McCreights pre 1827

Rebecca,

I assume you have Tobias in the 1851 census but in case you don’t here he is:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1851/Antrim/Lower_Massereene/Killead/Ballyhill_Lower/8/

There was another McCreight family nearby with another Tobias so presumably they are related.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1851/Antrim/Lower_Massereene/Killead/Ballyhill_Lower/6/

Robert & Tobias are listed as farmers in Ballyhill in the 1827 tithes:

http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/antrim/tithe-applotments/killead-paris…

Thomas McCreight of Ballyhill is listed as voting in 1776:

https://apps.proni.gov.uk/eCatNI_IE/ResultDetails.aspx

Thanks everso for your reply. I've assumed Tobias (listed 1827) is the Tobias (born 1781) that married Eliza McIlwain in 1832 and I think he's Roberts (born 1769) brother. Robert therefore would be my great great great grandfather. I'm struggling to get beyond that. I think I really need to jump on a plane and have a look around the churches. But I really really do appreciate you looking into it for me. 
Thank you again

Rebecca James (nee McCreight)

Rebecca,

The problem you face is that none of the churches your family are likely to have attended has any records for the 1700s or early 1800s. Killead Presbyterian has no records before 1826, Loanends 1834, Killead Church of Ireland lost all it’s records in the 1922 fire. And so on. 

The PRONI names search site records Thomas McCreight of Ballyhill having probate granted in 1847. He’s presumably the same Thomas who voted in the 1700s. The probate file was lost in the 1922 fire so all we know is he lived in Ballyhill and died around 1847.

Being frank with you, you are probably not going to get back much further.  You might get a little from gravestones but in general there are very few records in Ireland for the 1700s and early 1800s. We call it the 1800 barrier. It’s pretty rare to get back earlier than that with Irish research.

The McCreight family is likely to have arrived in the Killead area from Scotland in the 1600s.  Then there will be a big gap till they show up in some records around 1800. That’s the norm.

Thank you so much for your response and efforts Elwyn, I really do appreciate it. 
 

Rebecca