With your kind assistance,
I am trying to locate information, particularly the marriage record, on my paternal great grandfather, James McGowan. and his spouse, Sarah Devlin. Their son, James Joseph McGowan, my paternal grandfather, was baptized in St. Peter's parish in Belfast, County Antrim on 26 May, 1884. On his US based documentation, my paternal grandfather (James Joseph McGowan), noted his birth date as May 26, 1884. This is the same as his baptismal date. Was it typical to baptize on the same date as the birth? Additionally, if the baptismal date is known through the parish, would the birth date be available from the parish as well?
Any assistance would be appreciated.
Shawn McGowan.
shawnmcgowan
Monday 9th Dec 2013, 10:52PMMessage Board Replies
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Shawn,
Yes, in RC families, it was common to baptise the same day the child was born. The theological reason being that if the child wasn't baptised and suddenly died, it could be left in limbo. (Other denominations don?t subscribe to that belief and so tend to leave it longer before baptising).
Some parishes note the date of birth on the baptismal record and some don?t. There?s no great consistency. The only way to find out would be to look the record up (which involves contacting the church as they have the only copy for a baptism in 1884).
Elwyn
Ahoghill Antrim
Tuesday 10th Dec 2013, 12:41AM