Hmmm. That is odd. As you say some records must exist or else the marriage record would not have survived. It is possible they handed them all over to PRONI. Maybe the Minister is just tired fielding genealogy requests. As custodians of important family information I feel the various denominations could do a much better job on this front.
Do you happen to know the PRONI record reference?
Just to let you know there is another Spence family dating back to the same era in the nearby townland of Ballykennedy. I have fully worked up that family tree as far as available records go. William Snr's contemporary would have been Alexander Spence. He died young in the 1840's. We know of his existence because his wife Margaret referenced him and cause of death on the 1851 Census for this townland which remarkably survived the Four Courts Fire.
In tracing that line I discovered one of Alexanders sons Samuel was quite fastidious, leaving lots of records. Alexander had another son called William John (who never married) but nevertheless is a potential candidate as my ancestor's father. I have not been able to establish a genetic link with this line as yet but I have not discounted them given their proximity to the Templepatrick link.
With regard Samuel's fastidious nature he referenced where Alexander was from previous to Ballykennedy townland in his mothers Death notice. Tullyrusk townland. I checked the Tithe Applotment Book for Tullyrusk Parish and there he is in 1826 but not 1834. Interestingly two John Spences are also listed. I am thinking one is a brother, the other his father maybe.
No Spences are listed in the Tithe Applotment Book for Ballykennedy townland or indeed Killead Parish in the 1820's. None are listed in Templepatrick or Ballymartin Parishes either. Looking at all the Parishes to the east, west & south of our area of interest in Antrim the Spence family is represented in Blaris, Derriaghy, Magheragall, Magheramesk (largest concentration) and Tullyrusk (second largest concentration) Parishes. To the north in Antrim there is a large cluster in Ahoghill and a few in Ballyclug Parish.
It could be the Spence family was not long established in Templepatrick Parish as indeed they were not in Killead Parish.
It is my desire to research all of these leads but for the moment I have focused on those leading south west. Reversing Alexanders direction of travel. It leads us toward the Lagan Valley. For the moment I suspect the Ahoghill and Ballyclug families are not linked.
