Searching for Andrew Brooks

Keith,

The full information in the 1831 census for Carmane (more commonly spelled Carmean) tells us that Andrew Brooks had 3 males in his household and 4 females (all Presbyterian) plus 1 female RC servant. So probably a farmer. (Farmers could generally afford servants. People further down to social scale could not).

Going forward to Griffiths Valuation for 1859 we find one Brooks household in the townland. That was Elizabeth Brooks who had plots 10 & 11. Together these amounted to just over 42 acres of farmland. Usually when a woman is listed in Griffiths, she’s a widow, so that makes me wonder if she was Andrew Brooks widow. In which case, presumably it’s not the right family. But it’s not possible to say for certain at present.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml

The revaluation records show that Elizabeth Brooks was replaced by Robert Gilmore in 1879. That suggests she had died. https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni

There is a death registered in Magherafelt on 3.10.1879 aged 73. You can view the original certificate on-line on the GRONI website, using the “search registrations” option:

https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk

You will need to open an account and buy some credits. It costs £2.50 (sterling) to a view a certificate.

No Brooks households in Carmean by 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Londonderry/Brackaghslievegallion/Carmean/

Probably the next step would be to search church records for the family to see if their marriage is there and for children’s baptisms. Presbyterians don’t follow the parish system and so which church you attend is a matter of personal preference and not necessarily the nearest to where you lived. Someone living in Carmean might have attended church in Moneymore or Magherafelt. There’s 1 Presbyterian church in Magherafelt and 3 in Moneymore. Copies of their records are held in PRONI, the public record office, in Belfast. They are not on-line. So a personal visit is required to view them.

Elwyn,

Thanks for your reply and helpful information.

Since the clues available all seem to be hard copy and available only for personal inspection, I'm thinking that further progress is problematic and could be made only by someone in Ireland, probably a professional. I'm in Canada, 84 years old and lack the stamina for such a trip and search myself.

I greatly appreciate your thoughtful contribution in helping me to consider the available options.

Keith

The PRONI website contains a list of researchers whom you might wnat to contact:

http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/research_and_records_held/can_someone_else_do_research_for_me/independent_commercial_researchers.htm

Thanks, Elwyn,

That's my next avenue of inquiry.

Keith

Keith

Hi my name is Denise and I too have a gt gt grandfather called Andrew Brooks from this part of County Derry. However my Andrew Brooks was born circa 1842 and died in Auckland, New Zealand in 1883, just over 3 years after emigrating with his family. I feel there must be some connection between your Andrew Brooks and mine, perhaps your Andrew is my Andrew's uncle. 

From his New Zealand death certificate my Andrew's parents were John Brooks and Elizabeth Sloan. The certificate only gives his place of birth as Ireland, it is the birth's of his children that took me back to the Magherafelt area. Not all the children's births seems to have been registered, but of the two I have found one gives the families abode ad Lisnamonon and the other as Cairmaine.

Are you aware of any Brooks relations that went to New Zealand?

Regards 

Denise

Hi Denise,

Thanks for getting in touch.

I know very little more than has been posted. I don't doubt that your Andrew and mine could have been related but can offer you no evidence.

My great-great-grandfather, Andrew Brooks was married to Esther Davison who came to Canada with several children after Andrew's death  c1837. I joined RootsIreland for a month and got Magherafelt baptismal records for all their children I know about. My great-grandfather left Canada for the US and my grandfather was born there but was orphaned and returned to Canada to be raised by his aunt as Brooke, not Brooks. I've never heard of a New Zealand connection but certainly couldn't rule it out.

I wish I could be more help.

Keith