Adair family

Ruth,

Here’s a marriage between James Adair & Mary Stewart in 1850 in the right area.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1850/09383/5398472.pdf

James lived in Enoch (Enagh) and his father was Joseph Adair. Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church so that was Ballyroney Presbyterian. You might find the Stewart family’s baptisms etc in their records. That church’s records start in 1819.

1st Dromara Presbyterian has baptism records from 1762 onwards and marriages from 1799 with a few gaps. Copies of both churches records are in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. If you are unable to go yourself, you could employ a researcher. Researchers in the PRONI area: http://sgni.net

Possible death for Mary Adair registered in Lisburn 3.1.1865 aged 48. D/1865/139/1018/1/118  You can view the original certificate on-line on the GRONI website, using the “search registrations” option. You will need to open an account and buy some credits. It costs £2.50 (sterling) to a view a certificate: 

https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk

Griffiths Valuation (1863) lists 1 Adair property in Enagh. That was plot 32 which was an 11 acre farm, held by John Adair. Perhaps a relative to James? That property today is on the modern Shot Lane, not too far from Garvaghy Presbyterian church. Looking at it on Google Earth, it’s still a farm, today.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=nameS…

There was still Adairs farming in Enagh in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Gaevaghy/Enagh/1205366/

And 1911. They had no children:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Garvaghy/Enagh/214053/

You’ll find details of some of James & Mary’s childrens’ baptisms on this link:

http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~rosdavies/genealogy/SURNAMES/A/Adair.htm

Elwyn

Thank you so much for your info.  I had been lucky enough to find there marriage certificate but not smart enough to pay attention to where James was from and check that area.  I am sure that I will have more questions when they get formed in my head and I have time to think about it indepth. I was really hoping that we might still have some decendents there whether they carried the Adair name or not.  I realize it can be harder to track females when their names are changed. 

Thank you again for your help, greatly appreciated

Ruth

Ruth,

Joseph Adair (on the farm in 1901 & 1911) married Mary McConnell in 1893. Marriage here:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1893/10604/5863452.pdf

Joseph’s father was John Adair. He died in 1893 aged 81, which perhaps makes him of an age to be a brother to “your” James Adair? You will notice that Joseph’s wife Martha died 6 days previously and is the entry above his in the death register.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1893/10604/5863452.pdf

Probate abstract: Letters of Administration of the personal estate of John Adair late of Enough County Down Farmer who died 7 May 1893 at same place were granted at Belfast to Joseph William Adair of Enough Farmer the Child.

This may be John’s marriage in 1856 to Martha Wright:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1856/09511/5447384.pdf

If so, he was married previously. I can’t see a previous marriage in the statutory records (which start in 1845) so 1st marriage was probably before that. In which case you would need to search local church records at PRONI. The records are probably not on-line anywhere.

Only 1 Adair farm in Enagh in the tithes (1834) held by Joseph. We know he was John’s father, and probably dead by 1863 as the farm was in John’s name by then.

http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/down/tithe-applotment-books/garvaghy-parish.php

The Valuation Revision records (attached) show the Adair farm changing hands in 1925 to a David Jardine.

Possible death for Mary Adair 15.6.1922 aged 68 registered in Banbridge. Possible death for Joseph 9.6.1945 aged 71. (Age isn’t quite right but ages on death certificates then were often just guesses). Both are viewable on the GRONI site.