Clifford and Wray (Rae/Ray) Families

Bob,

Aghalurcher RC parish is mostly in Co. Fermanagh. A small part (17 townlands) is in Co. Tyrone. So it straddles 2 counties. As far as where records are kept, most are kept by parish. But they are either on-line or centralized in repositories in Dublin and Belfast.

I assume from the baptism information you have given that the family were RC. If so, Aghalurcher baptism records start in 1835. However there are no early marriage records. (If kept, they have been lost). So that’s probably why you have not been able to locate one. It doesn’t appear there are any marriage records for that parish prior to 1864. If it’s any consolation to you, RC marriage records for that era contain very little information. Normally just the couples names, the date and their 2 witnesses. (No parents names etc).

You could search for Michael Clifford on Griffiths Valuation. The site is down at present but when it returns, search on this link:

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=nameSearch

I can see indications from the revaluation records that there was 1 Michael Clefford (note spelling. It’s a variant of Clifford) household in Aghalurcher in 1863. That was in Killygullan. Looking at the revaluation records, I see he is shown as having a house on that townland (plot 13a). He only had the house, the land that went with it was farmed by someone else. That Michael is shown as leaving in 1864.

http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/search_the_archives/val12b.htm

You can use the maps on the Griffiths site to see exactly where that farm was located. Today Killygullan is part of the small town of Lisnaskea.

The Griffiths Valuation clerks were often out by a year or two with their dates. They revisited each property every couple of years and relied on oral evidence as to when a property changed hands, and so errors do occur. However if your information is that Michael and family left for the US around 1864 then, given he is the only entry in Griffiths for the parish, that Killygullan household might be your family.

Thank you Elwyn,

I came across the Michael Clefford record myself just a couple of days ago; no clue if its the right one.  Researchign teh family line has been challenging, bizarre, and contradicts logic along the way.  Michael's journey had intersting twists and turns.  He is one of my 2nd great grandfathers on my paternal line.  He died in 1896 in Brockton, MA.  It was easy to find him, his wife, and their children, one of which was my great grandfather in Brockton, MA.  I assumed my great grandfather had been born in Brockton.  However, turns out that I was wrong, as the more records I collected, the more they pointed me back to Philly.  It is confirmed that my great grandfather and three of his siblings were born in Philadelphia (confirmed through multiple records (four Census records and death certificate) as well as information shared by several 4th cousins since then).  

Found the family in Philly (1880 Census).  Turns out my 2nd great grandparents were previously married and their first spouses had passed away in Philly in the 1870s.  The 1880 census listed children from their first marriages as well......one of Michael's sons was born in NY City, a daughter in Scotland, and another son in Ireland.  Dismissed the record as the wrong family at (first); didnt make sense to me that a "poor RC Irish family" could afford to move around so much. However, I found Michael's naturalization paperwork a couple of months ago: the naturalization record does state that he arrived in NY City in 1871 and resided in NYC before moving to Philly, and eventually settling in Brockton.  Second time I was proven wrong. 

Found an 1875 NY State Census that listed who I believe is the family (names and ages match as well as the different places of birth too).  Found a ship's passenger list from (NYC) Sep 1871 that listed the names of a woman and several children that match Michael's family.  Again, could be a coincidence or could be the right family. 

Found an 1861 Scotland Census too....listed who I believe is the family.  I also found three birth/baptism records for three of the children: father and mother's names are correct (to include maiden name) and their years of birth match the information found in the various US census records and death records for the persons listed above.  One of the sponsors listed for one of the children's baptism was named Francis Clifford.  I assume it was Michael's brother or someone close like a cousin.  Both Michael and Francis are prominent names in the various branches of the Clifford line. 

For the first several months, I dismissed all of this information because it didnt make any sense (back and forth between Ireland and Scotland, residences in multiple US cities).  However, I am finding multiple records that appear to actually confirm all of these moves and residences.  What I find bizarre is the possibility (per information found on several records) that the family moves back and forth between Ireland and Scotland at least a couple of times in the mid 1850s to early 1860s.  I found this unusual....but everything else about the family that I  thought was unusual and inconceivable has so far been proven true.  Everything is leading back to County Fermanagh.

Anyways, thanks again.

Bob

Bob,

There was a lot of travel between Ireland and Scotland, often for seasonal work on Scottish farms. It was a cheap and comparatively easy journey, even in the 1860s.The railway arrived in Lisnaskea in 1858 making travel to Derry or Belfats very easy but even before that people from Fermanagh travelled overland to Londonderry to get the overnight boat to Glasgow. The Ordnance Survey memoirs for the 1830s mention the numbers and sometimes the names of seasonal and permanent migrants.