Alexander Denniston

Jilly:

You don't mention whether the family was Roman Catholic or Church of Ireland. The subscription site Roots Ireland does have the records for both denominations in Templemichael including death records but I'm not able to locate any death info on Benjamin or Maria.

The only possible record of interest was a Tithe record for an Alexander Denniston in the town of Templemichael. See item 93 at this link.

http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/reels/tab//004625722/00…

Roger McDonnell

Griffith's Valuation of Longford, 1854, lists:

Denniston  Alexander  Drummeel  Clonbrone  yCo. Longford

Thank you both for your replies.  The family were members of the Church of Ireland.  Is there a date on the tithe record? 

As for the 1854 valuation, the Alexander I am researching died in 1846 in Bethel, New York. 

I can understand the reasons for emigration from Ireland to the US (political and economic) but I don't know why Alexander would have moved his family back to Ireland for about 8 years before returning to New York State.  When Alexander married Maria Parker in New York, he was 47 while she was only 16.  I assume he must have been married prevously (possibly to a Sarah Green) but haven't been able to prove this.  I also don't know when Alexander first arrived in the US.  He certainly was there by 1800 and the census indicates that there was 1 female of 45 and over in the household as well as two females (one between 10-15 years and the other between 16-25 years) as well as two males between 16 -25 years plus one slave (slave ownership was legal in NY at that time).  These unnamed childrern predate Alexander's marriage to Maria Parker.  They are a complete mystery to me!

Jilly:

The Tithe records are generally from the late 1820s to the early 1830s.

I can't explain the back and forth to America. Certainly, the length of time for the trip (4-6 weeks?) would have made the voyages very arduous for one person and he had a large family.

Roger

My Alenander Denniston, b 1663 Drumnee Upper, Longford, Ireland d there 1723, son of William Dennistoun and Margaret Dalrumple. , he mar 1st Elizabeth Lewis dau of

Samuel Lewis of Ireland, no dates, she issued 4: Samuel 1687-1747, Alenander Jr abt 1690 d 1767 NY, Margaret 1695 1778, Elizabeth 1704-1779 NY.  His 2nd wife 1675-1754 issued 6: John abt 1701, Joseph 1706,  Hugh 1710 d Ny 1785, Samuel 1712 1785, Daniel 1718-1769 NY,  It was of this Denniston family, that one Edward Dennisotn 1715 Drumeel, migrated to New York, several letters were exchanged by Edward to his brother Samuel already in New York, USA.    From the direy of Charles Clinton of Longford, Ireland , who organise a group to North America, also known as Colonel Clinton, they set sale from Dublin 9 May 1729, the passangers , most of which was paid for by Col. Clinton, were family and friends , before reaching America there was an viral infection of measels, as they died and sent to resting place in the sea, the capt. of the ship took there plunder When Clinton cought on to the ships sailing off course he and his crew took control of the ship.  83 passengers had died, all there names writen in Col. Clinton's journal. including two of his own. an average ship would carried 150.  Once in the control of Clinton and his wife's family Denniston, they arrived in Massachuetts. where they stayed the winter, before some removing to New York and other places in the US. Elizabeth Denniston was the dau of Alexander and Elizabeth Lewis. from this line we owe, the  honor of knowing Vice President/Gov. George Clinton, and my Grandmother Lora Viola Denniston-Hooker, whos Great Grand Father Samuel Denniston was in the exchange of letters from his brother Edward Denniston of Longford, Ireland.

Thank you Roger and Sandra for your messages.  It's going to take me a while to process all the information and see how it relates to Alexander.  I read somewhere that when Alexander and his brother had to flee the English, they went to western Scotland to stay briefly with a distant Balfour cousin.  It had been assumed there was a Scottish link somewhere but I never had a family name.  Many thanks again, I do appreciate your replies.   Jill D

Jill, Alexander & Maria (Parker) Denniston were my 3rd great grandparents. I have their family bible. I have visited Maria's gravesite in Corboy, County Longford. Alexander came to the US in 1798, after the Irish rebel group he and his brother Hans were leading was defeated by British forces at the Battle of Granard (County Longford) 5 Sep 1798. He commanded a regiment of US Volunteers in the War of1812. For more information, please contact me at charlieburrow@gmail.com.