RESEARCHING IN IRELAND - THE FAMILY NAMES CHRYSTAL AND KINCH
by Jeni SIMPSON
Having a name like CHRYSTAL isn’t easy when researching in Ireland. The family migrated from Ayrshire, Scotland prior to 1845 and settled in Gort in County Galway. I managed to find George CHRYSTAL working as Estate Manager on Lough Cutra Estate near Gort in 1846. He died in Gort in 1881 and his occupation is stated as Land Steward.
Family have been to Gort and done a little research over there. I have a photograph of the grave at Gort Cemetery with George, his wife Anne nee LIVINGSTONE, and one of their children, Robert David.
In memoriam George Chrystal. A native of Ayrshire Scotland. Died 30th May 1881 Aged 72. And Anne his beloved wife Died 12th February 1872 aged 54. Also their son Robert David died 24th April 1872 Aged 20. "Until the Day Dawn".
I was given some info on this family through my cousin who had done much research on them. She had managed to find a brother to my great grandmother, Louisa Margaret CHRYSTAL who emigrated to New Zealand in 1878, I think with others who arrived on an alien spaceship! I have not found her on shipping lists at this stage.
From Irish Times Ancestry Search, I received the following information:
Louisa Chrystal, daughter of George Chrystal and Anne Chrystal, was born in Gort, Kiltartan civil parish, Galway around 1849. She didn't marry in Ireland. Some of her children were born outside Ireland, but you don't have details. [I didn't give details]
Her brothers and sisters were :
William , (c1846); Elizabeth , (Nov 1846); George , (Jul 1848) and Robert , (1852) She left Ireland. She went to New Zealand.
First, you should keep in mind that there are at least 4 variant spellings of Chrystal - Christal, Christle, Cristle, Chrystal [there is also Crystal], - and records of Louisa Chrystal may be listed under any (or all) of these. However, Irish (Gaelic) spellings are rare in records before 1900.
Louisa married Hugh ROSS, from Lairg in Sutherlandshire, in 1880 at Sherwood Downs, near Fairlie, Canterbury, New Zealand.
In my research, I found out that Louisa had a brother, who also emigrated to New Zealand. William Livingstone CHRYSTAL was a detective in Christchurch and is buried beside the main door of the lovely historic Holy Trinity Church in Avonside, Christchurch, New Zealand, along with his wife Kate nee MCMENAMIN. The family of William did not know any of his siblings had come to New Zealand, and, of course they couldn’t find anyone in a current phone book because it was his sister, and they disappear once they marry, and Louisa married three years after arriving in New Zealand.
Trying to find out what happened in Ireland was difficult, the name didn’t show up much, except in Family Search where I managed to find some of the children of George and Anne. The one boy left behind is buried with his parents and there was one other sibling left in Ireland, a sister. How to find Elizabeth and what became of her? Again, with help from Family Search, I found a marriage to Frederick Henry KINCH in 1871. I managed to find some children, however, with a link from Avis’ June 2013 newsletter, I managed to find more children and what became of them up until the 1911 Irish census. I clicked on the link for irish-genealogy-toolkit and from there another link to the Irish census.
I found Elizabeth, 54, and Fredk KINCH, 60, residing in a house at 7 in Dunmahon (Haggardstown, Louth); Children: Alice Chrystal, 25; Frederick Henry, 23; Herbert Chas[Charles], 16 and Gerald Victor, 13 . Herbert Chas and Gerald Victor were new to me, so a plus finding this on the census. I have not been able to find Mildred on the 1901 census yet.
On that same 1901 census residing in a house at 4.1 in Mount (Mullingar Urban, Westmeath),Head of Household: Wyke Patterson SMITH, 41 Lodgers: William Edward ALLEN, 21; George Livingstone KINCH, 21 and Henry Reginald ALLEN, 16 .
I also was able to find a piece on Frederick in Armagh Clergy and Parishes - Being an account of the Clergy of the Church of Ireland. 1872— Frederick Henry Kinch, B.A., mst. Dec. 3 (D.R.) ; res. in 1874 for Hejniestown, q.v. [I wonder whether this might be Haggardstown, census images read similarly] .
The Irish Census has some wonderful extras such as a family report, a house and building report and an enumerators abstract which gives extra details such as how many rooms, how many out buildings, how many living at that address, whether they could read and/or write, whether English and Gaelic speakers etc. When I found the image of the census, I hadn’t realized, at first, there were further images to check so went back and found these treasures.
The 1911 census found Elizabeth KINCH, 64, residing at a house, 19, in Bishopgate Street (Mullingar North Urban, Westmeath). Children: George Livingstone, 31 and Gerald Victor, 23. I was able to find more of the children, now adults, in the 1911 census.
As a Companion in the house of Anna Maria FLEURY, 55, and residing in a house, 2, in Glenwood (Glanworth East, Cork) Daughter, Marie Annaline Fleury, 32, niece, Fanny Isabella FLEURY, 38, Companion, Emma KINCH and servants, Mary MAHONY, 22, and Minnie POWER, 17 As a Governess to Children in the house of Claude, 39 and Meloria, 30, WILSON and Residing in a house 37 in Doolargy (Ravensdale, Louth), was Alice KINCH.
Children: Kathleen, 10; Wilfred, 9; Norah, 7; Lytton, 4;and Claude, 2; Governess - Alice KINCH, 35; Visitor - Arthur CROLY, 29 and Servants - Mary BRINNAN, 33; Maggie FITZPATRICK, 22; Mary Anne FITZPATRICK, 26 and Mary MAGUINNESS, 28.
By the 1911 census, Frederick Henry KINCH, 33, was married to Gertrude Norah, 30, and residing at 5 in Killymuck (Salterstown, Londonderry) along with Servant Margaret EWINGS, 12.
The census return image shows Frederick and Gertrude had been married two years. It was in viewing the images, not the transcripts, that I realised all these family members were the ones from the family I am researching, they were all born in Louth except, as in the case of Emma, who was born in Armagh. Ages were correct for all.
I added a message to the Dublin board on rootschat that was transferred to the Ireland-General board and from there, I have Gertrude Norah FRAZER, born 30 Mar 1881, Dublin, to David and Anne FRAZER. From page 328 in the book, Armagh Clergy and Parishes I was given the following information -
1907— Frederick Henry Kinch, Lic. Dec. 31 (D.R.), son of late Rev. F. H. Kinch, of Heynestown ; ord. D. 1902 ; P. 1903 ; C. Christ Church, Cockermouth 1902-6 ; Asst. Chapl. S. African Ch. Railway Mission 1906-7; m. 9 Sep., 1908, Norah, dau. Of David Frazer, of St. Albans, Dalkey, Co. Dublin. This confirms the maiden surname of Gertrude Norah KINCH.
Further searching found Frederick Henry KINCH in Crockford’s Clerical Directory : KINCH, Frederick Henry.—R. of Loughgall, Dio. Arm. From 1931. Loughgall is a diocese in County Armagh.
I finally found Mildred residing in house 13 in Omard (Ballymachugh, Cavan) with head of household being Clara E MOTHERWELL. Also residing in that house were Clara’s father, John KEANE, 79, and her sister, Sophia KEANE, 32.
Mildred was visiting that evening and the Servants were John HEADFORD, 24 and Mary FOX, 21. The transcription showed no age for Mildred, however, looking closely at the image, I see it could be 28.
Having this extra information was useful and I was able to google the family in Louth. Finding an index of MI’s from County Louth was handy, now, to find the actual transcriptions.
Kinch Alice Chrystal, Haynestown (New), H&B ; Kinch Elizabeth (Chrystal), Haynestown, JCLAHS 1993; Kinch Emma Louisa Anne, Haynestown (New), H&B; Kinch F.H. (Rev.), Haynestown (New), H&B; Kinch Frederick Henry Revd., Haynestown, JCLAHS 1993 and Kinch Gerald Victor, Haynestown (New), H&B and, Kinch Herbert Charles (Bertie), Haynestown, JCLAHS 1993. (New) refers to the new cemetery, I believe.
From my research on the 1901 and 1911 censuses some questions came about. I then went to Rootschat where I was given many transcriptions from the Irish Times newspaper. I was also given a link to the register of the marriage of Gertrude Norah KINCH’s parents marriage and a link to the Rev Frederick Henry KINCHs 1907 will. I was given the children of David and Annie FRAZER nee HUGHES in the Irish Times BMD information and was able to build upon that information especially going back to the 1901 and 1911 census’ and finding them there. Luckily, one of the replies from Rootschat was from a woman with a subscription to the Irish Times. She has offered to do some research in Dublin for me in the future.
Late one evening, searching Elizabeth Chrystal + Frederick Henry Kinch found me their marriage in 1871 along with the registration image!
http://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details/ea45cb0557286
Sharing this information gathered over the weekend with my cousin, she was able to tell me she, too, wasn’t sitting around and she sent me new information on a brother of Elizabeth KINCH, George Livingstone CHRYSTAL who emigrated to Roma, Queensland, Australia and was Town Clerk of Roma for many years. His son, Robert Livingstone CHRYSTAL was Town Clerk of the same town in 1917. She also found a brother of George, Lewis William CHRYSTAL, a man we haven’t heard of before now, residing in Roma for a time, too. Lew is buried in Lutwyche Cemetery, Brisbane. I think this ‘brother’ would likely be a son of George. Still need to check this out. A book, excerpts sent from Roma to my cousin, states he is a brother of George, he died age 61 in 1954. Now to find out whether another Lewis CHRYSTAL lived in Roma and was the brother or George.
by Jeni SIMPSON
Having a name like CHRYSTAL isn’t easy when researching in Ireland. The family migrated from Ayrshire, Scotland prior to 1845 and settled in Gort in County Galway. I managed to find George CHRYSTAL working as Estate Manager on Lough Cutra Estate near Gort in 1846. He died in Gort in 1881 and his occupation is stated as Land Steward.
Family have been to Gort and done a little research over there. I have a photograph of the grave at Gort Cemetery with George, his wife Anne nee LIVINGSTONE, and one of their children, Robert David.
In memoriam George Chrystal. A native of Ayrshire Scotland. Died 30th May 1881 Aged 72. And Anne his beloved wife Died 12th February 1872 aged 54. Also their son Robert David died 24th April 1872 Aged 20. "Until the Day Dawn".
I was given some info on this family through my cousin who had done much research on them. She had managed to find a brother to my great grandmother, Louisa Margaret CHRYSTAL who emigrated to New Zealand in 1878, I think with others who arrived on an alien spaceship! I have not found her on shipping lists at this stage.
From Irish Times Ancestry Search, I received the following information:
Louisa Chrystal, daughter of George Chrystal and Anne Chrystal, was born in Gort, Kiltartan civil parish, Galway around 1849. She didn't marry in Ireland. Some of her children were born outside Ireland, but you don't have details. [I didn't give details]
Her brothers and sisters were :
William , (c1846); Elizabeth , (Nov 1846); George , (Jul 1848) and Robert , (1852) She left Ireland. She went to New Zealand.
First, you should keep in mind that there are at least 4 variant spellings of Chrystal - Christal, Christle, Cristle, Chrystal [there is also Crystal], - and records of Louisa Chrystal may be listed under any (or all) of these. However, Irish (Gaelic) spellings are rare in records before 1900.
Louisa married Hugh ROSS, from Lairg in Sutherlandshire, in 1880 at Sherwood Downs, near Fairlie, Canterbury, New Zealand.
In my research, I found out that Louisa had a brother, who also emigrated to New Zealand. William Livingstone CHRYSTAL was a detective in Christchurch and is buried beside the main door of the lovely historic Holy Trinity Church in Avonside, Christchurch, New Zealand, along with his wife Kate nee MCMENAMIN. The family of William did not know any of his siblings had come to New Zealand, and, of course they couldn’t find anyone in a current phone book because it was his sister, and they disappear once they marry, and Louisa married three years after arriving in New Zealand.
Trying to find out what happened in Ireland was difficult, the name didn’t show up much, except in Family Search where I managed to find some of the children of George and Anne. The one boy left behind is buried with his parents and there was one other sibling left in Ireland, a sister. How to find Elizabeth and what became of her? Again, with help from Family Search, I found a marriage to Frederick Henry KINCH in 1871. I managed to find some children, however, with a link from Avis’ June 2013 newsletter, I managed to find more children and what became of them up until the 1911 Irish census. I clicked on the link for irish-genealogy-toolkit and from there another link to the Irish census.
I found Elizabeth, 54, and Fredk KINCH, 60, residing in a house at 7 in Dunmahon (Haggardstown, Louth); Children: Alice Chrystal, 25; Frederick Henry, 23; Herbert Chas[Charles], 16 and Gerald Victor, 13 . Herbert Chas and Gerald Victor were new to me, so a plus finding this on the census. I have not been able to find Mildred on the 1901 census yet.
On that same 1901 census residing in a house at 4.1 in Mount (Mullingar Urban, Westmeath),Head of Household: Wyke Patterson SMITH, 41 Lodgers: William Edward ALLEN, 21; George Livingstone KINCH, 21 and Henry Reginald ALLEN, 16 .
I also was able to find a piece on Frederick in Armagh Clergy and Parishes - Being an account of the Clergy of the Church of Ireland. 1872— Frederick Henry Kinch, B.A., mst. Dec. 3 (D.R.) ; res. in 1874 for Hejniestown, q.v. [I wonder whether this might be Haggardstown, census images read similarly] .
The Irish Census has some wonderful extras such as a family report, a house and building report and an enumerators abstract which gives extra details such as how many rooms, how many out buildings, how many living at that address, whether they could read and/or write, whether English and Gaelic speakers etc. When I found the image of the census, I hadn’t realized, at first, there were further images to check so went back and found these treasures.
The 1911 census found Elizabeth KINCH, 64, residing at a house, 19, in Bishopgate Street (Mullingar North Urban, Westmeath). Children: George Livingstone, 31 and Gerald Victor, 23. I was able to find more of the children, now adults, in the 1911 census.
As a Companion in the house of Anna Maria FLEURY, 55, and residing in a house, 2, in Glenwood (Glanworth East, Cork) Daughter, Marie Annaline Fleury, 32, niece, Fanny Isabella FLEURY, 38, Companion, Emma KINCH and servants, Mary MAHONY, 22, and Minnie POWER, 17 As a Governess to Children in the house of Claude, 39 and Meloria, 30, WILSON and Residing in a house 37 in Doolargy (Ravensdale, Louth), was Alice KINCH.
Children: Kathleen, 10; Wilfred, 9; Norah, 7; Lytton, 4;and Claude, 2; Governess - Alice KINCH, 35; Visitor - Arthur CROLY, 29 and Servants - Mary BRINNAN, 33; Maggie FITZPATRICK, 22; Mary Anne FITZPATRICK, 26 and Mary MAGUINNESS, 28.
By the 1911 census, Frederick Henry KINCH, 33, was married to Gertrude Norah, 30, and residing at 5 in Killymuck (Salterstown, Londonderry) along with Servant Margaret EWINGS, 12.
The census return image shows Frederick and Gertrude had been married two years. It was in viewing the images, not the transcripts, that I realised all these family members were the ones from the family I am researching, they were all born in Louth except, as in the case of Emma, who was born in Armagh. Ages were correct for all.
I added a message to the Dublin board on rootschat that was transferred to the Ireland-General board and from there, I have Gertrude Norah FRAZER, born 30 Mar 1881, Dublin, to David and Anne FRAZER. From page 328 in the book, Armagh Clergy and Parishes I was given the following information -
1907— Frederick Henry Kinch, Lic. Dec. 31 (D.R.), son of late Rev. F. H. Kinch, of Heynestown ; ord. D. 1902 ; P. 1903 ; C. Christ Church, Cockermouth 1902-6 ; Asst. Chapl. S. African Ch. Railway Mission 1906-7; m. 9 Sep., 1908, Norah, dau. Of David Frazer, of St. Albans, Dalkey, Co. Dublin. This confirms the maiden surname of Gertrude Norah KINCH.
Further searching found Frederick Henry KINCH in Crockford’s Clerical Directory : KINCH, Frederick Henry.—R. of Loughgall, Dio. Arm. From 1931. Loughgall is a diocese in County Armagh.
I finally found Mildred residing in house 13 in Omard (Ballymachugh, Cavan) with head of household being Clara E MOTHERWELL. Also residing in that house were Clara’s father, John KEANE, 79, and her sister, Sophia KEANE, 32.
Mildred was visiting that evening and the Servants were John HEADFORD, 24 and Mary FOX, 21. The transcription showed no age for Mildred, however, looking closely at the image, I see it could be 28.
Having this extra information was useful and I was able to google the family in Louth. Finding an index of MI’s from County Louth was handy, now, to find the actual transcriptions.
Kinch Alice Chrystal, Haynestown (New), H&B ; Kinch Elizabeth (Chrystal), Haynestown, JCLAHS 1993; Kinch Emma Louisa Anne, Haynestown (New), H&B; Kinch F.H. (Rev.), Haynestown (New), H&B; Kinch Frederick Henry Revd., Haynestown, JCLAHS 1993 and Kinch Gerald Victor, Haynestown (New), H&B and, Kinch Herbert Charles (Bertie), Haynestown, JCLAHS 1993. (New) refers to the new cemetery, I believe.
From my research on the 1901 and 1911 censuses some questions came about. I then went to Rootschat where I was given many transcriptions from the Irish Times newspaper. I was also given a link to the register of the marriage of Gertrude Norah KINCH’s parents marriage and a link to the Rev Frederick Henry KINCHs 1907 will. I was given the children of David and Annie FRAZER nee HUGHES in the Irish Times BMD information and was able to build upon that information especially going back to the 1901 and 1911 census’ and finding them there. Luckily, one of the replies from Rootschat was from a woman with a subscription to the Irish Times. She has offered to do some research in Dublin for me in the future.
Late one evening, searching Elizabeth Chrystal + Frederick Henry Kinch found me their marriage in 1871 along with the registration image!
http://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details/ea45cb0557286
Sharing this information gathered over the weekend with my cousin, she was able to tell me she, too, wasn’t sitting around and she sent me new information on a brother of Elizabeth KINCH, George Livingstone CHRYSTAL who emigrated to Roma, Queensland, Australia and was Town Clerk of Roma for many years. His son, Robert Livingstone CHRYSTAL was Town Clerk of the same town in 1917. She also found a brother of George, Lewis William CHRYSTAL, a man we haven’t heard of before now, residing in Roma for a time, too. Lew is buried in Lutwyche Cemetery, Brisbane. I think this ‘brother’ would likely be a son of George. Still need to check this out. A book, excerpts sent from Roma to my cousin, states he is a brother of George, he died age 61 in 1954. Now to find out whether another Lewis CHRYSTAL lived in Roma and was the brother or George.