources you may have already used so others may further your search.

Kind regards,

Genealogy Support

Snoddy?s a fairly common name in the area. However here?s  a probate extract that might relate to the family:

Full Abstract :

The Will of James Snoddy late of Altilevally County Antrim late National School Teacher who died 13 January 1885 at same place was proved at Belfast by Matthew Snoddy of Ballyrickardbeg and Thomas McWilliam of Ballyrickardmore both in said County Farmers the Executors.

You can read the will on the PRONI website. It mentions a Mathew in the USA and a Mary Cain nee Snoddy in Iowa,.

http://applications.proni.gov.uk/DCAL_PRONI_WillsCalendar/WillsSearchImage.aspx?id=185447

James appears to have been born in 1814 acc his death cert.