Samuel O'Hara of Ballyclug

Griffiths Valuation for Ballycreggy in 1862 lists a John O’Hara on plot 18 which was a 15 acre farm. Also in the same townland was a Samuel on plot 14b in a weaver’s cottage, Alexander on plot 2a and Henry on plot 15. (Not to be confused with their landlord Henry O’Hara). Some of these families were RC, so not necessarily related to your Samuel and his father John. Both the O’Haras still farming in Ballycraigy in 1901 were RC:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Ballyclug/Ballycraggy/

Looking at the revaluation records, John O’Hara on plot 18 remained there till 1892 when he died. He was 71 then, so born c 1821. So he can’t be the John who was in the tithes in 1825 and the father of Samuel. So that John appears to have left Ballycreggy by 1862 (or had died).

Here’s a load of probate extracts for O’Haras from the townland but I think they were all RC.

The Will of Henry O'Hara late of Ballycraigy County Antrim Farmer deceased who died 29 July 1875 at same place was proved at Belfast by the oaths of James M'Kinley of Ballykeel and John O'Hara of Ballycraigy both in (Ballymena) same County Farmers the Executors.

The Will of Alexander O'Hara late of Ballycraigy County Antrim Farmer deceased who died 18 September 1879 at same place was proved at Belfast by Mary Ann O'Hara of Ballycraigy Widow the sole Executrix.

The Will of John O'Hara late of Ballycraigy County Antrim Farmer who died 30 September 1892 at same place was proved at Belfast by Charles O'Hara of Ballycraigy Farmer one of the Executors.

Letters of Administration of the personal estate of John Patrick O'Hara late of Ballycraigy County Antrim Farmer who died 21 October 1894 at same place were granted at Belfast to Mary Ann O'Hara of Ballycraigy Widow the Mother.

Probate of the Will of Mary Ann O'Hara late of Ballycraigy County Antrim Widow who died 29 June 1899 granted at Belfast to Reverend Edward Quinn of Killyleagh County Down.

Probate of the Will annexed of Daniel O'Hara late of Ballycraigy, County Antrim, farmer, who died 2 March 1917 granted at Belfast to Patrick O'Hara, Ballycraigy, farmer. Effects: £151 10s 0d.

O'Hara Charles of Ballycraigy county Antrim farmer died 21 November 1926 at Glasgow Scotland Administration Belfast 11 January to John O'Hara farmer. Effects £118 5s.

O'Hara Patrick of Ballycraigy county Antrim farmer died 13 June 1934 Administration (with Will) Belfast 28 March to Mary Ellen O'Hara spinster. Effects £12 10s. UNAD. GRANT P.R. 19.8.76

O'Hara John of Ballycreggy Ballymena P.O. county Antrim farmer died 23 August 1941 Probate Belfast 17 April to John O'Hara farmer and Joseph Mulholland spirit merchant. Effects £4339 19s. 11d.

O'Hara Mary Ellen of Ballycreggy Ballymena county Antrim spinster died 29 March 1956 at Waveney Hospital Annexe Ballymena Administration Belfast 14 December to Daniel O'Hara joiner. Effects £652 9s. 3d.

I see this Agnes in Ballymarlagh in 1901. Is that Samuel & Margaret’s daughter, plus her son?

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Ballyclug/Ballymarlagh/938887/

The revaluation records only show her arriving there in 1904 (plot 23c) but clearly she was there long before that. I looked for Samuel in Ballymarlagh c 1893 but didn’t see him. Possibly he was lodging with someone else there.

Checking the stat births on GRONI, I found 3 children registered in Ballymena to parents O’Hara & Greenwood, post 1864. Agnes 30.4.1865, Samuel 1.12.1867 & Elizabeth 29.8.1870. Not sure if you have those last two.

I had a look on the Braid site for gravestones for your family but couldn’t see any.

Thank you for your timely and thorough response. Much more than I was expecting! 

The Samuel living in the weaver's cottage on plot 14b may have been my Samuel as he identified himself as a weaver. You're right about John not being Samuel's father - the ages don't work. 

Sorry, but I'm not familiar with the term RC. 

I believe that this is my Agnes, she is also in the 1911 census, still living with her son, Samuel, who was then 26, there is also a niece, Maggie Patterson, 14 yo, in the home. I haven't yet explored this link and only became aware of it when I visited the Liminary Rd. graveyard (the same graveyard where Henry HH is buried) after it had been suggested by a contact that Margaret and Samuel might be buried there. I didn't find their headstones but was strangely drawn to one with the names Samuel, Agnes the mother of Samuel and another Agnes, the wife of Samuel, and Maureen and Wm Greer. I took a photo and upon returning to the US I discovered that Samuel had a daughter named Agnes, with a son named Samuel and then found the above mentioned census information. It's quite possible that I have family still living in the Ballymena area. Possibly with the last name of Greer. More research to do! 

My Samuel died in 1893 and was likely living with daughter Agnes as she signed the death records 

My research on Ancestry.com led me to a cousin in Kent, UK, he told me about Samuel and Elizabeth but as I haven't yet checked GRONI I haven't added them to my tree. Thanks for the reminder. 

So, I'm still lett with no solid facts on John other than he is the father of Samuel and was a farmer. It's possible that he lived elsewhere and only came to Ballymena for the wedding as the marriage records indicates that Samuel lived in Ballyclug, but doesn't have an address for John. Guess I'll keep looking! If only I could find the birth record for Samuel. 

Again, thanks for your help. What you did in a few hours would have taken me months! 

RC means Roman Catholic. So, although in the same townland, unlikely to be connected to the Presbyterian families of the same name.

Finding Samuel’s baptism may be difficult. Many Presbyterian records are not on-line, and some churches have lost their early records. In Ballymena there’s the 1st Presbyterian church with records from 1812. The 2nd with records from 1813, and West Church with records from 1829. Have you checked all 3? (Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church, after which she would attend her husband’s. So children are not always baptised in the same church as the parents married in).

The helpful thing about the father John being a farmer is that farmers generally didn’t move around much (unlike weavers). Farmers took leases for lengthy periods of time, and stayed put because in most cases they had improved the farm and did not want to lose that investment. Also farmers should normally be listed in the tithes and Griffiths (assuming they were alive). A farmer would be more likely to have a gravestone whereas most weavers wouldn’t be able to afford one.

Maggie Patterson was born 23.3.1896 in Belfast. Mother’s maiden name O’Hara. (On GRONI). That should help you find the connection between those 2 families.

You mentioned Henry H H O’Hara. In case you are unaware, he known as Mad O’Hara and is very famous for his outrageous behaviour, including putting a shovel full of burning coals in his wife’s lap because she would not get up and greet his drunken friends. See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Hamilton_O%27Hara_%22Mad_O%27hara%22

He was Church of Ireland.

When I visited Ballymena last year I went to the 1st Presbyterian church as that is where Samuel married Margaret and his son, my great grandfather Hugh, married Annie Bryson. I had an appointment with the Reverend to search records but unfortunately he was called away. My husband and I were able to get into the church to have our photo taken at the same altar. I didn't even think of visiting the other churces, but it's an excellent idea. Looks like I need to return. What a hardship! I'm already starting to scheme on a plan. 

In GRONI I finally found the marriage cert for Samuel II. He married Agnes McCarrol (or McCarrel?) at Glenwhirry Presbyterian on 29 April, 1927. Maggie Patterson and a John Davidson were witnesses. It then appears that Maggie married John Davidson. A couple of articles from (I think) the Ballymena paper announce the burial of Samuel II, the graveyard named is the one where I visited and saw the tombstone. The article mentions Mrs. O'Hara and her daughter (Maureen?). Another article a year before the death of Samuel II states that "...at the residence of her cousin, Samuel O'Hara, Ballymarlow, Ballymena, Margaret, widow of Robert Davidson (late of Raceview, Broughshane). Funeral today at ..." 

Now I search for which daughter of Samuel I gave birth to Maggie as well as search for any living relatives of Maureen O'Hara Greer and William Greer.  With what I'm learned over the last couple of days it's no longer just a "gut feeling" that the tombstone I found (which is in the Moorfields Rd. Graveyard, not the Liminary Rd. - I was mistaken) is that of my family. 

I've read the story of Mad Henry. Although he appears to be descended from another line of O'Hara's I wouldn't mind at all if he were mine. There's a few stories about him that are good for sharing with the grandkids around a campfire. Heck, maybe I'll share them anyway! 

Thank you for all you've done. Your insight and leads have been invaluable. 

Laurel

Hi, My gggrandfather was James O'Hara son of Samuel O'Hara and Margaret Greenwood.  I have not been able to find his birth record but on FamilySearch (free family history website) under Search, Genealogies there is a pedigree of Samuel O'Hara and Margaret Greenwood it has another 2 generations back from Samuel O'Hara and some of his children I would upload it but I'm not sure about copyright issues.  Samuel O'Hara's father was John christened

11 March 1804

Carnmoney, Antrim, Ireland 

John O'Hara

 married to Christina Smith

8 September 1834

Presbyterian, Donegore, Antrim, Ireland

Samuel's birth is listed

1824

Kirkinriola, Ballymena, Antrim, Ireland

Marnie

Hello Marnie, I am so happy that I happened to be sitting at my computer to receive word of your response. Another descendant of James, son of Samuel and Margaret, and I have been searching for months trying to find John. I've seen the above information on Family Search had no conclusive proof. I once started a tree that is very incomplete on Family Search, that may be what you're looking at. Of course you have my permission to use whatever is there if it's mine. As I haven't used it for quite some time I can't vouch for it's correctness. I do have a much more complete tree on Ancestry with a lot of information about the family. I wonder if there is a way that we can communicate privately to share more information? I don't know how appropriate it would be to share my email address on this board. Perhaps one of the board monitors can help us out. Laurel 

Hi again Marnie. I just realized that no, that is not my pedigree. But I would like to communicate with you privately anyway as it looks like we must be cousins! I supspect that we can help each other in our searches. Again - perhaps the monitors can help us with this. 

Laurel 

Hi Laurel, I see what you mean about the pedigree it doesn't have sources under the word sources it only has the IGI and film numbers under notes. I would like us to have contact privately.  I don't have anything more than is already on this message board at the moment but I have a lot of stat registrations for James (son of Samuel O'Hara and Margaret Greenwood) and his 3 wives and children

Our other 'cousin' thinks he found you on Ancestry so I sent a message. If it's you, check your Ancestry messages. 

Thanks Marnie!