I mentioned in my first post that I’m also quite keen to figure out if Nathaniel Wilson was connected to the Wilsons of Le Ballyclare and Ballygallagh. Below is a newspaper which contains some important details for this family.
Northern Whig, 5th Aug 1841
John Forsythe, Esq., examined by Mr. Holmes - I have a deed of 3d October 1713 - (Produces it). I am agent to Mr. Dobbs, and receive the fee farm rents of Le-Ballyclare for him, under this deed. (The deed was a grant of the lands of Le-Ballyclare, from Richard Dobbs, Esq., to Thomas Wilson. Witness produced, also, a conveyance of said lands to Thomas Wilson, jun., from Thos. Wilson, sen, his father; and a deed of 1787, conveying the fee to Charles Cyrmble, Esq. These were admitted by the defendant’s council.) I knew Mr. Crymble, who died about 1797. He left two daughters, but no sons - One, named Anne, was afterwards married, but the other, Clementina, remained unmarried. [Mr. Holmes here read a deed of 2d August, 1821, from Mr. and Mrs. Dickson (Anne Crymble), and Clementina Crymble, conveying the aforesaid lands to Wm. Simms, Esq., his heirs and assigns. The lease included all the streams, etc, in Le-Ballyclare, with a right to erect weirs, etc, below the tail-race from the works of R. & J. Bell & Co., and to convey the water to the paper mill of Blow, Ward, and Greenfield, through the lands demised by the lease. ........... Andrew McSkimm, examined by Mr. Hutton - I am 77 years old. I was bred and born in the townland of Le-Ballyclare. When I was a boy, it belonged to Mr. Thomas Wilson. I remember Mr. Wilson’s making a new cut from Ballygallagh river to his garden, through the glen. This is about 60 years since. [c1781]
One theory is that one of these Thomas Wilsons was the Rev. Thomas Wilson who was ordained in Ballyclare in 1711 and in 1725 was one of the founders of the Presbytery of Antrim. In 1757 he was struck off for “marrying persons in a clandestine manner” (I think that means without Banns).
In 1765 a Thomas Wilson of Le Ballyclare, “now in the 83rd year of my age” wrote his will, but since a Mr Arthur Lusk owed him “a very great sum but I have lost all hope of it” he bemoaned his lack of property. He names his…
Son Thomas Wilson (inherits books, pamphlets, manuscripts and papers)
Daughter Widow Bullock
Grandson Thomas Marshal
Grandson Thomas Ellet
Grandson Thomas Robinson
If it wasn’t for his apparent lack of property I’d have assumed this was the Thomas Wilson senior mentioned in the Northern Whig article. Though I suppose he may already have signed over his land and house(s) to his son as article suggests. Since the Rev. Thomas Wilson had been struck off a few years earlier, this man could still be the ex-Rev too.
This, I think, is the death notice of the second Thomas Wilson:
Belfast Newsletter, 10-14 Jan 1794:
On Sunday last, Mr. Thomas Wilson, of Ballyclare. -- To the native simplicity of his manners, which rendered him acceptable to society, was added the integrity of an honest mind, which made him respectable. He possessed a fund of humor, which neither the approach of old age, the hand of adversity, nor even the severity of disease could exhaust.
So far my working hypothesis is:
(Rev?) Thomas Wilson of Le Ballyclare c1682-1766
Thomas Wilson of Le Ballyclare c1720? – 1794
John Wilson of Le Ballyclare (c1760? - ?)
Thomas Wilson of Le Ballyclare (c1770? - ?)
Again, I’m just hoping someone has more information on these Wilsons. Does anyone know more about the Rev. Thomas Wilson of Ballyclare? Is there evidence to link the families of Nathaniel Wilson and the Wilsons of Le Ballyclare?