Church Burning

Tyrone

I have a letter written in 1889 by John Park 1812-1896. He is telling his younger sister and her husband some of the family history. The family came to the US in 1821 when they were small children but he mentions a grandfather by the name of John Park that was Presbyterian. I believe this would be County Tyrone around early 1700's and that John Park and his wife and 9 kids were chased into the Church by the Catholic's who were at that time fighting with each other. The Church was burned and old John escaped even after being shot at by jumping from the roof into a stream.

I would just like to know where this happened and who else might have been involved. And of course what happened to John afterwards......becasue he had to remarry and have more kids or I would not be here right now. Does anyone know how to find out more about this story?

IrelandXO member

13 years ago

2 replies

Hi Sarah

That's quite a story!

wwww.rootsireland.ie/ has baptism records of John PARKS but only one of John PARK around 1812 & that is 1814 in Antrim; however he is listed as John Henderson Park. The record will have a parish and MAY have his parents' names.

If you look on findmypastireland and search for him there 1812 + - 2 years you'll find the same 1814 birth year and death year 1896 in Stradbane Donegal.

findmypast has Irish newspapers which you can search by name and year.

Both rootsireland and findmypast charge to view records

Col

ColCaffIrelandXO Volunteer

13 years ago

Hi Col.,

Thanks for the reply and information. I will look into that. I somehow got onto a site that listed a headstone record for a John Park that died about 1811 in Adstrow?? But they wanted 25 bucks for the record, which I thought was a little steep. And now I can not find where I even was.

I wonder if this John Park that died in 1896 Stradbane was a relative becasue my John Park died in Memphis, Tennessee, USA?

Church Burning

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