Parish Records Bangor Co Down Mckee family

[dorothy]

Hi there

I am really struggling to find out more about my Mckee family that came to Cumberland in the mid 1850's.

Robert Mckee born abt 1817 in Bangor Co Down, married Jane Houston born abt 1817 in Armagh, (marriage not yet found),  they had at least 5 children in Bangor before they came to Cumberland

Robert Houston Mckee abt 1843
John Mckee abt 1845
Thomas Mckee abt 1847
Francis Mckee abt 1852
James Mckee abt 1854

They went on to have a child in Whitehaven in 1858, so came to Cumberland between 1854 and 1858.

Any idea where i might find their baptism's or Robert and Jane's marriage.

Thanks to anyone who can help

Best wishes

Dorothy

[Anthony]

Hi Dorothy I will try the UHF in the new year.
Would that be OK for you thats the best i can do.

                                                              Anthony

[dorothy]

Thanks Anthony

that would be great, thanks for your help

best wishes

Dorothy

[kinnaVL]

Hi Dorothy,

Did you ever get the data on Robert McKEE and Jane HOUSTON's children ?  I would be very interested.
The line I am researching is that of their son Francis, grandson Ernest x Julia RIDDICK, and ggd dau Ena Mary x Albert BRASH.
Best wishes, Annick

[aussietrekker]

Robert and Jane were married on NOVEMBER 27, 1841 at Ballygrainey Presbyterian Church, near Bangor. I believe my ancestor, Robert Houston may have been a witness.

[dorothy]

Hi sorry for the very late thank you reply.  I haven't been researching for a long while and have just logged in after quite a break and found your response to my query so many thanks

Any ideas on Jane's other family, was your Robert Houston a relative of Jane's?

[BallyaltikilliganG]

Griffith-Valuation see http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/  Balloo townland is the closest townland to Ballygrainey to contain a Robert McKee in 1863, the detail shows Robert McKee of Balloo/Ballow map ref 5Ab  has just a house valued at ten shillings pa . the landlord is Mary McKee who has 3 acres and a fifteen shillings house offices and land 3 acres map ref  5A a, 5B the map shows 2 buildings marked 5A we are within the boundary of Balloo house so perhaps servants to the estate.

using the controls on the map the area is now redeveloped the homestead would be about where  2 Rathgill Glen Bangor currently stands see google street scenes within google maps

successors to the property see PRONI valuation revision books
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/information-and-services/search-archives-online/valuation-revision-books 
the sources are

VAL/12/B/23/7A (1866 - 1871)
Robert McKEE takes over from Mary McKEE the map ref remains 5, 1867 robert name struck off in one entry
VAL/12/B/23/7B (1866 - 1871) couldn’t find Balloo
VAL/12/B/23/7D (1872 - 1882) found Balloo but no mckee
VAL/12/B/23/7G (1883 - 1893)  no trace
So speculation Mary McKee is the mother of Robert McKee


church records from Ros Davies frozen website
https://web.archive.org/web/20170312145901/http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rosdavies/
Ballygrainey Presbyterian Church.  This congregation was an offshoot of 1st Bangor in 1828 as the population was expanding.[ so earlier records might exist there] .This meeting house in Ballygrainey townland is called 'Bethel' and was built in 1837 ...It's where the six roads meet.
Records from 1838; North of Ireland FHS (www.nifs.org) has baptisms 1838-1949 & marriages 1845- 1949 & burials 1861- 1999 ; the Presbyterian Historical Society, Belfast has Session Minute Books 1862–1972; PRONI MIC1P/230/6;MIC1P/407- Baptisms, 1830-1940; marriages, 1838-1912; deaths, 1861-4, 1877-1951 and 1962-74; marriage notices, 1879-1906. ; no graveyard;
References; HCPCI p56; TU p 108;DR; V 7 p 20 OSM; GIC; PE; GIPR; HCPCI p35

the children
Robert Houston Mckee abt 1843 a Robert mckee b 1844 in down www.ancestryireland.com
John Mckee abt 1845 if 1846 possibly listed www.ancestryireland.com
Thomas Mckee abt 1847 possibly listed www.ancestryireland.com


notes from ros davies frozen website
Ballygrainey / Ballygreny a townland of 700 acres; 3km SE of Bangor
do have a look at her surname databases  if uyou don’t know her website

I did not check familysearch.org or emerald ancestors websites
good luck onwards

[dorothy]

Thank you so much for the information, it is quite puzzling though as Robert & Jane Mckee and family went to Whitehaven Cumberland Between their son James being born in 1854 and 1858 when their daughter was born in Whitehaven, and they are on the 1861 cenus in Whitehaven too.  Although Robert could still have rented the property.  The childrens names are right.

Thanks for the links, i had a quick look at Ros Davies's website none of my family members so far but i will keep looking. 

A possible mother for Robert is great

Thanks again for your help it is much appreciated

[Lou63]

Hi Dorothy
I have recently been researching my McKee family from the Ballygrainey area in Co. Down.  I 'm not sure if your Robert is any connection to my McKee's, but in my research of the Ballygrainey Presbyterian church, I found the following baptism records that may be helpful for you:

Robert Houston McKee born 24 Sep 1842 - parents Robert & Jane McKee.
Baptised Ballygrainey Presbyterian 29 Sep 1842

Samuel McKee born 26 Feb 1847 - parents Robert & Jane McKee
Baptised Ballygrainey Presbyterian 7 Apr 1847


With Robert McKee's middle name being Houston, I thought it probable that Houston is the mother's maiden name.  So Jane could be the Jane Houston you mentioned.

If I come across any other relevant information, I'll let you know.
Regards
Lou