I am trying to locate the Quarterly Return for a marriage that took place in Ardcarne Parish in 1854. I already have the parish register, but the civil registers I've seen have more detail.
There are 10 volumes of microfilm available through the Family History Center containing copies of the civil register of returns for 1854. I ordered Volume 1, thinking that whether the records were stored alphabetically by parish or in date order, a January marriage in Ardcarne should be in Volume 1.
Just my luck, the records are stored alphabetically by the name of the Registrar's District. It jumped from Antrim to Ardee with no Ardcarne in between. Does anyone know where to find the Retistrar's District name? I'd really rather not pay for all 10 films if I don't need to!
I'm looking for Thomas McHugh and Mary Regan, who married in the Catholic parish of Ardcarne and Tumna in January 1854. I understand that the civil parish name is Ardcarn, without the final e.
I'm not sure that they would have registered their marriage, as I believe only non-Catholic marriages had to be registered until 1863. But if they did, the civil registration record usually includes father's name for both bride and groom and the actual location where the marriage was performed. The parish register only gives the names of bride, groom and witnesses.
The Registrar's District name will most likely be the same as the Poor Law Union name for the same area. The parish of Ardcarne is located between Lough Key and the Shannon river.
LDS film number 989746 includes the 1854 marriage of Thomas McHughes and Mary Reagan in Ardcarn-Tumna (now known as Cootehall) Catholic parish. The LDS film is a copy of the actual marriage register. The entry normally includes the names of witnesses, sometimes the names of the parents and on rare occasions the townlands of the bride and groom. Note that marriages normally took place in the Catholic parish of the bride.
Registration of NON-CATHOLIC marriages commenced in 1845.
In the 1850's a large-scale public health system was created, based on the area covered by the Poor Law Union. Each Union was divided into Dispensary Districts, with an average of six or seven Districts per Union, and a medical officer, normally a doctor was given responsibility for the health of a District. WHEN THE REGISTRATION OF ALL BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES BEGAN IN 1864, these Dispensary Districts also became Registrars' Districts, with a registrar responsible for collecting the registrations within each district. As there was no penalty for non-registration until 1874, it is thought that about 20% of early Irish births and marriages were not registered.
It is important to understand the various administrative structures/divisions, such as Townland and Civil parish.
I understand Susan already has the parish record of the marriage; it is (hopefully) the Civil Registration of the marriage (if it exists) that she is looking for; LDS film 989746 says, specifically, "parochial records".
Unfortunately for Susan she does not know which townland was involved and the parish of Ardcarn and Tumna falls within at least two Poor Law Unions. As an example Lustia townland is in Carrick on Shannon PLU while Ardglass is in Boyle.
Thanks for all the help. I do indeed already have a copy of the parish/parochial register, but it shows only the bride, groom and witnesses. It doesn't even indicate which church/chapel the wedding was celebrated in, and I understand there were two in the parish, one at Cootehall and one at Crosna.
I believe the bride's father was Thomas Regan. There is a Thomas Regan in Griffith's Valuation in Aghoo townland, but with such a common name this may not be her father.
I think I'll order volumes 2 and 3, since both Boyle and Carrick on Shannon should be near the front of the alphabet. I know it's a long-shot, since they weren't required to register this Catholic marriage at the time, but I think its worth checking in case I can find out more information about where they actually lived and proof of who their parents were.
Susan
I have my McHughs from Cootehall in my tree and some of them went to the US around 1900. Let me know what details you have to see if there is a connection
paula
I first find Thomas and Mary McHugh in Cincinnati, OH in the 1860 federal census. They have a daughter Mary born in Ireland and a son Francis born in Ohio. The children's ages put their immigration between 1855 and 1857 but I haven't found a record of their passage. There are three other McHugh families living with them in 1860: Patrick McHugh with wife Mary and son Bartholomew, Michael McHugh with wife Catherine and son John, and unmarried Mary McHugh.
I found the civil register which covers the appropriate area, but no record for Thomas and Mary. However, I am now convinced that the Thomas and Mary in the parish register is the correct family. Both are buried in St Joseph's New Cemetery in Cincinnati, and the cemetery records indicate that Thomas was born in Roscommon to Bartholomew and Anne McHugh and that Mary was born in Ireland to Thomas and Mary Regan. Thomas Regan is one of the witnesses at the marriage and was sponsor for the baptism of their daughter Mary in Ardcarne Parish.
Given that Patrick McHugh named his son Bartholomew, I'm convinced that the 4 HcHugh's in Cincinnati are siblings.
One of my cousins is vacationing in Ireland as I write. I'm hoping he will find time to visit the parish and try to locate information on Bartholomew and Anne McHugh and Thomas and Mary Regan. So I'm still keeping my fingers crossed...
Can you email me directly and i will let you know what info i have paula@aldred525.freeserve.co.uk. I'm not sure if there is a connection but you never know
