Journey Home Genealogy

Irish Genealogical Research | Dwight Radford

Call Today! 801.699.2450

Or send us an Email

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Ireland
  • United States
    • American Genealogy (general)
    • Native American
    • African American
  • Canada
  • International Genealogy
    • England and Wales
    • Scotland
    • Other Research
  • Research Services
  • Research Proposal

Pennsylvania Tax Lists Glossary

11 Mar By Dwight Leave a Comment

Pennsylvania is just one of those cross roads in United States history. Sometimes it seems like everybody went there or through there. From its founding it was a haven for religious refugees being founded as a tolerant Quaker colony. From Ireland came all religious groups mixing and merging through the centuries. The Province of Pennsylvania entered the union in 1787.

The Importance of Tax Records

An essential resource in your research from the 1700s is the tax lists. Important ones have been extracted and published. Most are readily available on microfilm. However, once you get into the records, you will see intriguing terminology which does not translate into modern English. Understanding these are essential to your research. Keep in mind that as the state tax laws changed, so did the terms and items considered taxable.

The main taxable categories you will be interested in will concern land, single men, slaves and horses. The reason is you are documenting single men prior to their marriage and families bought and sold land and horses from each other. This allows you to connect various family members. There are sometimes editorial comments such as “deceased,” “moved” or “heir” which can be helpful.

Common Pennsylvania Tax Terms

Understanding tax language is important because of the lack of early county marriages records for Pennsylvania. So when a “freeman” becomes an “inmate” this mean a marriage has occurred. Key terms utilized in the decades of the late 1700s and early 1800s are as follows:

Freemen: unmarried males over 21.

Heir: indicates a death had occurred.

Inmates: married renters.

Negro: slaves

Occupation: other than a farmer.

Seated: a landowner was a resident

Servant: Various modes indentured servitude often European.

Unseated: a landowner was a non-resident.

If You would like professional help with your Pennsylvania research Click Here.

Filed Under: Irish Ancestry Tagged With: Dictionaries, Glossary, Tax Records, United States

A Townland Name as a Regional Description

24 Jan By Dwight Leave a Comment

I was researching a family in Doocastle, Kilturra Parish, County Mayo recently. The Tithe Applotment (1834) listed who I thought was the family in Eskreagh & Lugadoon. Doocastle itself was not listed. The Tithe book crossed the border into County Sligo, with the manuscript separating out the townlands by county. While Eskreagh & Lugadoon was suppose too have been on the Mayo side, I couldn’t find that it became an official townland name a few years later, when the Ordnance Survey teams standardized names, spellings and boundaries.

I had noticed online other researchers were asking the same questions I was. My only solution was to think up a strategy right on the spot.

Comparing the Tithe and Griffith’s Valuation Informaion

I took the seventeen households listed in the Tithe and tried to identify them in Griffith’s Primary Valuation on Kilturra Parish, Mayo (1856) and Sligo (1858). I found some of the exact names in Griffith’s living in Doocastle. I also found the other Tithe surnames limited right across the border on the Sligo side. At this point, I took a map of this area and marked each Griffith’s townland where the Tithe entry appeared. The results were fascinating.

All surnames and exact given and surnames were limited within a short distance of Doocastle, County Mayo. I surmised that Eskreagh & Lugadoon must have been a regional name for this area of Kilturra Parish in both counties. When the Ordnance Survey teams completed their job in 1837; this localized area simply disappeared.

The Tithe was Generated Using Localized Place Names

I also reasoned the Tithe Applotment was generated using local knowledge of farms and townland names. Thus, the people of the community were tithed and funds went to support the Protestant Parish.

I was satisfied the man I found in Eskreagh & Lugadoon was the man I was seeking in Doocastle. If I had simply thrown up my hands and quit, I would not have confirmation to continue building this case.

If you are having trouble with Irish place names and what they really mean in the record then Click Here.

Filed Under: Irish Ancestry Tagged With: Geography, Irish Records, Place Names, Strategies, Tax Records

Using Tithe Applotment Databases

26 Dec By Dwight

Online are three major databases for the Tithe Applotment

Filed Under: Irish Ancestry Tagged With: Databases, Land Records, Tax Records

Line Deeds Up in Date Order!

6 Nov By Dwight Leave a Comment

Many Irish and Scots-Irish names are common. This presents its own unique problem as you now have to sort through them not only in the records of Ireland but also in the immigrant country. This is where you have to be very careful in your research to assure you have the correct person. This blog will focus on the immigrant country.

Several Families with the Same Name

Yes, you may have three Kelly or Stewart families in an county or township, and they may or may not all be related. So how do you sort through everybody?

If I’m using a land record in the immigrant country, I start with picking a targeted time frame. If 1800-1820 or 1850-1860 fits your research needs then stick to that as a test. Then using the land deeds, go chronologically through the records extracting all Kelly or Stewarts; even if you have no idea who they are. If the surname is simply to common, then choose particular given names you need to know more about. This narrows your target to all John Stewart deed transactions from 1800 to 1820. Then line them up chronologically.

A Pattern Emerges Separating out Individuals and Families

Once you do this then a pattern will begin to emerge. In the land records you will find the description (location) of the properties, the buyer or seller, the neighbors and the witnesses. Then at the end of your search you will see just how many John Stewarts you really have.

Then separate them out by what the records say. Do you have two John Stewarts or Frank Kellys or do you have five? This will go a long way to helping you sort through common names and stay on track with your research.

Click Here if you would like to know more about deed research and sorting through common names and surnames.

Filed Under: Irish Ancestry, Scotland Tagged With: ancestry, database research, Irish Ancestry, Land Records, Names, Strategies, Tax Records

Valuation Records (1864-1933) a PRONI Database

18 Aug By Dwight Leave a Comment

The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) in Belfast recently placed online “Valuation Revision Books”: www.proni.gov.uk/ This is a major source for documenting the taxation process for a particular parcel of ground within a townland. In other words, the search feature is geographical rather than name based. The scanned collection includes a fully searchable place name index to the approximately 3,900 volumes covering 1864-1933.

If you know the locality, especially the townland where your ancestors lived, then you can utilize that to narrow your search for a particular range of years. I use these revision books when I need to know what happened to a family residing on a certain piece of property. With the PRONI database, you can also search the land backward, say from your findings in the 1901 or 1911 censuses.

The scanned document images are in color making this very useful as the different changes are coded by the ink color of the pen corresponding to various years. This collection covers counties the Northern Ireland counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry/Derry and Tyrone.

This collection has until this compiled database, has only been available in manuscript books at the PRONI. This alone makes this a major addition to the world of Irish history and genealogy. As you document changes in the tenure of a piece of property, you can extrapolate perhaps when someone died, immigrated, became too old to be responsible for the tax, or maybe was evicted. This clues you into other records. It also helps you to determine changes in the landlords so you can look for rents and leases from the estate papers.

I highly recommend this free database. It may open up new research avenues for you and provide valuable social history of a townland along the way.

Filed Under: Irish Ancestry Tagged With: Databases, Indexes, Irish Records, Tax Records, Ulster

When Was Griffith’s Primary Valuation Published?

11 Dec By Dwight Leave a Comment

One difficulty with the online indexes to Griffith’s Primary Valuation (GPV) (1847-64) is there’s not a clear date for the individual record being examined. This is very important in your research because of family deaths and immigrations. In this case, we are talking about the date it was published verses the date the manuscript was generated. These differences can range from one to four years.

Now saying this, once you know the year GPV for a county was published, then you can subtract one to four years and make a decision as to how it affects your research. Was your ancestor even in the records!

GPV was taken by Poor Law Union, and the funds went for the support of the workhouses within the unions. These unions did not always respect county or parish boundaries. Because there are several unions covering each county, the years for GPV will vary. The chart below shows when GPV was published for unions covering a county.  

If you know what civil parish your ancestor lived; then you can use a book such as Brian Mitchell’s A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland (2002) to determine the Poor Law Unions which covered an area. If you only know a Catholic parish, then you can also use the maps to determine which unions covered the geographical area. The years for which GPV was published for each county are as follows:

Antrim (1861-2), Armagh (1864), Belfast City (1861), Carlow (1852), Cavan (1856-7), Clare (1855), Cork (1850-3), Donegal (1857-8), Down (1863-4), Dublin (1848-51), Dublin City (1849-50), Fermanagh (1862), Galway (1853-56), Kerry (1851-2), Kildare (1851), Kilkenny (1849-50), Leitrim (1856), Leix/Queens (1849-51), Limerick (1850-2),

Londonderry/Derry (1858-9), Longford (1854), Louth (1854, 1864), Mayo (1855-7), Meath (1854), Monaghan (1858-61), Offaly/Kings (1853-4), Roscommon (1855-8), Sligo (1858), Tipperary (1848-52), Tyrone (1858-60), Waterford (1848-51), Westmeath (1854), Wexford (1853), Wicklow (1852-54).

The main point is even if your ancestors had immigrated or died the year GPV was published, they may still be listed if you consider it was taken one to four years earlier. For more information on GPV I recommend the online article by the late James R. Reilly “Is There More in Griffith’s Valuation Than Just Names?”: www.leitrim-roscommon.com/GRIFFITH/Griffiths.PDF

Filed Under: Irish Ancestry Tagged With: Databases, Indexes, Strategies, Tax Records

Donegal County Archives

10 Dec By Dwight Leave a Comment

While there is much material for County Donegal on line and on microfilm, there’s a major repository for county records which should not be overlooked. This is the Donegal County Archives: http://www.donegalcoco.ie/services/communityculturalenterprise/ArchivesService/ It is part of the Donegal County Council.

Within its collections are a wide range of impressive record types, making it one of the largest county based collections in Ireland. Within its holding are the Poor Law Union archives which can be used to document the people in the workhouses. There are also Grand Jury records back to the mid-eighteenth century, school registers, estate records (landlord papers), private papers, court, legal deeds, Ordnance Survey maps and oral interviews. Out of all their collections, probably one of the most significant would certainly be the workhouse records from the local Poor Law Unions.

If you have Donegal ancestors the website inventorying the collections for the Donegal County Archives is worth consulting. They conduct research by mail, and the form isonline. You can also visit the archive by appointment. Information to arrange a visit is also on the website.

As any family historian with Donegal roots knows, the church registers tend to begin late. This reason alone makes the Donegal County Archives a major genealogical repository in the quest to document and extend your family lineage.

Filed Under: Irish Ancestry Tagged With: Collections, Libraries and Archives, Tax Records

Tithe Defaulters (1831)

30 Aug By Dwight Leave a Comment

The Tithe Applotment (1823-37) is a standard resource in Irish genealogical research. However, what about those who refused to pay the tithe? Remember, the Tithe went for the support and upkeep of the state religion which was the Protestant Church of Ireland. Persons of all faiths had to pay. The church was responsible for the upkeep of the parish and the poor. Yet, to have funds be demanded for the support of a church that many people resented led to the Tithe War (1831-38).

In 1830-31 an increasing number of people in particular counties refused to pay their tithes. Due to the loss of revenue by the Church of Ireland clergy, the Government set up the Clergy Relief Fund in 1831. There the clergymen would claim loss revenue based upon a person who refused to pay.

For genealogical purposes, the Tithe Defaulters list would preserve the name of the defaulter, where they lived, or representatives if deceased, and how much was owed. The records include 1,061 pages, 29,027 names from 232 parishes. Defaulter statistics from counties represented are as follows: Carlow (437), Cork (2,115), Kerry (20), Kilkenny (10,263), Laois (360), Limerick (851), Louth (965), Meath (36), Offaly (23), Tipperary (9,346), Waterford (1,838) and Wexford (2,719).

The Tithe Defaulters (1831) list can be found on several websites. IrishOrigins: www.irishorigins.com  has an excellent database and background to the source. I have utilized their historical survey in presenting this blog. Another excellent presentation and database is on FindMyPast.ie: www.findmypast.ie Both of these are subscription websites.

If you have ancestors in counties such as Cork, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford in the 1831, then be aware these had the highest concentration of tithe defaulters. This source may help you to document them due to the lack of an 1831 Census.

Filed Under: Irish Ancestry Tagged With: Databases, Indexes, Irish, Tax Records

Why Would I Look at Tax Records?

13 Aug By Dwight Leave a Comment

A major resource you will use in your research will be tax records. Take Ireland for example. If the 1841 and 1851 censuses had survived, then nobody would ever look at the Tithe Applotment (1823-37) or Griffith’s Primary Valuation (1847-64). However, without the censuses, these taxations are now a primary source for locating families. 

No matter the country, you have to ask a few solid questions as you approach taxes:

  • What laws affected who and what was taxed? A good genealogical reference work for the area will provide guidance.

 

  • What segment of the population was taxed and exempt? For example, if there was a “head tax,” at the age of 21, then subtract 21 from the first year someone is taxed. This may be the only place you document a birth year. A widow’s name may appear which would indicate the husband had died. This may also be the only place you identify her first name.

 

  • Determine what is being taxed? For example, land is always important; so keep track of the acres and watercourses. The number of slaves and horses are important as these were often kept within families. This may be the only proof you have of a relationship!

 

  • Where is your person located on the tax rolls in relation to others with that surname? Did the tax collector go out into the countryside, or did the family load up in a wagon the same day, head into the courthouse and pay their taxes? You can assume some family relationships by how the names are arranged on a page.

These are just a few suggestions for why tax lists are important. Once you have a list of everybody by your surname for a ten or twenty year period, then you will be amazed at what you see.

Filed Under: Irish Ancestry Tagged With: Strategies, Tax Records

Finding Your Ancestor’s Home Site

25 May By Dwight Leave a Comment

Step 1 – Finding the ancestor in Griffth’s Primary Valuation (in this case Lot #6)[/caption]One aspect of Irish research I find very attractive is the fact it is possible in many cases to locate the exact home site in Ireland where your ancestors lived. To me this is more personal than being able to trace your ancestors back to the Middle Ages.

As a genealogist, I’ve had the honor of tracing many ancestral home sites for clients. It’s as personal for me as the researcher taking pictures for my clients, as it has been for the client. Now how is locating the exact plot of ground accomplished?

The first step is to realize you need a townland where your ancestors lived.  Tax lists such as Griffith’s Primary Valuation (1847-64) not only provide the lot number within the townland where the house was located, but there are maps showing you where that particular lot was located within the townland. Even if your ancestors immigrated a hundred years before Griffith’s Valuation, it is often still possible to trace a plot of ground into the Griffith’s tax lists.

For me, this is the personal aspect of identifying and then setting foot on the site. Even if it’s only a cow or sheep pasture today, it doesn’t matter to me. I am seeing what the ancestors saw and walking where they walked.

My graphics for this blog feature the sequence of research steps on a case I did in Ballygambon Lower, Whitechurch Parish, County Waterford. It includes finding the family in Griffith’s, working with the Griffith’s Map and then going onsite taking a picture.

Filed Under: Irish Ancestry Tagged With: Historical, Land Records, Research, Tax Records

Next Page »

Dwight A. Radford

Dwight A. Radford is a professional family history researcher. Along with his staff they specialize in Ireland, England, Canada, African American, Native American, and United States. Connecting families together through historical documents and then creating a cherished family heirloom published book for generations to enjoy. Full bio…

Follow Our Blog

Blog

  • How do You Determine the Associates of Your Ancestor?
  • When to Jump Over the Water in Your Research
  • Grand Lodge of Ireland Membership Records Online

Online Course

  • My Courses
  • Courses
  • My Account

Contact

  • About
  • Contact
  • Research Services

Journey Home Geneology © 2023 · Designed by GO Marketing