Forrester of Clover Hill

[DebGlaze]

I am trying to find information regarding my Gt Gt Gt Grandmother, Margaret Forrester... I believe she was the daughter of a Forrester who was JP of Maghera, and I believe her family were the Forresters of Clover Hill.  She was married to the Rev Charles Kennedy who was minister of Maghera Presbyterian Church. She died in 1840.

[Gortinanima]

Naming patterns are important - I note they had sons Anthony Kennedy and Arthur Kennedy two names used by the Forresters of Cloverhill.

The Forresters were a fairly prominent family but despite this the time frame you are interested is quite early and this would require quite a lot of research using a variety of sources.

[Gortinanima]

The will of Anthony Forrester of Cloverhill was probated 1803 -- looks potentially the father of Margaret Forrester (Derry wills index).

[DebGlaze]

Thank you. The Anthony Forrester you refer to was married to a Rebecca Young, however I can find no record of their children. Margaret and Rev Charles Kennedy had a daughter called Rebecca, so it does look possible she (Margaret) was linked to them

[aghadowey]

Clare Journal & Ennis Advertiser, 8 Apr.1841: At Clover-hill, county Londonderry, Rebecca, relict of Anthony Forrester, Esq.

[Gortinanima]

Thank you. The Anthony Forrester you refer to was married to a Rebecca Young, however I can find no record of their children. Margaret and Rev Charles Kennedy had a daughter called Rebecca, so it does look possible she (Margaret) was linked to them

You now have a working hypothesis (presumption) that Margaret was the daughter of Anthony Forrester by Rebecca Young.

The Forresters were a small clan who resided in Cloverhill (Mullagh) so most likely they were all closely related in that area - so it could turn out that Anthony Forrester was perhaps an uncle.

There are no church records for the period and location you are interested in so you are going to have to use other sources (newspapers, estate papers, registry of deeds etc) to build up a picture of the family.

[Gortinanima]

Belfast Mercury 5 March 1855
The late Rev Charles Kennedy Presbyterian minister of Maghera was ordained in the year 1800 in the 19th year of age - he was therefore at his death in the 55th year of his ministry - being the oldest minister in the Synod of Ulster and the oldest with only one exception in the General assembly.

If this information is correct then this gives Rev Charles Kennedy a life span of circa 1780-1855.

[DebGlaze]

Hi. Yes, Rev Charles Kennedy was born in 1781 in Dunboe. I have never been able to find anything on his family of origin. Its very frustrating that there is so little written about him given the length of time he was the minister of Maghera. I assume Margaret was probably born around the same time. Thank you so much for this

[aghadowey]

Rev. Charles Kennedy and history of Maghera Presbyterian Church-
https://www.derrynow.com/features/derry-city-cemetery-series-professor-thomas-witherow-hedge-school-pupil-leader-presbyterian-church/272654b

Have you done any research at Presbyterian Historical Society?
http://www.presbyterianhistoryireland.com/collections/archives/

Have you checked for Rev. Kennedy in Faesti? often mentions father's name as well as place of origin, etc.