Moses Sloss

Merlfitz,

You don’t say what denomination the Sloss family were. However looking at the 1901 census for Co. Londonderry the majority of Sloss’s were Presbyterian with a handful of Church of Ireland. So presumably one of those two denominations. (So your ancestors probably settled in the area, from Scotland, in the 1600s).

Castledawson Church of Ireland records start in 1718. Castledawson Presbyterian church has records for 1703 to 1706 and then nothing till 1809. Intervening records have evidently been lost or were never kept. The Church of Ireland records have been copied and are in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. I don’t think they are on-line anywhere so a personal visit is required to view them.

Looking at the 1831 census for Co Londonderry, there were 6 Sloss households. The nearest to Castledawson would be a John Sloss in Mullaghboy whose family consisted of 4 men and 7 women, all Presbyterian.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie

Mullaghboy is on the northern edge of Bellaghy.

Griffiths Valuation shows a Robert Sloss farming there in 1869.  He had plot 1 a 17 acre farm. Also a William Sloss on plot 19, an 8 acre farm. Both gone from the townland by the 1901 census though.

The Will of Robert Sloss late of Mullaghboy County Londonderry Farmer who died 20 May 1890 at same place was proved at Londonderry by Sarah Sloss of Mullaghboy the Widow and the sole Executrix.

If you are looking for living descendants in the area today, DNA testing might be necessary.