James Greer b 1737 Antrim

hampan,

Researching in Ireland in the 1700s is very hard going due to the general lack of records. If you don’t know where they lived it’s a needle in a haystack. Ideally you need to know the person’s exact denomination and the townland or parish they lived in to have any chance of finding them, and even then there may not be any records for that location.

You do at least know your ancestors were Presbyterian. The majority of migrants from Ireland in the 1700s were Presbyterian, and were in the main descended from Scots who had settled in Ireland in the 1600s. There were probably about 200 Presbyterian churches in Co. Antrim in the 1700s but sadly only 6 of them have any records for that period.  The rest either didn’t keep any or they have been lost over the years from fire, damp, carelessness and other hazards. (The Presbyterian records that do survive for the 1700s are copied and held in PRONI, the public record office, in Belfast. Personal visit required to view them).

Possibly DNA testing may be a way of matching with others who have additional information about where the family originate. Family Tree DNA reportedly has more people with Ulster roots than any other company. That obviously increases the chances of finding a match. You might want to try them or, if you have already tested, you can transfer your results to them for no fee.

The North of Ireland Family History Society is running an Ulster DNA project in conjunction with FTDNA and can offer testing kits at a reduced price.  http://www.nifhs.org (Go to DNA project on the website).

A will probated in So. Carolina in 1796 for a James Greer names the following people:

Name: Jane
Gender: Female
Relationship: Wife
Item Description: Wills, 1791-1819
Others Listed Relationship
James Greer
John Hambleton
Son-in-law
Ann Gotcher
Children
Joseph James
Son
Thos. Turner
Brother
Janet George
Niece
Hannah Leonor
Daughter
Jane Moon
Children
Jacob Gilliam
Son-in-law
Jane Wife

If you have Ancestry, you can see the actual will. Any chance this is your James?

Patricia, that is my James but you seem to have something a bit different than I have. His will was 1792 and at the bottom it says 'Recorded 1795. Date of Proving not available. (Original will not in files of Probate Judge). The will I have does not mention a wife, nor some of the family members. I've searched on Ancestry and can't find anything but the one I have which has always raised more questions than answers, ie no wife, leaving everything to his 12yr old daughter. It also starts with the John Hambleton SIL but the 12yr old eventually marries a John Hamilton.

Where did you find yours and is it just the list of names?

Thank you for looking.

Patricia Hamilton

Hi,

I found it on Ancestry...you can search the name, wills, state...No it is not just a list of names, the actual document can be seen.