Park or Parke family - late 1700's to early 1800's - Glenglush area

Bonniej,

Here’s the Parke family in Glenglush in 1901. They were Presbyterian (so probably of Scottish origins in the 1600s):

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Listymore/Glenglush/1722433/

If you know what church they attended then you could search its records for Fannie and Matthew’s parents. I can see numerous Presbyterian chruche sin the Glenglush area (ie parish of Ardstraw):  Ardstraw whose records start in 1837; 1st Castlederg 1823; Clady 1845; Douglas 1831; Drumlegagh 1865; 1st Newtownsteart 1890; 2nd Newtownsteart 1848. Copies of those records are in PRONI in Belfast.

The tithe applotment records for 1833 list 2 Parke farms in Glenglush, held by David & John Park. By the time of Griffiths Valuation in 1859 there’s just one Parke farm – Matthew. He had plot 4 which was 51 acres.

https://cotyroneireland.com/tithe/ardstraw.html

Probate abstracts:

Probate of the Will of Elizabeth Park late of Glenglush County Tyrone Widow who died 13 April 1901 granted at Londonderry to David Park and William C.Park Farmers.

Park William Craig of Glenglush county Tyrone farmer died 4 November 1925 Probate Londonderry 23 December to David Park farmer and the reverend Richard Laird presbyterian minister. Effects £915 1s. 4d.

Park David of Glenglush county Tyrone retired farmer died 4 December 1930 Probate Londonderry 9 January to reverend Richard Laird presbyterian minister and John Perry J.P. Effects £2292 18s.

Copies of the wills themselves are in PRONI. I see the family were friendly with Richard Laird a Presbyterian Minister. The Presbyterian Historical Society in Belfast should be able to tell you which was his church. That may be the family church.

Some of your Parke & Acheson families signed the Ulster Covenant together in 1912. So you know their views on Irish Home Rule. If you want to see their signatures they are on the Covenant website:

https://apps.proni.gov.uk/ulstercovenant/SearchResults.aspx

PRONI has some leases and other documents relating to the Acheson & Park families:

D623/B/12/216 31 January 1835

Marquess of Abercorn, to William Acheson, Glenglush, Co. Tyrone. Lease for one life or 21 years of 36a.1r.11p. Statute measure of land at Glenglush. Rent £18.2.8½. Covenants with all rights, members, privileges and appurtenances belonging or appertaining.

Lease D623/B/12/217 is to Robert Acheson. 220 is to Samuel Park.

D623/A/16/92  11 March 1760 [James, Earl of Abercorn], London, to Mr Nisbitt.

Robert Jack of Glenglush complains to me (by your advice, as he saith) that Atchison and Park, joint tenants with him, have brought in two cottiers upon him. If the complaint is well founded, demand, and, if necessary, distrain for £5 15s. as an additional half year's rent, restoring at the same time, so much of such additional rent, as is the restoring at the same time, so much of such additional rent, as is the proportion of Jack and Love. And make it understood, that this is not demanded as a penalty, but as an additional rent, that is to be paid, as long as the case subsists.

Hi there, 

Thanks for all the info, again I'm going one step at a time as I did with the Acheson group.

regarding:

Here’s the Parke family in Glenglush in 1901. They were Presbyterian (so probably of Scottish origins in the 1600s):

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Listymore/Glenglush/1722433/

I have this family in my tree with a note that I think Elizabeth Park(e) is the sister in law of my Fanny Acheson.  You see that the neighbour is Isabella Atchison, I have her attached to William Acheson in my tree.  (william acheson was the itness to Fanny's wedding)  Also, a Cunningham Knox was travelling to Canada with Fanny and Samuel Acheson.  So everything points that direction, but I don't have enough proof to make it positive.  Also, in 1851 there is a John Park b 1831 "free presbyterian" living next door to Fanny and Samuel in Ontario Canada.  I have this noted that this may be her brother too.  supported by the tithe notes which I previously did have.

Note:  there is a whole family of relatives of Cunningham Atchisons from Strabane that I have in my tree - moved from there to Australia.  I'm positive that they are attached too, but can't find that connection - yet.

both sets of the Park kids that I have were married in Ardstraw Presbyterian Church -  - Fanny and Matthew.  Reverend Matthew Clarke married them both.

David Park and William C Park are the children of Elizabeth Park and unknown - i wonder if this is matthew's wife?  Matthew married Eliza Craig on Dec 10 1842 when he was 22 - I think it's very possible but how to prove that?

A side question - if you were Church of England while living in Ireland in 1820's - would that indication you were from Scotland or England too?

I'm still struggling to pull all the info together in a cohesive way.  I'm certain they are all related, just not certain how.   My mind is swimming again!

I'm coming to Strabane in August - are you near there?  

Bonnie

Bonnie,

Regarding the 1842 marriage, that’s before the start of statutory marriage registration (April 1845), so you would need to search church records to find it. You know that Ardstraw Presbyterian has records from 1837 onwards so you should find the 1842 marriage there. (Don’t expect too much from those records. Pre 1845 often all you get are the couples names, their 2 witnesses and the date). There’s a copy of those Ardstraw records in PRONI, on microfilm. Free to view.

I did find this mention of the Park-Craig marriage which was in one of the Londonderry papers:

https://cotyroneireland.com/marriages/ardstraw3.html

Note that there’s another Craig marriage in that list, to Thomas Dick. Plus Frances’ marriage in 1843 was listed:

On the 8th inst., by the Rev. Matthew Clarke, Ardstraw, Mr. Charles Acheson, Kinkitt, to Frances, daughter of Mr. William Park, Glenglush

You ask whether being Church of England in Ireland could indicate that a family was originally from England or Scotland. The answer is yes.  Most native Irish were Roman Catholic. Most (though not all) people of any other denomination were descendants of native Irish. There were some Roman Catholic settlers too, just to confuse the issue, especially on the Abercorn estate around Strabane. Other indicators are the names themselves.  Names like Park and Craig are not native Irish names. They are distinctly Scottish. Plus Co. Tyrone was heavily settled by Scots in the 1600s. So in your case you have 3 indicators of Scottish origins – the denomination, the surnames and the location.

In deciding whether you have the right family or not bear in mind that there were not huge numbers of families in those townlands. In the 1833 tithes for example there were just 2 Park farms – John & David:

https://cotyroneireland.com/tithe/ardstraw.html

And in Griffiths in 1860 there was just one – Mathew. So if you find a Park from Glengush it’s almost certainly the same family.

You ask if I live near Strabane. No I live about 60 miles away in Co. Antrim.