Eric
I have been studying your information, it is great that you were able to find family. Most churches in Donegal did not commence records until 1800s, and some can be very late as mid-century. Family located Presbyterian. Where Anglican-Church of Ireland, some churches complied with a state request to send records to Dublin, these were lost in 1922 Four Courts fire. On Rootsireland site,I looked again for your first named ancestors but nothing stood out. Joseph may have been baptised in his mother’s church as it was the tradition for a daughter’s first child to be born in her home.
The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland has details on which years are available for Church records, the list can be viewed online, For Donaghmore on page 192, note 2 Presbyterian churches. For Presbyterian where parish Leck possilby using a church Letterkenny (page 165/6) Raymoghy (in town of Manorcunningham page 335 ) is also a possibility. Rootsireland when summarising transcriptions held uses start-to dates, there are no notes indicating gap years.
I attach the link to the official death records for Matilda. It was recorded twice, the first time being replaced. I found a John Scott living in William Street in Raphoe. The form does not indicate a relationship just occupier, which is mostly found where letting rooms or an institution. Matilda forename is not uncommon in this timeframe, death registration was not until 1865, parents could have died prior this time and unfortunately, also there are registration gaps.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1873/020708/7265915.pdf
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_retu…
Below a map and detail on Donegal parishes which can be drilled down to townlands.
https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~bhilchey/genealogy/DonegalMain.html
Townland detail, can also be drilled down. However, they use modern spellings
https://www.townlands.ie/
I checked out the frequency of the surnames Scott and Allison and selected the option given to search with a second surname in a common area on the site below, This site allows one free view every 24 hours else a payment of a small fee.
https://www.johngrenham.com/findasurname.php?surname=scott
I viewed the Tithe applotments(1834), a tax paid to the Anglican church (Church of Ireland), payable by all denominations and bitterly resented. I was looking for north Donegal Scotts and Allisons in your locations. The Title Applotments criteria for collection was rural land and also with a minimum threshold, smaller holdings or town dwellings were not included. Griffiths Valuation which is the base for the link above for family distribution was gathered between 1847-64, while after your family's departure it may assist you as it was the first, full-scale valuation of property in Ireland, the bulk of Irish households are included.
Scotts in Leck at Tithe while no John or Robert Scott there are 4 for William Scott (could be just multiple holdings)
Townlands Scribly and Strawhurly are not far from Curragh, (not in latter townland use but old map has within Drumahoagh)
Stewart also in Drumahoagh (a very common surname across the county)
Extract with Tithe names in Leck:
http://donegalgenealogy.com/lecktab.htm
Search Tithe applotments via below link
Scott
https://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/results.jsp?surname=scott&firstname=&county=Donegal&parish=Leck&townland=&search=Search
Allison:
https://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/results.jsp?surname=allison&firstname
Stewart:
https://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/results.jsp?surname=stewart&firstname=&county=Donegal&townland=&parish=Leck&search=Search&sort=&pageSize=&pager.offset=0
As Robert had a trade he could more easily move around. I do not know if you have any family knowledge whether his father was a farmer or was also a carpenter/joiner which would also have allowed move more freely. I would not assume on the location of Curragh, while one in Leck, it could be that family used a shortened version of a longer townland, spellings have also evolved over the years, also for some sub townlands no modern equivalent. Londonderry I would see as being used as it was the nearest city and last place living while in Ireland, it is not unusual to find ancestors using the name the nearest substantive town for origin.
https://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/
It has the advantage of being able to link land holdings to maps.
To action searches for Leck, surname Scott, County Donegal, at step 1 enter surname, At step 2 surname not required, just enter Donegal,
Barony: Raphoe North, Union: Letterkenny, Parish Leck (can be omitted and all surname in county will list)
Similar for Allisons in Leck.
For Donaghmore,
Barony: Raphoe South, Union: Stranorlar, Parish: Donaghmore
For early maps below is good, at left option to select early versions of maps
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=3ae19cc156bf4706…
I have concentrated on Leck and Donaghmore. Have you taken a DNA test?, while in common DNA amounts may be small it could give information on earlier family locations.
Family Tree DNA reportedly has more people with Ulster roots than any other company. It may increase 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 in conjunction with FTDNA and can offer testing kits at a reduced price. http://www.nifhs.org (Go to DNA project on the website).
Donaghmore is in East Donegal and there is a local family history group where a posting could generate responses.
East Donegal Local & Family History
https://www.facebook.com/groups/749886925022075/
Marion Whelan – IrelandXO – Ireland Reaching Out Volunteer.
