Porter

Jayne,

Griffiths Valuation for 1858 shows two Porter farms in Carrowen. John Porter was on plot 5 which was a 45 acre farm, and beside him on plot 6 was David Porter with 143 acres (big by Irish standards).

Both farms had evidently changed hands by 1901. The family may have been Presbyterian (indicating Scottish ancestry). In 1901 there was just this one member left there, though evidently offspring had married into a Campbell family.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Donegal/Burt/Carrowen/1189412/

Burt Presbyterian church only has baptism records starting in 1833 and marriages from 1837, so you seem unlikely to be able to confirm Rachel and Andrew’s baptisms from church records.

The tithe applotment records for Burt, which would show who held the farms in the 1820s, appear to be lost so it has not been possible to obtain any information from that source.

The Valuation Office in Dublin holds the revaluation records which takes Griffiths forwards and would record when John & David’s farms changed hands and who took them over.

I notice other Porter farms in the general area eg in Carrowreagh. These may have been distantly related to the Carrowen families.

The Donegal Muster Roll from 1630 lists Porters in the general area  (ie Barony of Inishowen) and so there is evidence of settlement there from at least that period. There is a note against the name James Porter  of the barony of Inishowen(who had just a sword) to say that 5 men were named James Porter. 3 appear close together and may be from the one family. The other tow would appear top have bene from different families. There was also an Adam Porter and a William Porter (probably same family). Again with just a sword only.