John McDonald (farmer) - Aghalee - born 1820 +-5 years

John,

If John McDonald was Church of Ireland and came from Aghalee parish then you would expect him to be baptised there.  The parish baptism records start in 1811. If you have searched them and not found him, then one possibility is that he was older than you suspect and born pre 1811. (In which case you won’t find a record). 

Aghalee falls within the Lurgan registration area. I see 3 John McDonald deaths registered there between 1864 and 1870 that could fit. One in 1868 aged 60, another in 1868 aged 61 and a third in 1867 aged 86. Have you looked at those?  You can view the original certificates on-line on the GRONI website, using the “search registrations” option. You will need to open an account and buy some credits. It costs £2.50 (sterling) to a view a certificate:

https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk

If he was buried in Aghalee COI then they have burial records for the period you are interested in. Have you checked them?

Statutory marriage registration began on 1^st April 1845. I searched those records for John’s marriage but did not find it. So I agree with you that it was likely before that date. Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church. So if you haven’t found the marriage in the Aghalee COI pre 1845 records, then possibly the marriage was in a different denomination eg Presbyterian, or it was in a  different parish. Unlikely to be far away though. If John was a farmer, he would have had limited scope for travel, and would likely have married nearby.

I looked for John in Griffiths Valuation (1862 for Aghalee) but cannot find him.   If still farming in the parish, I would have expected to find him there. Nor can I see the family in the 1851 census for Aghalee (which still exists). Do you know which townland the family lived in?

Looked at the tithes for 1834 (which list most farmers). The only McDonald farming then was a William McDonnell in Ballynenatton (Ballynanaghten).

http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/antrim/tithe-applotments/aghalee-parish.php

The family had gone by the 1851 census and by Griffiths 1862.

Just adding to my previous post, looking at the GRONI site, I can see that the deaths of John McDonald on 19.11.1867 (aged 86) and 26.2.1868 (aged 61) were both in the Aghalee area. The GRONI site has a drop down menu that shows which sub-district the event was registered in.

Hello John,

 I am also seeking more information about John & his wife Ann Jane. John is my 3rd great grandfather. We stem from John’s son Alexander. I have a photo of Alexander with William. It was taken in Ballinderry when Alex was on leave. 
 

I have reached a stalling point taking things further past John. I found the same information as yourself, listed above.
 

Our line goes - John, Alexander, Alexander, Kenneth Alexander Charles, my father & myself.

 I have been questioning if we tie into Clanranald. The use of Charles leads me to think it’s a nod in Prince Charlie’s direction. 
 

My father has always stated that he was told that along the way a Spanish woman came into our line and that’s where our dark features come from. 
 

The two Alexander’s and Kenneth were military. Both Alex’s farmers. Kenneth a miner and tanner. The second Alexander immigrated to Canada in 1918 & bought a farm. 
 

William in the photo I believe is Sir William MacDonald. If so, the line could be traced through him as he was a prominent Canadian citizen, based out of Montreal I believe. The religion was Presbyterian. Members of the Orange Lodge for my line.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to further discuss. I do apologize that I am having issues with uploading the photo that I mentioned above of Alex & William.

Sincerely,

Terra

Just a general comment on Bonnie Prince Charlie. He was the grandson of the Catholic James II, defeated at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 by King William (William of Orange) and a load of mainly Protestants who later named themselves Orangemen after him.

Bonnie Prince Charlie’s aim was to reclaim the throne and put a Catholic King on it. That wouldn’t have gone down well with a Presbyterian Orangeman.  That’s not to say someone in the family might have supported him, but in general Orangemen present at Culloden would have been fighting with the Crown against Charlie, not for him.