Mullan - Jackson Marriage circa 1885 .... Tyrone/Derry

Hello Gerry
Thanks for your message. It looks like you have carried out all of the usual steps we would recommend.
I'm going to pass you query onto one of our local volunteers for some further advice.
We will be in touch shortly.

Thanks
Bernadette
Volunteer IrelandXO

Hi Gerry

I've spoken to a local genealogist and he has suggested the following advice:

 

Whilst your date is 1885, you are getting close to the 1864 date.  Prior to 1864 and civil registration of births in Ireland you will have to rely on church registers.  Dates of commencement and quality of information in church registers vary from parish to parish and from denomination to denomination. Access to church registers, in the absence of indexes and databases, is generally gained through knowledge of an ancestor's parish address and religious denomination. 

There is no national index to Irish church registers. To date, only the county-based genealogy centres have attempted any large scale, systematic indexing of church registers in their localities. If you have not already done so, I would always recommend that, in the first instance, researchers should examine the indexes of births, marriages and deaths to this database at www.rootsireland.ie. 

Although RootsIreland is the largest online source of Irish church register transcripts, it must be emphasised that a failure to find relevant birth/marriage entries in this database doesn't mean that the events you are looking for didn't happen in Ireland. It simply means that they are not recorded in the database; for example, they may be recorded in a record source which doesn't survive for the time period of interest or in a source that has not been computerised.   

It is quite possible that the baptisms and marriage you seek occurred before their written confirmation in a surviving church register.

If you wish to identify all available church registers in County Derry and in Strabane, County Tyrone, microfilm copies of which are held in our national archives in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) in Belfast you should explore their Guide To Church Records, which can be accessed on their website at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/publications/proni-guide-church-records as it lists, in alphabetical order by civil parish, church registers of all denominations for most parishes in Ulster and their commencement dates, together with their microfilm reference details.

Quite often the only realistic strategy in tracing ancestors beyond church registers (which are the building blocks of family history) is to examine surviving land records and census substitutes, often compiled by civil parish, for any references to a surname or given name of interest. www.billmacafee.com.  This is an excellent resource for accessing and researching census substitutes.

 

regards

Bernadette

IrelandXO Volunteer

 

Attached Files

Hello Gerry,

I’m not related but did a very extensive search for the civil registration marriage of Daniel Mullan and Mary/Minnie Jackson but, like you, didn’t find it. It’s possible the marriage was not recorded by the registrar in the Civil Registration District where the marriage took place. The Civil Registration District for Moneymore and Dolusky is Magherafelt.

Hopefully you will hear back from the Catholic Parish in Moneymore stating they have the marriage record.

This reply has mainly to do with the parents of Mary Jackson and Daniel Mullan. I believe I found out who Mary Jackson’s parents were, but the discovery of her parents was arrived at in a round about fashion.

Information I uncovered about Daniel’s parents is only circumstantial at this point in time however. I’ll have more on his parents may have been and circumstantial evidence later.

I located the Mullan family in both the 1901 and 1911 census enumerations, showing they had been living in the townland Tullyodonnell, District Electoral Division (D.E.D.) of The Rock, County Tyrone.

Transcriptions of both the 1901 and 1911 census were found at the National Archives of Ireland link.

For the 1901 census transcription go to: https://is.gd/WN1VP7

For the 1911 census transcription go to: https://is.gd/vzTTOw

Once the 1901 and 1911 transcriptions download, make sure to click on “Show all information” to view the full census pages.

You’ll see that ages in the census returns do not always add up over the 10 year period. For example, in the 1901 census Daniel Mullan is 45 years old, but in the 1911 census he is 60 years old.

In the 1901 census Mary Mullan is 30 years old but in the 1911 census she is 49 years old.

On the other hand, the age of their daughter Mary is consistent between the two enumerations, as she is shown to be 12 in 1901 and 22 in 1922. As you will see additional information discovered about daughter May was instrumental in locating her mother’s parents.

What is not consistent about Mary between the two enumerations is her county of birth. The 1901 census has her born in County Tyrone, but in the 1911 census her birthplace is County Derry.

Mary’s age of 12 in 1901 and 22 in 1911, places her year of birth in 1889. To see if her age is accurate in the enumerations I looked for her civil registration birth index at the free irishgenealogy.ie website and found it.

Mary was born in Dolusky, County Londonderry, on 25 March 1889. Her father is Daniel Mullan, a farmer, whose residence is “Tillydonnel.” Her mother is Mary Mullan, formerly Jackson. The person who was present at the birth and who reported the birth to the registrar, William McIver, was “Sharlet” Jackson. William McIver recorded Mary’s birth in the Magherafelt Registration District on 22 June 1889. Mary’s birth is the last one in the register at Number 8, which you can access at: https://is.gd/ChKM7a

I suspect that Sharlet Jackson was Mary Sr’s sister, who helped to deliver the baby. If so, Sharlet’s parents and Mary’s parents would be the same.

Civil registration of births in Ireland were recorded beginning in 1864, and so if Charlotte Jackson had been born after 1863, there may be a birth record for her. If born in Doluskey, this would be stronger evidence that she was Mary’s sister, as your records show that Mary was born in Doluskey.

I looked for Charlotte’s birth record at irishgenealogy.ie and found it. In the record her first name appears to be spelled “Charlette.” She was born in “Delusky,” on 26 August 1873. Her father is James Jackson, of Delusky. His occupation is farmer. Charlette’s mother is Mary Jackson, formerly Henry. James Jackson, the father, reported the birth to the registrar, whose name I could not make out. The registrar recorded Charlette’s birth in the Magherafelt Registration District on 9 September 1873. The birth is at Number 96 in the register: https://is.gd/lBUt9g

I now wanted to see if there was a birth record for Mary Jackson Mullan. In the 1901 census she is 30 years old, placing her year of birth circa 1871. In the 1911 census she is 49 years old, placing her year of birth circa 1862. If born before 1864 there will not be a birth record for her.

I didn’t find a birth record for Mary Jackson after 1863, and so I looked for her baptism transcription and found it. I also uncovered the baptism transcriptions for four of her siblings as well. The Jackson children were baptized in the Ardtrea and Desertlin Catholic Parish, County Londonderry. The parish also crosses over to the northeast section of County Tyrone. The alternate name of this Catholic Parish is Moneymore.

The baptism transcriptions were found at the Find My Past (FMP) website, which is mainly a subscription-based or Pay-As-You-Go website, with the exception that FMP does not charge to search Irish Catholic baptisms, marriages, and available church burial transcriptions for all of Ireland. Most of the church transcriptions are for the 19th century.

To look for records, or view records at FMP you will first have to register. Registration is free.

The search engine for the FMP baptism transcriptions can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/jnmqmuv

The search engine for Catholic marriages can be accessed at: http://tinyurl.com/jzylkjy

For Catholic Parish burial transcriptions go to the search engine at: http://tinyurl.com/j9qe5p9

Attached to each FMP baptism, marriage, and burial transcriptions are links that will take you to copies of the original parish registers held by the National Library of Ireland in Dublin.

The following are the names and baptism years of the Jackson children who were found baptized in the Ardtrea and Desertlin/Moneymore Catholic Parish:

James Jackson, 1856
Mary Jackson, 1858
Mary Jackson, 1863
William Jackson, 1868
Frederick Patrick Jackson, 1878
____

You’ll see there are two baptisms for a Mary Jackson. The Mary Jackson born in 1858 would have died. The Mary born in 1863 would have been named after her, and would be the future wife of James Mullan.

You’ll also see there is a 10 year gap in the baptisms of the Jackson children between William and Frederick Patrick Jackson. After some research I found that the Ardrea and Desertlin/Moneymore baptisms for the years 1872, 1873, 1874, 1876, 1877, 1881 and 1883 are missing in the registers held by the National Library of Ireland. This is why there is no 1873 baptism record for Charlotte Jackson. Also, the National Library of Ireland only has Ardtrea and Desertlin/Moneymore marriage registers to 6 February 1869. But marriages are available for the parish at the subscription RootsIreland for the years 1885 and 1886. Indications are James Mullan and Mary Jackson were married in either1885 of 1886. You can purchase a 1 day, 1 month, 6 months, or 1 year subscription to RootsIreland. RootsIreland has transcribed church registers as well as civil registration registers. For more information about RootsIreland go to: https://www.rootsireland.ie/

There is no guarantee however, that you will uncover the marriage record for James Mullan and Mary Jackson.

To continue with the Jackson baptisms…

THE BAPTISM OF JAMES JACKSON

The FMP transcription shows that James was baptized on 7 December 1856. You can view the baptism transcription at: https://is.gd/en3qiA

Attached to the transcription is a link that will take you to a copy of the original baptism record for James in the Ardtra and Desertlin/Moneymore Catholic Parish, held by the National Library of Ireland. Go to the link at: https://is.gd/RgfPIM

You’ll see two facing pages of the baptism register. James’s baptism is on the right hand page. Scroll down the page until you come to the entry for December 7 in the left margin of the page.

You can enlarge the register pages by means of round icons in the upper center/ right of the screen. The icons are white with green backgrounds. You can also access the full-screen function by clicking on the last icon on the right with the two arrows pointing northeast and southwest.

Along with the month and day of the baptism you’ll also see in the left column the initials B and S.S. The B stands for Baptism. The S.S. stands for Sponsors, or godparents. The sponsors were James Donagher and Sara Devlin. In the right margin of the page you’ll see the numbers 2 and 0. This means that James and Mary paid 2 Shillings as a donation to the church for the baptism of their child James.

THE BAPTISM OF MARY JACKSON

Mary was baptized on 30 October 1858. The FMP entry for her baptism transcription can be found at: https://is.gd/lhEBIF

Mary’s baptism is on the right-hand page of the register at: https://is.gd/BH4IDt

Scroll down the page until you come to the 2nd baptism entry for 30 October.

Her baptism record reads:

“Mary of Jas Jackson and Mary Henry.
S.S. Bernard and Sarann Devlin. 2 0
____

Mary’s godparents were Bernard and Saraann Jackson. Her parents James and Mary donated 2 Shillings to the church for performing the baptism.

THE BAPTISM OF MARY JACKSON

The baptism of the second-born Mary Jackson took place on 13 April 1863. The person from FMP transcribed the maiden name of Mary’s mother as, “Hanory,” When I see a record where names are not transcribed properly, I chalk that up to the original baptism record being difficult to read because of the handwriting, or because of fading, or bad hand-writing and fading, or maybe water damage.

A copy of the original baptism record for Mary is the 4th entry up from the bottom of the right-hand baptism register page at: https://is.gd/sl2VrJ

As you’ll see, the baptism registers is very difficult to read. You have to enlarge the baptism entry for Mary to make it out. You can also see why Mary’s mother’s maiden name had been transcribed as Hanory, instead of Henry. The handwriting is very faded and a challenge to read, making it is difficult to determine the first name of the godfather, but it looks like the godparents are Patrick and Ellen Henry.

The baptism directly after Mary Jackson is for Ann Henry, baptized on 15 April 1863. Her father is John Henry. Her mother’s first name is Ann, whose maiden name looks like Hagan. The godparents are Thomas Henry and Elizabeth Henry. These Henrys were likely related to Mary Henry Jackson.

THE BAPTISM OF WILLIAM JACKSON

William was baptized on 27 December 1868. The FMP transcription of his baptism can be found at: https://is.gd/LlWBux

A copy of the original baptism record for William is on the right-hand baptism page, 4th entry down from the top at: https://is.gd/LQu10l

In the baptism record William’s name is abbreviated as, “Wm.” His godparents are Henry Devlin and Ann Henry. William’s parents paid a 2 Shillings donation to the church.

THE BAPTISM OF FRANCIS PATRICK JACKSON

Francis Patrick was baptized on 11 December 1878 according to his FMP transcription at: https://is.gd/uuQkg0

A copy of the original baptism for Francis is on the right-hand register page, 2nd entry down from the top at: https://is.gd/45RrQL

His godparents are John and Annabella Devlin.

Because they were born after 1863, I next looked for the civil registration birth records for William Jackson and Francis Patrick Jackson at irishgenealogy.ie.

I found the birth record for both children.

William was born in Delusky, Londonderry on 26 December 1868. His father is James Jackson, a farmer residing in Delusky. His mother is Mary Jackson, formerly Henry. James, the father, reported the birth to the registrar, Zachariah Maxwell, who recorded the birth in the Magherafelt Registration District on 1 January 1869. William’s birth is the first entry in the register, Number 365 at: https://is.gd/NsxGb0

I looked for but didn’t find a birth record for a Francis Patrick Jackson, but after a bit more research I discovered his birth was recorded under the first name of Patrick. Patrick Jackson was born in “Doluskey,” Londonderry, on 19 December 1878. His father is James Jackson, a farmer living in Doluskey. Patrick’s mother is Mary Jackson, formerly Henry. James, the father, reported the birth to the registrar, William McIver, who recorded the birth in the Magherafelt Registration District on 27 December 1878. Patrick’s baptism is Number 32 in the register at: https://is.gd/tRnrn5

Because of the ten year gap in time between the birth and baptism of William Jackson in 1868, and Francis Patrick Jackson in 1878, I figured there was the possibility that James Jackson and Mary Henry had several more children during that ten year time period.

From previous experience I knew that the FamilySearch website has a very good collection of Irish civil birth indexes and Catholic Church baptism indexes from 1864 and into the 1870s, and so I looked for more Jackson records at FamilySearch. I located the combination birth and baptism indexes for five more children in the Moneymore Catholic Parish/Magherafelt Civil Registration District.

Their names and dates of birth and or baptism are:

Elisabeth Jackson, 3 March 1865
Bridget Jackson, 30 November 1866
George Jackson, 22 May 1870
Catherine Jackson, 9 May 1872
Annabella Jackson, 23 December 1875
____

If you would like a search for the full birth records of the five children listed above, please let me know in a follow-up reply.

With the addition of the five children recorded in the FamilySearch indexes, I’ve located 10 children of James Jackson and Mary Henry. The names and years of birth of the ten children are below:

James Jackson, 1856
Mary Jackson, 1858
Mary Jackson, 1863
Elisabeth Jackson, 1865
Bridget Jackson, 1866
William Jackson, 1868
George Jackson, 1870
Catherine Jackson, 1872
Annabella Jackson, 1875
Francis Patrick Jackson, 1878
____

James and Mary could have had more than ten children over a 20 year span of time.

I next looked for but did not find the church marriage transcription for James Jackson and Mary Henry at the FMP website.

Gerry, in your research have you come across the surname Henry at all?

I next wanted to see if James Jackson was recorded in an Irish property tax record known as Griffiths Valuation. I specifically wanted to see if he had leased a house and land in the townland of Doluskey, Civil Parish of Artrea.

Griffiths Valuation was enumerated in the 32 counties of Ireland between 1847 and 1864. The valuation for Doluskey and surrounding townlands, was completed by the year 1859.

Unlike a census, Griffiths Valuation did not enumerate individual members of a family, such as husband, wife, and children in a household residence. Those named in the valuation were individuals who paid to lease property, such as land, houses, and outbuildings. Each person who paid to lease the property was called an “Occupier.” The other person listed in Griffiths Valuation was the person who owned the property, or who worked as the middleman collecting the rent on Gale Day for the owner. This middleman was called the “Immediate Lessor.”

You can access Griffiths Valuation transcriptions and original copies for free at the askaboutireland website link at:
http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml

I found James Jackson in Griffiths Valuation, showing that he did lease property in Doluskey. The valuation shows that James lased over 11 acres of land valued at 5 Pounds and 15 Shillings. He also leased a house and office valued at 1 Pound. The total valuation of the property James leased was 6 Pounds and 15 Shillings. He would have paid a percentage of this amount toward the tax.

An “office” in Griffiths Valuation may refer to a barn, stable, blacksmith shop, piggery, etc.

There are only five other occupiers leasing property in Doluskey. Everyone in the townland, including James Jackson, leased their property from the Worshipful Company of Salters.

The Griffiths Valuation page for Doluskey is attached to this reply. James Jackson’s valuation is the first one in Doluskey, at Map Reference Number 1. This map reference has to do with the location of James’s lease on an Ordnance Survey Map of Doluskey that accompanied Griffiths Valuation.

I accessed the map from the askaboutireland website. The map of Doluskey is attached. Doluskey is in the center of the map. James’s property at Map Reference 1 is toward the northeast corner of Doluskey. The Number 1 is just south of the northeast-southwest road. This is the present-day Loup Road. Another road T’s into the Loup Road from the southeast. This is the Ballygruby/Ballygrooby Road.

I’ve also attached an enlarged version of the map focusing on James’s property. On this map you can readily see that two structures are located where the roads meet. The roads form the shape of a sideways V, that is, <. The bigger of the two structures is likely James’s house, which is at a right-angle to the Loup Road. The other structure parallel with the Ballygrooby Road heading southeast is likely a barn. Just to the east of the house and barn appear to be a line of trees.

I found the junction of these two roads on a Google Map of Doluskey, though the town of Doluskey is not labeled on the map. The road heading northeast from the southwest is the Loup Road. The road that T’s into the Loup Road from the southeast is the Ballygruby/Ballygrooby Road. See the map at: https://is.gd/nHO8jt

For a Google Street View of the Ballygrooby Road on the right, the Loup Road on the left, and the field between where the two roads meet, go to the following link: https://is.gd/nrRb8Q

You can see a barn down the Ballygrooby Road. This barn may be on the same spot, or near the spot where James’s barn was located. The green field between the two roads is where his house would have been situated.

You can see this same area from a GeoHive satellite view: https://is.gd/Y8b7ni

By the 1901 and 1911 census, there were no Jacksons were living in Doluskey, Moneymore. For the names of those residents in the 1901 census in Doluskey, see: https://is.gd/PhdH28

For the names of the residents in Doluskey in the 1911 census, see: https://is.gd/1VaBLl

DANIEL MULLAN

Gerry, your information shows that Daniel Mullan and Mary Jackson had a son named Thomas James born in 1887. Thomas would have died before 1901 as he is not in the 1901 census with his family in Tullyodonnell. He is not in the 1911 census with his family either, but Daniel and Mary do have a 9 year old son named Thomas James in the household. Thomas would have been born circa 1902.

Your information also shows that Thomas James, born in 1887, was the first child of Daniel and Mary, of 13 children. It is possible that in naming two sons Thomas James, that Daniel and Mary were following Irish naming patterns, where the first born son was named after his father’s father, and the first born daughter named after her mother’s mother.

If this was the case, Daniel’s father would have been Thomas. The civil marriage record for Daniel and Mary would give the names of the fathers of the groom and bride, but unfortunately the civil marriage record does not appear to exist.

Then too, the 1901 and 1911 census returns differ about Daniel’s age. In 1901 he is 45 years old, placing his year of birth circa 1856. In the 1911 census he is 60 years old, placing his year of birth 1851. Your records show he was born circa 1855, and that he was from Keenaghan, Cookstown, County Tyrone. Keenaghan was in the Civil Parish of Kildress as well as the Catholic Parish of Kildress.

I looked for Daniel’s FMP baptism in the Kildress Catholic Parish for a span of years from 1850 to 1860, but did not find it. In checking the availability of the Kildress Catholic registers at the National Library of Ireland website, I found that baptisms for the months September, October, November, and December, 1855, are missing. There are also gaps in the Kildress Catholic registers for 1851, 1853, and 1854. Registers are missing completely for the years 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, and 1860. It’s possible Daniel was baptized in one of the years the Kildress registers are missing.

While I didn’t find a baptism record for Daniel, I uncovered Kildress Catholic Parish baptism records at the FMP website for two children who may have been his siblings. The father of both children was Thomas.

The child first baptized was transcribed as, “Mathy.” This may be a reference to Mathew. The baptism took place on 16 May 1847.

The first name of her mother was Ann, but the transcriber for FMP could not quite make out Ann’s maiden name, spelling it, “Der?y.” But, the transcriber also wrote, with another question mark, that the name of the residence of the Mullen family at the time of the baptism was “Keenagh?” This of course may refer to Keenaghan.

You can view the transcription at: https://is.gd/LztJqb

A copy of the original baptism record held by the National Library of Ireland is on the left-hand register page, 3rd entry up from the bottom at: https://is.gd/T2DCPf

The handwriting is very difficult to read. It looks like the godfather’s name was A. Mulheany. The first name of the godmother is Jane, but I could not tell what her last name was. It is even difficult to make out the name of the residence, which was transcribed as Keenagh, with the question mark.

The second child whose baptism I located in the Kildress Catholic Parish was Ann Mullen. She was baptized on 17 December 1849. Her parents are Thomas Mullen and Ann Degny. The residence of the family is transcribed as, “Cleenagh.” See the transcription at: https://is.gd/hUZqEv

A copy of Ann’s original baptism record is on the right-hand page of the register, 2nd entry up from the bottom at: https://is.gd/V60HLQ

There are actually two baptisms for December 17. Ann’s is the second of the two. Her godfather is Daniel Mullen. The first name of her godmother is Jane, but I could not make out Jane’s last name. The address is to the right of Jane’s name and seems to disappear into the fold of the register, but does look like it could be Keenaghan.

The godfather, Daniel Mullen, may have been Thomas’s brother. Your Daniel Mullan may have been named after him.

After locating these baptism records I looked for the Kildress Catholic Parish marriage for a Thomas Mullins/Mullin/Mullan, and Ann Degny, with variant spellings of the Degny surname at the FMP site. I didn’t find the marriage for them in the Kildress Catholic Parish.

I expanded the search to other nearby Catholic parishes, as marriages took place in the bride’s parish. Ann’s parish may not have been the Kildress Catholic Parish. I located the marriage transcription at FMP, showing that Thomas Mullan and Ann Deigney were married in the Catholic Parish of Desertcreight, on 12 September 1841. See the transcription at: https://is.gd/L8GTxP

A copy of the original marriage record is the last entry on the left-hand register page at: https://is.gd/WPRrng

The first names of the witnesses to the marriage are Edward and James. Their last name appears to be MCauney, but I could be wrong about that.

The Desertcreight Catholic Parish borders the Kildress Catholic Parish, and extends a little way over the border to County Londonderry. See the map at the National Library of Ireland’s link at: https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0204

The Desertcreight Parish was also known as Cooktown and Derryloran. This is also the Civil Parish as well as Catholic Parish for residents of Tullyodonnell, where Daniel and Mary Mullan and their children are recorded in the 1901 and 1911 census enumerations.

GRIFFITHS VALUATION

The next thing I wanted to do was access Griffiths Valuation to see if Thomas Mullan was recorded leasing property in Keenaghan. I found that he was, but under the surname Mullins. The valuation for Keenaghan was completed by the year 1859.

The Griffiths Valuation page is attached to this reply. Thomas Mullins is at Map Reference 7.

Griffiths Valuation shows that Thomas leased a house and over 30 acres of land from an Immediate Lessor named William S. R. Brady. The land was valued at 2 Pounds and 15 Shillings. The house was valued at 10 Shillings. The total valuation of Thomas’s property was 3 Pounds and 5 Shillings. He would not have been required to pay the tax on this property, as only those leaseholds valued over 5 Pounds were subject to the tax.

I located Thomas Mullins’ lease in Keenaghan, Map Reference 7, on an Ordnance Survey Map that accompanied Griffiths Valuation. The map is attached. Reference 7 is located just left of center on the map of Keenaghan. This plot of over 30 acres of land is in the shape of the letter V on the map.

I’ve also attached an enlargement of Map Reference 7 in Keenaghan.

At this point in time it is only circumstantial evidence that Daniel’s parents were Thomas Mullan and Ann Deigney. It is circumstantial because no primary records of baptism or marriage have been discovered to date, giving the names of his parents, or even the first name of one of his parents. His civil marriage record, for example, would give the name of his father.

But, circumstantial evidence, in the absence of direct evidence, can still be credible if certain criteria are met under what is known as the Genealogical Proof Standard, or GPS. For more information about the Genealogical Proof Standard, go to the FamilySearch.org blog at: https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/genealogicalproofstandardpart1/

This reply contains six attachments:

Griffiths Valuation of Doluskey
Doluskey Griffiths Valuation Map
Griffiths Valuation Map of Doluskey Enlarged
Thomas Mullins in Griffiths Valuation
Griffiths Valuation Map of Keenaghan
Map Reference 7 Enlarged
____

With Kind Regards,

Dave Boylan

Sources:

National Library of Ireland
irishgenealogy.ie
Find My Past
National Library of Ireland
RootsIreland
FamilySearch
familysearch.org/blog/en/genealogicalproofstandardpart1/
askaboutireland.ie
Griffiths Valuation
Google Maps
Google Street Views

Bernadette Walsh

Sorry for not replying earlier, but I have been away.

Thank you so much for your prompt reply, and subsequent informative follow up. I have read this site for a while now and am very impressed with the level and quality of the replies. I fully reccomend it to all seeking help.

The one little piece of information that I provided about the Moneymore RC Church was incomplete. I had a local friend contact them, and they were informed that the Church no longer had access to the marriage records. They were now in the charge of another source ..... I did not get the name of the source.

Dave Boylan

I just received your wonderful 'Thesis' on my Mullan/Jackson connections. I am suitably impressed. I have quite a bit of that info already in various forms .... but you put it together so well. I will take a few days to follow it all up and then get back to you.

A few little points ....

I know the area very well - I was born and grew up about 5 miles from each of the relevant townlands.

The Moneymore RC Church said they no longer had access to the marriage records - they were now located elsewhere.

Your remarks about the rapid increase in ages of the Mullan parents between the 1901 census and 1911 census -

            - all caused by the roll out of the Old Age Pension Jan 01 1909 (I see a lot of it in the 1911 census).

            - Sharlett/Charlotte Jackson gave her name to my Grandmother (Charlotte Mullan) in 1892.

            - I knew 7 of the Mullan children. Only 6 of the 13 children survived.

Again, thank you so much for your wonderful, and very helpful reply.

I am eternally grateful.

Gerry Mulgrew .... Donegal, Ireland.

You're very welcome Gerry, and many thanks for your kind reply. It is very much appreciated.

With Best Wishes,

Dave