Catherine (Cathy) Steel

I would start by looking at the 1856 marriage certificate. Catherine is indexed under “Cath.” Place of registration is Moyle. Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church (which should be on the certificate, unless it was a Registry Office marriage). That church may be the place to look for her baptism and that of any siblings. You can view the 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 to a view a certificate).

The certificate should give you her townland and father’s occupation which may enable you to identify that family in Griffiths and earlier records eg the tithes and the 1803 agricultural census, and Rev Traill’s 1803 census of Ballintoy. (The Steel family might also come from Toberkeigh as I see a Robert Steel, blacksmith, living there in 1803).

William & Catherine had 12 children, 11 of whom were still alive in 1911. Catherine herself was still alive in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Croagh/Toberkeigh/922620/

and in 1911:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Prolusk/Toberkeagh/113898/

What may be her death was registered in Ballycastle on 17.4.1927 aged 88. Again you can view that on the GRONI site mentioned above.
 

I noted this probate extract for a Robertson from Toberkeigh. The full file should be held in PRONI in Belfast:

Robertson John of Toberkeigh Bushmills county Antrim farmer died 27 September 1958 at Route Hospital Ballymoney county Antrim Probate Belfast 7 January to Alexander Edward Martin solicitor. Effects £1353 11s. 5d

A Steele farm in Ballintoy in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Croagh/Toberkeigh/922613/

In Griffiths Valuation, James Robinson senior and James Robinson junior are both recorded as farming in Toberkeigh in 1861 (Robertson/Robinson are interchangeable as surnames). Adam Steel is also recorded as farming there that year.

Hi Julie & Elwyn

Here's the marriage record from rootsireland:

http://Date of Marriage: 31-Oct-1856 Parish / District: MOYLE County: Co. Antrim Husband Wife Name: William Robertson Catherine Steel Address: Toberkeagh Toberkeagh Denomination: Presbyterian Presbyterian Occupation: FARMER Age: 26 19 Status: Bachelor (Previously unmarried) Spinster (Previously unmarried) Husband's Father Wife's Father Name: James Robertson James Steel Address: Denomination: Occupation: FARMER LABOURER Husband's Mother Wife's Mother Name: Address: Denomination: Occupation: Witness 1 Witness 2 Name: Alexander McCaw Margaret Jane Steel

She was aged 19 & father was James:

This was the only birth/baptism however:

http://Name: Catherine Steel Date of Birth: Date of Baptism: 05-Mar-1828 Address: Ng Parish/District: CROSSROADS

Gender: Female County Co. Donegal Denomination: Presbyterian Father: James Steel Mother: Mary McReady

Col

Thanks Col.

That confirms what I suspected ie that Catherine’s also came from the same townland as William.  We know from the 1901 census that Catherine was born in Co. Antrim. She was probably baptised in Toberkeagh Presbyterian church (c 1837 going by the age on her marriage cert). Their records are not on-line, so it won’t be possible to trace it that way. There is a copy of that church’s baptism and early marriage records (1829 onwards) in PRONI in Belfast but a personal visit is required to view them.

I see 3 possible James Steel(e) death registered in Ballycastle 1864 – 1900. 26.7.1871 aged 70, 4.1.1879 aged 82 & 27.5.1885 aged 78. You would probably just need to pay to view them all to find the right one.

Catherine’s father was a farm labourer in Toberkeagh. Farm labourers aren’t generally listed in Griffiths Valuation and certainly he doesn’t appear. However he may well be related to the Adam Steele in Griffiths and the 1901 census.

Rev Traill’s census of the parish of Ballintoy in 1803 lists Robert Steel, blacksmith in Toberkeagh, with his wife Margaret Taggart and their children: Robert, John, James, Samuel, Elizabeth & Peggy. Nearby was a Betty Taggart married to James Forbes, weaver, so she might be a relation.

The tithe applotment records for Toberkeagh for 1824 list Adam Steel. However only farmers and those with land are generally listed in the tithes and so blacksmiths, weavers & farm labourers wouldn’t be shown.

Thank-you so much - I need to go through this now, and inwardly digest! 

Julie