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My husband's 2 x Great Grandfather, James Atkinson settled in New Zealand after serving in the 65th Regiment, along with his brothers John, David and Robert.  According to the British Military records John was born about 1817 in Dundalk, Co.Louth; David was born about 1818 in Louth; James is recorded as Atkins in the Military records and born in Tullylish, Lurgan, Co.Down and Robert was born about 1825 in Louth.

Their parents were John Atkinson and Alice/Alicia Murphy of Dundalk, Louth. 
I am looking for the birth and marriage dates for John and Alice/Alicia

An old family tree drawn up in the 1930s shows John as the son of David Atkinson who married Hannah Trueman. David is recorded as born in 1734 and died 24 March 1816 aged 83. He was Deputy Lieutenant for Co. Louth. Hannah is recorded as dying on 9th July 1815 aged 84 years.

I have been unable to find birth, marriage or death records on familysearch.org and various other Irish websites.

A family story says that John was from a staunchly Protestant family but converted to Catholicism about 1820. 

I have found various records on Griffith's valuation but not enough evidence to prove they are related to this family.

Thank you for this website, this is the first time I have posted anything and I look forward to some replies.

Warm wishes from New Zealand

Betty Atkinson

Saturday 30th Aug 2014, 01:54AM

Message Board Replies

  • Betty

    I will give a better reply later but have a look at this ste.

    http://www.jbhall.freeservers.com for Louth. There is a book being researched on Louth militias by the site organisers I understand.

    Irish records at that remove are poor to non existent. Will post more later but off out now as morning here.
    Pat

    St Peters Louth, IrelandXO Volunteer

    Saturday 30th Aug 2014, 09:14AM
  • Hi Again Betty

    Dundalk is in North Louth and is the registration district for the area, there is a Louth village but it is very small and I am assuming for your search Dundalk and Louth are the same place but as you mention Lurgan I am attaching two sites for County Down which give hits for both Atkinson and Truman, a very uncommon name in Ireland. I searched find my past for Atkinson in Louth and only got hits on 4 wills in 1822 and 1826 but no other details of the wills, these exist but are not online to my knowledge.

    The site I already gave you has good information on Atkinson from headstones, but Murphy as the most common Irish name I did not search.

    The county Down sites are http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rosdavies/ and

    http://countydown.x10.mx/html/index2.htm

    The history site for the area is here and you can join for a small fee and view their content online I understand.http://www.clahs.com/ They may have information on military history.

    If I can offer any further help please ask.

    Below are some sites relevent to Ireland which may assist you and the military connection is probably the best line.

    The Irish Census of 1901 and 1911 are available online at http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/ and the default census is 1911.

    Griffiths Valuation of property owners and tenants is available at http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/ and is only the head of household and was done between the 1847 and 1864 the year of publication is given on the information and it includes small area map.

    The tithe applottments were carried out between 1823 and 1837 and are only of landholders of 1 acre and more who were registered to pay a tax to the Church of Ireland and the divisions are of their parishes, urban dwellers are not included. See http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp

    The Flax Growers List of 1796 is available at http://www.failteromhat.com/ This is just a list of farmers who agreed to grow flax at the time. This site also contains the Hearth Money Roll lists of the 1660s for some counties (not all counties available). This site also contains other information mainly for the Cork area.

    For County Louth see http://www.jbhall.freeservers.com/ and for the Termonfeckin area see http://www.termonfeckinhistory.ie/

    The Louth County Library is here and offer a service which may carry a nominal cost. See http://www.louthcoco.ie/en/Services/Library/Genealogy-Research-Sources/

    Two subscription sites are http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/ and https://www.rootsireland.ie/

    Irish civil records only commenced in 1864 but Protestant marriages commenced in 1845.

    Church records go back to the early 1800s for Catholics and a few decades earlier for the Church of Ireland (Protestant).

    The Family Search website is free and has detailed information but I find it can be difficult to use but here it is https://familysearch.org/

    Cork Street Hospital Dublin Archive http://rcpilibrary.blogspot.ie/

    Irish Placenames  http://www.logainm.ie/ga/

     

    Regards

    Pat

     

    St Peters Louth, IrelandXO Volunteer

    Tuesday 2nd Sep 2014, 08:36PM
  • Hello Pat

    Thank you so much for your help. 

    I will now check out your suggestions - I had already discovered the site jbhall.freeservers.com but will go and check it out again.

    Tnaks also for the other information and sites, I will make further comments later, after I have done my homework!

    Thanks again

    Betty

    Betty Atkinson

    Wednesday 3rd Sep 2014, 03:53AM
  • Hello Pat

    Thank you so much for your help. 

    I will now check out your suggestions - I had already discovered the site jbhall.freeservers.com but will go and check it out again.

    Tnaks also for the other information and sites, I will make further comments later, after I have done my homework!

    Thanks again

    Betty

    Betty Atkinson

    Wednesday 3rd Sep 2014, 03:55AM

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