Bann Valley Genealogy
Church Records
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Bann Valley Genealogy
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The vicar at Churchtown during the period covered by the register of baptisms was Rev. Robert Torrens.
According to J W Kernohan:
A Rev. Robert Torrens was minister of Churchtown Presbyterian Congregation, Tamlaght O'Crilly, Co. Londonderry for a long period from 1839. His two sons are ministers of congregations now, Alfred in 2nd Ramelton, Co. Donegal, and Fredk in Fannet, Co. Donegal.
By a record in the Royal Academical Institution I find the Rev. Robert, their father, was from Culnamen. He entered the Institution in 1832, and got his general certificate in 1836. Another Torrens, now an old man, recently retired from the ministry, was born in Tamlaght which is not far from Garvagh.
Another source says
Rev. Robert Torrens, minister of Churchtown for over 30 years, was born in 1815 at Culnaman, near Garvagh. He was educated in Belfast at the Belfast Academical Institution (now RBAI), where Irish Presbyterian ministers were trained at the time gaining its General Certificate in 1836. In 1838 he was made a licentiate of Coleraine Presbytery receiving his first charge within a year, when he was ordained at Churchtown on 20th June, 1839.
The year 1844 was an important one in the life of Mr. Torrens. For it was then that he married Rosanna Patterson (1824-1900) the only daughter of William Patterson of Grange House, Magherafelt.
As for Mr. and Mrs. Torrens, in time they would have a large and distinguished family of four sons and at least one daughter. The eldest, John Lusk Torrens, M.B. (1857-1917) became a doctor living in Connor, but the other three boys followed their father as ministers in the Presbyterian Church ....
However - the baptism records show this last paragraph to be in error as his first son, William Patterson Torrens, was baptised October 23rd 1844. Which date would fit with his marriage to Rosanna Patterson. The baptisms show a record for the family every two to three years with a notable omission in 1857, when the above note says Robert Lusk Torrens was born.
The baptism records, added to the above extracts show:
Rev. Robert Torrens (1815 - unknown) married in 1844 Rosanna Patterson (1824 - 1900). Had children: