Allen of Camus, Glenleary etc- Macoquin, Dunboe, Coleraine

[aghadowey]

Yes so all we have to explain (or decide to stop worrying about) is the newspaper report that both Daniel and Maggie were from Camus. Here is a theory, Maggie indeed a daughter of Robert but living with William's family to help look after children, spin flax, go to school, whatever. If William and Robert were brothers. Had William's wife died perhaps?    Just a theory. And of course newspapers get things wrong!

William Allen died in 1871 and his wife died in 1914.

The residences of bride and groom are at the time of the marriage and Daniel was not from Camus. Margaret Allen was originally Glenleary but if they lived in the bit of Glenleary that marches Camus that could explain the confusion.

[LindeL]

New to me; information about an earlier and presumably prosperous Allen, from the Registry of Deeds. 1783 Mr William Allen of Banfield in the suburbs of Coleraine, leases two fields to James Black of Coleraine; 2 fields on east side of the road from Coleraine to the New Mills, formerly held by said James Black and Allen McDugall and then in possession of said James Black. Lives James Black lessee, James Black junior. second son of lessee and Robert Allen, eldest son of said William Allen of Banfield and 21 years. £5/3/1. James Black signed with a mark.
The use of the Christian names William and Robert is of interest but this cannot be "my" Robert, who wasn't born until around 1823. A man described as "Mr" and leasing fields, may have been prosperous, and MIGHT be related to Andrew Allen, linen draper, who owned part of Glenleary in 1770

[LindeL]

I posted the previous message too quickly. This William Allen of Banfield, or another William Allen of Banfield, is mentioned in Mullin's book about Georgian Coleraine; he owned the tanyard in the vicinity of Banfield. A Robert Allen was in Coleraine in 1754

[LindeL]

Here is another intriguing bit of information about Allens in the area; whether my ancestors or different Allens, we may never know. According to Mullin in his book on Aghadowey, Pyke's 1725 survey lists a Patrick McAllen in Culcrow [Cole Crowe] and Mullaghmore [Mullagh Moor}]a James McAllen. These men may be of Irish rather than Scots origin; certainly the half of Mullaghmore had 5 tenants including McAllen, and only one, Widow Grey, looks to be a settler name. Patrick at that date was not strictly an Irish name; there are Scots Patricks, so it's not certain
Culcrow is not that far from Glenleary

[aghadowey]

After going through all available vital records on Irish Genealogy, census and other records (including my own files) I have found that both Robert Allen of Glenleary and William Allen of Camus married in Dunboe area and were almost certainly from there before coming to those Macosquin townlands.

Robert Allen (c1823-1912), Glenleary, married Elizabeth Henry and had the following children (could be others that dies young, etc.)- Nancy, William, John, Sarah Jane (mother of 3 illegitimate children), Margaret Anne, Joseph, Mary Ann, James, Robert.

William Allen (c1809-1891), Camus, married Margaret Anne Cameron and had the following children (again, could be others I've not found yet)- Margaret Jane, John, James, Esther, Elizabeth.

[mcmichael]

Thank you so much for this information.  Do you have any records for the child of Robert and Elizabeth Henry who you have stated is Margaret Anne. i have drawn a complete blank in all my searches and am keen to have the evidence of her as she does not appear in any of the census documents.

[aghadowey]

Margaret Anne "Peggy" Allen was born probably 1851-1853 (certainly after 1851 census) and married Daniel McMichael in 1869. I have 10 children for them and just to confuse matters the eldest daughter married a James Allen from Coleraine- these Allens were tailors and not from Glenleary or Camus as far as I can see. Two of Margaret Anne Allens siblings also married Allens (both from Camus).

[mcmichael]

We have this information including marriage certificates for Daniel and Peggy and baptism records for all of Daniel and Peggy's children what I am missing is Margaret Anne's (Peggy's birth records) if i had this i could evidence her as the child of Robert and Elizabeth otherwise it is just conjecture

[aghadowey]

I don't have the marriage right in front of me at the moment but doesn't Margaret's marriage list her father as Robert Allen? farmer?

There are gaps/missing records for local baptisms and the 1st Allen baptisms in Macosquin Presbyterian Church are 1879 (I've not found earlier one for Margaret in any other local church).

Aside from what you've already posted here-

• There was only one Robert Allen in Glenleary at that period. He married (1844) Elizabeth Henry- Margaret's daughter called Bessie Henry McMichael
• Alexander Allen (illegitimate son of Sarah Jane Allen) named 2nd daughter Jane Lennox Allen (1909)- Margaret's daughter Annie Maria's widower James Brennan married (1908) Jane Lennox Steel