McKeown of Bo'ness Lookup?

[Adamb]

Hi,

Hugh McKeown was an immigrant miner from County Antrim.  He raised a large family at Bo'ness before he moved to Northumberland where many of his descendants still live.

I haven't been able to find any record of the birth or baptism of his 4 earliest children (his wife was Elizabeth, formerly Bankhead - they married in Ireland before moving to Bo'ness.)

The children I'm after with approximate years of birth are:

Robert (c 1848)
John (c 1851)
Margaret (c 1852)
Hugh (c 1854)

I have all the census returns, no problem there.  I know the family were protestant - but there doesn't seem to be any sign of baptisms in the kirk indexes - maybe there was a Methodist church?  Any suggestions most welcome!

regards to all -

Adam

[Seoras]

Can't find any trace of those four so far Adam,just these two.

Henry born Bo'ness 30 July 1860

James born Bo'ness 1861

I presume Elizabeth born 1857 Bo'ness is theirs too.

[Adamb]

Thanks for trying!

I rather think there are no surviving records of the first 4 children's baptisms, but I will keep my request on the lookups list for now.  Maybe something will turn up.

Thanks again -

Adam

[Seoras]

It's possible Adam, I have a family in Bo'ness where some are births registered and others not, one of those not unfortunatly being my GG grandmother.

[mattfrombann]

Hi

I suggest you try Ahoghill, Co Antrim (and surrounding Parishes) Presbyterian registers. That is where the Bankhead were almost exclusively at that time. Most Presbyterian registers just about started early 1800s so you might be lucky. I am away from my records but I think I have a note of a Bankhead/McKeown marriage somewhere

Matt Bankhead (of Ahoghill descent).

PS. There were Bo'ness Bankheads who also moved to Northumerland where also many of their desendants still live

[Adamb]

Thank you for your advice, Matt.  I do already have a record of the marriage of Hugh McKeown and Elizabeth Bankhead on 4 April 1847 at Portglenone, Antrim.

However, it seems the couple emigrated almost immediately after their marriage and all the children were born in Bo'ness.  The family story is that they ran away from Ireland, but to me it seems more likely that Hugh McKeown had heard of the need for more miners at Bo'ness and he went there in search of work.

I'm interested by what you say about the connection of Bankheads to Northumberland.  I have often wondered why the McKeowns moved from Bo'ness to the Northumberland coal-field.  It's possible that Elizabeth Bankhead had heard of improved working conditions down in Northumberland from members of her family.  In the end the family did very well in the mining industry.

Regards

Adam

[mattfrombann]

Hi

Back home for a short visit and rummaging in my notes:-

The father of Elizabeth (Eliza) bankhead was John Bankhead, a weaver in Lisroden. He may also be the father of Nancy Bankhead who married Francis Brisbane in Auchnaclegh 21/4/1849. It is possible that his is the John Bankhead tombstone in 1st Ahoghill with wife Margaret Jane

There was precisely one Bankhead Family in Bo'ness, the parents of whom were John, described as a Provision Merchant born Ireland c1823, and Sarah born Ireland c1825. There were at least 8 children, one of whom, John Jnr returned from Newcastle upon Tyne to register his fathers death in 1899

There is a very clear pattern of Antrim - Scotland (mining) - Northumberland

In the 1851 census for Eshott parish we find Mary Anne Bankhead daughter of James and Nancy Bankhead both born Ireland (James about 1811). her siblings are James (born Ireland 1843) Margaret and Sarah(Scotland 1846/1854)


matt

[Adamb]

Matt,

Sorry not to have replied earlier - have not been 'genealoging' in recent days.

What you say is very interesting re the Bankheads and I agree that Elizabeth McKeown was the daughter of John, a weaver.

Many thanks for your help - I'll keep this open to see if there are any other contributions at least til the New Year.

kind regards

Adam