John Wilson Warnock - James J. Melvin, Sr.:Information about Catherine (Stewart)
Catherine (Stewart) (b. Abt. 1802, d. Abt. 1825)
Notes for Catherine (Stewart):It is reported in the Stahlman study that Catherine was the sister of an Episcopalian Bishop.Since Ireland was then under English rule, the Established Church was the Church of England, and its Irish branch was the Church of Ireland.This Church was then and is now Anglican and the term "Episcopalian" is a United States term, referring the the Anglican church here, which has loose ties to the mother Church in England.
The first Anglican church in Dunfanaghy was the Church of Ballymore, being the Parish of Clondehorkey.The second Anglican church in Dunfanaghy was Holy Trinity Church, and Bruce has a copy of its Centenary from 1874-1974.It was populated by all the Stewart landowners and the name Alcorn appears there often.From that publication, we read that The Stewarts of Horn Head were the family that first came to Dunfanaghy in 1700, being direct descendants of the Stewarts of Darnley, Scotland.Charles Frederick Stewart of Horn Head (1800-1868) was Curate of Clondehorkey in 1830 and first Rector of Ballymore Church.Thus it is possible that Catherine's family name is STEWART.
From this publication, I have noted that the story of the Stewart of Ards family was recorded by"The Rev. Alec Stewart, Rector of Donegal."A search of their records was made by Bruce while in Dunfanaghy but I could not locate any marriage or death of Catherine. Holy Trinity Church was founded in 1873 (after our ancestors left) as the parish of Clondehorkey West, since the Church at Ballymore was too far to the east of Town for local residents to get to in the bad weather and poor roads.
Since Ballymore was the only Anglican church in Dunfanaghy at the time of our ancestors, their records would be where any reference to our family should be found.Bruce did a loose check of their records but they were poorly organized and the local Rector was not too receptive to a full search. Remember that our ancestors were Presbyterian, known as dissenters, and would not be too welcome in the Anglican community.In addition, the local churches were ordered to send their records to Four Courts in Dublin for "safekeeping."Then Four Courts was burned in the 1921 uprising and they were lost.Only the Presbyterians, who refused to send their records, have good local records remaining.
More About Catherine (Stewart) and John Wilson Warnock, Sr.:
Marriage: Abt. 1821, Co. Donegal, Ireland.
Children of Catherine (Stewart) and John Wilson Warnock, Sr. are:
- +Ellen Warnock, b. Abt. 1823, Co. Donegal, Ireland,d., Gloucester City, Camden Co., NJ, USA.
- Eunice Warnock, b. Abt. 1825, Co. Donegal, Ireland,d., Gloucester City, Camden Co., NJ, USA.