McFalls of Kilwaughter

Andrew,

The conflict about Alexander McKelvey’s occupation on his marriage and death certificates is probably explained either by him being part-time, or being stood down. When the RUC was established in 1922 there were 3 grades of reserve ranks. A, B & C Specials. Some of these were part-timers, to be called upon in certain situations. (Basically extra muscle to support the regular police force in the event of civil disorder or for crowd control duties). I suspect your ancestor was one of those and that his normal day job was as a farm labourer. If you contact the PSNI police museum in Belfast they may be able to assist with more information.

https://www.psni.police.uk/inside-psni/our-history/genealogy/

The house numbers in the censuses were the enumerators’ private numbering system and did not relate to any postal address the property might have today. And they varied from census to census as it was up to each enumerator to decide what route to take. Except in cities and large towns, your townland alone was sufficient, at that time, to identify you, and get a letter delivered etc. (And it is still the case in some rural areas in Ireland).

What you have to do is go to the Valuation revision records on the PRONI website. If you look the 2 townlands up, you will find a list of properties, their occupants and their landlord. Taking Ballyhampton, the McFaul house and garden is on Hugh Nelson’s farm. Hugh has plot 3 and the McFauls have 3B(b). That will be a typical labourer’s cottage. (The 1911 census tells you it had 4 rooms, 2 windows at the front, brick/stone walls and a tiled or slated roof).

Repeating the process for Rory’s Glen, the Ogilby/Ogilvie family in house 20 were on plot 11(i), another house and garden, apparently in a row of similar properties.

Usually you can then go to Griffiths Valuation and look at their maps which will show where each property is (or was. They may not be there any more). However for some of the townlands around Larne, including these 2, the on-line maps don’t show where each property is. However there are versions that do. One set is in the local studies section at Ballymena Library and PRONI in Belfast has a set too. In both cases you need to go in person to look them up. They take a little getting used to, as the Griffiths clerks have overwritten each plot with the valuations and so spotting the individual plot numbers in amongst that takes a little work.

Plot 11 in Rory’s Glen looks to have been on land occupied by a limestone quarry. They may have been built originally for quarry workers. If you know of an old quarry in Rory’s Glen then that’s the likely area.

You ask where to go for pre 1864 records. Protestant marriages are in the statutory records from April 1845 onwards so those are available on the GRONI & Irishgenealogy websites. Prior to that you need to use church records. 

The Ogilby family were Non Subscribing Presbyterians. They probably attended Larne & Kilwaughter NSP church. It has records as follows:

Larne and Kilwaughter

Baptisms, 1720-69, 1796, 1801-03 and 1826-1929; marriages, 1721-69 and 1826-1908; session minutes, 1720-48, 1800-01 and 1828-30; session and committee minutes, 1864-1929; discipline cases, 1721-49; poor accounts, 1720-57.

The McFauls were Presbyterian. 2nd Larne Presbyterian has records:

Baptisms, 1861-1906; marriages, 1846-1906; marriage

notices, 1942-56.

1st Larne has:

Baptisms, 1813 and 1824-1902; marriages, 1846-1902;

marriage notices, 1946-57.

Cairncastle Presbyterian has records:

Baptisms, 1832-52 and 1891-1944; marriages, 1832- 43 and 1845-1936; marriage notices, 1953-60; session minutes, 1871-1907; stipend accounts, 1840-41;stipend collection books, 1872-1908; Sustentation Fund payments and stipend list, 1876-84; index to baptisms, 1832-52, and to marriages, 1832-1935.

N.S.P. Cairncastle

Baptisms, 1881-1957; marriages, 1845-1935.

The Non Subscribing church is the oldest church. There was a schism in the Presbyterian church over the Westminster Confession and other theological issues (NSPs don’t believe in the Trinity. They just believe in 1 unity (God you might say) and so are often known as Unitarians).  . A separate denomination was established but in Larne they retained the original baptism and marriage records. So if you get back tot eh 1700s, search the NSP records for all Presbyterians in that area.

Copies of the above records are in PRONI in Belfast.

Here’s a link to Matilda Brannan’s marriage in 1849:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1849/09371/5393845.pdf

If you look carefully at the page you may notice that the marriage before hers is a Samuel Brannan from the same townland, and with the same father. I’d guess that may be her brother. Let me know when you think she died (roughly) and I'll see if I can find her death. What is the latest record you have of her alive, and where was she living then?

In case you are not aware, some of the 1851 census for Larne and surrounding area has survived. The records are on the usual Irish census site. Plenty of McFaul/McFall in them.

Elwyn

I can only thank you immensley for your response to my message because it is the most detailed explanation I have ever had to a post, you left no stone unturned and have given me absolutely masses of information to help me move this forward. Your response must have taken you a while to compile so I can only thank you for your time yesterday.

Matilda Brannon who was married to Daniel McFall died in 1917, which I do have records for and her husband Daniel died 1895.

In particular I have trouble identifying their children who where born prior to 1864, William Born 1850, Matthew Born 1853, Robert Born 1855 and Matilda Martha (it could be one or the other firstnames or both) Born 1861, this last child I believe is the mother of my great Grandmother Martha who was born in 1883, on the birth certificate it gives the mothers name as Martha although she only made her mark. Daniel seemed to spend his whole life in Ballykeel so my guess would be to look in the parish records to see if I can find any baptism records for their children.

Which highlights another anomoly you may be able to help with, Martha 1883 is registered as Martha Wilson McFall, there is no fathers name captured and I have another relative who it would seem has recieved a surname as a middle name William Robert Hall McKelvey. We have few theories about my Uncle 'Hall' my fathers half brother, but I wonder if you could shed any light on the possible reason why. it would not seem improbable that the child was illegitimate and that it is a pointer in the driection of the father.

Again thank you for your time in answering my questions and look forward to a further response 

Andrew McKelvey

Andrew,

For the children born before 1864 you will have to rely on church records. That’s the only source there is.

Regarding Martha’s Wilson McFaul’s birth in 1883, I can confirm the child was illegitimate. You have noted that there’s no father’s name. In addition, the word “formerly” has been deleted. Not necessary as the mother wasn’t married and so had no previous name. With an illegitimate birth the father’s name only appears if he was present at the registration and confirmed paternity. (Otherwise who knows what name might be given, and the trouble it could lead to in later years). With a married couple there is a “presumption of paternity” and the fathers name can be entered without him being present.  Illegitimate children were often given the father’s surname as a middle name, and so Wilson is a strong nod as to the likely father’s identity.

Illegitimate births were common enough then. You’ll see 2 more on that same page of records.

Presbyterians often used surnames as middle names. In this case it’s surely a nod to the father. In others it might be the mother’s maiden name, or someone the family respected eg the Minister or local teacher.

Elwyn

Thanks again for your prompt response

Andrew