Drain(e)

John was born about 1865.  I only know he was from Antrim from a very short death notice from a Chicago newspaper in 1894 at the age of 28.

John emigrated in 1888.

The only (probable) relative I've connected him too is another John of about the same age here in Chicago.  He was born in Belfast to Patrick and Sarah (Devlin) Drain about 1864.  The two lived together in Chicago for a year or two before "my" John was married.  After my John moved out, "cousin" John lived an aunt (Marie Drain, b. 1854).

My John was a horseshoer.  His wife was RC, so I'm assuming he was as well.  Their children were bapitized in an RC church here in Chicago.

The first-born son (the only to survive into adulthood) was Henry John.  The second son (who died in infancy) was Martin.  He was named after his maternal grandfather, which leads me to believe it is probable that Henry was named after his paternal grandfather.

I've located a record of a Robert John Drain born to a Henry in 1865 (albeit across the county line in Coleraine).  There is also a John born to a George in 1865 (I believe in Ballymena).

There was another Drain family in Chicago at this time -- a Patrick Draine, son of Harry Draine of Mill Quarter, Grange of Ballyscallion, but I have not yet been able to connect this family to mine.

I first learned of my John about 2001, and I have yet to locate a date of birth, a place of birth or any relatives in Antrim.  He remains my strongest brick wall.