Well, this mystery just threw another turn...
I’ve been chatting with the admin of a local history group and they dropped a bit of knowledge I didn’t know previously; namely that Coagh parish was only created in 1865. Prior to that it had been the parish of Donaghenry.
They looked in the registers for Donaghenry and found a catholic baptismal record for a John Bell, son of James Bell and Eliza Lamb (which they believe is a variant of Lamont) in 1862. Now I’ve heard of couples getting married because a baby’s on the way, but I’ve never heard of a couple getting married four years after their first child! So I’m sceptical... but on the other hand there is circumstantial evidence in support of the idea.
Firstly, if this John is indeed my ancestor James and Eliza’s son it would tie together a few other threads in my research, namely the other catholic Bell families of the area. There is a John Bell who marries a Mary School (I believe an alternate spelling of Scullion) in the chapel of Mullinahoe in 1885. John’s father is listed as a James Bell and the couple go on to live in Mullawotragh. I had wondered about a connection to my tree, but hadn’t thought of John as a possible son of James and Eliza as he was too old!
John and Mary’s children share a number of names with James’ family, including one son named as Walter in the civil births in 1904 but listed as Albert everywhere else. As my 2x great grandfather’s father was called Walter, I’m wondering if Walter Albert was named for his great grandfather. There is one remaining catholic Bell family to account for, a James Bell son of James who marries a Mary Teaney in Drumullan in 1890, but it’s looking possible that my ancestor James Bell is indeed the root ancestor for all catholic Bell families in Coagh!
