No Burial Register

[Elliebob]

Bob and I were at Greenbank Church last year looking for his grandmother's grave.  She died in Muff in 1941 but her family home was in Crehennan.  There is a grave there with "Brooks" inscribed on it which was her maiden name.  We wondered if she may have been buried there so when we got home we wrote to the minister to ask about the burial register, only to be told in his reply that they don't have one but are hoping to start one!
Does anyone know if this is unusual and how we could find out if Frances McConnell (nee Brooks) was buried there?
I shall look forward as always to helful and interesting replies and debate - I love it!  Thanks everyone.
Ellen

[aghadowey]

What religion is the church? Presbyterian churches usually don't keep burial registers and Church of Ireland registers sometimes didn't record burials for people who were not members of their church (such as Presbyterians).

[Elliebob]

Thank you Aghadowey.
It was Greenbank Presbyterian church near Muff. I was not aware that Presbyterians did not keep burial records, I wonder why?
There must be someone who knows who is buried in that grave, as there were the remains of a wreath on it when we visited last.
We shall have to keep trying to find out!
Best wishes, Ellen

[aghadowey]

Families generally know where the family plot is located in a graveyard. Some, not all, churches do have a graveyard map which shows the layout of the ground and usually a name for the plots.
Many Presbyterians are buried in the local parish (Church of Ireland) burying-grounds so be sure to chek there just in case.

[Elliebob]

Greenbank Pres church has it's own graveyard alongside. There is only 1 grave marked with Brooks on a headstone there.
I have looked in Muff (CofI) churchyard which is the local one also other CofI and Pres churchyards in the area, and there are no Brooks headstones there.
So I will have to keep on trying!?!?
Thanks for your help- Ellen

[mmcpadden1947]

Ellen,
I checked Donegal Genealogy Resources & Muff in particular on line to see if I could get any info.for you.
At the end of their page there is a list of researchers & one of them has an address in Muff with an email address & might be a good source to try.
The local paper read in that area is the Donegal Peoples Press.(Larkin House,Letterkenny, fax.= code +74 912 8001)
If you wished to write to them it will be published free of charge if sent to Readers Letters.
Towards the bottom of that page I came across The McConnells Of Donegal & associated families.
The Brooks family is listed :
1  Eliza Jane Brooks, 1868 - 1906
2  Frances Brooks,     1865 - 1941
3  Samuel Brooks,
4  Samuel Brooks,     ?? 1901
That would appear to be your Frances.
Thought you might be interested in that.
                                                           Maura

[Elliebob]

Hi Maura

Thanks for looking for me - I do appreciate all the help given.  I think that you have found my website listed on the Donegal resources page! It is a wonderful resource for all of us interested in Donegal and I try to send Lindel anything that may be of interest after I have been to Donegal.

I do have contacts with the Muff Parish Church (CofI) and hope that they will be able to look in their burial register as there is a McConnell grave there where she may be buried.

Meanwhile thanks to all of you who are/have been helping.
Ellen

[Bellarosa70]

I know this posting is old, but i seem to have found the burial place of my Burnett ancestors.
There is a family grave in Greenbank cemetry Donegal.
It says there were no presbyterians buried there.
The grave contains Robert Burnett (Great Great grandfather)
Andrew Burnett (his son)
Kathleen Burnett (I think should be Catherine) his wife.
And a Martha J Burnett. (I think this may be my Grandmother)
Her married name was Foster.
Greenbank cemetry tell me she would not have been buried under
her maiden name of Burnett, and that I have the wrong plot.
But the names all fit here.

[aghadowey]

There is a family grave in Greenbank cemetry Donegal.
It says there were no presbyterians buried there.
The grave contains Robert Burnett (Great Great grandfather)
Andrew Burnett (his son)
Kathleen Burnett (I think should be Catherine) his wife.
And a Martha J Burnett. (I think this may be my Grandmother)
Her married name was Foster.
Greenbank cemetry tell me she would not have been buried under
her maiden name of Burnett, and that I have the wrong plot.
But the names all fit here.

Is Greenbank Cemetery attached to a particular church? Are the names you've mentioned from a gravestone or burial records?