McConnells in Belfast

 

Hi Peggy,

 

Thanks once again for your message. I have responded to your message on the Drumbo parish page with a list of links that may help you in your research.

 

Kind regards,

 

Genealogy Support

Emma,

I saw it! It's wonderful, and just the incentive I need to spend the day researching my McCONNELLs! 

Thanks so much for your support!

Peggy

Peggy,
I am researching the McConnell Surname for my nephews. According to their father, his great grandfather was Daniel McConnell who married Margaret. My guess is Daniel was born about 1845 in Antrim. He was supposed to be related to the McConnell family who owned a distillery under that name. He was drafted in the British Navy about age 14. The names were confirmed from marriage records of his son John born Oct. 19, 1868 in Belfast, Antrim, Ireland.

John married Julia McKay in Boston Massachusetts USA, then travelled down to Brooklyn NY in the early 1900's. Does any of this match your relations or notes?

Thanks,
Rick

Rick, 

Please accept my apologies for taking so very long to respond to your inquiry. I am doing genealogy in spits and spurts right now as I homeschool my son. 

You asked about Daniel McConnell, born about 1845 in Antrim. I can tell you I have no Daniels on my McConnell tree, but I can shed a little light on yours, I hope!

McConnell was not an uncommon name in the 19th century in Northern Ireland, of course. One of my McConnells, John McConnell (1845-1928), lived in Belfast with his family and was the managing director of Dunville's Distillery in Belfast. Dunville's Distillery was founded in 1868 by William Dunville. This was only one of several distilleries operating in Belfast during this time. Another one was the Cromac Distillery in Belfast, which was run by J & J McConnell, Ltd. They bottled "Old Irish Whiskey," or "McConnell's Whiskey." The Belfast directories show the proprietors' names as James and John McConnell, who  lived on Tomb Street in Belfast from 1850 to 1892. They may have originated from the Comber area. I wonder if they might be connected to your family line. I've attached a picture I have of a McConnell Distillery promotional piece. 

In my resources and reference material, I have some information on Daniel McConnell that you might be interested in. The Belfast & Province of Ulster Directory of 1870 has a Daniel McConnell living at 18 Lancaster Street in Belfast. His occupation is listed as "seaman," which fits your description. Interestingly, after that year I can't find him in the Belfast directories. Did he emigrate from Northern Ireland with his son to the northeast U.S.?

Also, FamilySearch.org has some things you might be interested in:

1) a record (Ireland Marriages, 1619-1898) showing Daniel McConnell marrying Margaret Montgomery Ross on 30 July 1864 in Belfast, Antrim, Ireland. Daniel's father is listed as James McConnell, and Margaret's father is listed as John Ross.   

2) a record (Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881) showing Daniel and Margret (sic) Ross McConnell having a child named John Ross McConnell, born 16 October 1868 in Antrim, Ireland. 

I hope this gives you some new threads to chase, Rick. Happy hunting!

Warmly,

Peggy

Peggy,

Thank you very much for your information and help. Your reply helped tie things together.

Sincerely,

Rick

I found the marriage record of Daniel McConnell to Margaret Montgomery Ross and the record of birth for their son John Ross McConnell. I feel strongly this is my McConnell family as the dates and locations fit.

I am wondering if Daniel's father James is the James McConnell of  the Cromac Distillery in Belfast run buy J & J McConnell. In recent talks with my brother-in-law he said it was a family run business and that Daniel was kind of forced out at a young age, maybe enlisting with the Brittish navy. "Seaman" kind of fits with his recollections. It is unknown what happened to Daniel as it is thought he died young.

I did find a Daniel and Margaret in the 1871 England Census with daughter Catherine just one year old. John would have been 3 years old and listed, so it is not my Daniel. In the 1891 England Census, it lists widow Margaret 49, with oldest son John 23 both born in Ireland. It also lists several other children born in either Ireland or England. It kind of fits, but nothing solid. I do not know if John had any siblings, but will bet there were some.

John appears to have come alone to the US from Glasgow to the Port of NY May 23, 1892. He made his way up to Massechusetts and lived near Boston. His occupation in the census was "sailmaker". I will check the record again for any other McConnells.

Thanks again for the new clues.

Rick

I hope to connect with the descandants of Daniel McConnell (about 1845 to <1891) and his wife Margaret Montomery Ross (about 1845 to?). Their children were John Ross born Oct. 15, 1868 Antrim Ireland, Thomas born Nov. 17, 1870 Antrin Ireland, Sarah born 1871 Antrim Ireland, William born about 1877 Lancashire England, James born about 1878 Lancashire England, Nellie born about 1879 in Lancashire England and Joseph born about 1883 in Lancashire England. Margaret was from Bainbridge Ireland, Danile from Belfast Antrim Co. Ireland. Anyone related to this family? Daniel was the son of James McConnel of the "McConnell Irish Whiskey'' line.

Hello, I'm a descendant of John McConnell and Julia McKay. I have information of their life in the US and am seeking to connect with other descendants. I'm just beginning my research so please pardon my lack of knowledge of this group's format.
 

Thank you - Kylie    . 
 

 

 

 

Kylie,

I have information on the descendants of John McConnell and Julia McKay. Please e-mail me at rick5354@wavecable.com  My notes are in a Word document and willing to share.

Rick5354

My ancestors were McConnells from Ballymena area and an area they referred to as Honey Hill. I cannot find Honey Hill on any map or any documents beside a letter from a family member written to my grandmother. Do you know where Honey Hill is located? My direct ancestors left Ireland in the 1800s and settled in Ontario, Canada. My great great grandfather Alexander Ainsley McConnell was born in Antrim Ireland in the 1830s. Could my family be connected to yours?

I have never heard of Honey Hill and I live near Ballymena. How clear is the writing? Could it be Harryville?  That’s an area in Ballymena. Harryville is in the townland of Ballykeel. I see a Robert McConnell listed there in Griffiths Valuation of 1862.

I am confused on my McConnel findings. According to the 1881England, Lancaster Barrow in Furnace census, found a William Mconnell age 37, laborer born in Ireland. His wife was Margaret (Montgomery Ross) age 39 and children John 13, Thomas 11, Sarah 9, William 4, James 3 and Mary Ellen 2. In the 1891 census found this family minus William same place. They are also in the 1901 Barrow in Furnace census. The marriage record of Margaret Montgomery Ross was to Daniel McConnell on July 30, 1864 in Belfast Antrim Ireland. The birth and marriage records of child John state his father was Daniel. Was Daniel or William a middle name? Daniel William or William Daniel? Could Margaret have married Daniel in 1864 and Daniel passing away before 1881 and Margaret remarring to William, possible a brother? The records state that the father of Daniel/William  was James McConnell born my guess about 1825 in Ireland, related to Cromac Distillary in Belfast owners J and J McConnell. Any suggestions to sort this out?

I can add another child to the family. There was an un-named daughter born 16.11.1866 to Daniel & Margaret.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_retur…

This looks to be Thomas’s birth in 1870. Again the father was Daniel.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1870/03326/2219213.pdf

I couldn’t find Sarah’s birth certificate but the marriage certificate and the first 3 birth certificates all name the groom/father as Daniel.

I had a look for a Daniel death in Ireland and England but did not see one that fits.

I notice that Daniel was a sailor but that William in 1881 was a labourer, so perhaps William is a different man to Daniel. Can’t see a likely remarriage in either England or Ireland.

Why not order a copy of the birth certificate for the last child Joseph to see what father’s name appears? The certificate should also say whether the parents were married. Joseph’s birth was registered in Barrow in Furness Jan – Mar 1883 Volume 8e page 901.  

Elwyn,

Thank you for your help. I found all the references you gave except for "Joseph’s birth was registered in Barrow in Furness Jan – Mar 1883 Volume 8e page 901." Do you have a link I could follow?

Thanks,

Rick

Rick,

I can’t offer you a direct link but the index record is on this site:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/8912/

As far as I am aware the birth certificate itself is not viewable on-line. You need to order a research copy from the Passport Office in Southport. (A research copy is a photocopy which costs £7 (sterling) as opposed to a formal certified copy, which costs more).

https://www.gov.uk/general-register-office

 

 

Elwyn,

Thanks again for your help.

Rick

Hi All,

I have a 1918 letter written by my gg aunt Kathleen McCausland (1889-1998) which mentions “Dunville McConnell is at Grantham”.  I’m guessing this refers to John Dunville McConnell (b. 1885), the son of John McConnell (c1845-1928) and Margaret Neill.

The potential significance of this is that Kathleen’s mother was a Kate McConnell (c1863-1914), daughter of Robert McConnell (c1838-1881) who in turn was the son of an Alexander McConnell.  Alexander was a blacksmith, but other than that I don’t know when or where he lived.

The most likely explanation for my gg aunt’s acquaintance with Dunville McConnell is that both families had a holiday home at Dufferin Villas in Bangor.  In fact, Dunville’s younger brother was born there and was named “Dufferin Villiers McConnell”.

However, I’m wondering if there was some distant family connection too, so I’d be interested to know if anyone has come across an Alexander McConnell in their research.

Regards,
Ganstry

Hello My great grandmother was Jane McConnell born around 1857. She married John McClelland a riveter and ship builder. She died in 1891. Her father James was a 'grocer' and one William James Vance (possibly a fabric/embroidery designer who married Anna Close) was a witness at the marriage as was Fanny (?) McConnell. I know a great deal about her from the point she gets married but I can find no exact record of her birth or of her family. Jane McConnell states on the marriage record that she is a weaver. They move to Lancashire soon after getting married where they have three or four of their children before returning to belfast. I have suspicions but no proof that her father may have been one James McConnell a grocer at 44 Kendal Street who died in 1878. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Shane,

Birth registration only started in Ireland in 1864 so you won’t find a birth certificate for Jane. You might find her baptism but to do that you need to know where she was baptised. And the records may well not be on-line. Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church (after which she’d usually attend her husband’s). In this case the marriage was in Agnes St Presbyterian church, so that points to the McConnell family being Presbyterian. Normally the next step would be to search that church’s baptism records. Unfortunately Agnes St was (in 1872) a new church having only opened in 1869 to cope with the expanding population in Belfast so she won’t have been baptised there. I searched the 1861 and 1852 Belfast street directories but did not find a James McConnell who was a grocer (there were others in different trades). Possibly Jane did not originate in Belfast and had moved there from the countryside, for work, as tens of thousands of people did in the mid 1800s?

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).

The McClelland family in 1901: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Pottinger/Ulsterd…

I wondered if this might be daughter Mary in 1911: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/King_s_Co_/Tullamore_U…

The James McConnell who died in 1878 was a dealer, not a grocer, so I am not convinced that’s the right father for Jane. McConnell is a very common surname in Belfast which makes it hard to search.