McGrath's of Dromore Tyrone

Hi Beth

There are 83 Tyrone James McGrath birth/baptism records on www.rootsireland.ie/ but none in 1800 + - 20 years. There are none on www.rootsireland.ie/

Do you have an approximate birth year?

I checked the Irish phone book online but there are no McGraths in Tyrone.

There are 10 public member trees on ancestry that have James born 1795 in Tyrone with parents Patrick McGARRITTY & Elizabeth Grey

Patrick 1769-1798 Tyrone

Can you get access to ancestry?

Col

Hi Beth, 

Might your ancestor be connected to McGath's Hill about 1 mile east of Windsor NSW?

And, have your inspected the ships register(manifesto) in the Convict Transportation reels held by NSW State Records? At times, I've seen original handwritten (of course) annotation giving more information than the major text which is digitised into many records about convicts.

Cheers

Eire2Go (haven't got there yet!)

Dear Beth,

I hope your trip to Ireland this year will be successful and you were able to locate those elusive McGrath records in Dromore.  I believe I could be related to you.  My ancestor who first came to Australia was William McGrath and when he arrived in the colony as a Bounty Immigrant, he noted on the shipping records that he had an uncle in the colony who I believe could be your James McGrath.  William's father was Thomas McGrath born approximately 1800 and his mother was Elizabeth White and they married at Newtown Stewart. William was born on 6 November 1822 at Ardstraw, County Tyrone.  I found a record with the Tithe Allotments which seemed to indicate that Thomas lived in Tyrone, Dromore, Drumallard in 1834.   It seemed Thomas died between 1842 when William departed Ireland and 1854, when Elizabeth (his mother) arrived as it was stated on the shipping records for Elizabeth that she was a widow.   

When William came to Australia he went to the Shoalhaven area because a relative, possibly an uncle James McGrath was living there. My cousin  has done the research on the McGrath family in Australia and she wrote in her book about a connection with these McGraths,  "There is some certainty that there was already an ''Uncle" in Ausralia, a James McGrath who arrived as a convict in 1828.  Also, when William's mother came to Australia in 1854, her shipping records show that she had two daughters, Mary and Eliza, and a son, William living at Green Hills.  It also happens that a Henry McGrath's native place was also Green Hills.  A Henry McGrath and James McGrath both had land near that of William McGrath at Cambewarra.  Then a Henry and a James McGrath were witnesses to the marriage of Susannah McGrath whose descendants lived at Kin Kin and claimed to be cousins of Bill McGrath.  Thus it seems that there is a connection.  Henry and James McGrath's father was the said James McGrath who was transported from Dromore for manslaughter after thowing a stone that killed a policeman.

Our McGrath's were all listed as Protestants but I believe these relatives who said they were ?ousins were Catholic. My cousin has a section in her book about this McGrath connection which also says that the said James McGrath was born in 1808 and he died in 1885.  From the Australian records we know that James McGrath of Dromore was born about 1808, the son of a local blacksmith. 

Please let me know if you believe I am making the correct connections. 

Kind Regards

Marlsie

Hi Marlsie

Yes you do have the correct McGraths.

I don't know of William McGrath, but Henry and James McGrath of Cambewarra are brothers. They had 2 sisters - Susan and Ann. Henry and I think Susan went on to live at Green Hills estate in Nowra. That estate was owned by Alexander Berry.

Yes James McGrath was born in 1808 and died in 1885 and was sent here for manslaugher - throwning a stone that killed a policeman. My auntie hired a researcher in Ireland to pu together some facts on the McGrath family in Dromore. I have recently posted that story on my ancestry page, which you can have a look at. It gives an insight into the origins of the family and the times that James grew up in.

I have had contact with 2 other people who are researching the McGraths from dromore. One is Christine Kennedy - is this your cousin? I know Christine has produced a DVD, not sure about a book. Another is a lady who is related to Edward McGrath, who we think may be James' brother.

Christine has a lot of imformation about the McGraths in Braidwood. James McGrath married Mary McGrath from Braidwood. the Braidwood McGraths are related to the Cambewarra McGraths. Christine talks about an Uncle in Cambewarra who was a convict.

I would love to meet up and chat family history more, if you live close enough.

I live at Albion Park Rail NSW, where do you live?

The other lady I have been in contact with lives in Nowra.

Regards

Beth Tierney (nee McGrath)

Hullo again Beth,

I have replied via email hoping to reach your email address.  I looked for a family tree with your story but the one I found had no media.  I will have to wait until you answer my email.

Kind Regards

Marlsie 

Hi Col,

I have just joined the group and am also interested in the McGraths of Dromore as I believe James McGrath in Beth's enquiry is an uncle to my ancestor William McGrath whose father was Thomas McGrath born about 1800.  I cannot understand your comment where you say James McGrath's parents were Patrick McGARRITTY and Elizabeth Grey.  How would it come about that a Patrick McGARRITTY have a son whose family name was McGrath?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards

Marlsie

Hi Col,

I have just joined the group and am also interested in the McGraths of Dromore as I believe James McGrath in Beth's enquiry is an uncle to my ancestor William McGrath whose father was Thomas McGrath born about 1800.  I cannot understand your comment where you say James McGrath's parents were Patrick McGARRITTY and Elizabeth Grey.  How would it come about that a Patrick McGARRITTY have a son whose family name was McGrath?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards

Marlsie