[4qd-bannvalley] Smyrl / Smirl (sic)

[4qd-bannvalley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Robert Forrest)]

Hi  Steven,

I think that your hunch that your Samuel might have come from Coleraine area
can be confirmed in the records and particularly in the parish of Dunboe
where there was a small Smyrl clan at the beginning of the 19th century.

I have an interest in Smyrl surname through a marriage of my 2X great uncle
John Forrest to Elizabeth Smirl (daughter of William & Rose Smyrl) in 1857
in Derramore Presbyterian church, just outside Limavady. I believe that
these Smyrls came from Dunboe Parish just outside Coleraine.

The 1796 Flax Lists for Dunboe list both a William Simmerell and a Samuel
Smirrell.

PRONI D/668/C/1-18 box of ?day books? for Hezlett estate Dunboe (excellent
source):
1799 rent book lists - Samuel Smirle of Belgarrow paying £13;
& William Smirl paying for George (Smirl) & holdings.

1801 William Smirl mentioned in vestry minutes of Church of Ireland Dunboe
(MIC/1/135) as a committee member (also vestry member 1826 and churchwarden
1830)

1806, William Smirl an elder representing Dunboe Session at Synod (1st
Dunboe, an historical sketch, Rev Jas Mark, page 220.

In the 1831 census, a William Smyrl resided in Belgarra, Dunboe
2male/4females, 3 servants and all Presbyterians. No other Smyrl household
listed in Dunboe parish.

Dunboe Presbyterian baptism register 1805-1812 (MIC/1P/412)
Feb 1806 ? William Smirl of Altikeeragh, a daughter baptised Jane
20 July 1806 ? John, son of William Smirl of Belgarra
28 July 1807 - Elizabeth dau of James Smyrle of Altikeeragh
21 Oct 1808 ? Esther dau of William Smyrl of Belgarra

New Communicants, Dunboe 1826-1866
1827 ? George Smirl
1828 ? Elisa Smirl
1832 ? John & Esther Smirl
1849 ? Christian Smirl (female)

www.irishgenealogy.ie  has the Index of Derry births & marriages from the
genealogy centre online and I note a baptism 1807 that looks interesting for
your family ? Gabriel Smirll.

i will have a dig in my notes to see if I can find any other relevant
information,

Bobby Forrest



>From: "Steven Smyrl" <smyrl@xxxxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: 4qd-bannvalley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To: <4qd-bannvalley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: [4qd-bannvalley] Smyrl / Smirl (sic)
>Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2006 00:12:53 +0100
>
>Dear List members,
>
>I only came across this List earlier today by chance. I'm descended from
>Samuel Smyrl (1764-1853) who from about 1800 resided at Drumconvis, Co.
>Tyrone. He married Jane Eakin, daughter of Gabriel Eakin of the same place,
>in about 1800. Where he came from before that period is not clear. Smyrls
>(and variant spellings) tend to be concentrated around Kilrea/Finvoy and
>Coleraine. I assume that Samuel Smyrl originated in either of these two
>localities. The first name Paul is very prevalent amongst Kilrea Smyrls,
>but
>not at all in Coleraine - neither has it ever been used within my own
>family. This makes we wonder does my chap fit into the Coleraine lot?
>
>I undertook an awful lot of research 20 or so years ago, but even though I
>now work as a professional genealogist (based in Dublin) I've hardly done a
>tap of Smyrl (sic) research since! Is anyone else researching Smyrl or
>Smirl
>(sic)?
>
>Cheers,
>
>Steven Smyrl
>