Thanks Dave for sharing this. It’s stories like yours that keep me/us looking and hoping, and people like Len who help people fulfil such hopes. Dorothy in New Zealand Sent from my iPad
> On 25 Feb 2026, at 5:17 AM, dm60 via CoTyroneList > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Dear Listers > > Thank you to all listers for their comments and inputs, especially on this > topic -- and to our dear Len Swindley -- Len, please note...!! > I had little choice in the selection of the name I have been blessed with, > this now over many decades! I was but a young newborn babe and my father (my > parents) chose to name me after my grandfather's younger brother -- who had > been my dad's godfather. > In chasing ancestral roots, I found among other references, in the Ordnance > Survey Memoirs (kindly published by the UHF) mention of another "David > Mitchell" who had been the schoolmaster of the Killymallaght townland school, > in the 1820s -- tantalising stuff, but nothing to clinch any cause to claim > this clue. > It was our stalwart Len Swindley who -- in September 2004 -- sent me a few > newspaper snippets etc. from the Londonderry Sentinel of 1835 and Freeholder > Lists of that era (sources I was completely unaware of) -- one of them > confirming the marriage in December 1835, yes, of one David Mitchell of > Killymallaght to Eliza Gilkey of Londonderry. > Len did this unsolicited, completely out-of-the-blue, and just on the > off-chance that "I might find them interesting" -- kind-hearted, inspired, > and well-experienced genealogical support to a fellow enthusiast, with co. > Tyrone connections ..... > Where did this lead to? Fast forward 20 years. This schoolmaster David > Mitchell has been found, in Merigomish, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, where > land records confirm his (onetime) occupation as a "teacher". Where his > family included the middle name of "Gilkey". And where DNA tests confirm my > own close relationship to his descendants and his own close kin. And best of > all, I have been at the graveside of this David Mitchell's mother (who > emigrated to Canada as an elderly widow) who all signs and clues tell me is > my own 3-greats-garndmother too. > > Yes, there's real magic in them records, whether in Ireland or elsewhere > ..... Ah hah! There are "magicians" who support our co. Tyrone list -- like > Len -- who contribute so generously, and so wisely, and have an impact that > stretches far out in time. Demolishing brickwalls and indeed giving us a > "leg up" ... > > Warm regards to all > > Dave Mitchell > Cape Town, South Africa > > > > > > > > ================================= > Send a Message to the List - [email protected] > List Archive - > https://list.cotyroneireland.com/empathy/list/cotyronelist.list.cotyroneireland.com > Join the list by sending an email to - > [email protected] > To receive the Digest version, send an email to - [email protected] > Unsubscribe by sending an email to - > [email protected] > =================================
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