John and Martha Lawrence of Parish Moyne, County Wicklow
Greetings from Canada! I am researching my ancestors John and Martha Lawrence who were land tenants of Earl Fitzwilliam in County Wicklow, Parish Moyne. I know that John and Martha left Ireland in 1848 with their family and moved to Canada (Durham, Ontario), however not much is known about their life in Ireland. I believe I have found John in the Griffiths Valuation living very close to the present day Church of Ireland in Moyne. A John Lawrence also appears in the Tithe Applotment Books in 1824 in the same area.
I am looking for any parish records for John and Martha Lawrence relating to their marriage or the baptism of their children. Ideally, I'd like to find out who John and Martha's parents were. I did find one index on www.rootsireland.ie that shows a John Lawrence and Martha Farror getting married on December 5, 1826 in Parish Kilcommon, County Wicklow. Our family had always assumed they were married in Parish Moyne however the names and time period for the Kilcommon parish seem to fit. Maybe it was Martha's home parish - I'm not sure. The witnesses were listed as William Farrar and Samuel Farror.
My family believes that John Lawrence was born sometime between 1785 and 1791 in Wicklow Ireland and that Martha Farrar was born in 1802 in Wicklow Ireland. I believe they lived in county Wicklow, parish moyne, townland slieveroe (although I have also seen it listed as townland Moyne). John and Martha had a number of children born between 1826-1845. Their names were: Anne, Thomas, Samuel, John, William, James, Henry, George and Martha.
Any assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated as I have hit a bit of brick wall in my search for John and Martha.
Thank you!
Chris Hall
