Francis McElhern & John McElhern Ireland early 1800's

[Imcarthur67]

I have reached a roadblock in my research of John Campbell McElhern birth circa 1829 in Armagh and (I presume from baptism entry) his father Francis McElhern (Campbell) born Killdallan, Cavan circa 1807.

Parts of this subject has been covered in other posts, notably spelling of McElhern, McLhern, Mucklehern, McIlherron etc.. and also the change of name from McElhern to Campbell, however I have hit a brick wall making progress of where they were actually born for certain and any supporting data backing this up. Indeed is John Campbell McElhern father actually Francis or was it John, I have seen both on family trees.

As a start I would like to confirm John McElhern's birthplace, was it Armagh, County Armagh, or Arvagh (Armhach) in County Cavan, as one of the census returns has it spelled Arkmash??

Secondly any information regarding Francis being his actual father and where he was born.

Francis was married to Mary Campbell.
John Campbell McElhern was married to Susan (Susana) McLuskie 1854 in Hamilton Lanarkshire.

I am throwing it out there for any assistance!

[gaffy]

While the "RootsIreland" website doesn't have a record for a son John baptised to a couple named Francis McIlherin  (or variants) and Mary Campbell, it does show a Mary, James and Michael baptised for them, in 1836, 1838 and 1841 respectively, all three in the RC parish of Killeavy Lower. There isn't a direct read across from RC parish to civil parish in this instance, so you would need to make your own assessment using maps and other online sources, but I did notice a number of "McIlheron" names in "Enoch" townland, Killevy civil parish in the tithe applotment books, including a Francis (reference year 1835):

https://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/armagh/tithe-applotments/killevy-parish.php

A glance at the work of the Northern Ireland Place Name Project based within Queens University Belfast suggests to me that this may be the townland of Enagh:

https://www.townlands.ie/armagh/orior-lower/killevy-lower-orior-portion/tullyhappy/enagh/

Griffith's Valuation for the area shows several folk with that surname still there (local print date 1864).

[gaffy]

While the "RootsIreland" website doesn't have a record for a son John baptised to a couple named Francis McIlherin  (or variants) and Mary Campbell, it does show a Mary, James and Michael baptised for them, in 1836, 1838 and 1841 respectively, all three in the RC parish of Killeavy Lower.

Further to above, just adding the register images from the NLI RC Parishes website:

- Mary:
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000632500#page/17/mode/1up (left page, sponsors John Campbell and Margaret Larkin)
- James:
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000632500#page/40/mode/1up (left page, sponsors Stephen White and Margaret Maguire)
- Michael:
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000632500#page/69/mode/1up (left page, sponsors Daniel McIlheron and Ellen "Ditto", ie. McIlheron)

Also just to add, an example of how Enagh was being spelled as Enoch is shown here, in the marriage of a John McIlherron (son of Michael) in 1900 and the corresponding 1901 Ireland census record:

https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/marriage_returns/marriages_1900/10343/5765696.pdf
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Armagh/Tullyhappy/Enagh/1036827/

... I did notice a number of "McIlheron" names in "Enoch" townland, Killevy civil parish in the tithe applotment books, including a Francis (reference year 1835):

https://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/armagh/tithe-applotments/killevy-parish.php

Further to above, you can also see online the relevant page images from the tithe applotment books via the PRONI e-catalogue (PRONI reference FIN/5/A/178A), PRONI has also assumed Enoch to be Enagh:
https://apps.proni.gov.uk/eCatNI_IE/SearchPage.aspx

[Imcarthur67]

Thank you Gaffy, that is very useful information.

I agree with Mary, James and Michael, my information has Mary & Michael baptised in Bessbrook, Killeavy Lower.

Regarding John McIlhern Campbell, the 1871 Scotland census has him as Campbell, and his birth as Ireland Armach?? hence me thinking it wasnt Armagh.

[gaffy]

Knowing what we already know, I personally would interpret that as county Armagh in Ireland. 

In the absence of finding a birth record thus far for John or a marriage for Francis and Mary, another scenario to be considered is that John might have been born to Mary out of wedlock, with Francis taking him on board after marriage. I imagine there has to be something like that behind the name changes.

[Imcarthur67]

Michael McIlheron in the Ireland Census of 1901 was single, a farmer, living in Tullyhappy. It also states his sister Cathrin McIlherron was living with him, also single, a house keeper.
Cathrin is a relative we have not previously seen.

[shanreagh]

It is not unusual for the 'gh' ending in ireland to be interpreted as 'ch' in Scotland.  So McLoughlins may become McLachlans in Scotland. Just the way a sound was interpreted in writing. 
NB not a very good illustration as my McLoughlin connections say it 'McLofflin'

[Imcarthur67]

Thank you for that info. hence Armach is probably Armagh as Gaffy says.
Incidentally if the birthplace is written as Armagh, Ireland. is that likely to be County Armagh or Armagh in County Armagh?