Does anyone know anything about the Star family (mostly Church of Ireland) who lived in Mountmellick at least from the 1780s to the 1870s? I have a few details about Paul Star at the beginning of the period, a bootmaker in Mountmellick, a Mason, and the husband late in life of the Quaker Susanna White (nee Thompson). I suspect (though have no proof) that by an earlier marriage he had at least two sons, William and Frederick. William was born in 1784, joined the British army in 1804 and served in India for many years. Frederick married Jane Dugdale in 1802, was a painter and glazier in Mountmellick, and had four children - John and Baxter (who both emigrated to New York), Amelia (who married Francis Eves and moved to Dublin) and Richard (who took over his father's business in Mountmellick, while his widowed mother leased several properties in the town). I think more details could emerge from local knowledge in Mountmellick, or from the early Church of Ireland parish records for Mountmellick and neighbouring parishes, held in Dublin, but I have no way of accessing these at present. Thanks. Paul Star, New Zealand, November 2022.
Paul Star
Saturday 26th Nov 2022, 11:04PMMessage Board Replies
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Paul, If you contact the Library Representative Church Body, Braemor Park, Dublin, Email: library@ireland.anglican.org Phone: 3534923976 they may be able to assist you. They offer a genealogical service. Regards,
McCoy
Sunday 27th Nov 2022, 06:46PM -
Paul, Here's contact details for the Mountmellick Library: Phone: 057 8644572 or 057 8644588 Email: mountmellicklibrary@laoiscoco.ie Address: O’Moore Street, Mountmellick, Co. Laois, R32 PX61 If they do not have a local history librarian, perhaps they might refer you to someone who might be able to assist you.
Patricia
Sunday 27th Nov 2022, 10:01PM -
In Griffith’s Valuation of Laois, 1851-52, there were two Star heads of household. One is in Ballycullenbeg townland, which is in Mountmellick. Star William Borris In Ossory Main St. Aghaboe Co. Laois Star Jane Ballycullenbeg Ardea Laois I did not find any Star/rs in the Tithe Applotments.
Patricia
Sunday 27th Nov 2022, 10:10PM -
Local volunteer contacted.
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Sunday 27th Nov 2022, 11:24PM -
Thanks for these responses. Good to be reminded of the William Star in Borris (in Griffiths Valuation, so does that mean we are looking at 1850-51?), though I haven't found anything about him. It could be the same man as the William Star of Pound Street Mountmellick (though I only know he was there because he left there - name crossed out - before the valuation office book of 1843). I am pretty confident the Pound Street William is the ex-soldier, Frederick's brother William, and presume this is also the William who joined the Mountmellick Freemasons in 1834. Still looking for information to confirm this. The on-line list of gravestones at the COI church in Mountmellick unfortunately has a page missing, so many with 'S' surnames (like Star, possibly) cannot be checked on it. I have so far not found anyone who has a hard copy of this published record, which would indicate whether or not there are Stars listed there (some COI Dugdales are listed). I think the early COI parish records for Mountmellick and other local parishes remain my best bet, but it would take a thorough hunt through the archives in Dublin to find anything, and I am 18,000 km from Dublin! It is great that Dublin's COI records (for instance) are on-line and free. Is there a particular reason why so many others have not been digitised (beyond usual constraints of time and money and, perhaps, limited demand)? Paul Star. NZ.
Paul Star
Wednesday 14th Dec 2022, 12:57AM