James gilliland and Sarah mcmechem

Leathem,

This looks to be your family in the 1901 census. I searched for a birth record for Alfred. He was born in Ballycowan on 23.1.1874. Father James was a tailor and mother was Sarah McMahon.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Comber/Castleavery/1253888/

1911 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Comber/Castleaverry/262874/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Comber/Castleaverry/262872/

Probate abstracts:

Probate of the Will of James Gilliland late of Newtownards Castleavery County Down Farmer who died 7 September 1896 granted at Belfast to David Gilliland Farmer and Arthur T. Gilliland Warehouseman both of Castleavery

Probate of the Will of Sarah Gilliland late of Castleavery County Down Widow who died 9 March 1911 granted at Belfast to David Gilliland Farmer and Arthur Thomas Gilliland Linen Merchant.

Gilliland Arthur Thomas of Castleavery county Down farmer died 12 January 1931 Probate Belfast 10 July to David Gilliland and John Gilliland farmers. Effects £177.

Gilliland John of Castleavery Newtownards county Down farmer died 21 October 1941 Probate Belfast 10 December to Anna Jane Gilliland the widow and John Gilliland farmer. Effects £4046 5s. 3d.

Gilliland David of Castleavery Newtownards county Down farmer died 10 April 1946 Probate Belfast 12 November to James Gilliland farmer. Effects £2954 12s. 6d.

Gilliland Anna Jane of Seaview House Castleavery Newtownards county Down widow died 8 December 1949 at Ards Hospital Newtownards Probate Belfast 9 January to John Gilliland farmer and David Gilliland farmer and merchant. Effects £629 10s. 3d.

The 1896 will is on-line on the PRONI wills site. For the others you need to go to PRONI and look them up or pay them to copy them for you.

James Gilliland married Sarah McMehan (sic) on 21.8.1850 at May St Presbyterian church in Belfast. He was 21 and his address was Ballylesson and he was a tailor. His father was John, a mason. Sarah was 19 and from Ballycowan. Her father was David a labourer. Neither had been married before.

There was a notice in the Belfast Newsletter of 8.8.1896 reporting James Gilliland’s death and that the burial would be in the family burying ground in Ballylesson.

(Obituaries in Ireland wouldn’t be as common as they may be elsewhere, and I can’t find any other reference to his death).

You mentioned a Sarah Hearty in your post. I am not clear who that is, and how she fits into the family tree. Perhaps you can explain?

James parents were Margaret  and John Gilliland he was born 1792-she 1810-