Looking for information on Robert Creighton, born 17 June 1891

Una & Lynn,

Births, deaths & marriages from 1864 onwards are held centrally in GRONI in Belfast. However there is no need to go there as you can search them on-line. I have searched for a Robert Creighton born 1891 to parents James and Elizabeth but cannot find one. No child named Creighton was born in what is now Northern Ireland, on 17th June 1891.

I looked for marriages for a James Creighton to Elizabeth. The only one I could find was 3.3.1877 to Elizabeth Rea registered in Ballymena. He was a labourer from Portglenone. You can view the original certificate on-line on the GRONI website, using the “search registrations” option:

https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk

You will need to open an account and buy some credits. It costs £2.50 (sterling) to a view a certificate.

They had a daughter Mary on 27.12.1877.

You have put your post under the parish of Raloo. That falls within the Larne civil registration area. I looked for deaths in the Larne area for Elizabeth Creighton. Only one I could find was 21.7.1892 in Larne workhouse. She was aged 46 and the widow of a labourer. Normal address was Carrickfergus.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1892/06030/4717176.pdf

Couldn’t find a death for a James Creighton around that time, in that area.

I found this Robert Creighton working in the Raloo area in 1901. He was aged 14, so born c 1887.  Can’t see a birth that fits that though.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Raboo/Ballyriland/991352/

Do you have any other information about your ancestor that might make him easier to trace. When did he leave Ireland for example, what denomination was he?

He left Ireland to become a cabin boy on a ship. We understand he lied about his age. And birthdate may have been made-up. We’re not sure he really knew his age.  

Only other thing we know is that both parents died. Maybe around the same time. And the children were left alone til the church stepped in.   The younger brother was adopted. (The church facilitated the adoption).  We suspect he was Protestant as he read the Bible.  The rest of the family was Protestant.  However he didn’t go to school  and didn’t learn to read until he went to sea.  

How do you know Robert came from Raloo? When did he arrive in the US? Where did you get his parents names from?

The nearest I can find to the information you have is the 14 year old in Raloo in the 1901 census.  I looked for him in the 1911 census, and this is the closest match:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Red_Bay/Altmore_Upper/114819/

The age would have him born around 1889, but ages were often just guessed, so it could be the same person. The county of birth and denomination match those in the 1911 census. The interesting thing is that he was a fireman in a steam ship. That seems to be fairly close to your information that he became a cabin boy on a ship. The address where he was lodging in 1911 is near Red Bay which is a small harbour about 15 miles north of Larne. I see the McAuley family he was lodging with had a son who was a ship’s engineer, so perhaps the two worked on the same boat. The sort of vessel based in Red Bay would be a small coastal boat, typically bringing cargoes like coal from Scotland or England. Not ocean going.

I had another look at the birth records, widening the search a bit as the date of birth does not seem reliable. Perhaps the parents names aren’t right either? I found a Robert Sheppard Creighton born in Carneal, Raloo on 14.2.1892 to Thomas Creighton and Maggie Sheppard.  Thomas was a ship’s carpenter.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1892/02362/1882277.pdf

I looked for the parents marriage but couldn’t find it. This looks to be that family, alive and well in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Duncairn_Ward/Mountcollyer_Road/959403/

There was also a Robert Creighton born 22.10.1883 in Woodburn, Carrickfergus to William Creighton and Eliza Bell. William was a miner and worked in Ayrshire (Scotland).

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1883/02717/1999815.pdf

They were the only two births around that time, in the Larne registration area.

Hi

I found about 3 possibilities on line for Robert with around the same birthdate, if they are your Robert he was in the Military. If you go to National Archives in Kew London (they do have quite a lot online) it may point you in the right direction to get details of both parents even a birh place if you don't have it or the nearest living relative at that time will possibily be recorded. If you cant find anything on line at archives someone should be able to  tell you where you can get further info.