Galway Militia - 19221 John HALL b1843 Ballynakill, Loughrea,

pilot673

Chelsea Pension Records (in WO117) show my GGrandfather John HALL joining the 65th Fooot at Birr in 1861. He gave his birthplace as Ballynakill, Loughrea, Galway. The attestation record (in WO97) shows him demoted and fined severely for "Fraudulent enlistment from Galway Militia".

I can find no trace of a HALL family (parents) at Ballynakill, Leitrim, Galway (nr Woodford). His 65th records show no family information. The Galway Militia records (in WO96) are currently being copied by FMP and are unavailable to search.

Would sks have knowledge of/access to Galway Militia records/history/muster rolls that would help place John Hall's ancestry? Or in fact be able to assist with any alternative search ideas?

shanew

There are several Hall entries on Griffith's Valuation in and around Loughrea - see http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=doNameSearch&Submit.x=37&Submit.y=12&Submit=Submit&familyname=hall&firstname=&baronyname=&countyname=GALWAY&unionname=&parishname=LOUGHREA

The records for that area are dated 1854.

I think that most Military records for that era are only available in the National Archive in London (Kew).


Shane

pilot673

Thanks Shane. Yes, I am aware of the Halls on Griffiths in Loughrea (Sonnagh, Killeenadeema, Ballinasloe, Athenry, Kinvara and even Letterfreck). They may be related to my JH (siblings to his father) but it is that link (his parents) that I am after.
John Hall married Ellen MURPHY in 1870 in Ballincollig, Cork. The marriage record states that his father was also a John Hall, Farmer.

I am working along the lines that if I can find where John HALL enlisted into the Galway Militia, it may "lead" me to his family

Regards
Danny

shanew

There's an 1845 baptism for a John Hall included on www.rootsireland.ie (pay-website of the Irish Family History Foundation) that might be worth checking out...

The parish is Loughrea - RC


Shane

pilot673

Thanks Shane. Yes, already got that one (and paid an extortionate 5 Euro for the privilage!). Unfortunately he's the wrong chap as the father was Michael - one of the Loughrea "cousins".

The only Ballynakill that "fits" is on the Portumna / Gort Road, and just a few miles north east of Woodford. The townland is on Griffiths but no John Hall mentioned. I am wondering if Woodford is more likely to have been his Parish Church. As yet though I can find no birth,marriages or deaths in the area - with the scant info I already have. One would have thought that there would be some indication of the family's existence but, so far, no relevant marriages (for parents) or sibling births.

Danny

shanew

The townland database (www.seanruad.com) lists four townlands in Co. Galway named Ballynakill, plus two with very a similar name - Ballynakilla.

I've found one in the north west of the county near Glinsk and the other you mentioned near Woodfort town.. Neither of these seem to be that close to Loughrea, so I'm wondering if your Hall family place of origin might be one of the other Ballynakill townlands.

Does the WO117 record mention anything more about his place of birth other than 'Ballynakill, Loughrea' ? Sometimes a civil parish or other detail might be included.. although in this case there is also a Civil parish named Ballynakill

Assuming your Hall family is RC and from the Ballynakill in the barony of Leitrim then the parish is Woodford, and details go back to 1821, but there are gaps, including one in the baptism records between Nov 1843 and Mar 1851.


Shane

pilot673

That was my thinking as well, Shaun. The pension record stated "Born in the Parish of Ballanakill (sic) in or near the town of Loughrea in the County of Galway"where the italicised is printed and the places handwritten.

I went the same route as you have done to establish the only possible townland, the one near Woodford. Yes again to them being RC.

I didn't know that there were gaps in the Register for that period - bummer! Neither have I been able to progress a search of those records due to my location and the fact that I wasn't "sure" that I would be looking in the right place.

Anyway, even if those records are missing, there may be some record of a "suitable" John Hall marriage and possible deaths too.

I have found (earlier) a marriage for a John HALL to Mary TORPHY 27 Nov 1830 (another 5euro to the WoodfordFHS) which I had "put on the back burner" as there was a potential 13 year gap to the John Hall birth - and no other, to my knowledge, births in between.

I just rechecked that transcript and the witnesses were a Michael HALL(!) and Honoria TORPHY. That birth we discussed earlier (1845) suddenly becomes more potentially relevant!

I wonder if there is another possibility to search the Woodford records more thoroughly without using WoodfordFHS.

shanew

I know it doesn't help much due to your location, but the best place to view the records is in the National Library in Dublin. There is a project apparently in place to scan images of these, but I dont know on any plans or timescale to make these available online.

Few RC parish registers contain death/burial records, and I dont see any mentioned for Woodford.

I'm not convinced that either of the two Ballynakill townlands we've mentioned so far would be accurately described as 'in or near the town of Loughrea'. Woodford is nearly 25km to the south of Loughrea, and the other Ballynakill over 60km away.

If I get a chance I'll see if I can find the other two Ballynakill townlands in the county, in case one of them is nearer to Loughrea..


Shane

Tiercel Dave

Loughrea would be the 'postal address'. Although I live in Woodford, I'm only a blow in, but my postal address is Woodford, Loughrea and I would be a few miles further than Ballinakill, (as spelled round here). We are in the Barony of Leitrim so thats where that bit comes in!
Ballinakill has it's own RC church and is a seperate parish from Woodford. Of the few places you mentioned Sonnagh would be closest to Ballinakill but still maybe about 7 miles across rough country, but it's possible that the Halls lived in the 'parish' of Ballinakill! Dave

pilot673

Thanks for that. Hence my search for Militia records in the hope that that may provide further information as to where he came from.
As you say, the "address" is so ambiguous. The spelling of Ballynakill was actually Ballanakill on the attestation, but near Woodford there are several spellings for adjacent places. There are multiple Ballinakills as well.

It is doing my head in!