William BLAIR and his wife Mary HEUSTON left Kilmore Parish in the year 1830, bound for Canada. They settled in Quebec
By the look of tithe reocrds, and records from The Society of Friends (they attended the meetings at Richhill) William's parents were likely William and Mary BLAIR, both parties residing at different times at Mulladry Cottage and at Shewis townland. Both properties were owned by the Richardsons, and my William was a weaver, his work going up to the linen hall that Richardson had built beside his own house - by William's time, the Richardson daughters were running their now deceased father's business.
I can not find the marrige nor the first child of William BLAIR and Mary HEUSTON. It was not at Kilmore. There was a couple who were also weavers, William and Mary BLAIR, the ones I suspect were his parents (I think), next door at Mullabrach Parish on the Spinning Wheel list of 1796. I think I ought to look at that parish for my William's birth, his marriage, and his first born. What does anyone out there think? Any BLAIR cousins who can help out?
Thanks,
Sher
Ontario, Canada
Sher
Saturday 6th Feb 2016, 12:42AMMessage Board Replies
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Sher,
If you are certain that your family were Quakers when they married and remained Quakers, I wouldn’t bother looking at the Mullaghbrack parish records. A Quaker would not baptise in another denomination nor “marry out.” (They’d be expelled from the Society if they did.).
There were only 8 or 9 Meeting Houses in Ulster. I suppose if your marriage and baptism isn’t in the Grange/Charlemont records you could try the others. What I would do in practice is search the regional HQ records in Lisburn. Each Meeting House copied all their BDMs to Lisburn, and so they have a comprehensive set for the whole province. (There’s a copy in PRONI in Belfast).
Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Saturday 6th Feb 2016, 12:02PM -
Elwyn:
Many thanks for your reply. Yes, they attended meetings, but never paid their subsciptions. They must have been afraid to lose the parish support in case of needy times. I have gone to Lisburn to check out their records and they are not mentioned. However, I feel they attended meetings in order to "keep in good" with their employer, Richardson, who was a driving force in the Quaker movement at that time. I feel the family moved from Mullabrack to Kilmore when Richardson built the meeting house at Richhill in early 1800's (1803, 1807??) Possibly got a better house out of the deal - Richardson owned most of the townlands around and therefore the houses. The Richhill Meeting has produced a little history book which was presented to me when I went to Richhill a few years ago and my people are listed in it as behind in their subscriptions (actually, they never did pay any). So, the short answer is Yes, and No. Their records are all with the Church of Ireland.
Sher
Sher
Saturday 6th Feb 2016, 08:15PM -
OK. Well then maybe you should search Mullaghbrack Church of Ireland records. Some of their records have been destroyed (in the 1922 fire) but what does still exist are: baptisms 1764 to 1783, and 1799 to 1811. Marriages 1737 – 63 and 1812 – 1845, and burials 1737 – 1760 and 1813 – 1874.
There’s a copy of all those records in PRONI but a personal visit is required to access them.
The records might also be on rootsireland (subscription) but I don’t know.
Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Sunday 7th Feb 2016, 09:19PM -
Elwyn:
We will be in Belfast in September, so I'll check out the Mullabrack films then.
If anyone else from Kimore will be at PRONI before September/16, please have a look for me - WilliamBLAIR, married there September 1822 to Mary Heuston. Thanks!
Sher
Tuesday 9th Feb 2016, 01:04AM