I am trying to discover more info on my mothers paternal grandmothers tree. The family lived in Ireland for centuries from what I can find out. My mothers grandmother was born Margaret Ann Adair in Antrim Ireland I believe on Nov.4.1861. Her parents were Robert Adair and Elizabeth English born in Antrim Ireland in 1839.Robert was born Jan.8.1839 in Tardree Antrim,Ireland,his wife Elizabeth English, Nov.18.1839 Kirkinriola,Antrim,Ireland. They were married on 08,11,1860 I believe in Ballymena Registry Office. They later emigrated to the province of Ontario in Canada around 1870-1873. and settled in Huron Co. I believe these people to be my ancestors,other family trees have similar accounting with a few differences. I know my gr. gr. Grandfather Robert Adairs father was also named Robert, and I believe he was married to a Margaret Barefoot in Millrow Presbyterian Church in Ladyhill around Oct.15.1826 I believe. Some discrepancies in spelling of the name in records over here. I believe this couple to be my gr.gr.gr. grandparents, but cannot find their place of birth or age and who their parents may have been. Also My gr.gr. grandmother Elizabeth English if I'm correct was the daughter of Samuel English, but do not know her mothers name, some other family trees say her father was named David,but believe the correct name to be Samuel English, Her mothers name is illegible to read on documents over here but it could be M. Gray or M.Cray. I have found that Elizabeth's daughters bore the middle name of Gray so I assume her mother possibly would have been a Gray,probably Margaret or Mary Gray. The families seemed to move around a lot in different Parishes so it makes it difficult to trace. I know that both Robert Adairs were listed as labourers and Samuel English also. So this would account for the various parishes listed in the family. I would like any assistance in tracing down if possible Margaret Barefoots family and her husband Robert Adairs parents,also Samuel English and his wife M.Gray's tree,also if a marriage license can be found for them. I know so little about this side of my mothers family in Ireland. I also have Irish ancestors on my fathers tree I will be trying to track on another message board.
Any help would be kindly appreciated.
Tuesday 15th Oct 2013, 09:40PM
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According to the UHF index of marriages, Eliza English?s father, as recorded on her marriage certificate, is Samuel. But you would need to purchase a copy of the certificate to be certain. That certificate would also give you the couples townlands (addresses) at the time of the marriage, which may help track their whereabouts. Agricultural labourers tended to have short leases and moved around a lot to follow employment opportunities. They also often had property of too low a value to make it into Griffiths Valuation and so it can be tricky tracing them.
The church at Millrow where Robert Adair married Margaret Barefoot is also known as Antrim 1st Presbyterian Church. They have very good records, going back to 1675. A copy is held at PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast, as follows:
P. 1st Antrim (Millrow) Baptisms, 1677-1733, 1753-85, 1791-2 and 1820-1960; marriages, 1675-1736, 1820-39 and 1845-1913; marriage notices, 1870-1995;deaths, 1820-35; indexes to baptisms, 1677-1733 and 1820-39, and to marriages, 1675-1736 and 1820-39; family records for the late 18th and 19th centuries; stipend account books, 1837-64 and 1885-1924; communion roll, 1854-9; Sabbath School library loan book, 1870 and 1879-81; account books, 1821-61 and 1870-76; list of seatholders, 1838; session minutes, 1823-4; 1831-2, 1834-9 and 1842-54; a register of leaving certificates, 1842-50; Sabbath School receipt and expenditure book, 1835-62, with a weekly roll of teachers and salaries, 1840-41; news sheet for quarter ending 20 September 1963.
The records are not on-line anywhere, as far as I am aware. You can either ask PRONI to do a lookup (for a fee) or a personal visit is required to inspect the records.
Adair is a common name around the Ballymena area. The town was established by the Adair family from Kinhilt, near Stranraer, in Scotland. (Their castle in the town is now the local tourist office). They were granted a Charter by King Charles I around the 1630s to establish the town of Ballymena, and they brought a load of tenants with them from Scotland. So if your Adair family were Presbyterian and living near Ballymena, there?s a fair chance that they originated around Stranraer with their namesakes there. Though there are no surviving records to prove that. But you might be interested all the same. Some history here:
http://landedfamilies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/23-adair-of-ballymena-cast…
Ahoghill Antrim
Tuesday 15th Oct 2013, 10:19PM