James Burn/s 1801 Antrim

[jeanlit]

Can anyone help with information about James Burn/s who was sentenced in Lent 1801 at Antrim to 7 years transportation to New South Wales.

He may have been born about 1763, unknown if in Antrim or elsewhere.

I'm sorry but I don't know anything else about him, so any little detail will help.

Thanks,

Jean

[HBelle]

Jean, we now know that James Burns was baptised 13 Aug 1762 at Shankill St Anne's Belfast.
His parents - James Burns and Mary Carr.  Secondly, he was baptised 19 Aug 1762 St Anne's Civil, Belfast.
Are there any siblings recorded for James Burns at St Anne's ?

He was convicted in 1801 at Antrim for rebel activities.   A trial has not been found.  Any ideas where to search for a trial would be appreciated.
Helen

[Elwyn Soutter]

If there are any surviving court papers, they may be in PRONI, Belfast. Otherwise you could search the back copies of the Belfast Newsletter (which was published twice a week at that time), as they listed brief details of many trials. Copies are held at the Central Library, Belfast and you may be able to get them on-line too.

[aghadowey]

Jean, we now know that James Burns was baptised 13 Aug 1762 at Shankill St Anne's Belfast.
His parents - James Burns and Mary Carr.  Secondly, he was baptised 19 Aug 1762 St Anne's Civil, Belfast.

Were the baptismal details obtained from a pay site and not from the actual church registers? there is no such thing as a civil baptism. There are 2 likely possbilities as to the two dates close together.
1) baptism has been recorded twice in St. Anne's register (clergyman recording the details and then recording them again)
2) entry difficult to read and your source has given 2 options

[jeanlit]

Thanks Elwyn

I'll search the PRONI - I've found it a bit difficult in the past, but I'll keep trying!

Aghadowey,  The baptismal details came from rootsireland.ie     I know primary sources are the best, but this seemed to be the next best.   I didn't understand why there would be two dates.    Thank you.

Jean

[aghadowey]

My great-grandmother was one of 11 children and all were recorded in the baptism records for their church. However, about half of them were recorded twice (this happened in other families as well) with the dates being about a week or two apart- and some of the names have slight variations. The children would have been baptised at home and the minister would have recorded the details in his book at a later time (book too large to be easily carried about).
Some ministers kept a notebook (a practice even now) where they jotted down notes such as "bapt. daughter Thomas Smyth" and then later record the details in the church records. Imagine a clergyman writing on the Wednesday night "Saturday 4 April bapt. daughter Thomas Smyth named Ann" and then the following week forgetting it was already recorded so writing "Monday 6 April bapt. daughter Thomas Smyth named Annie."
Baptisms recorded twice in a register did happen more than you'd expect but understandable when you think about the process years ago.

[jeanlit]

Thanks very much

I'll just have to note down both entries at this stage.