Family History Searches

My name is Susan Barclay and we are researching Andrew Jackson who was born in 1800, married Agnes Robinson, and died 1876.  He lived in Lisowen.
We will be in the Saintfield area until Wednesday May 15, and any information on their land holding in Lisowen and their place of burial would be appreciated.

I am wondering if anyone in Saintfield can help me. My name is Beth Mooney and I am looking for information on my 3x Great Grandfather James George who was born in Saintfield about 1794/5. The only information I have is his army record. I would love to know who his parents and family were. When he left the army he married Sarah Lane in the Channel Islands where they lived for a few years before going to Devon, UK where Sarah was from.

I am searching for descendants of Thomas McKee who are still living in Northern Ireland.

Thomas was born in Saintfield in 1868 to William McKee (1814-1893) and Eliza Currie (1821-1897). He married Mary Catherine (Minnie) Fitzsimmons at Second Saintfield Presbyterian Church 22 April 1889.

Thomas and Minnie had five children: Robert (1891), William (1893), Georgina (1895), Thomas (1898), and Samuel (1901). Minnie died four days after Samuel’s birth and Samuel’s aunt (Thomas’ oldest sister, Sarah McKee Massey Gabbey) took Samuel to raise.

Thomas married Agnes McFerran 26 June 1902 at First Larne Presbyterian Church. Thomas and Agnes had three children: twins John and Catherine (1903), and James Holden (1907). Thomas became a contractor and owned Thomas McKee & Sons Builders located in Belfast. Thomas died 12 June 1945 and is buried in the cemetery at Second Saintfield Presbyterian with his parents and first wife.

When Thomas’ sister Sarah came to the United States in 1905 to be near her children who had emigrated earlier, she brought Sam Mckee with her. He was four years old. Sam only saw his dad once after leaving Ireland and that was when Thomas made a trip to the US in 1923 to visit his extended family.

Descendants of Sam are now living in several states in the US but have lost contact with their relatives in Northern Ireland. Any information provided to help us make contact would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for any help you can provide,
Jeffrey Bullins
North Carolina, USA

Hello – I live in Canada. I am researching John Bates who was born in St. Field in 1799. I am attempting to find information concerning his mother and father to continue on with my family history. John Bates married Elisabeth McFarlane from Tyrone, Northern Ireland before they arrived in Canada. Do you have, or have any local history that may help me in my search. Thanks.

Charles Bates

If you can help with this family history search please reply directly by using the Comment box at the bottom of the post or email us at info@discoversaintfield.com and we will forward your information.

Dear Saintfield folk,

I would be grateful for any information about this couple in my family.

George RINGLAND died 12 December 1964 at Bonnyblink, Lisdoonan, Saintfield, Co. Down, and his wife Edith Mary RINGLAND died 5th March 1983 aged 95 yrs and is buried in Saintfield Parish Church Cemetery.

Hopefully someone may remember them.

Thankyou,
John Johnston in New Zealand

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Further to my original request, someone may be able to help me in determining the location of Bonny Blink, Lisdoonan, Saintfield, County Down.

Is Bonny Blink a farm? Is it still a valid address?

If you can help with this family history search please reply directly by using the Comment box at the bottom of the post or email us at info@discoversaintfield.com and we will forward your information.

I believe my ancestor William Miller was born in Saintfield circa 1852. His Mother and Father were Edward and Anne. Edward’s occupation was listed as a saddler. I am trying to find out how and when William got to South Australia. It appears he was married in SA in 1880 and died here in 1899. Hope you can help.

Thanks
Colleen Peterson

If you can help with this family history search please reply directly by using the Comment box at the bottom of the post or email us at info@discoversaintfield.com and we will forward your information.

Hi

This may seem a strange request but I have been advised to make contact you by the Downpatrick library for assistance. I am trying to get some information about a book published by the SEELB in 1985. The author was a Roberta E McAuley and the book title is ‘INCH SCHOOL MEMOIR’. My late mother and some of her family, one of which died very recently are in one of the published photographs dated 1948 outside the school. I would like to obtain an original copy of the book and maybe with a bit of luck be able to get a copy of the class photograph. One of the contributors to the book among many others was a Geraldine Hegan c/o SEELB HQ if this helps. I would be obliged if you could deliver this email to the relevant department that deals with publications and with a little help and luck I might be able to get a copy of the photograph.

I will be indebted for any help I might receive, the request being more poignant after the recent death of Leslie Emmett and the death of my mother, Daphne Emmett some years ago.

I have enclosed the front cover and a page showing acknowledgements.

Thank you

Gordon Thompson
Belfast

If you can help with this family history search please reply directly by using the Comment box at the bottom of the post or email us at info@discoversaintfield.com and we will forward your information.

Dear Saintfield Heritage Society,

My wife’s grandfather, Daniel Herbert McCallum was from Bangor, Down and immigrated in the US in 1905.  His mother was Mary Stevely Woods, of Newtownards.  We have been researching the Woods ancestry, and were even able to visit Northern Ireland and the Public Records Office to do research.   We have much evidence to suggest they were from Saintfield and the parishes adjacent to the east.  I have been documenting our family research in Northern Ireland on my website at www.mccallum-omagh.blogspot.com

I am contacting you in the hopes that you may be able to connect me with someone locally who may point me to resources in Saintfield that might help our research.  I have used many online sources (PRONI, Ros Davies’ County Down site, others) and have pieced some together but I have still not been able to find the birthplace/hometown area for our Dr. William Woods.  Below I include what we do know of the Woods family.

I find numerous Woods families in the area, especially east of Saintfield in parishes Killinchy, Kilmore and Saintfield.

Any assistance or advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated.  We hope to return and make further connections with our cousins in County Down.

Kind regards,

Andrew Barett-Bettcher
Minnesota,  USA

WOODS FAMILY OF CO. DOWN

Dr. William Woods, MRCSE
Born. about 1810/11 in Co. Down, to John Woods, farmer.
Married 9 Jan. 1852 at Templecorran Presbyterian to Eliza McAlpin of
Ballycarry, Co. Antrim
Died 20 Mar. 1869, Newtownards, Co. Down.

Career and residence
• Licentiate of Medicine, Glasgow University 1838
• Member of Royal College of Surgeons England 1839
• Resided in Bangor 1843-1857
• Resided in Newtownards 1858-1869
• 1857-69 Med. Officer,Newtownards Union Workhouse Infirmary and Fever Hospital

Children – all baptised at 1st Presby, Bangor
born                    baptised     notes
William 31Jan1853 14Mar1853 died bef. 1903?
Madaline (McClure) 9Jul1854 25Aug1854 md. Washington Nicholl, lived at  Edenville, Bangor

Edwin (MacAlpine) 1Jan1856 2Feb1856 Merchant in London.  Md to Fanny?
Elm Lodge, Half Moon Lane, London, SE (Herne Hill SE24)
James Alfred 10Jul1857 28Aug1857 died 26Aug1859

Mary (Stevelly) 30Jun1860 29Aug1860

Clara md Mr. Walter of London

Helen md.  Died before 1903

2 others? died before 1903?

Known Woods family connections to Saintfield area:

1. Brother – John Woods of Drumnaconnell, Saintfield – will and probate from PRONI.  John Woods was a whitesmith and/or blacksmith in  Saintfield 1863-1865.  His will made his brother Dr. William Woods of  Newtownards executor.  Having searched the City Directories, John  Woods may have worked in Belfast 1835-1852.  He died 11 Dec. 1865 at  Drumnaconnell, a widower, born about 1802.  We have been unable to  locate information on his wife, or if he had children.

2. Rev. Hugh Woods of Bangor, minister of 1st Presbyterian from 1808-1857.  It is possible that Hugh was an uncle/cousin to William.  All of  William Wood’s children were baptized at Rev. Woods church in Bangor (1853-1860) and one of them was even named after Hugh’s wife Magdaline McClure.  Hugh Woods is known to have been the 3rd son of James Woods of Kilmore-Crossgar.  Hugh was born 1780, married 8 Dec. 1814 at Edenvale? to Magdaline McClure. Hugh died at Bangor in 1868.

3. Cousins in Ravara Townland (near Ballygowan in Killinchy Parish). It is known that the Mary Woods McCallum who came to America had a cousin, Magdaline McClurg who also lived in Michigan.  I have traced the McClurg’s to Ravara and have shown they are indeed Woods relatives via Thomas McClurg’s wife Ann Woods, born about 1835 was  daughter of John Woods of Ravara, farmer.

4. McCallum children (grandchildren of William Woods) attending school in Saintfield.   Helen McCallum and Daniel McCallum were attending school in Saintfield in 1905, just prior to emigrating.

5.Family oral history says our Woods family had connections/relations at Saintfield.

Anyone know ANYTHING about this surname MEJURY
I have an Ancestor named William John Mejury born Abt. 1850s
in Saintfield, Co Down.
Other Family names are Isabella & Hugh.