Seeking info on 3rd G Grandfather & Mother William Johnston & Elizabeth Johnson

Hi.

Thanks for your message. Failte Romhat has lots of other useful links you could try looking at ). www.failteromhat.com

Some other sites which may be of use to, if you haven't used them already, are:

The National Archives UK ? genealogy search: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/

The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/family_history.htm

The National Archives of Ireland http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/

The National Library of Ireland http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx

British parliamentary papers on Ireland can be found at: http://eppi.dippam.ac.uk/documents/9824/eppi_pages/215093

Remember to post as much information as you can with regard to the people you are researching. The more information you post, the more likely it is that one of our volunteers will be able to advise or assist you. Also include information concerning which sources you may have already used so others may further your search.

Kind regards,                    

Genealogy Support

Dear Cynoconnor,

I just joined this website recently and all of the links you posted I have book marked.  However, you posted a link regarding British Parliamentary Papers which I have never heard of.  I would appreciate your guidance/help on how to make good use of this website.  Please read the following then you will see what information I do have and what I am looking for.  Thank you and I look forward to your response.

According to the Marriage Certificate I ordered from the General Registration Office (GRO) my Great, Great Grandfather William RYAN married Mary Ann Fielden on 4 Apr 1864.  William Ryan is 22 years old and his wife Mary Ann Fielden was 21 years old. This puts his year of birth as being 1842. LancashireBMD.org says Mary Ann and William married at Burnley Register Office but afterwards they married at St. Mary of the Assumption RC, Burnley, Lancashire.  The marriage certificate refers to the Catholic Church rather than the Register Office and her Maiden Name is spelt as Fielden rather than Fielding.  William's Father is recorded as being James Ryan and Mary Ann's Father is recorded as being Andrew Fielden which contradicts the 1851 census which says Mary Ann Fielding was his "Niece."  There is no indication on the certificate that James and Andrew were already deceased but I have found a burial entry on website Lancashire On Line Parish Clerk as follows:

Burial: 15 Aug 1857, St. John the Evangelist, Bacup, Lancashire
Andrew Fielden
Age: 68 years
Abode: Tonge Bridge  (See 1841 census)
Buried by: James Reece
Register: Baptisms 1853 - 1927, Page 51, Entry 406
Source:  Original Parish Register

The Death Index for the above records
Name:                            Andrew Fielden
Date of Registration:  Jul-Aug-Sep 1857
Registration District:   Haslingden
Inferred County:          Lancashire
Vol:                                8E
Pg:                                 60

Anyways, her husband William Ryan died 12 Mar 1909 at Union Infirmary Hospital, Burnley.  His place of abode was North Street, Padiham, Lancashire, England.  He was 66 years old when he died if the death certificate is accurate.  According to genealogical website Lancashire On Line Parish Clerk William was buried in a public grave on 17 Mar 1909 at St. John's Road Cemetery, Padiham.  His surname was wrongly spelt as Byan.  i have been in touch with Lancs. OPC and I got a response back and a note will be added to indicate his surname is RYAN.

I think I have the 1861 census for William Ryan.  He is listed as a Lodger living in Birkenhead, the county is Cheshire and the parish is Holy Trinity.  He is 22 years old from Ireland according to this census therefore born 1839.  Whereas the marriage certificate says he was 22 years old in 1864.  I have not found census 1841 or 1851 and therefore my current thinking is that William left his place of birth i.e. BELFAST, Antrim in his early 20's.  I cannot be more precise due to discrepancy of ages on census and marriage certificate.  

I am hoping someone at PRONI could attempt to find "Migration Records" which may hopefully provide more specific information as to when William Ryan left Ireland, how old he was and any information about his parents and siblings would be welcome.  I have not been able to find appropriate migration records on Ancestry.com myself but I hope you have access to websites such as "Find My Past" or "GenesReunited?" or other genealogical websites that make it easier to find relevant information.

The rest of the census records I have for William Ryan and Mary Ann are from 1871 onwards i.e. after their 1864 marriage.  My GG Grandparents moved around a lot and even finding these censes records was challenging and frustrating to say the least.  I enclose these census records as follows:

1871 living in Birkenhead Mary Ann is listed as Wife of William Ryan.  They have a daughter Mary.
1881 living in Blackburn Mary Ann is with her husband William Ryan, and children Mary Jane, James, Sarah Ellen and Elizabeth.  (Elizabeth Ryan is my direct ancestor.)  This was a hard census to find because surname was wrongly spelt as WRYEN
1891 living in Green Lane, Hapton.  Mary Ann is shown as the Head living with daughter Elizabeth.  No Husband recorded.
1901 living in Canning Street, Accrington with 2 lodgers.  For some reason Mary Ann lists her marital status as Wid.  But, I know for a fact William did not pass away until 12 Mar 1909.
1911 living in 4 Canning Street, Accrington with Granddaughter Emily Moss and 3 Lodgers.  The Lodger Austin Minogue married Emily Moss in 1912.

In 1901 William Ryan is listed as Father in Law living with his daughter Mary Jane and her husband John Moss.  Children of Mary Jane and John include:  Emily A, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah E, and Gertrude.
I have not found the 1891, 1851 or 1841 census for William Ryan but as i mention above I think i have found 1861 census.  However, the 1871 census is the "only" census that says William was born in BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND.  I believe the County is Antrim.

Also, all of the census records after marriage record Mary Ann(e) as being born in Ireland as well.  However, I don't believe this to be true at all as i know that Andrew Fielding/Fielden (Listed as her Father on Marriage Certificate) was born in Rochdale, Lancashire, England.  I am more inclined to believe the 1851 census which also records Mary Ann(e) as living at Lane Head, Bacup.  I am uncertain as to why the Township in 1851 census is listed as Newchurch because the map shows that Lane Head is in Bacup, Lancashire, England.

I have just tried to sum up the information I do have and I hope you have more success than me at finding a "Migration Record" for William Ryan.  However, if it is not possible to search for a Migration Record I hope you can conduct a search to find a baptism somewhere between the years 1839 and 1844.  I have asked the GRO to conduct searches on my behalf many times before and I hope that a Staff member at PRONI can do the same.  I can pay Research Fee via Penpal or Worldpay.  Also,  according to Lancashire On Line Parish Clerk the parents of William Ryan are recorded as:  JACOBUS RYAN and MARIA RYAN (See Grooms Parents).  The Marriage is recorded as taking place on 4 Mar 1864 at St. Mary of the Assumption, Burnley, Lancashire.  Lancs. OPC transcribed the date of marriage as 4 Mar rather than 4 APR as recorded on William's marriage certificate.  Also, I think Jacobus and Maria is Latin for James and Mary.  Anyways, if you lucked out and find the baptism of William Ryan I hope you can use this information to find the marriage of William's parents because I wish to discover the Maiden Name of Williams's Mother.  Thank you and I hope you can find the time to help me.