Hello,
Thank you, I was able to get a copy of the handwritten marriage record from the Civil Registration Service. I greatly appreciate your volunteer's suggestion to contact them.
Thomas McLarnon (or McLernan) and Belle (Isabelle) McCourt were married in 1867 at the chapel in Moneyglass, "Registrar's District of Toomebridge, Union of Ballymena." (My greatgrandfather and greatgrandmother, who emigrated to Kansas, U.S.).
The record says the residence at time of marriage, for both, was the townland of Killyfast.
I don't find Killyfast on today's maps. Would anyone know where the old site for Killyfast is these days, or what it is near?
Thanks very much for your help.
Sorcha
SorchaMcCl
Monday 21st Oct 2013, 01:24AMMessage Board Replies
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Killyfast does still exist today. The modern Roguery Rd runs through it. It?s immediately to the east of Moneyglass chapel, where this marriage took place.
Killyfast consists of 290 acres of farms, agricultural land and a pub. There were 34 households in it in the 1901 census. See:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Toome_Upper/Killyfast/
It probably just isn?t big enough or significant enough to get picked up on Google but it exists all right. You can see a map of it, using the on-line maps on Griffiths Valuation. Use the place name search option. The boundaries are outlined in red.
If you are looking for a specific house, there is a way of finding that. The plot numbers are not shown on-line (for this townland) and you would therefore need to go to Ballymena Library (local studies section) or to PRONI, Belfast to get a copy of the Griffiths plot map.
http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml
There was a James McCourt farming on plots 1 & 2 in 1862, and a Catherine McCourt with a small farm on plot 23. No McLarnon. But several McLaren properties. That?s probably the same name, spelled differently. McLarnon remains a common surname in the Toome area today.
Ahoghill Antrim
Monday 21st Oct 2013, 07:12AM -
Thank you very much, Ahogill Antrim! This is wonderful information.
Google's map does at least show Roguery Road, thank goodness. I will look on the Griffiths. Thomas and James were farmers, and Isabelle McCourt a weaver (according to the certificate). They signed the certificate with a mark; they weren't able to write, so the spelling of the name would vary, I suppose.
Isabelle (McCourt) McClarnon died August 11, 1889 near St. Paul, Kansas. Thomas McClarnon survived to 1926. Both are buried in St. Francis cemetery in the small town of St. Paul, Kansas (southeast Kansas). In 1867 (the time of their marriage and possibly close to emigration time), the U.S. "Homestead Act" (signed by Abraham Lincoln) offered 160 acres of land for little cost to farmers wishing to settle in Kansas and other western states. Thomas and Isabelle were "homesteaders."
Francis McClarnon (possibly a brother or cousin?) farmed next to Thomas. Francis (1833-1920) had married Catherine, who died in 1880.
It is wonderful to hear that the McLarnon name is still common in the Toome area. I will tell my family over here (Kansas, Colorado, Texas - U.S.). I hope to visit some day.
Thank you for your help!
Best wishes,
Sorcha
SorchaMcCl
Monday 21st Oct 2013, 05:01PM -
Sorcha,
Thomas McClarnan & Isabel McCourt McClarnan are my great-grandparents as well. If you write to me at wilsmi99@yahoo.com, I might have some info/photos that you may like to see.
Thank you,
William Smith
Indianapolis IN
wilsmi99
Saturday 5th Apr 2014, 09:26AM -
Sorcha,
Thomas McClarnan & Isabel McCourt McClarnan are my great-grandparents as well. If you write to me at wilsmi99@yahoo.com, I might have some info/photos that you may like to see.
Thank you,
William Smith
Indianapolis IN
wilsmi99
Saturday 5th Apr 2014, 09:26AM