KERR FAMILY CHRONICLES

© Christopher Earls Brennen

CHAPTER TEN

THE DALLAS FAMILY

The records of Carland Presbyterian Church include the marriages of Samuel, Thomas and Mary Dallas in the period 1772-1781. It seems quite possible that our ancestor, Nancy Dallas, was descended from a branch of this predominantly Presbyterian family. With a fair amount of speculation we construct the following, possible genealogy for the Dallas family of Coagh and Cookstown, County Tyrone.

  1. James Dallas was a labourer or a farmer living in the vicinity of Coagh, County Tyrone. We have assumed that he was one and the same father to the following persons. The Griffith Valuation of about 1863 lists James Dallas as holding a farm in the townland of Edernagh, just south of Coagh, from Rev. James Jones. The farm has just over six acres worth four pounds and a house worth one pound. The children of James Dallas:
    1. Thomas Dallas was born about 1828 and became a farmer in Drumard (Druminard?) in the Parish of Tamlaght. Thomas was married twice. His first wife was called Elizabeth or Eliza Anne and she had at least three children listed below, Sarah Jane, Thomas and Robert. Elizabeth died on Sep.6, 1862, at the age of 39 and is buried at Ardtrea Parish Church. Then on Sep.29, 1863, Thomas Dallas, a 35-year-old widowed labourer of Drumard, parish of Tamlaght, was married in the Cookstown Registry Office to Anne Rhoddy, a 21-year-old servant of Drumard whose father, Francis Rhoddy, was a labourer. Thomas's father is given as James Dallas, a labourer. One of the witnesses was Robert Dallas, probably the groom's brother. The records suggest that there were additional children from this second marriage. In the 1901 Census, Thomas Dallis, a 73-year-old widowed labourer belonging to the Church of Ireland, is listed as residing in Great George's Street, Coagh; living with him is his 11-year-old granddaughter Lizzie Dallis. Thomas Dallas's children:
      1. Sarah Jane Dallas was born on Jun.6, 1852, in the Parish of Tamlaght.
      2. Thomas Dallas was baptized in the Parish of Tamlaght on Apr.16, 1854.
      3. Robert Dallas was baptized in the Parish of Tamlaght in September, 1861.
      4. Hannah Bella Dallas was born on Dec.18, 1863, in the Parish of Tamlaght.
      5. Thomas Dallas was born on Mar.29, 1866, in the Parish of Tamlaght.
      6. Samuel Dallas was born on Jan.19, 1868, in the Parish of Tamlaght.
      7. Ellen Dallas was born on Jul.30, 1869, in the Parish of Tamlaght.
      8. William Dallas was born on Jan.29, 1872, in the Parish of Tamlaght.
    2. Anne Dallas was born about 1839 and we believe this to be our ancestor Nancy Dallas. On Nov.27, 1856, Anne Dallas, a minor and a weaver from Ballydawley whose father was labourer James Dallas was married to John Robinson as recorded in the chapter. One of the witnesses was Samuel Dallas, presumably the bride's brother.
    3. Robert Dallas was born on Apr.24, 1839, the son of James Dallas and was baptized in Brigh Presbyterian Church. This may be the same Robert Dallas who with his wife Mary Anne is listed as the father of James Dallas, born on Sep.13, 1865, in the parish of Tamlaght. It also may or may not be the same Robert Dallas who is listed in the 1901 Census as a 57-year-old Presbyterian street labourer living with his family on Church Street, Cookstown. Living with Robert are his 58-year-old wife Sarah Jane Dallas, his two children listed below and boarder Letitia Charles, a 22-year-old spinner. Five possible children of Robert are:
      1. James Dallas was born on Sep.13, 1865, in the parish of Tamlaght, the son of Robert and Mary Anne Dallas. He was baptized on Dec.14, 1865. This may be the James Dallas who died on Jul.12, 1955, and is memorialized by the gravestone in Coagh Presbyterian Church graveyard with his wife, Mary (died Sep.30, 1957) and their son, James Dallas, died Apr.27, 1979.
      2. Eliza Dallas was born on Jul.10, 1871, in Coagh, the daughter of of Robert Dallas and Sarah (Mitchell).
      3. Samuel Dallis, born about 1873, married Olivia McConway. He is listed in the 1901 Census as a 28-year-old Presbyterian labourer living in the townland of Gortigal in the parish of Arboe. Gortigal is about 2 miles south of Coagh. Listed in the same household are his 27-year-old wife Olivia and her mother, 68-year-old weaver Margaret Jane McConway (Church of Ireland) and their four children listed below. Also living in the household is Samuel's neice, 13-year-old Annie Nichol (Church of Ireland), and a boarder, 68-year-old labourer John Seaton. In the 1911 Census, 35-year-old farm servant Samuel Dallis and his 35-year-old wife, Olivia Dallis, are listed as living in house #3 in Gortigal, Ballyclog, Co Tyrone, with six of their children as indicated below. Olivia is listed as belonging to the Church of Ireland but the rest of the family are Plymouth Brethern. The children of Samuel and Olivia Dallis:
        1. Margaret Dallis, born about 1895, is listed in the 1901 Census as a 6-year-old living with her parents in the townland of Gortigal. She is not listed as living with her parents in the 1911 Census. She married Thomas Megarry and they had at least one child:
          1. Joy Megarry married Cyril Kerr and had two daughters, Sharon and Leverne Kerr.
        2. John Dallis, born about 1897, is listed in the 1901 Census as a 4-year-old living with his parents in the townland of Gortigal. In the 1911 Census he is listed as a 14-year-old farm servant living with his parents in Gortigal, Ballyclog.
        3. Caroline Dallis is listed in the 1901 Census as a 3-year-old living with her parents in the townland of Gortigal. In the 1911 Census she is listed as a 12-year-old schoolgirl living with her parents in Gortigal, Ballyclog.
        4. Samuel James Dallis is listed in the 1901 Census as a 3-month-old infant living with his parents in the townland of Gortigal. In the 1911 Census he is listed as a 10-year-old schoolboy living with his parents in Gortigal, Ballyclog. Samuel became a haulage contractor and lived at Tamlaghtmore.
        5. Thomas Dallis is listed in the 1911 Census as a 7-year-old schoolboy living with his parents in Gortigal, Ballyclog.
        6. George Dallis is listed in the 1911 Census as a 5-year-old living with his parents in Gortigal, Ballyclog. George became a farmer and lived near Stuart Hall just south of Tamlaghtmore. His children:
          1. Olive Dallas a cook in a school near Stewartstown (in 1969).
          2. Leslie Dallas was born about 1951. He operated a garage in Coagh, County Tyrone and was a keen stock car driver. He married a woman named Hazel. On Mar.7, 1989, at the age of 38 Leslie was gunned down and killed by IRA terrorists outside his garage in Coagh. He is buried in the graveyard of Coagh Presbyterian Church. Leslie and Hazel Dallas had a son Alan Dallas, born about 1974, and a daughter Elaine Dallas, born about 1972.
        7. Mary Martha Dallis is listed in the 1911 Census as a 1-year-old living with her parents in Gortigal, Ballyclog.
        8. Fred Dallas was born in Cookstown in 1912 and emigrated to Canada in 1928. He had a son:
          1. John Dallas. John supplied valuable information on the Dallas family.
      4. Sara Jane Dallas is listed in the 1901 Census as a 21-year-old unmarried spinner in a factory living with her parents Robert and Sarah Jane Dallas in Church Street, Cookstown.
      5. Maria Dallas is listed in the 1901 Census as a 17-year-old unmarried spinner in a factory living with her parents Robert and Sarah Jane Dallas in Church Street, Cookstown.
    4. Samuel Dallas was born on Jul.17, 1841, the son of James Dallas, and was baptized in Brigh Presbyterian Church. This may be the same Samuel Dallas who, on Dec.19, 1859, as a farmer from the townland of Edernagh whose father was farmer James Dallas, was married in Coagh Presbyterian Church to Ellen Charleton of Coagh whose father was farmer Robert Charleton.

Last updated 9/9/99.

Christopher E. Brennen