A Mommy Day

Yesterday the kids and I visited the PRONI office.  Public Records Office of Northern Ireland - PRONI.  I have been waiting for a book of pre 1885 wills to come available.  Someone at the office was using them for research.  What I thought was going to be one book turned out to be ten volumes of will proceedings that had been typed out for preservation.  It is amazing to realize that you are reading about things that took place in court in the later 1600's until 1858.

Most wills in the book were simple I leave all my worldly goods to my wife or child.  Several times the sum of money being left was two pounds.  Sound like such a little amount until you think this was over 200 years ago.  Sarah and I started randomly reading wills just to see what people left to their loved ones.  It was a bit of a giggle and a pause for thought.  The simple things that they desired to be passed on.

to my daughter three silver spoons.
to my son my suit of mourning.
to my loyal servant one cow.
to my daughter all my clothes.

I have only found people with the same last name as the family I am looking for but it is something.  I may need to go south to Dublin to find more information.  Their immigrated from the south.

PRONI office recently built near the Titanic Museum.