James, Godfrey, David Quinn - Caledon

[r1b1c7]

My g g grandfather was James Quinn, born around 1830 +/- According to family lore he worked on the Caledon estate in Co Tyrone as a land steward. I definitely know he was a land steward (son's wedding cert) but no actual evidence for the Caledon estate. He had two sons that I know of - Godfrey Alexander (some evidence of Caledon here - Alexander is the family name of the Earls of Caledon) b. 1854/5 and David (b ?). As far as I know they were Church of Ireland ( sons certainly were when migrated to Belfast). Have tried local C of I churches - Caledon, Middletown (part of Tyholland) and one other near Caledon I have forgotten the name of. I cannot find the sons baptisms. Any ideas, especially other churches I could try.

[aghadowey]

Perhaps the sons were born somewhere else before James took the job at Caledon?

[r1b1c7]

Thanks for the suggestion. I had considered that but had clung on to this notion that Godfrey's middle name being the same as the Caledon family suggested his father touched the forelock and that therefore he was working in Caledon when Godfrey was born. Of course the Alexander name could be a complete coincidence and as you say James could have been somewhere else when they were born. If the latter is the case it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack - could be anywhere in Ireland -  especially since many of the C of I records were destroyed in the 1922 fire in the Dublin Registry Office. I fear unless somebody actually knows the family I am undone.

Thanks again.

[aghadowey]

Alexander could simply be a Christian name used as a middle name but Godfrey as a first name is more unusual and could derive from a surname.

[r1b1c7]

Your right of course about Alexander. It might have nothing to do with the Caledons. I had also considered that Godfrey might be the mother's name. Trouble is all these people were born before birth registration started. I have had a look at the marriage records in GRONI Belfast but couldn't find a Quinn/Godfrey marriage. Of course it could be a grandmother's maiden name. I have had a bit of a lead recently in that there is a David Quinn burial in the Shankill Road graveyard book and he had put on his stone that it was also a memorial to his father and mother James and Ann - suggesting that they were buried elsewhere, which would fit. David Quinn is not a very common name. However, this David Quinn died in 1915. The UHF site only has one in 1903 (+ my grandfather who died in 1971). Next stop GRONI again and try for David Quinn's death cert and a marriage between James Quinn (of whom many) and an Ann. Tricky to corroborate though. Don't you just love Irish records.

Thanks again for your suggestions.

[maryderry]

would this fit. DAVID QUINN B. 23-4-1871 BELFAST, ANTRIM. PARENTS. JAMES QUINN & MARY JANE CAMPBELL.


                           regards mary

[maryderry]

just found this. death. DAVID QUINN D.O.D 22-5-1915. 21 SUMMER STREET BELFAST.


                                        regards mary.

[r1b1c7]

 

[r1b1c7]

Mary, Don't know what happened there. I typed a reply and it just sent the smiley! I doubt if the 1871 David Q is right - dates too far out - but the 1915 death looks very possible. This is the one in the Shankill Graveyard book with right father's name. Good to know it is Summers St, which will help to get the death cert from GRONI. This might identify whether it is the right man (e.g. by reporter) and then I would know my gg grandmother was called Ann. This might help me identify a marriage, since they may well have married after 1845.

I didn't know there was a source of Irish BMDs on the web. Maybe it is Ancestry.co.uk which I have always resisted because I thought there wasn't much Irish data on it.

Thanks again for this. It looks hopeful.