Margaret Townsley Birth details *Completed*

[draarcy]

I am looking for information on Margaret Townsley born 1870/71 whose father was Robert.  I think they lived in Lismenary.  Her Mother's name is unknown as well as date of birth.

Thanks

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   I can find a birth for Margaret Townsley who was born on 24 Apr1870 to Robert Townsley and Margaret Hill. The birth was registered in Doagh, Co. Antrim.

Regards

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   A little more. Robert Townsley married Margaret Sarah Hill in Ballynure Presbyterian Church on 24 May 1854. They had several other children,
30 Dec 1857  William
11 Dec 1859 Catherine
27 Jun 1861 Robert
28 Apr 1865 Mary Jane.

Regards

[Elwyn Soutter]

PRONI has a will that might interest you:

Probate of the Will of Margaret Sarah Townsley late of Lismenary County Antrim Widow who died 8 January 1897 granted at Belfast to Robert Townsley of 15 Longview-street Belfast Shop Assistant and Maggie Townsley of Lismenary Spinster.    Effects £171 2s. 6d.

You can see the will itself on the PRONI site. It mentions her children Robert, Maggie & William Townsley, as well as her grand-daughter Mary Fletcher.

http://applications.proni.gov.uk/DCAL_PRONI_WillsCalendar/WillsSearchResults.aspx

[draarcy]

Thanks,  I'll look into some of these.  Do you think the Margaret Hill may be the Margaret Sarah Hill?

[Elwyn Soutter]

It looks likely.

Here's Robert jnr in the 1901 census:

www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Woodvale_Ward/Lawnview_Street/986800/

[draarcy]

Thanks for all the help.  It all is great.  Margaret Townsley (born 1870) and William Andrew McGookin were married on 28 April 1897 at the Larne 1st Presbyterian Church, witnesses were Samuel McGookin and Annie McClintock.  This date fits with the date of death of Margaret Sarah Townsley ( Jan 1897).  So now I am chasing Robert Townsley's (father) date of death.  Also would it be mentioned on the marriage records as to whether her father was deceased at the time of marriage?

[Elwyn Soutter]

As far as answering your question about whether a marriage cert would show whether a father was deceased, the answer is that it sometimes does give that information, but not always.

However in this case you know from the will that he was dead by 1897 and that he was the father of a child born 1870. Therefore it follows he died between 1870 and 1897, does it not?

There are 2 possible deaths in that period, in Co Antrim, on the LDS Beta site:

Robert Townsley born 1803, death regd April – June 1883, Belfast, Volume 1, page 266.
Robert Townsley born 1825, death regd Larne Jan – Mar 1894, Volume 1, page 543.

I’d say the Larne one was the more likely of the two.

[draarcy]

Yes, I agree the will does show that Robert was dead by 1897, however I was after another piece of evidence to support that the Margaret Townsley I was after is the Margaret Sarah Hill mentioned.  I looked back through my information and found the William Andrew McGookin & Margaret Townsley's first daughter was Margaret Sarah.  So it looks as though it is the correct Margaret Sarah Hill.  If I could get people's thoughts on why William McGookin from Ballycor (family from Ballynure Pres. Church) would marry Margaret ( from Lismenary) at 1st Larne Pres. Church.  The minister was the Ballynure Minister.  Could it have to do with Margaret's parents been dead and special permission required or perhaps William the older brother is in Larne? Meanwhile I'll try and track where Mary Fletcher fits in.