Geraldine,
I notice from the marriage transcript that you have sent that it took place at St Mary’s not St Peters. Also that there was apparently a bishop’s dispensation. That’s normally because of consanguinity. The couple may have been cousins. The information you have has come from church records, not the civil certificate, and I notice that whilst the bride’s mother is named, the groom's is not. So there’s probably no point contacting the church in this case as it looks as though she’s not named for some reason.
I looked for a civil marriage certificate on the irishgenealogy site but didn’t see one, which is disappointing. Priests were supposed to copy all marriages to the civil registrar so there was one comprehensive database but it didn’t always happen. In this case we should have got Henry's father’s occupation from the civil certificate which might narrow the search.
Regarding local historians and genealogists, I’d normally offer my own services as I live in Duneane, but I am going to Calgary on Thursday for 3 weeks so won’t be here. There is a man in Randalstown who is very knowledgeable. I don’t know if he’s willing or even if he’s here at the moment but if you e-mail me on Ahoghill@irelandxo.com I’ll give you his name and contact details.
There is a historical society in Randalstown but they don’t have anyone who gives tours etc.
There’s a bit of history attached to the area going back to the United Irishmen. Roddy (Roger) McCorley was hanged on the bridge in Toome and there’s a striking monument to him there. He probably wasn’t a United Irishman at all - just a highwayman, which is really what got him hanged - but we won’t let that get in the way of a good story and a very good traditional song. He’s buried in Duneane Church of Ireland graveyard now (after being buried in the main road by the bridge for 60 years) though his grave is no longer marked.
Looking at the 1901 census, I’d guess that Hugh who was staying with them then was Henry’s unmarried brother. I can see a likely baptism for him on 17.1.1846 in Duneane to Patt & Ann Griffin. I can also see a baptism for a Patt Griffin to the same parents, on 3.2.1842. I didn’t see Henry’s baptism. However the records only go up to 1862 so if he was born just after that, the priest has the only copy. (Henry’s age varies between the 2 censuses, giving him a year of birth from 1858 to 1862. That was pretty common. No great reliance should be put on ages then. Nobody bothered that much).
There was a Patrick Griffen in Griffiths 1862 who had plot 17 a 12 acre farm in Toome village. His name is deleted around 1863 suggesting he may have died around then. Otherwise, I can find no Patrick Griffen deaths 1864 – 1900 save for Patrick from Moneyglass who died 21.5.1895 aged 56. He was a labourer, and his daughter Mary was the informant. I suspect he had been married to Elizabeth who died 16.1.1888 aged 47. I think he may have been the Patt born in 1842, a likely sibling to your Henry. That daughter Mary appears to have married Daniel Kane of Kilvillis at Moneyglass chapel in 1897. She then disappears. Can’t see them in the 1901 census.
I looked for children born to Patrick Griffen in Moneyglass post 1864 when statutory registration began. I didn’t see any which makes me think Patrick or his wife were dead by then.
There was an Ann Griffen who died 21.3.1899 in Moneyglass aged 95. The informant was Hugh, also of Moneyglass. She’d be a bit old to have been a mother in the late 1850s, though her age might be 15 years adrift, I suppose.
Your problem is separating all the Griffins out. Not an easy task, I suspect. In my experience, most people’s knowledge of their family goes back about 3 generations and then it gets a bit fuzzy. So most people should get back to about 1900 ok, but earlier than that, they are not always so sure.
Hope this helps anyway.
