This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: EddieKelso Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.ireland.tyr.general/6703.1.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hi Jill, I don't have a copy of the 1st list of Pres. ministers (Fasti), but I think it contains the abbreviations you want. The Pres. Historical Society should be able to help. At a guess, ACB is ? College Belfast, RUI is ? University of Ireland. However BA is his Bachelor of Arts degree from the university. I'm not sure what the various steps were to being qualified to be a minister - again the PHS should be able to help. As you have a definite dob for John Geo., you can get a copy of his birth registration from the General Registrar's Office in Ireland - just Google GRO Ireland - as you only want a photocopy of the birth, not a full certificate, it should cost about 4 Euros. This will give the place where he was born, the name & address (townland name if in a rural area) & mother's maiden name. I would have checked this for you at my local LDS, but they are closed for about 18 months due to renovation work! Marriage certs. in Ireland give names of groom & bride, age (usually states "full age" - over 21), marital status (bachelor/spinster etc), where they lived immediately before marriage, & names & occupations of both fathers. The ceremony usually, although not always, took place in the bride's church. This means that the records of that church can be checked for baptism & marriage records for her family. I think Samuel, whose details I sent you may not be John's brother, but I can't be sure. The Pres. Fasti normally records if a minister was the father/brother/son of another minister. Unfortunately Samuel's record does not have his dob, so it will be difficult to check whether he is John Geo.'s brother. Do you have a record of which church John belonged to? A lot of church records in Northern Ireland are held on microfilm in the Public Records Office in Belfast. I will be spending a lot of time there in the New Year, when I retire! I am happy to check for you if you need any look-ups. If there is anything else I can help with, just let me know. Regards, Eddie Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.