I’m looking for any information regarding the Barr family from Upper Cumber in the late 1700s
My 4th Great Grandfather was born & lived here in 1777. His son,my 3rd GG was born in 1810 & moved over the water to Scotland which is where our family roots were thought to originate from.
We have nothing at all on our Irish roots so the thinnest of thread’s would be welcome.
Looking at the 1831 census, there were 2 Barr households in Cumber Upper:
One headed by John in Tullintrain had 2 males, the other headed by James in Burn Upper had 6 males and 5 females. All were Presbyterian which fits with your understanding of the family’s Scots origins.
Tullintrain still exists. Burn Upper I cannot locate. The name has apparently fallen into disuse.
Looking at Griffiths Valuation (1858) there was a William Barr in Tullintrain, Samuel & Archibald in Gilkyhill and Major Barr in Lisbunny.
https://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml
Possibly one of those families might be connected to yours.
Unfortunately the local church records do not go back far enough for you. The local Presbyterian church (Cumber Upper) has baptisms from 1827 and marriages from 1834. (Copy held in the Presbyterian Historical Society in Belfast.)
The 1796 Flax Growers List has the following Barr(e)s. Note one is from Cumber Upper.
| Barr | Thomas | Artrea | Derry | |
| Barr | David | Cumber Upper | Derry | |
| Barr | Samuel | Aghadowey | Derry | |
| Barr | James | Artrea | Derry | |
| These are matches starting with the search string: | ||||
| Barre | John | Balteagh | Derry | |
| Barre | David | Clondermot | Derry | |
Some information about the Flax Growers List mentioned above...
“The Irish Linen Board published a list of nearly 60,000 individuals in 1796. Spinning wheels were awarded based on the number of acres planted. People who planted one acre were awarded 4 spinning wheels and those growing 5 acres were awarded a loom.”—Failte Romhat, https://www.failteromhat.com/flax1796.php
Grateful thanks