Hello
I live in Vancouver BC. My great-great grandfather came to Canada from county Tyrone in 1833. That's all we know about his Irish roots. His name was John Laughlin. He settled in the Ottawa Valley. I know this is pretty vague but does anybody have any tips on locating where he came from in Tyrone or possible relations still living there?
thanks
Bob Laughlin
Bob Laughlin
Saturday 23rd Feb 2013, 04:20PMMessage Board Replies
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Hi Bob,
Unfortunately, it may be difficult to find John?s place of origin without more information.
Have you tried looking through all family documentation relating to John, either official or unofficial, to see if any other place name is mentioned? Documents such as wills, census records, letters, family bibles, diary entries.
Have you tried looking into his emigration to Canada? Canadian immigration records from the period can be quite hit and miss, however you may be lucky and find some useful information in these. For immigration information in Canada check the National Library and Archives at: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/index-e.html
You could also try looking for some church records online, if you can find one relating to the family it will give you a parish name.
www.familysearch.org have a large collection of genealogical records including some birth records from Ireland.
www.rootsireland.ie have a huge collection of church records, however you have to pay to use this site.
I did a search for Laughlins in Tyrone in Griffith?s Valuation. This was a property valuation survey carried out in Ireland 1848-1864. There were some results, all of which were in Donacavey parish. These records do not have any genealogical information however, so there is no way to know if they are related to John, however it may be a starting point for your search.
You could try looking at church records in the parish to see if you can find any records relating to John.
Most Catholic records are held locally so you may need to write to the local parish priest for possible assistance. One website that you may find useful is the Irish Times where they give an overview of what records are available in specific parishes. For Donacavey parish, follow this link:
For information on Church of Ireland records check: http://ireland.anglican.org/about/42 and http://www.nationalarchives.ie/.
Some other websites that you may find useful 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
Genealogy Links: http://www.genealogylinks.net/uk/ireland/tyrone/index.html
You could also try contacting the Irish World Heritage Centre for assistance-a fee may apply. Here are their contact details:
Irish World Heritage Centre,
51 Dungannon Road,
Coalisland,
Co. Tyrone.
B71 4HP
Phone: +44 28 8774 6065 Email: info@irish-world.com
I hope that this is helpful. Remember to post any new information you find. 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