Bates from Co Donegal, Northern Ireland?

Question

My mother, Margaret Rebecca (Bates) married Frank Henry Papprill 1943 (NZ). Her father was John George Orr Bates of Carnowen, Co Donegal born 1892 died 1970. He married Matilda Thompson of Letterkenny. The family emigrated to NZ in 1925. I am trying to build the familiy tree to develop the Bates line pre JGO Bates' father (John. brn: 1854 died 1921) Married Margaret Roulston (b 1866 d 1917)

Any information or contacts would be appreciated. Alan Papprill

Answer 1

Alan

County Donegal is in the Republic of Ireland rather than Northern Ireland, so you're looking at that set of records (although of course they may have moved to the North later).

I am guessing you have this already but JGO Bates' birth record is here. You could use this resource to find the death records of his parents and possibly their marriage. Unfortunately their birth dates pre-date the available civil records - you might have some luck in parish records if you know where John or Margaret were born.

One of my extended family has Roulstons in her ancestors - they were from the St Johnston area of Co Donegal. Do you have any other info on Margaret or John?

Jason

 

Comments

Hi Jason,

Margaret Roulston was born 1866 Died 1917. The Roulstons were from the Carnowen area. She married Jiohn Bates ( 1862 - 1921) in 1884 Presbyterian Church of Ireland  -Donaghomore. The Bates' are listed in Griffith Valuations with land Townland: Breaghy, Strabane. Electoral district Castlefinn.

From what I have gathered the families in my tree: Bates, Roulston, Elliott, Colhoun... were all from the same area of the Lagan Valley.

Cheers

Alan

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The Roulston family I have is from the Ardagh townland in Taughboyne and were also Presbyterian. Their church in Taughboyne is 20km NE of Carnowen, so I would be amazed if they were not linked in some way.

The earliest names I have are Robert Roulston (1825-1903), whose parents were Galbraith Roulston and Fanny Colhoun. He married Susan Moore (1831-1885) in 1856; her parents were James Moore and Margery Crockett.

I am not sure if you have contacted the churches directly for information but I might do so to see what records, if any, they hold that are not available on any of the online services.

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Kia Ora Jason,

My tree has a William Roulston ?1815? m unknown. with two sons: James and David (1833-1916).

David married Elizabeth Elliott (1838-1887). Their fammily William (1860-1923), Jane (1862), Martha (1863-1961), Margaret (1864), James & George ( 1867 ), David (1871), John (1873-1930), Dorcas (1875-1956) and Thomas (1881-1918).

Unfortunately I dont have the townlands these Roulstons were from. My Bates family appear to have been originally from Garrison Hill although I do note that there were Bates' registered as Flax growers in Raphoe from 1776. I haven't got connections to the 1770s families.

The family churches appear to be Donghamore and Carnowen.

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Thomas' 1881 birth was registered in the Carricknamanna townland near Stranorlar, about five miles west of Castlefinn.

You may have seen this but it shows what Presbyterian records from Donegal are held in PRONI in Belfast. I do not think they go far enough back to shed any light on the generations you do not have covered already.

If you can ever get back before the years you've outlined already you're certainly doing better than most who have Irish ancestors!

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Kia Ora Jason, One of my advantages for the compliation of the Bates, Roulston, Colhoun, Elliott, Thompson tree has been a combination of Family correspondence and records. When it comes to getting back further than the extant family records and the data I've gathered from the various websites is the plethora of shared, common family names and noclear idea of direct family connections!! I have been informed that the Bates family my line comes from were from GarrisonHill the patriarch being a Samuel Bates whose wife may have been Eileen ???? but any  informationI have found doesn't provide the links to my line!! Hope we can keep in touch. I have NZ contacts with Roulston connections that may interest you too.

Cheers

Alan