Hello Steve, Firstly, Cappagh Parish Church is not to be found in Belfast, but in Cappagh parish which lies between Newtownstewart and Omagh, Co. Tyrone. The registers have been copied by the staff of PRONI (Public Record Office of Northern Ireland), Belfast; clergy are busy people and have little time to make appointments with family researchers, hence the availability of the records in a central and safe location in Belfast.
You did not indicate the religious persuasion of your Tyrone-born forebear. Knowledge of religious affiliation is essential when researching family in Ireland. I guess the Arthurs were either Presbyterians or members of the Established (Anglican) Church? Before responding to your post I referred to my friend William Roulston’s Researching Scots-Irish Ancestors: The Essential Guide to Early Modern Ulster 1600-1800 (Ulster Historical Foundation, Belfast). William is research director of the Ulster Historical Foundation, an international lecturer and serves on many boards and committees including the Presbyterian Historical Society, Belfast. There is no one better and more knowledgeable when it comes to genealogical research in the North of Ireland. This seminal work quotes surviving pre 1800 records across the province of Ulster by parish: SURVIVING PRE1800 RECORDS FOR CAPPAGH PARISH, CO. TYRONE are: Estate Papers (rentals and leases): Derry (bishopric of) Estate (rentals from the seventeenth century archived in PRONI, Belfast); Huntingdon Estate (rent rolls commencing 1633 and archived in the Huntingdon Library, San Marino, California), Blessington Estate has been transcribed – see my file http://www.cotyroneireland.com/estates/blessington.html but no Arthurs are recorded as tenants. Church records; Cappagh Church of Ireland (previously quoted) Census substitutes; Hearth Money Roll (1660s) (archived in PRONI, Belfast) Derry Excommunications (1667); Presbyterians excommunicated from the Established (Anglican) Church by the Bishop of Derry (PRONI, Belfast) Flaxgrowers Lists 1796 (previously quoted) Names of Masters of Families, 1699 – PRONI, T/542 (have referred to these records, but no Arthurs recorded) I wouldn’t look further than Cappagh for your forebears as you have indicated their native parish, although there are Arthurs recorded in both Ardstraw and Drumragh parishes which share boundaries with Cappagh, perhaps indicating a common heritage. Unless the pre1800 Cappagh Parish Church registers have been copied and uploaded, I would not be paying for a subscription for any website. Perhaps a kind researcher with a Roots Ireland subscription could confirm that is the case and perhaps undertake a quick search for you. It is not possible to offer anything further as I believe this post contains a full listing of pre1800 records for Cappagh. Nothing further than previously advised is available online. Regards, Len Swindley, Melbourne, Australia Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 10 From: Steve Thomas<mailto:awalr...@hotmail.com> Sent: Sunday, 4 February 2018 2:51 AM To: Len Swindley<mailto:len_swind...@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: Researching John Arthur, b abt 1790 in County Tyrone Len, thank you so much for your reply, it is much appreciated. I had a feeling what you say is the case with this parish and the records available. The info you provide below is helpful, thanks. And you sound pretty confident that this is everything you can expect to get digitally, on-line etc? so that the only other way is to visit the church in Belfast? If there was a way for me to do this remotely, for a fee, I may be at a point where I'd be willing to try that. Thanks again for your note and guidance. Steve From: Len Swindley <len_swind...@hotmail.com> Sent: Saturday, February 3, 2018 4:45 AM To: Steve Thomas; cotyronelist@cotyroneireland.com Subject: RE: Researching John Arthur, b abt 1790 in County Tyrone Hello Steve, It is difficult to locate pre1800 records in Ireland – in general, many do not exist. This is the case for Cappagh parish, Co. Tyrone. Flaxgrowers List (Spinning Wheel Premiums) 1796 http://www.failteromhat.com/flax/tyrone.php CAPPAGH Parish: ARTHUR David ARTHUR John ARTHUR Matthew The only surviving early church records are those for Cappagh Parish Church: CAPPAGH PARISH CHURCH (Church of Ireland) Registers: transcripts held in PRONI, Belfast: BAPTISMS 1753-1871, MARRIAGES 1752-1850, BURIALS 1758-1809 & 1834-92, VESTRY MINUTES 1755-1851 with list of applotters 1805-17 and 1839-50 and Poor Lists 1802-11 PRONI Ref.: T.679/289, 303-305, 333-334, 338 & MIC/583/1,27, 30. These records are available for consultation in Belfast. MOUNTJOY PRESBYTERIAN baptismal and marriage registers do not commence until 1821. There are no Arthur headstones in either Cappagh parish graveyard or in the graveyard attached to Mountjoy Presbyterian Church CAPPAGH TITHE APPLOTMENT BOOK (1827) records a number of tithepayers with the family name of ARTHUR: http://www.cotyroneireland.com/tithe/cappagh.html Official Website of the County Tyrone Ireland Genealogy ...<http://www.cotyroneireland.com/tithe/cappagh.html> www.cotyroneireland.com Official County Tyrone Ireland Mail List Website. Family and ancestry research aid. ARTHUR Christopher, Eskeydowey ARTHUR David, Gortanigan ARTHUR John, Eskeydowey ARTHUR Joseph Jun., Edenderry ARTHUR Joseph Sen., Edenderry ARTHUR William, Castletown ARTHUR William, Gortanigan The family name of McArthur is unknown in the parish. Sadly, this is the reality of Irish genealogical research Regards Len Swindley, Melbourne, Australia Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 10
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