John Scott 1821 (Londonderry) - 1905 (Australia)

There’s several places called Muff in the area. The townland of Muff that your ancestor evidently came from was on the south side of the River Foyle, in Co. Londonderry.  It’s about 4 miles from Londonderry city, and in Faughanvale parish. So the 3 addresses/places you have tie in nicely enough. (I suspect that when in Australia, John knew that no-one would have heard of a tiny village like Muff and instead said he was from the nearby city). Today the village of Eglinton occupies a fair bit of Muff townland. It’s just beside the City of Derry airport.

 The 1831 census has 3 Scott households listed in Faughanvale parish.  Thomas in the townland of Donnybrewer, William in Glebes, and Alexander in Magheramore. None in Muff, so that would suggest John’s moved there after 1831.

 You mentioned that James Burnside and Lindsay Little, both of Muff, were character witnesses. The 1831 census has just one James Burnside household in Faughanvale, and he lived in Drummanenny, so that might be him; no sign of Lindsay Lyttle though the surname Lyttle is common enough in the area.

 Griffiths Valuation of Ireland has 49 households in Muff in 1858. There’s a Robert Scott shown there with a house, outbuildings and a garden of just over half an acre (plot 13). Typically that could be an agricultural labourer or weavers cottage. That could be connected to your family.

 There are no Scott households there by the time of the 1901 census.

 Your next step would be to check church records for John’s baptism and perhaps that of any siblings. His parents marriage could be there too, though tradition was to marry in the bride’s church so unless she attended the same church, you wouldn’t necessarily expect the marriage to be there. You say he was Protestant but do you know was he Church of Ireland (ie Episcopalian) or Presbyterian (ie of Scottish ancestry)?

Thanks Elwyn.  Your comments have been very helpful.  One of my previous Irish neighbours also suggested to me that Muff was a very common old town name.  From previous research on St Canice's (Church of Ireland), I have found mention of an association with the Scott name(W.E., Robert and Edward) but I have no way of knowing if they are related to my ancestors.  Rev. James Christie who was 'Perpetual Curate of Faughanvale from 1823 until his death in 1846' has a memorial on the east wall of the church.  It was Rev. Christie who certified the registry of baptism for John Scott on his immigration detail and from that I am assuming that the family were members of the Church of Ireland.  I can't find any evidence that there are surviving parish records for this church from the time of his birth in 1821.  Also, I don't know if his parents William and Mary (Clarke) were married there or even if they were native Irish inhabitants or from England or Scotland.  The William Scott (Glebes) from the 1831 census could be his father (I have not seen this one before) but William is a very popular forename amongst the Scott clan.

I will continue the search but it would be really nice (and convenient) to discover a long lost relative still living nearby.  Thank you.

Although there are quite few places called Muff in the area, there?s only 1 in Faughanvale parish, and after doing a few checks I am pretty sure that that Muff, near the City of Derry airport, is the right townland for your family. Today it would normally be called Eglinton, but in the 1800s and most of the 1900s people often used their townland as their address.

I too had a look in the Church of Ireland clerical directory in PRONI, Belfast and James Christie (who signed the baptismal document) was curate of Faughanvale parish from 1821 till at least the late 1830s. So that tells you it?s the right parish.

There are surviving parish records for this time but there are gaps in them. There?s copy in PRONI (MIC1P/190). They are not on-line but I have had a quick look at them for you. There?s a burial of a William Scott of Muff on 30.11.1856 aged 72. Cause of death apoplexy. That might be John?s father.

James Burnside of Eglinton died 12.9.1862 aged 72. Cause bronchitis.

I had a look at the baptisms and couldn?t see John Scott?s c 1821. However 3 months are missing from July ? Sept 1821 so that might explain it.

Other Scott deaths I noticed were:

William Scott of Muff aged 4, buried 9.2.1853

Annie Scott of Eglinton 2.2.1879 aged 60. Either a sister or sister in law to John perhaps? (Her death certificate would tell you whether she was married or not).

I noticed several Glebe Scott births, deaths and marriages at the same time as your family were in Muff, so I think they are a separate family.

I didn?t see William & Mary?s marriage but tradition was to marry in the bride?s church, so if she attended a different church then you would need to look there for the marriage.

Since your family were evidently baptised and buried in the Church of Ireland I don?t think there?s much doubt they were of that denomination.

If the Scotts originated in Scotland then the main migration/plantation in Co. Londonderry was in the 1600s. (By the 1700s they were starting to leave again, rather than still arriving). So I would expect your ancestors to have been in Ireland for 3 or 4 generations prior to William & Mary. However, if of Scottish origins, I would also have expected them to have been Presbyterian. As they were Church of Ireland that generally indicates English origins, rather than Scottish (certainly in Co Londonderry) but people did change denominations on marriage and so you cannot be totally certain.

Thanks AA.  You have gone to a lot of trouble and I appreciate your assistance very much.  The information you retrieved from PRONI will be a big help.  This is information I am unable to obtain here in Australia.

After reading your comments, I think it is likely that my ancestors were in Ireland for several generations before John Scott arrived on the scene.  Maybe they are related to Rev. Gideon Scott (Chaplain for William III) who established the Willsborough Estate in 1696.  This would tie in with the Glebe Scotts.  As I understand it, glebe is actually cultivable church land.  Is it  possible then that William Scott had access to farmland on Church land, maybe through some sort of family connection to the Church.

You have given me options to follow up on and some hope of tracking down my Scott ancestors.

Glebe land was land that the established church (Church of Ireland) held as a result of a Royal grant. Often used by the Rector/Vicar to grow crops to supplement his income. It also had the benefit of being free from tithes (church taxes). It was often sublet to farmers and others the same way as any land might be sublet. Being a farmer on glebe land didn?t necessarily make you specially favoured or distinguished. You were just another tenant, save that you didn?t always have to pay tithes.

Elwyn

Thanks Elwyn.

There are lots of gaps in my local knowledge and thanks to this site and helpful members like yourself, I should make some progress.  I have ordered a death cert for Annie Scott as mentioned in your previous message.  Not sure what sort of result this will provide but at this stage I can only move forward via the process of elimination.

Geoff