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Israel Kirkpatrick, Belfast

Shankill (Antrim)

I am researching my great-great-grandfather Israel Kirkpatrick (born c.1827-8, died 1879), a chandler. Israel was born in Belfast and married twice there – the first time to widow Catherine Connor alias Martin in St Anne’s (Church of Ireland) in 1854 and the second time to Agnes Finlay at the Berry St Church (Presbyterian) in 1856 (civil records, Irish Genealogy). Israel and Agnes had a child, Allan McKenzie Kirkpatrick, born in April 1857 and baptised at Christchurch, Belfast, in May 1857 (church baptism record, Roots Ireland). In June 1857, the family boarded the White Star in Liverpool and emigrated to Australia, settling in Guildford, Victoria. I have found many Australian records for him and his descendants.

Israel’s father was recorded on Israel’s marriage certificates as Thomas Kirkpatrick, ship carpenter or carpenter. I have not found Israel himself or a Thomas Kirkpatrick, carpenter, in 19th century Belfast directories (PRONI, Lennon Wylie).

Another child of Thomas Kirkpatrick, ship carpenter, was house servant Anne Kirkpatrick who married weaver Matthew Kerr in Ballymacarrett (Presbyterian) in 1846 (civil records). They emigrated to Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the early 1850s and had children there.

The only other Irish record I have found for Israel Kirkpatrick is the marriage certificate of carver Robert Finlay (probably the brother of Israel’s wife Agnes) and Esther Montgomery in 1855, where Israel is named as a witness (civil records). Israel and Agnes gave 27 Alton St as their address when their son Allan was baptised in 1857; this was Robert Finlay’s address in Belfast directories between 1858-9 and 1865.

Israel’s Australian death certificate gives his father’s name as soap boiler John Kirkpatrick (which does not match Israel’s marriage certificate) and his mother’s name as Susannah Kirkpatrick formerly MacKenzie. Israel’s son Allan was the informant.

Israel and Agnes had 7 more children in Australia (William Henry, Israel, Agnes, Emma, Maurice, Elizabeth, Andrew) but do not seem to have followed the Irish naming convention overall.

I would love to hear from anyone who has more information about Israel, his parents or any other members of his family in Ireland, or possible leads I could follow (including in person next time I visit Northern Ireland).

Anne Kelso

KelKirk

5 replies

Anne,

The North Of Ireland Family History Society holds a lot of Presbyterian Marriage Licence applications for the Belfast area in the 1800s. They contain a lot more detail than you find on Irish civil certificates. Israel married Agnes in Berry St and Ann married Mathew in Ballymacarrett. If those 2 licences are held by the NIFHS you might get something from them. The licences are not on-line. You could e-mail them and ask for a look up, or call at their Research Centre in Newtownabbey when you next visit.

https://www.nifhs.org/

Errors on death certificates are common, especially if, for example, the informant did not know the deceased’s parents. I’d rely on the information on the 2 marriage certificates before a death certificate, any day. It’s first hand, whereas the death certificate is not.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you, Elwyn - that is very helpful!

Anne

KelKirk

NIFHS was unable to provide any new information through their look-up service, though I may be able to find out more there in person when I visit Belfast in September.  Meanwhile I would be very grateful for any other ideas about how I can find out more about Israel Kirkpatrick or his parents (presumably Thomas Kirkpatrick, carpenter, and possibly Susannah Mackenzie), either on-line or in person. I have hit a brick wall. 

Thank you, Anne.

KelKirk

The population of Belfast expanded dramatically in the 1800s. In its early years it was largely Presbyterian (being dominated by Scots who had moved to Ireland in the 1600s). In 1782 there were just 365 Catholics in the town. The first RC church (St Mary’s) only opened in 1784. The population of Belfast in 1800 was about 20,000. In 1901 it was 349,000. The establishment of the shipyards, 50 linen mills and countless support industries led to a huge influx of workers from the surrounding countryside who were looking for better paid jobs in the city.

Your ancestor might have been born in Belfast but it’s equally possible that his parents were amongst the tens of thousands who were pouring into the city every year around that time. So Thomas may have originated elsewhere in Ulster.

I am struggling to suggest what further research you can do. We don’t have any relevant censuses and the statutory records start too late for this family. You might find Israel & Anne’s baptisms in a church whose records are not online but there’s quite a few in the Belfast area, so might take a bit of time. They are all in PRONI if you fell like searching them.

Possibly DNA testing may be a way of matching with others who have additional information about the family. Family Tree DNA reportedly has more people with Ulster roots than any other company. That obviously increases the chances of finding a match. You might want to try them or, if you have already tested, you can transfer your results to them for no fee.

The North of Ireland Family History Society is running an Ulster DNA project and can offer FTDNA testing kits at a reduced price. http://www.nifhs.org (Go to DNA project on the website).

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you, Elwyn.

I agree that Israel's father Thomas might not have come from (or remained in) Belfast, so I may never be able to identify him - disappointing! I will see what I can find through church records at PRONI. 

I also live in hope that someone else is researching the same family and might have made more progress. I'd be delighted to share what I have found about Israel and Agnes Kirkpatrick's siblings in Northern Ireland and Canada, and their descendants in Australia.

KelKirk

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