Presbyterian Churches in and around Ballyclare

[MaggieTag]

Hi All,

Will be visiting PRONI soon to search church records on the Gillespie family who lived in the Ballycalre area in the mid 19th c and before. I know that they had associations with Ballylinney and Kilbride churches can anybodf suggest if there are any other church records that might be useful. The family were Presbyterian,

Many Thanks

Margaret

[aghadowey]

Ballyclare Presbyterian Church?

[Jenny57]

Hi

As well as Ballyclare Presbyterian, there is also Ballyeaston Presbyterian and Ballynure Presbyterian.  Might be worth checking Ballyclare Reformed Presbyterian. Dont know the difference between Pres and reformed Pres tho. My Granny was married in  Ballyclare Ref Pres and went on to worship in Ballynure and Ballyclare Pres.

ATB with your research.

[MaggieTag]

Thanks Aghadowey and Jenny,

Was a t PRONI yesterday not a mention in Ballyclare Pres. Some information in Kilbride and Ballylinney but there are some gaps, looks as in your case Jenny, the family may have been associated with several of the churches in the district.

Margaret

[OTTO]

What about First Ballyeaston Presbyterian Church, Establisherd, I believe around 1676.

OTTO

[jwaugh]

Hi Margaret

There are no Gillespie's in First Ballyeaston Presbyterian Baptismal Registers.

Do you know where in the Ballyclare area they lived?  Names dates of Birth, Death etc.

John, Ballyclare

[MaggieTag]

Hi John,

From the records I have from births and deaths I'm coming up with Ballygallough and Ballylinney( I know that this is a townland and parish). The records I have show that they were farmers - I haven't been at this all that long and don't have a grasp yet on how land records work, which would probably be very helpful.

The names and dates that I have are:

John Gillespie c1795-1866 married to Nancy c1800-1888 both buried Ballylinney Old.

Their children thayt I have info on are :

1.Thomas Gillespie c1838-1897 m Elizabeth bc1826. Buried Ballylinney Old. This is my line.
2.Kernahan Gillespie 1842-1895 buried Ballylinney Old. He farmed at My Lords Mountain, Monkstown and left the farm to sister Jennie (Jane)who never married
3.Jane- see above

The children of Thomas and Elizabeth(above) that i know of are:

1.Thomas Gillespie c1862
2.William Gillespie 1866-1937 married to Agnes Laird. This is my line. They married at Kilbride in 1898 even though Agnes's family were members of the NS Pres in Ballyclare. (The Gillespies as far as I know were not NSP's) Wm And Agnes's  kids were christened at Ballylinney. Agnes was Williams second wife he married his first wife Jane Wylie also at Kilbride in 1889. William as well as being a farmer at Ballygallough was also a manager at the Paper Mill in Ballyclare.
3.James Gillespie bc1868 married to Eliza Gordon at Kilbride and their children christened at Ballylinney.

I'm at a loss to know where to look for church records especially relating to the marriages of Thomas c1838 to Elizabeth c1826. I know that there is a big difference in their ages but from the 1911 census I have Elizabeth living at Ballygallough with her grandchildren from her son Williams first marriage to Jane Wylie, ie Alex and Alice Gillespie.

I have a lot more information on the family from c1900 onwards whether this would help - I dont know.

Hope this makes sense and that maybe someone out there could give me a few pointers as to where to look next.

Thanks

Margaret

[jwaugh]

Hi Margaret

I have been unable to find the Marriage of Thomas to Elizabeth on any of the Websites I usually use. 

You should have a look at the Church records PRONI have on microfilm for Ballylinney Presbyterian
MIC1P/327/1  Baptisms 1851- 1922
                      Marriages 1845 - 1900

Also CR/3/16 which should be paper records from 1837-1868. Not sure what these records are.

Ballygallough is spelled Ballygallagh which is the area around the Mill Road, Hillhead road and Templepatrick Road, Ballyclare today. This would include the Old Paper Mill.

John

[MaggieTag]

John,

Many thanks for the advice.

Margaret