Hi Heather,
Very interesting post.
James WHITTLE concentrated his business (with WALLACE) at the mills at Muckamore.
[SE of Antrim town, on the South side of the river.
He bought the old manse at Ballycreggy, retiring there ~1800
Such was flattened many years ago, and now lies under the Ballycreggy Housing Estate.]
He was joined in business there by William CHAINE (who came from Ballymena town).
He married Jane WHITTLE, the only daughter, who had been looking after her aged father.
Their son, James CHAINE ("Father of the port of Larne") built Moylena Cottage.
[... and then lived at Ballycraigy House?]
Ballycraigy townland lies just to the SE of Stiles townland.
https://www.townlands.ie/antrim/antrim-upper/antrim/ballycraigy/[N.B. Not to be confused with the ones at Ballymena, Carnmoney or Larne.
Abeit the CHAINEs move to the Larne townland later.
The townland is sometime referred to as "Balycreggy".]
https://www.townlands.ie/antrim/antrim-upper/antrim/stiles/So, reckon that that particular Conway McNEICE from there MUST have been connected to the CHAINEs/WHITTLEs by "close-by" association.
Very interested in the "Doagh" connection as well.
Such is the name of townland (encompassing the village of Doagh) just West of Ballyclare.
https://www.townlands.ie/antrim/antrim-upper/grange-of-doagh/doagh/[We have a long-sought research task to prove/disprove a link between our family and the Glenavy WHITTLEs and our family?!!!]
However, note that "Doagh" is also the designation for a Civil Registration District (CRD).
[Once formal civil registration of BMD was introduced.
As such it covered parts of 35 townlands.
See my warning at
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=729718.msg5745160]
Do you have any more information on the Conway McNEICE from there (geography, dates, etc.) ?
Ta,
Capt. Jock