McKillop of Glenarm and Larne

[HughC]

Does anyone know anything about David McKillop (ca 1728 - 1805) who moved from Glenarm to Larne?  He was said to have been 50 years a naval lieutenant, though I think someone must have miscalculated or misunderstood.  He was said to have m. a Miss Forbes: I'd like to know who she was.  Their son John lived at Ballgarvey House near Ballymena.

Also looking for James McKillop of Glenarm, whose dau. Mary (1770-1826) m. Alexander Davison of Knockboy, Broughshane.  The Davisons were a mixture of Presbyterian and C of I, and I think these McKillops may have been too.  Were James and David brothers, cousins, or otherwise related?

[BellaB]

Hello Hugh,
I know it's a while since you posted your question but I have only just found it.   David McKillop could well have been a Lieutenant for 50 years, in those days you passed your Lieut's certificate then remained at that rank until you got a command, which might never happen.  Not like later when promotion was based on sea time and seniority.

I have long known about David McK as he shows up in various Navy lists but didn't know his connection to my McKillop ancestor until I found his name as Lieutenant on the muster lists for HMS Buckingham then HMS Warwick in the 1770s.  My ancestor was an AB on Buckingham then moved to Warwick at the same time as David. A short while later my McKillop passed his lieutenants certificate and moved on to HMS Resolution but I am thinking that David was helping another McKillop from the same region get on in the Navy, I have no evidence they were related.

I have a will from Lieutenant Richard McKillop mentioning his brother Lt. John McKillop who I think was the John at Ballygarvey.  The will also mentions sisters Peggy and Jane.

I have only just started to look into the Glenarm McKillops so would live to hear about any of them!

Regards.
Bella.

[HughC]

Ciao, Bella, and welcome to RootsChat.  There are many helpful people here.

There's a book The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy, 1660-1815 by David Syrett and R.L. DiNardo [his spelling, not mine!] (published in Aldershot 1994) which says that David gained his commission on 16 Dec. 1762.  He died 9 July 1805, which I make only 42 and a half years, even though I doubt he was still serving at age 77.  However, in 1762 he was already over 30, so I suppose that date could be in error.

The two sons I know of are
Lt Richard, of Plymouth; Lt 14 Jan. 1794; d. 8 Dec. 1812; in this case O'Byrne was right that he was 18 years in the rank.
Cdr John, of Ballygarvey House.  If you like to post a couple more messages on one or other RootsChat board, you'll qualify as a bona fide member and I'll then be able to send you a personal message with his career and biographical details (assuming you would like them).

I know about the sister Jane as she was my ancestor.  Peggy is new to me: can you tell me anything about her?

[BellaB]

Hello Hugh,
No, the numbers don't add up for David do they. I think I would query the date he became a lieutenant as 1762 would imply he was rather old (though you had to be at least 22).  I haven't found the actual passing certificate for him, he isn't in Pappalardo's index to passing certs.

Peggy is listed as 'My Sister' along with Jane in Richard McKillop's will.  I haven't transcribed the whole thing yet as the PRO scan is not very clear and the handwriting is hard going.  Fancy a stab at it?!

I am most interested in any family details of David, Richard and John, I already have their listings from Commissioned Sea Officers and other service histories.  My focus is finding out how they knew my ancestor, another John McKillop, who seems to have been sponsored by David to get him into the Navy, then when he drowned rather young Richard leaves his son a significant sum of money in his will.  Were they actually related or was this all just a helping hand to 'cousins' from the same town.

A puzzle I have been pondering for 25 years!

Bella.

[HughC]

Bella,

Your John could well have been a cousin.  There was a John, elder of the Presbyterian church in Glenarm in 1750 (according to an article in the Larne Times in 1911).  He's the presumed father of James of Glenarm, who in turn is presumed to be the father of Mary (1770-1826) who married Alexander Davison of Knockboy, Broughshane.  They are six generations back from me, but I know little about that line.

David was a member of the established Church (C of I, Anglican), but that could have come about because his wife was supposedly of aristocratic stock.

Was your ancestor a member of the crew on Cook's second voyage to the South Seas in 1772-75?  The surgeon aboard the Resolution was James Patten, also from Ireland and also in my family tree, though connected "round three corners" (as the Försters would probably have said).

You wouldn't believe how much I've found out in the past 25 years.  We may yet discover a connection (or at least some more details).

Hugh

[BellaB]

Hi,
My John was born in or before 1750.  The only age I have for him is '21 on joining the ship' shown on the muster roll in 1771.  Couldn't find any earlier muster rolls so don't know when he joined.  He married in 1777 and had at least 3 children before drowning in 1782.

Sadly it isn't that Resolution....... My heart skipped a beat at the thought he had sailed with Cook but no, another Resolution.

Here's to finding something interesting!
Bella.

[HughC]

I've sent you a personal message, Bella.

[AlexanderMcK]

Hello folks,
I'm not sure if there is a connection to John McKillop, Lieut who was married in Ballygarvey (1928) or not. I'm working backwards from Elizabeth McKillop, born "at sea" who was registered & Baptised in Portsmouth, Hampshire to parents John & Ann McKillop. At some point between 1837 and 1861 John died. That's about the only facts I know for certain.

Puzzled by the fact that Elizabeth was born at sea, I've searched for a naval connection and found John & Ann's marriage announcement in Ballygarvey, 1928. But I have no real certainty that it's the same John & Ann who were parents of Elizabeth. Elizabeth and Ann ended up in Leicester, England so again I remain skeptical of the connection to the Ballygarvey John McKillop. Any thoughts or info anyone can provide is appreciated.

Alex

[HughC]

Alexander,

You mean 1828, and they were married in Ballymena [announcement in the Belfast News-Letter and also Mormon records].  John died at Ballygarvey House on 6 Mar. 1863, according to naval records, and was supposedly buried at Kirkinriola, but I couldn't find a gravestone when I was there a couple of years ago.

Ann née Dickey apparently died on 23 Jan. 1874 aged 77, which puts her birth in 1796-97.  Is said to have been buried with her husband.

I know of only two daughters: Jane (b. 1833-34, d. 1916) who was unmarried and kept house for her unmarried brother Lambert; and Christina (b. 1839-40, d. 1923) who married William Henry.

....... Hugh