Christopher McKinlay (or McKinley) born Tyrone about 1822

Bernie,

Statutory registration of births, deaths & RC marriages didn’t start in Ireland till 1864. (Non RC marriages were registered from 1845). Prior to that you are largely dependent on church records. To do that you need to know what exact denomination the person was, and ideally, roughly where in the county they lived. To make matters worse, not all church records have survived, and not all of what has survived is on line.

I looked at the 1901 census for Co.  Tyrone. There are 20 McKinley/lays listed. Not all were actually born in the county but most were either Church of Ireland (ie Anglican) or Presbyterian. So if you don’t know Christopher’s denomination they may be the two to focus on.

I also looked at Griffiths Valuation for 1858. There were about 40 McKinley households in Co. Tyrone spread across the county in about 10 or more parishes.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=nameSearch

If you have no other clues you could search the church records for those parishes. Some are on-line on subscription sites such as rootsireland, the others are mostly on microfilm in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. A personal visit is required to view them.

Otherwise, DNA testing might find a link to a family that doe shave more information on the family roots. (From the name, location and likely denomination, I’d say the family probably originated in Scotland in the 1600s).

Hi Bernie & Elwyn

The baptism record is on rootsireland but has scant info:

William McKinley 

Date of Baptism 30 April 1821

Father William McKinley

Address Botera 

Parish Drumragh

Only found 1 sibling

Christopher bap 30/4/1821

No luck with parents' marriage

Col

Thanks to Col’s helpful additional information, I searched the tithe applotment records for Botera Upper townland in 1830 and found 2 McKinley farms there, headed by Alexander & James respectively. Presumably related to your ancestor.

http://www.cotyroneireland.com/tithe/drumragh.html

Then rolling forward to 1860, Griffiths Valuation lists 3 McKinley farms in the townland. Alexander jnr had plot 7 (17 acres); Alexr snr had plot 9 (9 acres) and Robert had plot 10 (13 acres). In addition to this Alexr snr and Robert jointly had a joint share of a mountain for grazing purposes.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=nameSearch

Alexander junior is replaced by Robert and William junior in 1901; Alexander senior is replaced by Samuel in 1888 and then by James in 1903; Robert is replaced by Margaret in 1875 and then by Eliza in 1889.

I found some probate abstracts that go with these families, on the PRONI wills site:

The Will of William M'Kinley late of Botera Cottage County Tyrone Pensioner who died 9 August 1892 at same place was proved at Londonderry by Sarah M'Kinley of Botera Cottage Widow the sole Executrix.

The above will is on-line. He left everything to his wife Sarah. He is described as a pensioner which at that time usually indicated he had either been a policeman or in the army or navy.

Administration of the Estate of Sarah McKinlay late of Botera County Tyrone Widow who died 25 May 1908 granted at Londonderry to James McKinlay Farmer.

Probate of the Will of James McKinley late of Botera County Tyrone Farmer who died 6 September 1914 granted at Londonderry to Margaret J. McKinley the Widow

Probate of the Will of Samuel M'Kinley late of Botera County Tyrone Gentleman who died 25 April 1901 granted at Londonderry to William Mellon Farmer and Robert Arbuckle Shop Assistant.

McKinley Robert of Botera Omagh county Tyrone farmer died 13 January 1942 Probate Londonderry 23 March to Mary Roberta McKinley widow. Effects £617 5s.

4 McKinley households in Botera Upper in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Clanabogan/Botera__Upper/

3 in 1911:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Clanabogan/Botera_Upper/

Looking at the current phone book for the immediate Botera area, I see 1 McKinley household. So it looks as though there are some descendants still there today.

Dear Bernie, are you you still active in this forum. I am a decendant of Eliza Jane McKinley b. ~ 1834 Co Tyrone, daughter of William McKinley and Ann Martin, brother of your Christopher McKinley. I have some information that you might like to have so please let me know if you are still researching this part of your family. King regards, Melissa