Family History Searches

Hi there,

My wife’s grandmother was Margaret Drake, born in Saintfield in 1891.
Has anyone done a family tree of the Drakes?
Are there still Drakes in the village?

Thanks,
David Browne

Hi there,

I have been researching my tree for some years and I have turned my attention to my Snowdon/Shaw family from the Carricknacessna and Oughley area. My GGGG grand parents William John Snowden (father John) and Mary Shaw ( father James) were both school teachers who I suspect taught at Lessans school outside Saintfield. They moved eventually to Londonderry where William John Snowden became Headmaster of Gwyn’s academic Institution. One of his sons, James Snowdon, went on to become A Presbyterian Minister at Blackrock in Dublin. His other children all became teachers or married teachers in Londonderry.

I was wondering if you had any records relating to Lessans school and anything on the Shaw and Snowdon families?

Best regards
Paul Donnelly

Hi there,

My mum talked about being evacuated to Saintfield during the war and she said she used to live there at some point during 1940s/1950s.  Her name was Montgomery.  She also mentioned going to the school in Saintfield.  Could anyone point me in the right direction for researching this info?

Many thanks,
S. Hull

Hello from Ottawa, Canada!

There are so many holes in my father’s side of the family – I came across a story that there were some Maffetts in your area…is this true?

It’s an incredibly uncommon name here.

Regards,
Jody

The facts that I have on this side of the Atlantic (US/Canada) are pretty well known, but where my family came from in County Down not so much.

I know that William McGibbon (Sr.) was born around 1783 and married Agnes. They had some children James (1816); Joseph (1820); William (1830); Margaret (1810); Susanna (1825); Mary (1814). There was also a Samuel who may have been a relative but not a child of theirs.  James may have immigrated a bit earlier than the rest of the family which seems to have left in 1847. Apparently they were either connected by marriage or good friendship to a McCracken family as there was some correspondence years later which mentioned the old homestead in Glassdrumman.

They originally settled in Moores Mills, New Brunswick Canada, but most of the family immigrated once again to Lewiston, Maine in the United States.

If anyone has any information regarding my family in the Saintfield area I (and the rest of the family) would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks again for any assistance you can render.

I wonder if you have information on the history of Doran’s Rock and if Daniel Doran born c 1710 owned the land at the time. I descended from Patrick Doran, born 1735, and he might be Daniel’s son. After the Battle of Saintfield, the family went to Glasgow in Scotland. Patrick and his son Patrick Jr were tenant farmers in Seaforde nearby, prior to 1805. Information would be appreciated. I live in New Zealand.

Thanks.
Rachel Hessey

I live in New Zealand.  My ancestors were William (c1810), Andrew his son (married Rachel Purdy 1853), and John (Andrew’s son born about 1860).  He married Lizzie (Eliza, Elizabeth) Boyd in 1880.  She died about 1882.  One child Eliza Jane born 1881.  John was a Tailor in Ballynahinch.  He emigrated to NZ 1887.  H Cecil Patterson was a cousin to John.  Does anyone have any information about this family?

Thanks.
Sally Billington (nee Patterson)

Hi there,

Thanks to an earlier query I made great breakthroughs for my Smyths of Lisdoonan. Now I need some help for the other side of the Sloan family, the Kennedy side. I am currently working on the Kennedys from Knocknagoney, Holywood. I know that John Kennedy had 3 daughters and 3 sons. One of the daughters Sarah Kennedy married Dr Henry Simpson of 1st Presbyterian, Saintfield in 1803. Her sister as listed in their fathers will of 1814, Margaret Kennedy, married someone named Robinson, farm in Cursens (Thats what it looks like but could be Lessons). I would assume they married around 1790ish. Cheers and thanks for any help anyone can give.

Jo

Hi Ian,

Thanks for getting back to me. As I put in my original email my 2nd great grandparents were from Saintfield and so were grandad’s side, and grandmother’s were just out of it.

My 2nd great grandfather was Robert Lackey born c1847 in Saintfield (master boot & shoe maker). His father was James Lackey (boot & shoe maker) born c1815 in Saintfield, from information that has been handed to me via a cousin (1851 census of the area). James was married to a lady called Jane ?, and as well as Robert there were 7 siblings listed – William c1838, James c1839, George c1841, John c1843, Alexander c1845, Francis c1849 and Jane 1851 (she was 8 days old at the census).

Robert married Mary Jane Jackson (born c1843 Barnamaghery, Kilmore) in 1866 at the Presbyterian church in Kilmore. I have their marriage certificate. They had 2 children in Ireland – Margaret Jane b1867 and Thomas Jackson b1868 before they moved to Durham UK sometime before 1870 when they went on to have 11 more children.

Mary Jane Jackson’s father was Thomas Jackson a farmer. I have been sent a photo of the house and land of Thomas Jackson as it still has Jackson ancestors living there today.
James Lackey (c1815) – father was also called James and he was married to Jane Thompson. I have no dates for these two at all.

One of the siblings mentioned (I think James or possibly another not known) had a son James Lackey born 1892. He was living with Robert & Mary in the UK in 1901. In 1911 he was living with a family down the road (listed as adoptive parents) and when he was killed in action in WW1 all his belongings went to the adoptive family.

This is all I know of the Lackey and Jacksons mentioned. If anyone local knows of the families and their history, or if there is anyone who could do church record look ups to get more precise dates, baptisms, marriages, deaths, children or even any photos, documents etc I would be very grateful. I am more than happy to pay postage costs to cover any documents posted or they can be emailed to me. I am also happy for my email to be added to the post that you put up.

Many thanks,
Amy
[amylackey@freeola.net]

Hi,

I’m actually a former resident of Saintfield (No 64 Main St) in the 1970s.

I’m doing some family history research and relatives of mine (Catherine Marsh) had a pub on the Main Street (No 68) from about 1910 to 1940. I wonder if you have any photos of the Main Street during that period which may show it? Or any other information on the Marsh family Pub?

Regards

David