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[Bann Valley] Garvagh



Hello Bann Valley friends, I read all the messages with interest and
gratitude but seldom post anything. 
Matthew Archibald mentioned in the last post is possibly a friend of my
Stratton & Dobbins ancestors from Garvagh. The Archibald name comes up as a
witness in their various death & marriage documents in Cambusnethan Parish
(Glasgow, Scotland) 1855 to 1872 while my Irish ancestors were mining coal
there to escape the 1845 Potato Famine.  
I think I found my Irish ancestor James Stratton/Stratlin (b guess 1793 or
1800 d aft 1863) in Newtownards, County Down in 1861 as an old man. He was a
cotton weaver. His wife, Sarah Donnly, predeceased him. I think I found him
in First Garvagh Presbyterian Church, Parish of Errigle, County Derry, N.
Ireland as a witness 1833/4 when John J. Stratlin married Eliz Gilmore, John
being his brother or his son or other relative. If John is his son, James's
birth date may be about 1793, and it would all fit. Would love to see the
proof. What was a "cotton weaver"? I researched James & Thomas Strattons in
Derry and could find none there in the 1800's.  Found a lot of them in Down.
Do you suppose my Strattons were in Belfast in the cotton mills and just
came to Garvagh for wives? They may not have even been Presbyterians, but
they had Presbyterian friends and married Presbyterian women, as shown in
these church records.

Next I found James' son, my ancestor Thomas Strattom/Stratlin (b 1820 or 22
d 1MAR1863)in the same First Garvagh Presbyterian Church marriage register
1845 to 1889 with 2 Blair sisters from Gortnamoyagh (not my direct
ancestors--probable cousins). Their father a farmer, Matthew Blair. 
First wife of Thomas Stratton was Esther,Easter,Ester Dobbins,Dabbin,Dobbin

Born Errigle Parish, Gortnamoyagh near Garvagh in County Derry, Ireland.
Associated with First Garvagh Presbyterian Church. Father was Thomas
Dobbins, Laborer. Mother was Hannah Dobbins. Hannah's maiden surname was
Blair.  
Looking at the Bann Valley Church records, I think the Dobbinses were
originally Anglican or some other non-Presbyterian denomination, because I
saw several instances of the Dobbins men marrying Presbyterians and having
to re-baptize their older children from a previous marriage. Not my
ancestors--just the same name in the same place at the same time.

James's widowed son Thomas Stratton went back from Glasgow to Garvagh one
more time to marry Ann/Agnes/Nancy Nichol/Nicol 11 Dec 1856 at the First
Presbyterian Church.  Her father, George, was a weaver from Fermgargh
Country, Ireland, N Ireland. Her residence at time of marriage was Edenban.


After that, all my Stratton ancestors still alive removed to American
coalmines in 1872 where we have been ever since. We, too have done YDNA
tests.  Our male Stratton ancestry is R1b1b2--no known group; not the O'Neil
line. Lots of blue eyes and blond & red hair, if that means anything.
I would appreciate any help or suggestions. I am especially wondering if my
Irish Ulster Strattons originally came from Scotland or from England.  There
are 24 different towns named Stratton in UK, and 3 main Stratton families.
Thanks, Anne Stratton Hilts


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