Lost in Donegal

[PhotoFamily]

Another brick wall.

Charles Blackburn Brooks, born - well, his birthdate seems to be flexible -
death certificate & obit: 17 Dec 1862
gravestone - 1865
1900 census - Aug 1872
1910 - abt 1868
1920 - abt 1867
1930 - abt 1866

I think his gravestone is probably correct - 1865

His obit said his birthplace was Donegal, Ireland, s/o Mary Blackburn & Samuel Brooks

Brother, William, was born 1863
NEW - parents James Brooks & Eliza Jane Blackburn

Family was definitely Protestant.

My father's recollections: William was older than Charles, that Charles came to the US first, and that the surname may have been Brookins.

I've purchased a couple of records from RootsIreland - without success. I haven't found Charles' CivilReg (assuming it happened).

Suggestions?

Thanks

[PhotoFamily]

Forgot to add:
Per 1900 census, Charles immigrated 1889 (consistent with 1920 census), naturalized (or declaration of intent?) in 1891

Per 1900 census, William immigrated 1888, naturalized 1890

[Macbev]

There are a good many useful Donegal links here...have you tried any of them?

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~donegal/

I had a quick browse through the 1901 census for the Brooks name....there seemed to be many concentrated in Cabry (Whitecastle DED)........perhaps if you can find where Brooks/Brookin/Blackburn occur in neighbouring areas, it might give you a starting point to locating Samuel. Did the whole family emigrate?

I have Scots Presbyterians who came from Donegal and some of the maternal line are still there

[Macbev]

Forgot to mention I found a marriage registration for 1847 in the Presbyterian church in Letterkenny, Donegal in the records kept by the LDS and was able to both view the film and get a copy of the image while in London

[PhotoFamily]

Hadn't tried them. Just ran thru the birth/baptism indexes - didn't spot anything, but didn't succeed in getting into the listed Civil Reg index. Anyone know of a source?

The only two members of the family that I know of are William & Charles. It is interesting to note that there is a John Brooks in the area where they settled, and that he was a sponsor to one of their naturalization records.

Also, again my father's recollection: William stated he was was called Blackburn in his new home, as he was staying with a Blackburn family. They may have immigrated together? Or he followed them? I have not been able to identify the Blackburn family that he stayed with.

So I have no idea who remained in Ireland. Again, my father's recollection: William stated he was born 5 miles south of the border, perhaps meaning not quite in Donegal? And that he was born near his favorite distillery (Bushmills!). Apparently, William liked to pull my father's leg, so it's hard to know the truth from tease. Before finding Charles' obit & DC, I thought they were from Armagh because my father had said that William always said he was from ????agh. So useful! Not to mention what I may have garbled....

[PhotoFamily]

The only entry in the catalog that I see for Letterkenny is a Catholic registry?

[Macbev]

Letterkenny had quite a few Scottish Presbyterians and a large church. I found the records in the days of the old Familysearch...haven't tried looking for them in the updated version, but the records will be there somewhere - try asking the LDS

I only mentioned Presbyterians because you said your Charles Brooks was Protestant...could just as easily been Church of Ireland (the Established Church = Church of England). Do you know if the Brookes had a Scottish background? Mother's maiden name is frequently incorporated as a middle name for children among the Scots and Scots/Irish.

Off to see what the LDS site has to offer.

Do you know if Samuel and /or Mary were still alive when their sons emigrated? Might they appear on the 1901 Irish census?

[Macbev]

I wonder if this record is related?

1881 census of Scotland: Glasgow /Townhead

9 Rosemount Street:
John Brooks;head;24;iron worker
William Brooks;brother;22;bottle maker
Charles Brooks;brother;20;general labourer
Catherine Brooks;sister;17;cotton weaver

All born Ireland. Lots of Irish moved to Scotland for work.........ages seem to fit. Do you know which port he emigrated from?

[PhotoFamily]

I'll need to look again, but my impression was that John was quite a bit older. And I have no family legend about him - just his name as a sponsor on the naturalization record.

I kinda doubt that is my family: they were farmers. Both Charles & William were farmers when they moved to the US. And the ages are off for William & Charles. Charles had two daughters, neither was named Catherine . . .

Definitely Scots Irish. Dunno if they were Presbyterian or C/I - even that could have switched back & forth in generations.

[Macbev]

OK...it was a long shot after all Will look again tomorrow......do you know if they left any family behind in Ireland? Just asking, because they might turn up on the 1901 census...and give you a townland to look for earlier records.

[PhotoFamily]

My father's recollections didn't even include the parents' names, or county origins. I've assumed that, barring tragedy, there would have been more children than Wm & Charles, but nothing to support the theory.

I do think the Blackburns that William stayed with in the US were somehow related, but - I don't even know their given names!

[kylejustin]

don't be a stickler for ages given by the irish. they and scots mind you, frequently have no idea how old they are. it is not uncommon for them to be off at least a decade with their ages.

irish civil registration began in 1864, so if charles is half accurate with his age around 1867, you should be able to get a birth cert. william may have just made it if he was born 1864 or later.

also not all irish followed naming patterns. just because your current family has no catherine's, doesn't mean there wasn't one further back.

i'd say your best bet is seeing if charles has a birth entry, but i don't think the irish indexes are online.

[PhotoFamily]

Thanks, Kyle.

Familysearch has some Irish civil birth reg's (I've found two ancestors born in Antrim in familysearch) - the actual records' index, not the index of the index (confusing, huh). But I haven't found a general index. The Donegal website implies there is one, but I coulnd't make it work.

William's birth year seems to be consistent in the records that I have.

I'm fairly sure that Charles was illiterate when he immigrated.

[PhotoFamily]

I'm also concerned that their births may never have been registered, even if they were within CivilReg time frame.

[kylejustin]

i don't know how to order irish certs, but i get the impression you give any info you have when you do order them.

[PhotoFamily]

Thank you

[kylejustin]

ancestry just uploaded some indexes for civil registration, i havn't looked at them, and i don't know how complete they are. they may not cover many counties either.

[PhotoFamily]

thanks again - I'll take a look

[Aught]

I found an obit that may be of interest to you.

BROOKS: June 10, 1891 at his residence Muff, Co. Donegal. Samuel Brooks, aged 75 years.

[PhotoFamily]

Aught - thank you!
Does it give any indication of spouse or children's names? Church affiliation?

That DOD & age would put his birth about 1816 - a little older than I would expect for a man with at least two children born in the 1860s...

Sarah