Hello everyone, there has been recent discussion regarding Presbyterian congregational records and specifically, Session records. These are records of great interest and useful to emigrant families as they often predate surviving marriage and baptism registers. From my personal research, I have noted the following interesting records, some I have transcribed and submitted to Jim McKane www.cotyroneireland.com ( http://www.cotyroneireland.com ) while there are some that await transcription. Have a look at the considerable numbers of names, many from the period prior to the commencement of civil registration.

Len Swindley,

Melbourne, Australia

Scots’ Church, Gortin, Co. Tyrone

New Communicants 1843-81 www.cotyroneireland.com/churchrecord/scots2.html ( http://www.cotyroneireland.com/churchrecord/scots2.html )

Emigrants (many with port of destination) 1854-84

Founding families of the congregation recorded by townland

Leckpatrick Presbyterian Church, Artigarvan, Co Tyrone

Young Communicants 1838-1908 www.cotyroneireland.com/menus/leckpatrick.html ( http://www.cotyroneireland.com/menus/leckpatrick.html )

Poor List 1836 www.cotyroneireland.com/churchrecord/leckpatrick6.html ( http://www.cotyroneireland.com/churchrecord/leckpatrick6.html )

First Donagheady Presbyterian Church

Seat holders and stipend payers 1804-21

Second Strabane Presbyterian Church, Co. Tyrone

Communion Roll 1847

Burt Presbyterian Church, Co. Donegal

Young Communicants 1833-69

Hello Everyone

Further to the discussion regarding Presbyterian Congregational and Session records, I thought I should share an actual experience, to show what sort of information may be gleaned. Oh! how I wish I could visit again and get to see these registers and roll books again ... !

Sundry notes made at the Donagheady Manse, August 1981

In August 1981, I had the pleasure of being able to visit the Donagheady Manse in County Tyrone (on my first visit to Ireland), where I was warmly received by the Rev. William Chestnut, his good wife and another visiting parishioner. I had made contact beforehand as we held in the family two books that had been awarded to my grandfather as Sunday School prizes in the 2 nd Donagheady Presbyterian Church.

At the Manse, I was kindly shown Seat Stipend records showing that my two-greats-grandfather James Mitchell (Killymallaght) was a member of the church since at least 1845, and that he was allocated to Seat no. 4 in 1848, moving to Seat no. 42 in October 1849. His pew rentals were recorded as regularly paid each year for 1850 - 1854, while 1855 was “paid to October”. In 1866, this James Mitchell was listed as Pewholder No. 35, paying 13 shillings.

Another parishioner, David Mitchell (Drumgauty) was allocated No. 9 New Gallery from 1832, fully paid for 1848 - 1855, being replaced by Mrs Eliza Mitchell (his widow) in 1856.

The 2 nd Donagheady Communion Roll 1871 – 1888 showed listings for my great-grandfather Thomas Mitchell as well as his parents, the abovementioned James Mitchell and his wife Isabella. I could also see a note for the first communion taken by my great-grandfather’s younger brother David Mitchell in 1868 (this has proved crucial in enabling me to confirm his age/date of birth and to correct a misleading transcription in a cemetery listing for New Bedford, Massachusetts).

A useful record was a later Communicants Roll Book for 2 nd Donagheady. This confirmed the family’s relocation to the townland of Drumenny and showed that my grandfather James Alexander Mitchell had taken his 1 st communion in April 1894 (exactly upon turning 18), also that he later relocated to South Africa. I have similar 1 st communion dates for his four younger siblings. The Roll also confirms that the family later transferred to 1 st Omagh in March 1904, which we know to be true.

Another bonus has been information that has helped me to track other families and hence to distinguish more clearly between different families or different family branches, in the same vicinity, or to see how marriages and connections linked families within the same parish -- kind of like being a "fly-on-the-wall" , or being able to "hear and witness" the Kirk's events and occasions over the decades of past eras.

Best regards to all our listers and supporters!

Dave Mitchell

Cape Town

South Africa