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Aaron Patterson(s) of Drumquin

TyroneLongfield East (Tyrone)

I'm looking for info and leads for my grandfather, great-grandfather and gg grandfather, all named Aaron Patterson and all living in or near townland Dressog, East Longfield, Tyrone. I have their names, wives ' names, and a few dates, but long for any other details of their lives. My gg grandfather appeared in Griffiths, so I guess he was a farmer. And they were Presbyterian.  My grandfather, who emigrated to Canada, was a cruel, violent man who clearly suffered a lot of trauma, and anything that can shed light on that--family stories, court records, news stories, military history, etc.--is what I hope to find. He had one sister who remained in Ireland, married and moved to Belfast. But until the census is opened I don't know if she had any descendants whom I might contact. If anyone can help in any way, I'd much appreciate it.

al_baraa3

7 replies

Not sure if you have his civil birth record...

 

Name:Aaron Patterson

Birth:07-Oct-1895

Registration Date:01-Nov-1895

Address:Dressogue

Parish/District:DRUMQUIN OMAGH

Gender:Male

CountyTYRONE

Father:Aaron Patterson

Mother:Isabella Galbraith

Occupation:Farmer

Sponsor 1 :Aaron Dressogue

 

glanvil3@aol.com

If you have Ancestry, you might look at Petty Session Court Registers.

And you might check news stories at IrishNewsArchive (paid site).

I hope this is helpful.

 

PS Do you know his sister's name? If so, please post.

glanvil3@aol.com

Bruce,

The 1829 tithe applotment records don’t list any Patterson farm in Dressog(e) then so it looks as though the family acquired it between then and 1860:

https://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/tyrone/tithe-applotment-books/parish-of-longfield-east.php

Griffiths Valuation for Dressog(e) was compiled in 1860. That shows Aaron on plot 1 which was just over 34 acres. The property today is still farmland but the buildings have long gone. I would assume it was amalgamated with a nearby farm. The Valuation Revision records on the PRONI website show the farm being acquired from Aaron Patterson by Michael Quinn in 1897.

The Tyrone Constitution of  6th Jan 1893 has an advert for the sale of Aaron’s farm on 10th Jan 1893. “31 acres for grazing, cropping and meadow; also stock and crop.” It looks as though it didn’t sell that day because the same paper has a further advert on 26th Jan 1894 offering it for sale on 12th Feb 1894. “Farm of land for grazing and cropping, also 1 cow, 1 calf and 9 young pigs, 1 peak hay.” A further advert appeared on 6th December 1895 again offering it for sale, this time on 20th December 1895. A bit more detail so I have attached it.

Can’t see any other references to Pattersons of Dressog in the newspapers.

PRONI appear to have some school attendance registers for Dressog National School (SCH/336). It isn’t clear what years they cover.

Is this the same family in the 1911 census? (Aghaleag is very close to Dressog). Lissie has been mistranscribed as Jessie.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Mullagharn/Aghaleag/871294/

If this is the same family, then you’ll notice Aaron senior was no longer  a farmer but just a farm labourer. So a significant decline in his financial circumstances. He died in 1915:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1915/05266/4461347.pdf

Aaron senior was a widower when he remarried Isabella Galbraith in 1891:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1891/10676/5890685.pdf

Here’s his 1st marriage in 1881 to Isabella Turner:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_re…

I assume the family attended Drumquin Presbyterian church. It has baptism and marriage records from 1845 onwards. (Copies held in PRONI). And there might be family gravestones there.

Re your reference to the census, I assume you are referring to the 1926 census. I am sorry to tell you that the portion for Northern Ireland has not survived. It’s not quite clear what happened to it (some sources suggest it was destroyed by German bombing in WW2) but what is certain is that it is not going to be released in 2026. (The portion for what is now the Republic of Ireland should be released then).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-22848416

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Bruce,

There is an extensive and well-documented public tree on Ancestry by KathleenBollHughes whom I think is somehow related to Ruth Annie Louise Patterson. Her tree shows that Aaron Patterson, your grandfather, was one of six children; and at the time of his death, the obituary states he was survived by one brother and three sisters in addition to wife Muriel, son Paul and daughter Ruth. There are lengthy comments under his profile where she gives details of his life. If you cannot view them due to no subscription, let me know, and I will share them. I think you might be able to do a trial subscription to view her tree.

I did not see anything in the Irish Petty Session records for his father or grandfather.

Regards,

carolyntoohey@…

Thank you, Carolyn.

This very helpful, new information. And also thankful for the compliment, calling my work extensive and well-documented. The tree you saw of kathleenbollhughes is mine. Kathy is my step sister and let me build my tree on her account. (I try not to use my full legal name on public sites for security reasons.)

While I have a significant amount of info on my grandfather Aaron Patterson, (despite never having been allowed to meet him for my own safety.) I know very little about his ancestors beyond a few names and dates. You've helped fill that out with info about my great grandfather's farm, and death (I'd never seen death documentation on him till yesterday. Thank you.) And it's helpful to know that they don't appear in the court records.

I suspect my best shot at getting stories/personal info is to find relatives there. You asked about the one sister who remained in Ireland. Her name is:

Mary Emily (Minnie)Patterson

1897--?

m. John Harris (?--1963)

They married in Ballymena, Antrim in 1919. They both worked in a hospital/asylum there. They had a daughter, Eva, who died in infancy, also in Ballymena. They later moved to Belfast. I have a couple of addresses for them there. But no more info about any children they might have had. John Harris has some probate-related papers in PRONI, but I couldn't find mention of any children's names. Navigating PRONI is a bit intimidating to the uninitiated.

If it helps, Minnie grew up in the care of some paternal relation, Mary (Patterson) Moore and her husband Benjamin Moore who lived in the townland of Dunbrean/Dunbreen.

If you all have the capacity to locate any surviving descendants of Minnie's that I might contact, I'd really appreciate your help. You've already been very helpful. I know I probably already have more information than many researchers ever get on their Irish roots. But the intergenerational pain involved compels me not to stop until I can feel like I know these people.

Thanks

Bruce

al_baraa3

Bruce,

Here’s John Harris’s probate abstract from the PRONI website:

Harris, John of 76 Rugby Avenue Belfast retired salesman died 4 May 1963 at 34 Shanboley Road Santry county Dublin Administration Belfast 13 June to Mary Emily Harris the widow. Effects £2742 18s.

The probate abstract is simply a summary of his file. In this case it tells you he died intestate (administration) and so did not leave a will.  His estate will then have been disposed of in accordance with intestacy laws. There should be a file in PRONI which should contain details of his surviving spouse & children. It’s not on-line, so if you want to know what it contains you either have to go in person, or pay a researcher. You can also ask PRONI to copy it but they are pretty expensive. I’d contact a researcher.

You can also view his death certificate on the GRONI website for £2.50.

https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk/

Here’s John & MInnie’s marriage certificate. They married in the West St Presbyterian church in Ballymena. Both worked at Holywell. That’s a mental hospital just outside the town of Antrim. It’s still open today.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1919/09679/5510510.pdf

https://www.northerntrust.hscni.net/hospitals/holywell-hospital/

I see the following children to the marriage:

Eva born & died 20.8.1919 registered Antrim.

Martha 4.7.1921 Belfast

Elizabeth 30.5.1923 Belfast

In 1921 John was working in Belfast as a bread server (ie delivering fresh bread):

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1921/01178/1491131.pdf

There may have been other children but births within the past 100 years are not immediately accessible on-line. (You can search for them in PRONI or GRONI in Belfast but that involves a personal visit.).

Belfast Newsletter of 7th May 1963 contains a funeral message stating John (aka Jack)  “died suddenly at his son-in-law’s home in Dublin. Deeply loved husband of Minnie Harris 76 Rugby Avenue, Belfast. Funeral from Brown’s funeral parlour, 292 Newtownards Rd today Tuesday 2.30 to Knockbreda cemetery. Deeply regretted by his sorrowing wife and family circle.”

If you were to contact Knockbreda cemetery they may be able to tell you if anyone else is buried with John Harris.

https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/births-deaths-and-ceremonies/cemeteries/knockbreda-cemetery

GRONI has a marriage on 20.9.1947 in Belfast for a Martha Harris to John Greenway. You would need to view the certificate on the GRONI site (£2.50) to get the full details and see whether it’s your family. It's not a common name (the next previous Martha Harris marriage in Belfast was in 1937) so you might want to take a punt and see if this is John & Minnie's daughter.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you, everyone.

I never expected to hit such paydirt so quickly. I'll follow up on these leads as best I can from here. But if anyone else can add anything, I'm all ears (or eyes, rather).

Bruce

al_baraa3

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