Right you are on the Church of Ireland Hamiltons; however, I just wanted to point out that the Dukes of Abercorn, who had the extensive Abercorn estates, were Hamilton and Catholic, so there are both to be found in the county. Jack Thailand ----- Original Message ----- From: "S. B. Mason" <sbmasonaz@cox.net> To: <donegaleire@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2011 4:24 AM Subject: Re: [DONEGALEIRE] Filling a gap >> Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2011 05:01:12 +0700 >> From: "Jack Devitt" <7jj9800231@tttmaxnet.com> >> Subject: Re: [DONEGALEIRE] Filling a gap >> To: "Joe H." <donwin4@yahoo.com>, <DONEGALEIRE@rootsweb.com> >> Message-ID: <9720516E77BA4357B6D6C2D39C03664A@nzn158729372c9> >> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; >> reply-type=original >> ... > >> As Bob said, the parish and townland is critical, as is >> religion. Mine >> were Protestants, but the Hamiltons to the north around Strabane, >> Tyrone and >> across the river into Donegal started out as Catholic, and all from >> Scotland. > ... >> Good luck! >> Jack Devitt >> Thailand > > Just wanted to make a quick response to this portion of Jack's > message: The Archdeaconry of Raphoe was held 98 years consecutively by > person of the name of HAMILTON, by: James Hamilton 1675-90, Andrew > Hamilton 1690-1754, John Hamilton 1754-57, Frederick Hamilton 1757-72. > These were NOT Catholic but, rather, were Church of Ireland. James' > father, Andrew, was also a Church of Ireland pastor in Donegal and > Tyrone. I don't know Andrew's birthplace (1613-aft 1680) but James was > born at Mountgavelin (Co. Donegal) in 1638. > > Sara Bradley Mason