Reid from County Down

What?s the source of the information that James was christened in 1797?  Have you checked the Downpatrick area church records?

If the family were Methodist then, in Ireland, they are most likely to have been Church of Ireland, rather than Presbyterian.

Thank you so much for the reply.  I got the information from the IGI years ago when I started my research.  Now it is on Ancestry.com.  I have never been able to go back any further.  Would love to learn more about James Reid, Sr's family.....or his wife, Phoebe.  Don't have a maiden name for her.  James and Phoebe and James, Jr.....and maybe others moved to Tennessee in early 1800s (don't know exactly when) and their trail is pretty clear from there right down to my father.  Not sure how to check church records - but I will start trying to find a beginning point.  I see to remember something about "lower meeting house" and "non-conformist" when I first started researching, but can't seem to find that now.  I might be confusing families......

I appreciate any help you can offer!

Rebecca,

There?s a copy of the Church of Ireland records for Downpatrick held in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. You could have a look at those records to see if the baptism is there. In addition there?s a copy of the tithe applotment records (church taxes) for 1794. You might find James' parents listed there. You might also find his own marriage assuming his wife was also Church of Ireland. (Tradition was to marry in the bride's church if the couple attended different churches). Here?s what PRONI holds:

C.I. Down or Downpatrick (Down diocese) Baptisms, 1733-4, 1750-1815 and 1818-99; marriages, 1701-1969; burials, 1718-36 and 1752-1876; vestry minutes, 1704-1951;preachers? books, 1898-1925 and 1942-90; briefs read out in church after which money was collected, 1716-35; list of poor widows and others exempted from hearth money tax, 1733; vestry accounts, 1753-69; register of vestrymen, 1871-1970; minutes of the select vestry, 1873-1975.

Copy of baptisms, 1750-1813 and 1817-29, marriages, 1752-1829, and burials, 1752-1829.

Marriage notice books, 1845-55 and 1873-1957.

Applotment for Down parish, 1794.

Copy of baptisms, 1733-1856, marriages, 1701-1875, and burials, 1719-1876.

I don?t think those records are on-line anywhere, and so you would need to get someone to go to PRONI look them up for you, or you can ask PRONI to do it for you, for a fee.

In Ireland, Nonconformist would be a term used to describe anyone who was not Church of Ireland. It could certainly include Methodism and Presbyterianism.

Methodism is an off-shoot of the Church of England/Ireland. It didn?t start as a separate denomination in Ireland till 1816 (and even after that many Methodists continued to use the Church of Ireland for baptisms and marriages for many years for various reasons) so James won?t appear in any local Methodist records, if he was baptised in 1794. Presbyterianism (which indicates Scots origins) was very common in Co. Down, and their churches are called Meeting Houses. I do know of people who changed from Presbyterianism to Methodism, so it?s a possibility. However neither of the two Presbyterian churches in Downpatrick have records that go back as far as 17984, so if he was Presbyterian, you probably won?t be able to find a record of his baptism.

Elwyn

Great information!  I will start working through the possibilities and if nothing is on line, I will probably pay someone from PRONI to look for me.  I did not realize they offered that service.  I might come back to PRONI to search myself.....did it once before - but it was hard.  I didn't really know where to look.  It was fun though!  I love Belfast.  

I want to spend my days doing family research, but, unfortunately, I have to work every day.....so there is never enough time.  I will get my dates all lined up and send you another note (if that is okay) and see if you have further help to offer, and I will see what I can find from the resources you gave me.

I do so appreciate your help.......makes me feel "connected" to Ireland!

Rebecca

Rebecca,

There?s no problem contacting me again. Glad to help. I live near Belfast and do go to PRONI fairly regularly. If you want a simple look up, I can do that for free. If you want more detailed research, we?d need to discuss the costs. Or if you want to go yourself, but need advice on where to look, I am happy to guide you on that.

Elwyn

Elwyn,

I sent you an email.....actually two - earlier today, but I am not sure if they went anywhere.  It looks like I could send an email via the Reaching Out site, but I sent them to me also and they have not appeared!  I will wait and see if we are in communication before going any further.

Thanks,

Rebecca