Steele family of County Tyrone - Please help!
I am lookng for information on the Steele family of Tyrone, Ireland (namely Cookstown). Robert Steele (b. abt. 1824) married Sarah Henry (b. abt 1840) around 1860 in Cookstown. They are my husband's gg-grandparents. I was told by my mother-in-law that they went through a possible legal or religious problem in Ireland, therefore, left and moved to London, converting from Catholic to Anglican in the process.
London is where all of their children were born. Their children were Robert (b. 1861), Agnes (b. 1862), Sarah (b. 1865), Stuart (b. 1867), Elizabeth Jane (my husband's g-grandmother - b. 24 Sept 1868), Henry aka Harry (b. 1873 - he fought in the Boer War), Susan (b. 1876) and James (b. 1877).
There is an interesting bit of history about the family that I was told about. The original Steeles of Co. Tyrone apparently came to Ireland in about the mid 1600's with Sir Robert Lindsay of Longhry as his henchmen. Their names were William and Robert Steele and they were brothers. Robert Lindsay and these Two Steeles were from Fife in Scotland, possibly from Leith.
Between Robert Steele who married Sarah Henry and the two Steele brothers who arrived in Ireland, I am completely baffled as to any connecting ancestry. I do also know that there is a James Steele on the Desercreat Registers for the Hearth Money Rolls for the year 1666 who is a family member, but I can't seem to find anything else yet.
If this sounds at all familiar, I would very much appreciate hearing from you.
Thank you
JB