Clarke, Coleraine

[janetrizvi]

James Clarke was a tenant farmer in Gills townland, Macosquin parish, Coleraine, working a holding of 83 acres, the largest in the townland, according to Griffith's Valuation. His landlord was John Cromie.
I'm pretty sure James Clarke was my great-grandfather, father of John Clarke (later of Old Aberdeen, Scotland) my grandfather, born 1853. James Clarke's wife was Robina Bryce (b. 1814), daughter of Rev. James Bryce (1767-1857), who came from Scotland & settled in Killaig around 1805.
I haven't been able to find the parentage of James Clarke. Family tradition has it that he was 'true Irish'; on the other hand he was definitely Presbyterian rather than Catholic.
A James Clarke was baptised on 30 Aug. 1820 in Drumachose, son of William Clarke & Mary nee McLaughlin. This is approximately appropriate as a d.o.b. for my great-grandfather, except for making him six years younger than his wife Robina.
Can anyone help, either by identifying the Drumachose James Clarke as the tenant farmer at Gills, or by ruling out such identification? And/or by suggesting how I might find out the parentage of James Clarke of Gills.

[aghadowey]

Welcome to Rootschat 

Coleraine Chronicle, 8 June 1872: HONOURS- Queen's College, Belfast.- We are glad to observe that the examinations recently held in Belfast, at the close of the session, Mr. John Clarke (third son of Mr. Jas. Clarke, Gills, and grandson of the late Rev. James Bryce, Killeag) has carried off three firsts and a prize in French- first in Greek and Latin and English, as well as first prizeman og first class at the general examination. He has thus retained the position which he gained in classics for his entrance scholarship. It is highly creditable to the Coleraine Academical Institution that Mr. Clarke, last year's Clothworkers' scholar, should have taken such a high position for his first year; and, in particular, Mr. Clarke's place of first in English reflects the highest credit on the Principal of Institution, T.G. Houston, Esq., M.A., and shows that at the Institution the basis of a sound English education receives as great attention as that of the hugh branches.

[janetrizvi]

Many thanks for this.
But it still doesn't get me any further in the search for the Clarke antecedents beyond James Clarke!

[aghadowey]

But is does connect John Clarke to James Clarke of Gills and thus to Rev. James Bryce of Killaig which you seemed unsure about ("I'm pretty sure James Clarke was my great-grandfather".) Rev. James Bryce did arrive from Scotland in 1805- coming over first for his installation and then going back to Scotland to bring his family over.

It's unlikely that there will be records far enough back to verify the parents of James Clarke of Gills. However, according to Rev. Bryce, James Clarke was born 8 Dec.1820.

[janetrizvi]

'According to Rev. Bryce'---can you give me any more info about this source?
Presumably he noted James Clarke's d.o.b. in connection with the latter's marriage to his daughter?

[aghadowey]

"According to Rev. Bryce" is from notebook in which he wrote baptisms, marriages and other events including misc. entries like James Clarke's birthday (not in connection with the marriage).

[janetrizvi]

How does one access Rev. James Bryce's notebook?
Is there no context for the note of James Clarke's birth? Can we be certain that it refers to his future son-in-law?
The James Clarke born 8 Dec. 1820 then can't be the same James Clarke who was baptised in Drumachose on 30 August 1820.

[aghadowey]

"James Clarke born 8 Decr.1820" appears towards the end of the notebook between "John Millar born 21st September 1820" and "William Kennedy Ballycaen born Septr 1 1802." The notebook is in local custody.

It looks as though it's been microfilmed along with other church records- P[resbyterian] Killaig:
Baptisms, 1805-56 (with index) and 1860-1944; marriages, 1836-43 (with index) and 1865-1903; communicants' list, c.1818-c.1839 MIC1P/414
http://www.proni.gov.uk/guide_to_church_records.pdf

[akanex2]

I had a look at the 1831 census (only names head of household) and there was no Clarke family in Gills townland at that date - given the size of James's farm I would have hoped for evidence of it being passed down in the family.

There was however an Alexander Clarke in the neighbouring townland of Coole Glebe which borders James's farm on the Griffith website maps - this is a lot more likely to be James's family than the one in Drumachose which is approximately 20 miles away.  No proof of course, but did James happen to have a son called Alexander?