mckenna kelly family

Gerry,

Here’s Francis & Eleanor’s marriage in 1853 at Newtownards Register Office:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1853/09457/5426788.pdf

The 2 fathers names and occupations are given, as you suggested, and 2 Holmes were witnesses so that’s a clue about possible family there.

Statutory registration of births didn’t start in Ireland till 1864 so if you are looking for the birth of their son in 1856, there’s no birth certificate to find. You might find his baptism but to do that you would need to know which church he was baptise din, plus those records may not be on-line. You might need to go to PRONI in Belfast to look the records up.

Francis’ father Cornelius was a farmer. Normally farmers are listed in the tithe applotment records c 1826 – 1834. However I don’t see any Cornelius in those records. I suspect he must have died before the tithes were compiled.

I can’t find a death for either Cornelius or Samuel McKenna but given that they must have been born in the 1700s, it’s likely they died before death registration began in 1864.

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).

Elwyn, thank you so much for the quick reply and the link.  I had bits and pieces leading to believe that Elinor's first husband James Holmes had a brother George and a sister Margaret.  The link to the wedding ceritificate basically proves it so.  My family (relatives) and I have been stumped as we can not find anything on James, his birth, death, parents, etc..

I have seen the copies of his siblings George and Margaret's wills/probates, but no mention of their parents names, which may help us find out more about James, my 3GG, and beyond. Their wills acknowledge their nephew, John (my 2GG) and three other siblings.  Now I can search their marriage records (etc) with more confidence that they are all related to James. 

Is there anything else you can suggest?

Regards, Gerry 

Gerry,

I had a look for any George Holmes in the general area where Francis & Eleanor lived. This is the only marriage I could find, for a George in that area. He married Margaret Smart in 1856. He was a pensioner which, at that time, meant he had served in the army or navy.  And for long enough to qualify for a pension (20 years perhaps).

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1856/09517/5449454.pdf

In case you can’t make it out, his address was Church St, Newtownards. This may be his death in 1879 (occupation discharged soldier).

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1879/06501/4872102.pdf

I can’t find anything on either Margaret Holmes (James’ sister) nor Margaret nee Smart.

James Holmes birth, marriage and death are all long before the start of statutory registration (1864 for births & deaths, 1845 for marriages).  Prior to those years you need to rely on church records. Not all churches have records for those years, and of those that do, many are not on-line. So you will certainly struggle to find any record of him.   Ideally you need to know the precise denomination and have some idea of where the person was born in order to search the correct records. 

RC records are mostly on-line on the nli site:   

https://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx

For other denominations, the churches usually hold the originals but there are also copies in PRONI, the public record office, in Belfast. A personal visit is required to access them. Access to the records there is free. This link explains what records exist, parish by parish:

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/publications/proni-guide-church-records

If you are unable to go yourself, you could employ a researcher. Researchers in the PRONI area: http://sgni.net