A French version of this text is available here. Special thanks to my dear friend and cousin Lois Thornton Eldridge for her help in the translation of this text.

© Marc St-Jacques

We know a little more about the arrival in Canada of Archibald McAllister, his wife Eliza McKinley and their children. I am often asked about where our ancestors come from in Ireland, and this is one of the first questions that made me curious and prompted me to dig up our family history.

Fortunately, I was not the first to do genealogy in the family. Already in the mid-1990s, Gary Millar and Sandra Ban were interested in our family history. Sandra had gone to Ireland to research our ancestors. Her notes told us that Archibald and Eliza were married in Randalstown, County Antrim, in 1875, and that Archibald’s parents were Aeneas McAllister and Mary McMullan. In addition, Sandra had found the baptism of Archibald and three brothers (Samuel, Patrick and Daniel McAllister) in the registers of the Catholic parish of Randalstown in County Antrim. This post digs a little more into the history of the McAllister’s in Ireland.

Archibald McAllister and Eliza McKinley

The marriage of Archibald McAllister and Eliza McKinley can be found both in parish registers and in vital records. These two documents give different information and it is interesting to compare them. In the parish registers of the united Catholic Parishes of Drumaul, Antrim and Connor, there is the registration of the marriage dated November 27, 1875. The Act itself does not give much more information than the witnesses: John McLaughlin and Elizabeth McDonnell.

The civil registration of marriage offers much more information. First of all, the wedding location is much more precise. The wedding took place in the Randalstown Catholic Chapel in County Antrim. Archibald is a 21-year-old bachelor. He is the son of Denis McAlister [Ennis McAllister] and is a labourer just like his father. Eliza is a 21-year-old spinster and is a weaver. Her father, Henry McKinley is a scutcher, which means that he operates an implement for separating hemp or flax from the stalk. Archibald and Eliza live in Ballytresna, just north of Randalstown.

In a previous blog post, we found that Archibald and Eliza settled in Canada with three children born in Ireland: Mary, Sarah and Nellie. Let’s see what we will learn from parish registers and vital records about this family and the places where they lived before emigrating to Canada.

The firstborn child of the marriage of Archibald McAllister and Eliza McKinley is Mary McAllister. It was impossible for me to trace Mary McAllister’s birth in the registers of civil status. However, her baptismal certificate was recorded in the united Catholic Parish Register of Drumaul, Antrim and Connor on January 6, 1877. Her godfather is Hugh McErlane and her godmother is Mary McKinley, most likely her aunt.

A second child is born a year and a half later. On August 29, 1878, the birth of Henry McAllister was officially registered with the Registrar on August 13, 1878. The child was born in Ballytresna in the parish of Drumaul, the place of residence of his parents. Archibald claims to be a labourer and Mary McKinley, his godmother, claims to have been present at birth.

Henry’s baptism is recorded two days after his birth on September 1, 1878, in the records of the united Catholic Parishes of Drumaul, Antrim and Connor. The godfather is Thomas Marvin and the godmother is Eliza McDonnell. Remember that she was a witness at the wedding of Archibald McAllister and Eliza McKinley.

On July 24, 1880, Sarah was born in Ballygrooby where Archibald McAllister and Eliza McKinley now live. Archibald is still a labourer and the birth is recorded on July 30, 1880. Ballygrooby is located east of the Maine River near Randalstown. The Catholic chapel is built in this townland.

Sarah’s baptism is recorded in the records of the united Catholic Parishes of Drumaul, Antrim and Connor on July 25, 1880. The godfather is John Gillion and the godmother is Catherine Wylie.

Then there is an act for the death of Henry McAllister in the vital statistics records. The four and a half-year-old boy died on 16 January 1883 of scarlet fever. His parents report living at 50 Clyde Street in Belfast. His mother was present at the time of the death.

Clyde Street of the late 19^th century no longer exists today. The third edition of the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland shows that Clyde Street was located east of the Lagan River north of the East Bridge. In today’s Belfast, this neighborhood has been redeveloped and is located here.

Only one mystery persists about the family of Archibald McAllister and Eliza McKinley: where was Nellie born? Despite research in the civil registration and parish registers, I was not able to find Nellie’s birth, which should have taken place in Ireland.

Now, let’s see what we can discover about Archibald McAllister’s parents.

Ennis McAllister and Mary McMullan

The information we have about Ennis McAllister and Mary McMullan is very fragmentary since the parish registers of the day contain little information. In addition, the naming of first names and last names is very variable. For example, for Ennis, we will also find Denis, Dennis, Eneas, Niece, Inis, Aeneas, Eeneas; for McMullan we will see McMullen and McMullun.

This couple’s story begins with their marriage on June 11, 1833. This marriage is recorded in the Drumaul Parish Register, which is located north of Randalstown.

It is certain that Mary McMullan is pregnant at the time of her marriage since a few months later, on September 7, 1833, her daughter Margaret McAllister is baptized. The baptism is recorded in the register of the parish of Drumaul. The act mentions that the parents are from Ballygrooby.

On August 30, 1835, a second daughter joins the family of Ennis McAllister and Mary McMullan. The baptism of their daughter Rosan is inscribed in the register of the parish of Drumaul. The godfather is William Finlay and the godmother is Sally Freeland.

The first son of the family, John McAllister, was baptized on May 28, 1837, at Drumaul Parish. The parents declare to live in the townland of Muckleramer. The godfather is Patrick Boyle and Ann McNeal.

A second son joins the family of Ennis McAllister and Mary McMullan. James McAllister is baptized in Drumaul Parish and his parents report living in McLeramar [Muckleramer]. The godmother is Biddy [Bridget] McAllister from Randalstown.

The fifth child to be born is Mary McAllister. She was baptized on June 25, 1842, in the parish of Drumaul. Her parents claim to live in this parish which covers several townlands, including that of Muckleramer. The godmother is a widow named McAllister and resident of Feehogue. No godfather is registered in the baptismal certificate.

The register of Drumaul Parish records the baptism of another child of Ennis McAllister and Mary McMullan: Alexander McAllister. His godfather is John Henry and his godmother is Ann McAulay of Muckleramer.

It took four years before the Drumaul parish register record other acts concerning Ennis and Mary’s children. These are the baptisms of two boys: Samuel and Patrick McAllister. The parents declare to be Muckleramer. The witnesses are Mrs. Steenson and Margaret McAlister.

A ninth child joins the family of Ennis McAllister and Mary McMullan. Daniel McAllister was baptized on July 16, 1851, in the parish of Drumaul. His parents still report living in Muckleramer. The godmother of the child is Martha Steenson.

Finally, the last child whose baptism is found in the records of the parish of Drumaul is Archibald who is baptized on November 20, 1853. His parents still live in Muckleramer. The godfather is James Corgan and the godmother is Mary Boyle.

Conclusion

What to remember from all this? First, let’s remember that Ennis McAllister and Mary McMullan were married in 1833 and had several children in the following twenty years: Margaret, Rosan, John, James, Mary, Alexander, Patrick, Samuel, Daniel and Archibald. Remember that they lived in Ballygrooby in 1833 before moving to Muckleramer. The first mention of this place in the records dates from 1837.

Then, let us remember that Archibald McAllister and Eliza McKinley, our ancestors, were married in 1875 and had four children in Ireland: Mary, Henry, Sarah and Nellie. The family first lived in Ballytresna from 1875 to 1878. In 1880, they were in Ballygrooby, then in Belfast in 1883. It should nevertheless be noted that their son Henry McAllister died of scarlet fever at a young age and that the birth of Nellie has still not been identified in the religious and civil registry.