Hello Sheila,
To compliment the information that Elwyn has kindly provided, I found the 1878 civil marriage record for Hugh Cooper and Margaret J. Thompson at the free irishgenealogy.ie website. The marriage record is attached to this reply, and shows the couple were married on July 11, 1878.
If you look closely at the marriage record you’ll see that Hugh and Margaret were married in the “3rd Pres Church,” that is, the 3rd Ballymoney Presbyterian Church by “License.”
The name of the minister who married them was John Ross. The name of one of the witnesses looks like Charles McKinney. The other witness is Hannah Cooper who may have been Hugh’s sister, or perhaps his mother.
A book by Brian Mitchell called, “A Guide To Irish Parish Registers” shows there were several Presbyterian churches in Ballymoney, one with register back to the 18th century.
These churches include the Ballymoney Presbyterian Church, also known as the 1st Presbyterian Church, with registers from the year 1751; the Trinity Presbyterian Church, also known as the 2nd Presbyterian Church, with registers from the year 1845; and the St. James, or 3rd Presbyterian Church, with registers that commence in 1825. St. James, or the 3rd Presbyterian Church, is the church where Hugh and Margaret would have been married.
According to information at PRONI, (Public Records Office of Northern Ireland), St. James Presbyterian Church became known as the 3rd Presbyterian Church after 1840. Before 1840 it was the 2nd Presbyterian Church.
PRONI holds St. James baptism records from 1835 to 1940; and marriages from 1835 to 1903. Also at PRONI are St. James marriage notices from 1862 to 1911.
The St. James Presbyterian Church baptisms and marriages at PRONI are on microfilm reference MIC1P/266. The marriage notices are on microfilm reference MIC1P/117.
PRONI is located at 2 Titanic Boulevard, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. For more information about Ballymoney Presbyterian Church records held at PRONI, see the attachment to this reply called, “Proni's Guide to Church Records For Ballymoney Presbyterian Churches.”
As Elwyn had mentioned marriages traditionally took place in the bride’s parish, which means that St. James may have been Margaret Thompson’s parish church. But it may also have been Hugh Cooper’s church as well.
Sheila, what you can do at this point is write another query to the Ireland Reaching Out message board and ask of there is a volunteer in the Belfast, Northern Ireland area who can visit PRONI for you to look for the Ballymoney, County Antrim, St. James Presbyterian marriage record for Hugh Cooper and Margaret J. Thompson.
You can also ask if there is a circa 1850 St. James baptism record for Hugh Cooper, who was the son of John Cooper, and a St. James baptism record for a Margaret Thompson, daughter of Moses Thompson.
You can mention you do not have a date of birth for Margaret. You can explain that the St. James Presbyterian Church records of baptisms and marriages for Ballymoney, Antrim, are on microfilm reference MIC1P/266, and that St. James Ballymoney Presbyterian marriage notices can be found in microfilm reference MIC1P/117.
Also mention that you will be turning 91 soon, and do not live in Ireland, and so are unable to do the research for yourself.
THE ST. JAMES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
A Google Map shows that the St. James Presbyterian Church is northwest of the center of Ballymoney: https://is.gd/PrC9ov
For a Google Street View of St. James Presbyterian Church, see: https://is.gd/PrOnvF
I’ve compared the location of St. James Church on the Google Map, with an Ordnance Survey Map of Ballymoney from the 1837 to 1842 time period. The map, from the GeoHive website, is attached to this reply. At the top center of the map you’ll see the location of the, “Presb. M. Ho.” This is the St. James Presbyterian Meeting House.
The map shows another “Presbn. Meeting Ho.” southeast of Ballymoney, in the lower right corner of the map. I believe this would be the 1st Presbyterian Church of Ballymoney.
For comparison, you can see the location of the 1st Presbyterian Church on a Google Map of Ballymoney at: https://is.gd/zMsZIK
The marriage record for Hugh and Margaret shows that Hugh’s residence at the time of marriage was Carnaff. A map of County Antrim showing the location of Carnaff, highlighted in blue, can be found at the townlands.ie map site at: https://www.townlands.ie/antrim/dunluce-lower/derrykeighan/benvardin/ca…
Once you have accessed the map, decrease the size of the image by three clicks, and you’ll see that Carnaff is located just north of Ballymoney.
Another townlands.ie map shows the location of Eden, which was the residence of Margaret Thompson, according to the marriage record. Eden is also highlighted in the blue on the map at: https://www.townlands.ie/antrim/kilconway/finvoy/the-vow/eden/
If you decrease the size of the map by two clicks, you’ll see that Eden is south of Ballymoney.
These maps show that Hugh and Margaret were living at opposite ends of Ballymoney when they married in 1878. They may not have necessarily been born in these townlands however.
GRIFFITHS VALUATION
Knowing that Hugh Cooper had lived in Carnaff, and that his father was John Cooper, and that Margaret Thompson had lived in Eden, and that her father was Moses Thompson, I wanted to see if John Cooper and Moses Thompson were recorded in an Irish property tax record known as Griffiths Valuation.
Griffiths Valuation was enumerated in the 32 counties of Ireland between 1847 and 1864. The valuation for County Antrim was completed by the year 1861.
Unlike a census, Griffiths Valuation did not enumerate individual members of a family, such as husband, wife, and children in a household residence. Those named in the valuation were individuals who paid to lease property, such as land, houses, and outbuildings. Each person who paid to lease the property was called an “Occupier.” The other person listed in Griffiths Valuation was the person who owned the property, or who worked as the middleman collecting the rent on Gale Day for the owner. This middleman was called the “Immediate Lessor.”
You can access Griffiths Valuation transcriptions and original copies for free at the Ask About Ireland website link at:
http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml
I didn’t find John Cooper in Carnaff or Moses Thompson in Eden in Griffiths Valuation, but I did find that Moses Thompson had leased property in Carnaff, which was in the Civil Parish of Derrykeighan.
Griffiths Valuation for Carnaff is attached to this reply. Moses Thompson is at number 8a in the valuation.
8a is a reference number for the location of Moses Thompson’s lease on a Griffiths Valuation Map from the time period.
Griffiths Valuation shows that Moses Thompson leased a House and garden from an Immediate Lessor named John Given. The garden was 1 Rood and 23 Perches in size, and valued at 8 Shillings. The house was valued at 1 Pound and 2 Shillings. The total valuation for the Moses Thompson lease was 1 Pound and 10 Shillings. Moses would not have been required to pay a tax on this property, as those leases valued under 5 Pounds not were subject to the tax, according to genealogist John Grenham, writing for Ask About Ireland. See the quote below:
“The individual in economic occupation of the property was responsible
for payment of the local taxation based on Griffith’s, with one exception:
tenants with a holding valued at less than £5 annually were exempt, but
their landlord was liable for the tax. This liability was a powerful incentive
for landlords to get rid of smaller tenants in any way they could and certainly
contributed to the wave of evictions that took place throughout the second
half of the nineteenth century.” John Grenham
____
Attached to this reply is the Griffiths Valuation Map for Carnaff. You’ll see the label for Carnaff in large block letters at the bottom of the map, while map reference 8a is at the top of the map. Map reference 8b is there also, and was the lease for John McKinny.
Just below the letter a, you’ll see a little oblong box in gray shadow. This gray box may represent the two attached farmhouses that John McKinny and Moses Thompson had leased.
DEATH RECORD FOR MOSES THOMSON
I found the civil registration death record for Moses “Thomson” at the irishgenealogy.ie website. He died in Carnaff on 15 May 1879 at the age of 83 years. At the time of death he was married. His occupation was, “Weaver.” The cause of death was, “Chronic Bronchitis two years. Senile Decay 3 Months. Certified.” The person who was present at the death, and who reported the death to the registrar was Sarah Thompson of Carnaff. Sarah’s relationship to Moses is not recorded. She signed the death register with “her mark” in the form of the letter x, signifying she could not write. The death record for Moses is Number 253 in the attached death register.
DEATH RECORD FOR SARAH ANN THOMPSON
Sarah Thomson was the wife of Moses Thomson. I also found the death record for “Sarah Ann Thompson,” who died in Carnaff on 30 July 1883 at the age of 66 years. She is shown to have been a “Widow,” and the, “Wife of Moses Thompson a Sawyer.”
In his death record, the occupation for Moses was weaver, and so he may have been a weaver and a sawyer.
Sarah Ann Thompson is shown to have died from an, “Abdominal Tumor 5 months. Certified.” The person who was present at the death and who reported the death to the register was Sarah Ann’s daughter, Elizabeth Thompson of Carnaff. The death record for Sarah Ann Thompson is Number 105 in the attached death register.
JOHN COOPER IN GRIFFITHS VALUATION
While I didn’t find a Griffiths Valuation entry for Hugh’s father John Cooper north of Ballymoney in Carnaff, or south of Ballymoney in Eden, I did locate a John Cooper in the townland of Bendooragh, in Griffiths Valuation. This John Cooper may, or may not have been Hugh’s father.
A townlands.ie map which is attached to this reply, shows that Bendooragh is just north of Eden. Eden is highlighted in blue on the map. On the map you’ll also see that Ballymoney is just north of Bendooragh. You may have to enlarge the map to se these locations more clearly.
Bendoorah was in the Barony of Upper Dunluce, Civil Parish of Ballymoney, and PLU, or Poor Law Union of Ballymoney. See information about Bendooragh from The IreAtlas Townland Data Base website at: https://is.gd/JqMGv1
Griffiths Valuation shows that John Cooper leased a House and small garden from James O’Hara at map reference 10b, toward the bottom of the valuation page.
No value was given to the garden, but the house was valued at 15 Shillings, which was the total value for John Cooper’s lease.
The Griffiths Valuation Map for Bendooragh is attached to this reply. Map reference 10b is in the direct center of the map. I had to enlarge the map so that you could see the location of John Cooper’s lease.
Going back to the Griffiths Valuation page for Bendooragh, if you count up five Occupiers from John Cooper, you’ll come to the valuation entry for a Margaret Caldwell, at map reference 7g. Hugh Cooper’s parents may have given him the middle name of Caldwell after Margaret, or someone in her family.
Margaret only leased a house from the Immediate Lessor, the Rev. James O’Hara, who was also the Immediate Lessor for John Cooper’s lease. Margaret Caldwell’s house was valued at 10 Shillings.
Griffiths Valuation also shows two listing for a Daniel Cooper in Bendooragh, one at map reference 7ABa, and one at map reference 8AB. Daniel could have been John Cooper’s father, brother, or uncle.
DEATH RECORDS AND CENSUS RECORDS
I next wanted to see if I could find the death record for Hugh Cooper’s father John Cooper.
I first looked for John Cooper’s death record at the irishgenealogy.ie website, but do not know if I found his death record or not. I found only two deaths in the Ballymoney area, both of which coincidentally took place in the townland of Kilmoyle, which is located just northwest of Ballymoney.
A John Cooper died in Kimoyle on 26 May 1880 at the age of 82. At the time of death he was married and was a farmer. The cause of death was old age. The person who was present at his death was his son, James Cooper of Kilmoyle. James reported the death to the registrar.
The second John Cooper died in Kilmoyle on 16 April 1887 at the age of 81. He too was married and a farmer. The cause of death was old age, asthma, and a cough. The person present at his death was his daughter Mary Cooper of Kilmoyle. She reported John’s death to the registrar.
To cover other eventualities, I also wanted to see if John Cooper had lived long enough to be counted in the 1901 in or around Ballymoney. I didn’t find him in the census, but I did locate a Hannah Cooper, a widow, age 86, who may have been his wife. Hannah and her daughter, 42 year old Hannah, were the, “Residents of a house 11 in Bendooragh (Enagh, Antrim).”
If you recall, a Hannah Cooper was one of the witnesses to the 1878 marriage of Hugh Cooper and Margaret J. Thompson.
It’s because 86 year old Hannah lived in Bendooragh that I suspect she may have been John Cooper’s wife, as John Cooper was recorded there in Griffiths Valuation in 1861.
The 1901 census further shows that both Hannah Coopers were Presbyterian. The older Hannah was a farmer and born in County Derry. She is shown to be able to read. The younger Hannah was born in County Antrim and is recorded as a farmer’s daughter who was not married.
You can view a transcription of the 1901 census for the Cooper residence from the National Archives of Ireland website link at: https://is.gd/tRTqaA
Once the census transcription appears, make sure you click on, “Show all information” to view the full census page.
You can also access a copy of the original 1901 census for the Cooper household at: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000292023/
In the lower right hand corner of the census you can see that Hannah signed the form with “her mark” in the form of a + sign. Her mark was witnessed by a constable whose name appears to be Jno W. Caffery. Jno is the abbreviation for John.
I didn’t find Hannah Cooper, mother or daughter, living in Bendooragh in the 1911 census. I now suspected that by 1911 the mother, Hannah Cooper, would have been deceased.
I found what I believe is Hannah’s death record at the irishgenealogy.ie website, showing she died in the townland of Landhead on 21 May 1905 at the age of 90.
Her death record is attached to this reply.
The death record shows that Hannah was the “Widow of John Cooper a Weaver.” The cause of death was, “Old Age, No Medical attendant.” The person who was present at the death and who reported the death to the registrar was Hannah’s son Robert Cooper of Landhead. Hannah Cooper’s death is Number 43 in the attached death register.
A Google map shows that the Landhead Primary School, by the shortest route, is 3.9 miles northeast of Benndooragh, and just east of Ballymoney. See the map at: https://is.gd/lz93I1
I then looked for, but didn’t find a death record for the younger Hannah Cooper, or the marriage record for a Hannah Cooper whose father was John. I also could not positively identify Hannah Cooper in the 1911 census.
Indications are that Hugh Cooper’s mother and sister were named Hannah, and that he also had a brother named Robert. This is circumstantial evidence however, based on census and death records as noted above.
The question about who Hugh Cooper’s mother was would be solved if his baptism is found in the St. James Presbyterian Church in Ballymoney, or perhaps in one of the other Presbyterian Churches in Ballymoney.
MARGARET JANE AND ANNA COOPER IN THE 1911 CENSUS
Elwyn had noted that Hugh Cooper’s wife, Margaret Jane Cooper and Anna Cooper, were recorded in the 1911 census, and that they were Presbyterian.
The 1911 census shows they were the “Residents of a house 47 in Ballinamore Town (Seacon, Antrim).” Ballinamore and “Balnamore,” where Hugh Cooper died in 1908, may be and the same town, just spelled differently, though there is a townland called “Ballaghmore,” just northeast of Ballymoney.
The 1911 census transcription from the National Archives of Ireland shows that Margaret Jane Cooper was a 72 year old widow, born in County Antrim. The census also shows she could read and write, and had two children, both of whom were still living.
Margaret Jane’s daughter Anna is shown to be 29 years old and working as a “Spinner in Flax Mill.” She could read and write, was born in County Antrim, and was single.
You can access the 1911 census at the following National Archives of Ireland link:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Seacon/Ballinam…
Make sure you click on, “Show all information” to view the full census.
A copy of the original 1911 census for Margaret Jane and Anna can be accessed at: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai001379336/
Margaret Jane Cooper’s signature is in the bottom right of the census form.
MARGARET JANE COOPER’S DEATH RECORD
Margaret Jane Cooper’s death record from irisgenealogy.ie shows that she died on 23 December 1917 in Balnamore. At the time of death Margaret was 70 years old and the, “Widow of Hugh C. Cooper a labourer.” The cause of death was “Softening of the Brain 5 months. Certified.” The person who was present at the death and who recorded the death to the registrar was her daughter Annie Cooper of Balnamore. Margaret Jane’s death was recorded in the Ballymoney Registration District on 28 December 1917. Her death record is attached to this reply at Number 315.
You’ll notice that in the 1911 census Margaret Jane Cooper is recorded as being 70 years old, but six years later her death record gives her age as 72 years old. This shows you cannot trust the accuracy of a person’s age in the 1911 census or in their death records either.
ANNIE COOPER
In the 1911 census Margaret Jane Cooper’s daughter Annie is shown to be 29 years old. I wanted to see if I could uncover more information about Annie. I didn’t find her death record at irishgenealogy.ie in Balnamore/Ballaghmore or anywhere near Ballymoney, County Antrim. I suspected she may have gotten married and so I looked for her marriage record at irishgenealogy.ie and found it.
Robert John Laverty McGarry and Annie Cooper were married in St. James Presbyterian Church on 14 January 1918. Both were of “full” age when they married. Robert had been a bachelor and Annie a spinster. Robert’s occupation was “Soldier.” The year 1918 was the last year of World War I which ended at 11 am, November 11, 1918. The marriage record further shows that Robert’s residence at the time of marriage was Shropshire, England. The name and occupation of his father is not recorded.
No occupation is recorded for Annie, who had been living in Balnamore at the time of marriage. Her father was Hugh C. Cooper, a “Labourer.” She and Robert were married by “License” by a Presbyterian minister named R.H. Wilson. The witnesses to the marriage were John C. Cooper and Lizzie Barr. John C. Cooper may have been Annie’s brother. The marriage record is attached to this reply.
This marriage record shows that, in the early 20th century at least, St. James Presbyterian Church (in Ballymoney), was the Cooper family’s parish church.
The marriage of Annie and Robert took place 39 years and six months after the marriage of Annie’s parents, Hugh Cooper and Margaret J. Thompson, who were married in Ballymoney’s 3rd Presbyterian Church (St. James), on July 11, 1878.
Shropshire, England is recorded as the place where Robert had been living before he married, but is not necessarily his birthplace. He may have been stationed there as a soldier in the British Army. He may have been born in England or he may have been born in Ireland. Unfortunately, his father’s first name is not recorded in the marriage record. This could be an indication that he was born out of wedlock, or that he didn’t mention who his father was on the marriage record because of a fallingout.
But then I had to ask the questions: how did Annie Cooper meet Robert John Laverty McGarry? Did Annie belong to one of the British nursing units during World War I, or did she even leave Ireland at all during World War I? The war took place from 1914 to 1918.
I also had thought there was the possibility that Robert was born in or near Balnamore or Ballymoney, County Antrim, and so I looked for his civil registration birth record at the irishgenealogy.ie website. Surprisingly, I found it.
Robert John Laverty was born in Ballaghmore, County Antrim, on 2 September 1881. No father is recorded for him. His mother is Martha McGarry. McGarry was Martha’s maiden name. No occupation is recorded for Martha. The person who reported the birth to the registrar looks like John McQuatay, “Occupier,” from Ballaghmore. It is not clear what John’s relationship to Martha McGarry was, or what he was the occupier of. You’ll see the word “Occupier,” in many records used in reference to someone who is the head of an institution, such as a workhouse, dispensary, or a hospital. The word Occupier is also used for a household residence in some records, such as Griffiths Valuation, which you saw earlier in tis reply.
John McQuatay may actually be a misspelling and a reference to Martha’s father, John McGarry, who was the “Occupier” of the household where Robert John Laverty was born.
Robert John Laverty’s birth is Number 170 in the attached birth record from the irishgenealogy.ie website.
His birth record shows he was born in Ballaghmore. The attached townlands.ie map shows that Ballaghmore, highlighted in blue, is just northeast of Ballymoney, while Balnamore is southwest of Ballymoney.
Sheila, I’m going to close this reply here. If you post another message to Ireland Reaching Out, ask if a volunteer would be kind enough to search the Ballymoney St. James Presbyterian Church records for you. You can explain you are looking for the circa 1850 baptism of Hugh Cooper and the baptism of Margaret Thompson. Also make sure you mention who their fathers were, as recorded in Hugh and Margaret’s 1878 marriage record.
The marriage of Hugh and Margaret’s parents may also be recorded in the St. James Presbyterian Church marriage registers.
In your message also provide the PRONI microfilm numbers for the St. James baptisms and marriages (MIC1P/266), and St. James Marriage Notices (MIC1P/117).
If you receive, or perhaps do not receive an answer to your query, please let me know.
With Best Wishes, and good luck.
Dave Boylan
ATTACHEMNTS WITH THIS REPLY
Cooper and Thompson 1878 Marriage
Proni’s Guide To Church Records, Ballymoney Presbyterian Church
Ordnance Survey Map of the Ballymoney Presbyterian Meeting House
Griffiths Valuation for Carnaff
Griffiths Valuation Map of Carnaff
Moses Thompson 1879 Death
Sarah Ann Thompson’s 1883 Death
Map of Eden, Bendooragh, and Ballymoney
Griffiths Valuation for Bendooragh
Griffiths Valuation Map of Bendooragh
Hannah Cooper’s 1905 Death Record
Margaret Jane Cooper’s 1917 Death Record
Robert McGarry and Annie Cooper 1918 Marriage
Robert John Laverty’s 1881 Birth
Map of Ballaghmore
SOURCES
irishgenealogy.ie
Mitchell, Brian, A Guide To Irish Parish Registers
Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)
Google Maps
Google Street Views
GeoHive Ordnance Survey Maps
townlands.ie maps
Ask About Ireland/Griffiths Valuation
Griffiths Valuation Map of Carnaff
National Archives of Ireland 1901 Census
National Archives of Ireland 1911 Census
