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Robert Edgar and Catherine Thompson of Portadown Township

My name is Charles Gordon Edgar and I'm from a small town called Stanstead in the scenic Eastern Townships of Quebec.

I live in Brampton Ontario, am retired andactively invloved in music,sports, genealogy and maintaining my home. I have 4 married children and 6 grandchildren all living in various places in Ontario.

I started tracing my Edgar ancestry about 35 years ago and have amassed a lot of information about it and several other Edgar branches, all emanating from various areas of N. Ireland. The history of the Edgars in N. Ireland would strongly suggest that we're all related to the 4 Edgar brothers who came over to County Down from,I belive, the Dumfries area of Scotland in the early 1600's.

I have spent many, many hours over the years trying to find any piece of evidence that would show the direct link betweenmy Edgar branch in Quebec to the one in N.I. It's as if the family left one Spring day in 1822 from near Portadown withNO FOOTPRINT.

The Family, all born in N. Ireland, consisted of Robert Edgar (b. 1772) m. Catherine Thompson (b. 1781) and children John (b. 1805(6)), David (b. 1810), Robert (b. 1812), Margaret (b. 1814), William (b. ?), James (b. ?), George (b. ?) and Charles (b. July 1, 1821, my g-g- grandfather). The last child was Eliza Ann,b. 1825,in East Sherrington, Quebec where the family settled on a "back lot" in 1822. An important fact - Robert and Catherine were METHODISTS.

Robert was in the Royal Navy (no details) and "retired" after the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

I do recall my Dad mentioning 'Saintfield' and 'Ballynahinch', both places in Co. Down. These places have a direct connection to a well known Minister, The Rev. Samuel Edgar, born 1767 in Gilford, Tullylish parish in Co. Down. I have a lot of information about Rev, Samuel and his family. My information leads me to believe that Robert could be a younger brother of Rev. Samuel. but I have not been able to prove it.

Portadown is on the boundary line between the Parishes ofDrumcree&Seagoe,so a search for any church records would have to include churches in both parishes. InA Guide to IRISH churches and graveyardsby Brian Mitchell, it shows 5 Methodist Meeting Places in Portadown, Parish of Drumcree and 1 in the Township of Portadown in the Parish of Seagoe. There is a Church of Ireland (the Established Church) in Portadown in the Parish of Drumcree and a Presbyterian Church in Portadown, Parish of Seagoe.

Would there be any surviving records fromany of these "churches" for this Edgar family ? I am quite aware of the fact that the period 1804 - 1822 is very "hit and miss" for ANY genealogical records. However, I refuse to give up.

Thank-you for your time to read allof this and I do hope to get a reply. Gord Edgar cgedgar40@bell.net

IrelandXO member

2 replies

Gord,

You ask what records may exist for your Edgar family, and you highlight that Robert & Catherine (born 1772 & 1781) were Methodists. Methodism took a lot longer to become established in Ireland as a separate denomination than in England. There was considerable resistance to separating from the Church of Ireland. It was 1816 before Methodists agreed to conduct their own baptisms. However because of continuing loyalty and other factors, many continued to use the Church of Ireland for sacraments for many years after this date and it was 1871 before all Methodists routinely performed their own baptisms.

For marriages, the earliest ceremonies conducted by a Methodist Minister in Ireland that I am aware of date from 1835 (Belfast Donegall Square). In the mid 1800s there were only a few Methodist Ministers in Ireland (Methodism relied heavily on lay preachers). So the shortage of Ministers contributed to the continuing practice of marrying in the Church of Ireland.

Though Robert and Catherine may have been Methodists in Canada, it’s 99% certain that you won’t find their baptisms or marriages (or of their children’s births prior to 1822) in any Methodist records in Ireland. Instead you should search Church of Ireland records.

You have mentioned several possible parishes. Drumcree has records from 1788, Tullylish from 1820; Saintfield from 1774, Ballynahinch (Magheradrool) has nothing prior to 1879; Seagoe 1672.

But if your family were Presbyterian then it would depend on which church they attended. More research required.

You mention Rev Samuel Edgar, from Portadown. You don’t say what denomination he was but if Presbyterian then you could contact the Presbyterian Historical Society who keep records of most Presbyterian Ministers in Ireland. See:

http://www.presbyterianhistoryireland.com

If Church of Ireland, try Crockfords Clerical Directory:

http://www.crockford.org.uk

Military records for Robert may be on Ancestry and fmp, with the full files in NAS, Kew. London.

 

 

 

 

 

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi:

I have a Robert Hill Edgar as a brick wall.

He came from Antrim, Ireland in 1817ish by way of Quebec.

He petitioned for land and was granted in Dundas, Ontario in 1822.

Also, he seemed to have been awhile in Haldimand Township, Newcastle District between 1817-1822.

I can't seem to find his parents in Ireland.

Nor anybody who might have come with him to Canada.

I have been told there are Edgar (s) in Northern Ireland.

I believe his oldest son is James and oldest daughter Margaret.

Have you done your DNA?

I am on Ancestry.

Any leads would be appreciated!

Thank you!

Heather Racher

heatherhoney54

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