Ulster

Valuation Records (1864-1933) a PRONI Database

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.

American Presbyterian Ministers and their Ulster Origins

11 Nov By Dwight Leave a Comment

One of the strategies I’m always preaching in Scots-Irish immigrant research is to make sure you research the minister of the congregation where your ancestor’s attended. The reason is that during the 1700s, it was common for ministers to bring all or parts of their congregations to North America with them. To find out where the minister pastored in Ireland may be to find out where your ancestors were from in Ulster.

To assist you in this search, there is a source which I would like to bring to your attention. It is Rev. David Stewart’s Fasti of the American Presbyterian Church: treating of ministers of Irish origin who labored in America during the eighteenth century (Belfast: Bell and Logan, 1943). This work contains record of 156 ministers who immigrated to the United States from Ulster. After much hunting, I finally found a copy at the Presbyterian Historical Society in Ireland: www.presbyterianhistoryireland.com. It’s most impressive. It’s a lesser known resource which should be added to the works already in print on Irish Presbyterian ministers.

When consulting this work, or any others, just be aware, just because a minister was born in Ulster, does not mean he actually pastored in Ulster. He may have immigrated as a child and studied in America. This is one consideration. The main reasons you would check Stewart’s work is if your ancestor was the minister or you suspect a congregational migration from Ulster. If this is found to be true, it goes a long way towards solving your immigration problem.

The average Presbyterian register in Ireland begins in the 1820s and 1830s. If your ancestors immigrated in the 1700s, then church registers in Ireland will not help. Books about ministers trained in Ireland or Scotland may or may not help, making Stewart’s work from the American angle extremely valuable. Definitely consult it. Most research guides actually miss this one source.

Presbyterian Identity

13 Sep By Dwight Leave a Comment

The beliefs explaining the core identity of the Scots-Irish Presbyterians, helps us to understand what drove this community of believers with such zeal. It also helps us to understand many of the records they left behind. In this worldview, the Reformation is always reforming itself, with true reform never really being finished. This blog is best read with my “What is T.U.L.I.P.?” posted on 26 August 2012. Historic Presbyterian identity markers are:

Scripture. The Bible provides a perspective from which every question in life could be viewed. Historically, Presbyterians would view the Bible as verbally inspired and inerrant. In contemporary Presbyterianism, tensions exist over whether the Bible is verbally inspired, being the very autography of God; or thought inspired, conveying the meaning and not the words of God.

Divine Sovereignty. God continues to be supreme and rules the creation in an active manner; termed Providence. It is tied to election and predestination. Both the Sovereignty of God and the Providence of God are key Calvinist principles.

The Covenant. The Bible is viewed as a whole, with Old and New Testaments revealing God’s unified plan. This is the Covenant of Grace, with a chosen people, and God has an active relationship with them. Key themes such as salvation by grace alone, the necessity of blood atonement, and the church as a gathering of redeemed people (including children) are all Old Testament concepts brought forward in the work of Christ. Most Calvinist distinctives hinge on Covenant Theology.

The Law of God. The Law of God is revealed in the 10 Commandments. Believers are active participants in the political and social arena as the application of the Law of God is beneficial to everybody, believers and non-believers, in building a just society. This has prompted Presbyterians to be active participants in the political and social arena in many countries.

The Church. The church is in both the Old and New Testament; a living body, with Christ as its head. There are two sacraments; baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is an initiation into the community of believers, and the whole family, including children, becomes part of a Covenant community. Communion or the Lord’s Supper is a means of spiritual renewal.

Rpcnabanner — Reformed Presbyterian Church. Taken from www.wikipedia.org

The Kingdom of God. God will come to earth to reverse sins’ effects so that justice and righteousness prevail. Christ established the Kingdom on earth in the form of the church. However, the fullness of the Kingdom is when Christ comes again. The Christian must not retreat from it, but to engage it with actions, helping to bring peace and reconciliation to the world.

In depth studies of these principles can be found in: Joel R. Beeke, Living for God’s Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism (2008); James Montgomery Boice, Foundations of the Christian Faith: A Comprehensive and Readable Theology (1986); Michael Horton, The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way (2011); Dr. Robert L. Reymond, A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith 2^nd ed. (1998).

What is T.U.L.I.P.?

26 Aug By Dwight Leave a Comment

Presbyterians are part of the Calvinist branch of Protestantism. Calvinist teachings have been summed up in the T.U.L.I.P formula; also termed “The Five Points of Calvinism.” To firmly grasp T.U.L.I.P. is to address why the Scots-Irish viewed themselves as a Covenant People elected by God with a destiny. In American religious history, it came to define the differences between Presbyterians and Methodists.

Below is a brief explanation of T.U.L.I.P. theology. Be aware that emphasis varies depending on how liberal, moderate or conservative a theological viewpoint:

Total Depravity: Humanity is corrupt, perverse and sinful due to inborn corruption. There is nothing humans can do pertaining to their own salvation.

Unconditional Election: God elected certain individuals for salvation from before the world was created. None deserve God’s favor, and only those whom God has elected will be saved. Election is not salvation. It only marks out certain individuals for salvation. The elect must still be saved through their faith in Jesus.

Limited Atonement: God’s elect are given to the Son to be redeemed. Because of Christ’s atonement, the redeemed are counted righteous before God; freed from guilt and condemnation.

Irresistible Grace: The Holy Spirit never fails to bring to salvation elect sinners. The elect respond to the Holy Spirit’s “special inward call.” This will allow the elect sinners to understand and believe spiritual truth.

Perseverance of the Saints: Termed “once saved, always saved,” or “Eternal Security,” the elect are redeemed by Christ, and kept in faith by the power of God. They cannot lose their salvation.

More details can be found in Michael Horton’s, The Christian Faith (2011); Robert L. Reymond’s, A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith (1998); David N. Steel, Curtis C. Thomas and S. Lance Quinn, The Five Points of Calvinism (2004).

PRONI Guide To Church Records

1 Jul By Dwight Leave a Comment

If you are not familiar with the online guides the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI): www.proni.gov.uk in Belfast produces, you are in for a treat. One of my favorite ones is the Guide to Church Records: www.proni.gov.uk/guide_to_church_records.pdf

It’s under “Guides & Leaflets” then “Online Guides,” and then “PRONI Guide to Church Records.” Let me explain what this guide is and what it isn’t.

The Guide inventories church registers from denominations in the province of Ulster. This includes the counties of Northern Ireland, and counties Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. The PRONI has done an excellent job of microfilming and collecting these records. If a particular register is still held locally, then this is noted. For the most part, the collections are by civil parish, and then by denomination, detailing the records, years covered, and reference number. Belfast City has its own category.

With the reference number, you can look at the record yourself at the PRONI, hire an agent, or perhaps see if it is on microfilm at the Family History Library (FHL): www.familysearch.org

As a finding aid, the PRONI Guide to Church Records is hard to beat. It also lists items in their collection which may be in another Irish province.

Now for what this guide is not. Not all denominations are represented in the PRONI collections. Notable ones would certainly include Adventists, Plymouth Brethren (Christian Brethren), Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Salvation Army, independent and Gospel Hall congregations. This list of minority churches does not cover them all, but it does provide you with an idea as to the limitations of the work. However, coverage is very good for: Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, branches of Presbyterianism, Methodists, Society of Friends (Quakers), Congregational, Baptist, and Moravians.

This is a Guide I personally use anytime I have an Ulster case. If you have Ulster ancestors, it’s worth your time to explore.

Did You Look at the Session Minutes?

17 May By Dwight Leave a Comment

Session minutes of Presbyterian churches concern the daily affairs of the congregation and often predate the registers of births and marriages by as much as a century. It is within the body of the minutes that lurid details about your ancestor’s life may be found as church leaders dealt with discipline cases. Session minutes sometimes contain references to vital events such as baptisms and marriage. The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland in Belfast: www.proni.gov.uk and the Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland (PHSI): www.presbyterianhistoryireland.com have large collections of these from all branches of the Presbyterian faith in Ireland. Each has its own online catalog. If not deposited, then session minutes may still be with the local congregation.

One major example of how you need to consider several repositories in the search for records is the case of the Presbyterian congregation of Aghadowey, County Londonderry. It was from the geographic area around this congregation that the first wave of Scots-Irish, as a group, came to Colonial America in 1718: www.1718migration.org.uk They founded Londonderry, New Hampshire. While baptismal registers survive for the Aghadowey Presbyterian Church from 1855 and marriages from 1845, the PHSI has session minutes (1702-1761), which of course pre-dates that first important emigration. Interspersed with these session minutes are notations of early marriages. A study of those colonial Londonderry, New Hampshire families would not be complete without consulting these early session minutes.

A typical session minute book will be in manuscript form and arranged chronological. It will include communion lists, some vital information, disciplinary actions, accounting records, membership records alongside business minutes for the congregation.

The Scots-Irish in The Netherlands

7 May By Dwight Leave a Comment

We usually don’t think of Holland as a place for immigration from Ireland. However, if you consider the historical context, it makes sense. I’ve had the chance to trace several cases, most Scots-Irish from Ulster, which connected into The Netherlands.

In 1568, the war of independence for The Netherlands against Catholic Spain was begun. Scottish regiments arrived serving under the Protestant Prince of Orange. The Netherlands became a solid Protestant county with the Reformed Church as the main faith. From 1572 to 1782 there were always Scottish regiments and their descendants in The Netherlands. The key to this piece of history is that many of the Scottish regiments were actually Protestants from Ulster. These Scottish regiments eventually were transformed into Dutch regiments, officially ending the Scots and Protestant Irish presence. Their descendants can still be found in The Netherlands today.

Records of marriage for these families, taken from Reformed records have been published in Dr. IR. J. MacLean’s De Huwelijksintekeningen Van Schotse Militairen in Nederland 1574-1665 (Zutphen: De Walburg Pers, 1976). Some baptisms can be found in James Ferguson’s Papers Illustrating the History of the Scots Brigade in the Service of the United Netherlands 1572-1782, 3 Vols. (Edinburgh: University Press, 1899, 1901). Other works also exist. A lineage society for the Scots regiments is the Caledonian Society: www.caledonian.nl/

Do not be surprised if your Dutch immigrant ancestor named Visser is really Fisher, Verbaas is really Forbes, de Jong is really Young and Kroeders is really a Crowther.

Leaving Ulster in the 1700s: The Newspaper Trail

25 Apr By Dwight Leave a Comment

One question I’m asked as a genealogist is about passengers lists leaving Ulster in the 1700s. Usually, the reference is for Scots-Irish research. The simple answer is they don’t exist! The more complex answer is some do if you think creatively. This doesn’t mean your ancestors were listed, but you do have a few resources when you normally would ignore the topic.

One source is the “letters of thanks” published in Ulster newspapers. Between 1737 and 1772 the major newspaper was the Belfast Newsletter which published notices regarding ships from ports throughout Ulster. During the 1700s the passengers on a ship customarily signed a “letter of thanks” to the ship’s captain for a good trip. This was basically free advertising for the captain.

John C. Greene’s Belfast Newsletter Index, 1737-1800 is online at the University of Louisiana Lafayette website: www.ucs.louisiana.edu/bnl/ This database indexes every significant word and date in the 20,000 surviving pages. There are some limitations. For example, only one-quarter of the newspaper survived from 1737-1750. Yet it is nearly complete from 1750-1800. The database contains 300,000 items of news and advertisements.

The same type of emigration material may be found in the Londonderry Journal,which began publication in 1772. This material and other items dating 1772 to 1784 were abstracted in Donald M. Schlegel’s Irish Genealogical Abstracts From the Londonderry Journal, 1772-1784 (Baltimore, Maryland: Clearfield Company, 1990). This book is now a database: www.ancestry.com

My rule of thumb is to not expect to find a published passenger’s list from the 1700s, but when you do consider yourself very fortunate. This can open up many previously closed avenues for reconstructing your family history.

So You have a Plymouth Brethren Ancestor

27 Mar By Dwight Leave a Comment

Several years ago for a client, I was able to trace his ancestors who were Plymouth Brethren in Newport, County Mayo. So starting with no research guides and no clue; I dug deep. What a fascinating piece of religious history.

If you are exploring the 1901 or 1911 Census of Ireland online: www.census.nationarchives.ie you will find these families as; Christian, Christian Brethren, Brethren, Plymouth Brethren, undenominational Christian Protestant, Exclusive Brethren, or Open Brethren. In 1901, there were around 5,000 Brethren in Ireland.

I want to also refer you to an in-depth article I wrote “The Irish Plymouth Brethren” in The Septs, 32, #2 (April 2011), pp. 89-92. The Septs is the journal of the Irish Genealogical Society International in South St. Paul, Minnesota which is online: http://irishgenealogical.org/sites/default/files/memsepts/2011322.pdf

In short, in 1827, a questioning Church of Ireland minister serving in County Wicklow, named John Nelson Darby (1800-82) joined other Protestants questioning the very idea of denominationalism. Out of their Bible studies arose new insights, which would influence conservative evangelical Protestantism.

However, most are unaware ideas such as Dispensationalism and The Rapture were first developed by John Nelson Darby.

Brethren records as a whole, have not been deposited. One excellent collection is the “Christian Brethren Archive” housed at the John Rylands University Library in Manchester, England; www.library.manchester.ac.uk/searchresources/guidetospecialcollections/brethrenThis collection has many directories which can help you pin point where congregations met.

With these few resources, I promise that you are far more prepared than I ever was when I started my quest.

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