Search For Family History Of Dales And Smyths
I am from New Zealand and my cousin Shelley is from Canada and together we have been researching the Sloan family of Ballyrush, Comber. We were fortunate to be able to come to County Down last September and meet all our relatives in Comber. Now we are researching the families that the Sloan’s married into and for the Saintfield district we have two families.
The first is the DALES/DEALS family of Tullywest and Carricknacessna (Craighy or Craignasasonagh). Hugh Dales married Maria Sloan in 1846 at 2nd Presbyterian Church in Saintfield. It is understood that Hugh Dales lived in the House and farm that the McKees were killed in in the 1798 Rebellion (from the book “A History of the Descendants of David McKee of Anahilt”)We would love to have some idea prior to 1824 of the family, which we think we may have some record of from the Freeholders at PRONI, viz: Hugh Deals 1769 had three sons at Tullywest – James, William and John. James went to Carricknacessna sometime little time before or just after 1824. So anything on this family would be wonderful.
The second family is the SMYTH family of Lisdoonan, William Smyth married Elizabeth Sloan circa 1830’s. This family worshipped at the Reformed Church of Knockbracken. I know that William Smyth died in Ardstraw, County Tyrone at his daughters place in 1893 aged 93yrs, but we cannot find where Elizabeth Sloan/Smyth died.
Cheers and thanks for any help given. Jo-anne Sunbeam
[If you can help with this search you can either add a Comment to this post or email: info [at] discoversaintfield [dot] com.]
The Grant family search
Tom Grant, who is hoping to contact relatives in Saintfield, has added the information that his ancestor was Samuel Grant, who owned Ballyknockan flax mill. He had seven children, three of whom, Robert, Samuel and Thomas, went to Canada. He believes the others stayed around Saintfield and would like to make contact with their descendants.
Tom Grant is looking for relatives in Saintfield
The website received this message from Tom Grant, who is hoping to make contact with relatives in Saintfield called Grant. If you have any information that could help, please contact the website.
Hello my name is Tom Grant and I believe my ancestors came from Saintfield Parish, however I have no documentation. I will be visiting Ireland this May and would love to seek out information on them. My grandfather, Tom Grant left Ireland in the early part of the 1900’s with his two brothers Sam and Robert. We believe they left behind other siblings and relatives. Anything you have would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Tom Grant
Please tell Wilsons and O’Hanlons in Saintfield about this
“I came to Canada with my parents, Elizabeth and Samuel James Hanlon (formerly O’Hanlon) in 1949 at under a year of age. They have both been deceased for many years now. As a child I remember my Mother, talking about growing up in Saintfield, Northern Ireland. She was born Elizabeth (Betty) Wilson on April 1, 1929 to her parents – Elizabeth (Bushnell, I believe) and William (Billy) Wilson. She was one of the youngest of a large family – 16 children – with several sets of twins. The siblings I remember her mentioning were Maizie, Tommy, Peggy, Winston and Sadie. Many would have left the family home by the time she was growing up. Sadly, when my Mother came to Canada she lost contact with her parents and siblings and she died at a young age – never getting back home to her beloved Ireland.My Father, Samuel James O’Hanlon was born in Canada to Irish parents, who had emigrated to Canada sometime earlier. He was born in Toronto, Canada on October 14, 1921 to Lavinia (Thompson) and Bernard O’Hanlon. My father had four siblings, Bernard (Ben), Norman, Ronald and Phyllis O’Hanlon. The family went back to Belfast, or close by, in 1938 and my father served in the British Army from 1939-1946. On June 18, 1947 my parents married and I was born the following May 15, 1948. The address on my birth certificate is 12 Cedar Valley, Ballydollaghan, in the district of Ballylesson, Lisburn.In the Spring of 1949 my parents and I came by ship to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. All of my Father’s siblings, except for Ronald and Phyllis, emigrated to Canada after that. My Grandfather, Bernard O’Hanlon, left the family and has never been heard from. My Grandmother, Lavinia O’Hanlon, stayed in Ireland and lived on 29 London Road, Belfast until her death many years ago.Any information on either side of my family would be greatly appreciated. I am hoping to take a trip to Ireland (and hopefully) Saintfield this year.
Sincerely,
Betty (Hanlon) Catania”
The last two people who made enquiries about their families through this website were successfully re-united. Let’s hope this can be a third success.
Betty Catania is searching for Saintfield relatives
Betty Catania emigrated to Ontario with her parents in 1949, when she was less than a year old. Her mother, Elizabeth (Betty) Wilson, remembered growing up in Saintfield. Betty Catania is keen to make contact with anyone who knew her mother and she has provided the following information about her family.
“I came to Canada with my parents, Elizabeth and Samuel James Hanlon (formerly O’Hanlon) in 1949 at under a year of age. They have both been deceased for many years now. As a child I remember my Mother, talking about growing up in Saintfield, Northern Ireland. She was born Elizabeth (Betty) Wilson on April 1, 1929 to her parents – Elizabeth (Bushnell, I believe) and William (Billy) Wilson. She was one of the youngest of a large family – 16 children – with several sets of twins. The siblings I remember her mentioning were Maizie, Tommy, Peggy, Winston and Sadie. Many would have left the family home by the time she was growing up. Sadly, when my Mother came to Canada she lost contact with her parents and siblings and she died at a young age – never getting back home to her beloved Ireland.
My Father, Samuel James O’Hanlon was born in Canada to Irish parents, who had emigrated to Canada sometime earlier. He was born in Toronto, Canada on October 14, 1921 to Lavinia (Thompson) and Bernard O’Hanlon. My father had four siblings, Bernard (Ben), Norman, Ronald and Phyllis O’Hanlon. The family went back to Belfast, or close by, in 1938 and my father served in the British Army from 1939-1946. On June 18, 1947 my parents married and I was born the following May 15, 1948. The address on my birth certificate is 12 Cedar Valley, Ballydollaghan, in the district of Ballylesson, Lisburn.
In the Spring of 1949 my parents and I came by ship to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. All of my Father’s siblings, except for Ronald and Phyllis, emigrated to Canada after that. My Grandfather, Bernard O’Hanlon, left the family and has never been heard from. My Grandmother, Lavinia O’Hanlon, stayed in Ireland and lived on 29 London Road, Belfast until her death many years ago.
Any information on either side of my family would be greatly appreciated. I am hoping to take a trip to Ireland (and hopefully) Saintfield this year.
Sincerely,
Betty (Hanlon) Catania”
The last two people who made enquiries about their families through this website were successfully re-united. Let’s hope this can be a third success.
Another family making contact through this website
Maurice Bunyan contacted this website recently, wishing to make contact with his relations in Saintfield. His cousin has responded and, once again, people far away have been able to re-establish contact with family members still in Saintfield.
Does anyone know Fay Magean (nee Smith)?
We have had a request from Maurice Bunyan to try and find his cousin Fay Magean nee Smith.
If anyone knows Fay please ask her to contact us and we will give her her cousin’s contact details.
Descendants of Alexander Massey of Tonaghmore sought
Sandra Ward, who lives in Motherwell, Scotland, is researching her family history, which takes her back to two families around Saintfield, the Battons and Masseys.
She has found out a lot about the Battons but would like to make contact with any descendants of Alexander Massey who was a farmer in Tonaghmore in the 1850s or 60s. He had three sons, John, William and Robert and a daughter Eliza who married a Batton.
If you are a descendant of Alexander Massey or know someone who is, please respond to this post and we will put you in touch with Sandra.
Maureen Bunn makes contact with Finlay family
In September Maureen contacted the website to trace members of the Finlay family that she last met over fifty years ago. Thanks to your responses Maureen has been able to make contact and plans to come over from England next year to visit Saintfield and the Finlay family.
Maureen Bunn seeks Finlay family
Maureen contacted us to try to make contact with the Finlay family that she stayed with in 1952. She says:
“I visited Saintfield in 1952 and stayed with a family on a farm at LISDALGAN. I had a wonderful holiday and met lovely people. The family was JACK & MARGARET FINLAY and they had a baby daughter called Jacqueline.
My Uncle, who took me on holiday, was SAM MILLIGAN – his Sister, JESSIE, was Margaret’s mother. Other children in Jessie’s family were John, James, Thomas and Cynthia (Cinders). I believe they lived in Ballycarngannon. I have kept photos of them for all these years and would love to know the whereabouts of the family. I am now 77 ! Thank you.”
If you know any of these people can you let us know and we will put Maureen in touch again.
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