Gorman Family

I assume the family were RC. If so, the bad news is that Dromore parish baptism records only start in 1835 so you are not going to find a record of the couples baptisms. The marriages start in 1833 though so you might want to check them in case they married in the period 1833 – 1836. (Couples often emigrated soon after marriage, so you might get lucky). The RC parish records are on-line free on the National Library site:

http://registers.nli.ie/parishes

The 1834 tithes list most people with land in Dromore. (So that’s farmers but not labourers and weavers. So it’s not every household).

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

You’ll see 3 or 4 townlands with Gormans, plus a whole load with McQuaid. Those might be the townlands to focus on but you will probably need DNA testing to locate any living descendants there today. (Few Irish families would know their family tree back to the early 1800s. Most will just know 3 generations back).

Greetings! I, too, am searching for the Gorman family from Dromore. My grandmother and a few of her sibs immigrated through Ellis Island during the early 1900s. I do have a written letter from Ellen, a sister who stayed behind and the return address is Magheragart . I visted for a few hours last week and hope to get back next year as well. Any information regarding births, deaths, obits, etc would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Trish

There are 3 townlands named Magheragart in the Dromore area. One is known simply as Magheragart, the other as Magheragart/Sessioaghs and the 3rd as Magheragart (Donnell). There are Gorman households in two of them. Indeed Gorman is a fairly common surname in that area and care will need to be taken to ensure you follow the right family.

You mention an Ellen who remained in Ireland, around 1900. Is this her here with her parents and siblings:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Dromore/Magheragart/1741606/

There were 3 other Gorman households in the townland and so they may well all be related:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Dromore/Magheragart/

James & Ellen Gorman married around 1871 and 13 children, of whom 12 were alive in 1911. Only 9 children remain at home by 1911 including Ellen, which fits with your information. She was a teacher so likely to be a letter writer.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Dromore/Magheragart/870318/

I found these probate abstracts for Gormans from Magheragart on the PRONI wills site:

Gorman James of Magheragart Dromore county Tyrone farmer died 8 November 1915 Administration (with Will) Londonderry 18 February to Daniel Gorman farmer. Effects £27.D.B.N. DERRY 15.7.82

Gorman James of Magheragart (Donnell) Dromore county Tyrone farmer died 16 May 1919 Probate Londonderry 17 February to Magdalene O'Connor married woman. Effects £3.

Gorman Michael of Magheragart Dromore county Tyrone farmer died 2 February 1914 Administration Londonderry 14 January 1944 to Michael Gorman grocer. Effects £25.

Gorman Patrick of Magheragart Dromore county Tyrone farmer died 28 February 1937 Administration Londonderry 14 May to Annie Gorman spinster. Effects £352 6s. 2d.

Only these abstracts are on-line. If you want to read the full files and wills, then you need to go to PRONI in Belfast and look them up. The last one died intestate so there won’t be a will for it, but the probate file should still contain some information about next of kin.

Access to births within the past 100 years, marriages within the past 75 and deaths within the past 50 years, in what is now Northern Ireland, is restricted and you can’t look them up on-line. You need to go into PRONI or GRONI in Belfast and look them up there. (Or get someone else to do that for you). They are the only two locations where recent data is publicly available.

Yes, that is my grandmother's family, for sure. Is Proni an actual place or can I access information on line?

Patricia,

We have had some technical problems with our notification systems and your message has only just reached me. Sorry for the delay.

Yes PRONI is a real place. It’s the public records office in Belfast. A few of their commonly used records are on-line but for many they are in paper or microfilm format and a personal visit is required.

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/public-record-office-northern-ireland-proni

If you are unable to go yourself, you could employ a researcher. Researchers in the PRONI area: http://sgni.net