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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Antrim => Topic started by: mckechnie on Sunday 26 June 05 16:59 BST (UK)
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Over a number of years I have gathered information relating to the name McKechnie in Ireland. I am setting some out of the salient points for the period before 1860. This data has not all been confirmed by me with original sources.
I hope that this helps others; but would also be very pleased if other researchers were able to add to this and indeed make some of the links which must be there just beneath the surface.
1. Brothers Robert and James McKechnie. Born about 1811 to 1816. I do not know where. Robert married Mary Simpson. James married Mary Logan, who was born in Ireland. All the children that I know of of both couples were born in Ireland between 1838 and 1846. Both Robert and James appear to have died by 1861.
2. Robert McKechnie, President of the NY Typographical Union #6, was born in Co. Armagh on 20 Oct 1834, attended the Academical Institute, apprenticed on the Belfast Whig and emigrated to NewYork in January 1854. His parents were William and Margaret McKechnie. William is said to have been born in Scotland and to have been a soldier. Margaret's maiden name is unknown.
3. John McKechnie was an armoury sergeant in the Renfrewshire Militia. He was discharged on 10 aug 1815 and reenlisted on 18 Aug 1815 in Athlone.
4. Rose McKechnie (nee Murdoch) died in Greenock age 76 on 26 Feb 1895. She was born in Ireland, by inference about 1819. Her son, George McKechnie, was born in Ireland about 1847. Her husband, also George, was an army sergeant and had died by 1871.
5. Robert McKechnie, born in Belfast in 1803, joined the 71st Foot at Glasgow on 19 June 1826. His son William McKechnie was born at Claverhouse Castle (Dundee) on 27 July 1832. He was discharged on 11 March 1846 at Kingston, Ontario.
6. William McKechnie, an army pensioner, died at 22 Upton Street, Belfast, on 5 May 1877 age 62 - hence born about 1815.
7. James McKechnie, a printer, died at 46 Little York Street, Belfast, on 29 Oct 1872 age 75 - hence born about 1797.
8. James McKechnie married Margaret Clark in Belfast on 10 Jan 1830.
9. James McKechnie, born 1806 in Ireland, son of Archibald McKechnie and Sarah McMillan, died Hutchesontown, Glasgow, 17 April 1867. He was married to Sarah McCaughey
10. Of the 50+ Irish born McKechnies (males and unm females) listed in the 1881 Scottish census, 4 gave the IOrish county of their birth
a) Robert McKechnie, Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, age 37, was born in Co. Antrim
b) William McKechnie, St. Quivox, Ayrshire, age 39, was born in Co. Down
c) John McKechnie, Glasgow, age 56, was born in Co. Antrim
d) William McKechnie, Glasgow, was born in Co. Fermanagh.
12. William McKechnie, army pensioner, son of William, married Anne Norwood (widow; d. of Walter Graham) at Belfast Parish Church on 4 Nov 1846
13. Eliza McKechnie, d. of William McKechnie, army pensioner, married William John Chignall on 7 April 1860 at Holy Trinity Anglican, Belfast.
14. In the 1881 census in Greenock, Alexander McKechnie, 17, born in Ireland, is listed as the nephew of David J. Graham.
15. Griffiths valuation lists no McKechnies. But one McKenzie in Shankill Parish, Antrim, is actually spelled McKechine.
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Hi.
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Anthony,
Thank you.
Is a compositor a printer?
Are the 1852 and 1870 Belfast records censuses?
Here is another part of the list to add to person 10a)
William McKechnie, General Dealer, Widower of Mary Ann McCartney, died 13 Sept 1921 at 76 Elba Street, Ayr, age 76. His father was William McKechnie, soldier, and mother was Susan [m.s. unknown]
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Hi.
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Item 16 to add to the above list:
16. Robert McKechnie was born in Ireland (place unknown) about 1810. He married Margaret Watters in Cardross Parish, Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on 9 March 1833. Their son, Robert McKechnie, was born in Glasgow 16 June 1834. He emigrated to Canada, married Isabelle Ross (17 Jan 1858) and settled in Dundas, Ontario.
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I've got another few for you, Neil McKechnie born Ireland abt 1837, son of Hugh and Rose?. Neil married Margaret Hughes in Bathgate W Lothian in 1853. 7 children, Hugh, Agnes, Archibald, Catherine, John, Margaret and Rose. Neil died 1902 Bathgate
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Here is another:
Agnes (Nancy) McKechnie was born in Belfast in 1799. She married John Keenan in about 1816. Her eldest daughter, Sarah Elizabeth Keenan, was born on 26 July 1818 and christened on 30 August 1818 in Ballyeaston Parish. Co. Antrim. The family emigrated to Canada (Nepean Twp., Ontario) in 1828
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I have a McKechnie in my tree as well and I was told that the McKechnie family line originated in Ireland, however I have not been able to trace it further than Scotland c. 1845.
Agnes McKechnie married to Thomas McGowan in Gorbals Lanark Scotland Aug 24 1845 (birthdate/death date unknown).
I have children for Agnes McKechnie, however their last name is McGowan so I doubt they would be of much interest for you.
If you have any info on Agnes McKechnie, or her parents I would be greatful. This is one side of the family I'm unable to trace very far.
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Hi!
Sorry. I have no knowledge of her. All the information I have on Irish McKechnies in this period is posted on this site. If she died in Scotland (after 1855) her death certificate should have the names of her parents on it. You could do the double surnmae search (McKechnie/McGowan) on the scotlandspeople site to get that information. Then you might be able to link the parents to others on the list above. Good luck.
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My branch of the Irish McKechnie's set up a laundry business in Cork, it is still going as a contract cleaning business. Here are some names - Robert McKechnie born abt 1890, died 1937. Father John McKechnie (born Glasgow?), mother Anges Swan (born Abt 1870, Edinburgh?). Robert married Amy Clayton (c1890-c1955). Any further info about this branch most welcome..
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from my family tree:
John McKechnie b 178? in Ireland. Agricultural Labourer.
married
Mary Macklehill b 178? in Ireland
Their son also John McKechnie b 1810 in Ireland. died Glasgow 1863. He was a Stay Manufacturer. (Came to Glasgow about 1840)
married Anne Jones b abt 1815 in Ireland.
Their sons James and Arthur were born in Ireland and perhaps also their daughter Jane. Catherine, John, Thomas and Francis all born in Glasgow.
Arthur McKechnie b about 1839 in Ireland. He was a shoemaker.
married Catherine Campbell from Dumbarton in November 1859.
All their children were born in Glasgow.
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NouNou,
I did not include the Cork entries in the origianl posting in this series because as far as I can tell the McKechnies in Cork arrived (soon) after 1860. I have been told that they came from Scotland to start a chemical business in Cork. I think I recall being told that it was two brothers who came over from Scotland to Cork then. I cannot just at present lay my hands on all the records I extracted some time back; but one of the brothers would appear, from what I can find, to have been Alexander McKechnie. The records seem to suggest that his first wife (Ellen McArthur) died age 33 in 1873 (children: Alexander b. 1868; James b. (and d.) 1870; Mary Ellen b.1873) and his second wife (Margaret) died in 1877 (children: James Hunter b. 1875;Jane Edith Crawford b.1876; Margaret Agnes b.1877). If my surmise is correct that they came to Ireland after 1860, you may be able to find a trace of the marriage of Ellen McArthur and Alexander McKechnie in the Scottish records. I have not persued it that far since I found no personal connection to this line.
I hope this might be of some help but I suspect you know most of it already.
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Here is another:
Agnes (Nancy) McKechnie was born in Belfast in 1799. She married John Keenan in about 1816. Her eldest daughter, Sarah Elizabeth Keenan, was born on 26 July 1818 and christened on 30 August 1818 in Ballyeaston Parish. Co. Antrim. The family emigrated to Canada (Nepean Twp., Ontario) in 1828
hi
Sarah Elizabeth Keenan was christened in First Ballyeastion Presbyterian Church not Parish and the area born was Drumadarragh. No other information about her from the Baptismal Records for the Church.
Hope this helps.
John
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I would like to contact you concerning your Brannan ancestors - I saw on another site that you are a descendant of a John Brannan of Bideford.
James Brannan
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Hi
Has anyone created a tree? I am putting together a family tree and want to compare notes. I am a descendant of Robert and James. Please feel free to email me:
Andrew.
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There are some of the McKechnies listed whose original family name was McCaughan in Antrim. They changed their surname.
Byron
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Do any of you have anything on a Nathaniel McKechnie? He was born on or around 1817 in Ireland (unfortunately I don't have a town or county) and died on June 20, 1897 in Muiravonside, Scotland. (Stirlingshire)
His wife's name was Margaret, maiden name Mayberry.
Thank you!!
Tim
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I am researching my McKechnie Family. Agnes McKechnie, great grandmother, was born about 1846. On her US immigration records she stated that she was born in Ahoghill County Antrim Ireland. She lived in Dunbartonshire Scotland by 1908 when her daughter, my grandmother Elizabeth Martin, married my grandfather Alexander Hempstead. I would love to substantiate this information.
Thanks for any help you can give.
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Robert McKechnie born 1807 in Coleraine, Antrim, Ireland emigated to Glasgow about 1819 with his parents John McKechnie born 1779 Coleraine, Antrim, Ireland and Mary Gray born 1785 Coleraine, Antrim, Ireland. He married Margaret Watters in Cardross, Dunbartonshire, Scotland. They emigrated to Dundas, Wentworth, Ontario, Canada. John and Mary are buried at Alexandria, Dunbartonshire, Scotland.
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McKechnie is not a common name in Ireland. In the 1901 census there were only 39 and most of them were either born in Scotland or children of parents born in Scotland. No McKechnies in Coleraine in the 1831 census. MacLysaghts The Surnames of Ireland says it’s a Scottish name and that they are a branch of the Macdonalds.
That all rather suggests the Coleraine McKechnies originated in Scotland.
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Thank you for the reply Elwyn. Would you be the same Elwyn on Irelandxo?
According to a handwritten letter by my 2nd great grandfather my McKechnie's originally came from the Scottish Highlands. John McKechnie b. 1779 stated that "his Father's Father was hieland and wore the kilt and hose." I would assume that two generations would put his Father's Father being born in the highlands 1720ish.
The letter also stated that Mary Gray b. 1785 "claimed to be of Highland race she told one that there was Dougals and Kenniths both Hiland names in her relations."
The letter also states that their names in gaelic were McEchern and McGlashan.
Ron
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Thank you for the reply Elwyn. Would you be the same Elwyn on Irelandxo?
According to a handwritten letter by my 2nd great grandfather my McKechnie's originally came from the Scottish Highlands. John McKechnie b. 1779 stated that "his Father's Father was hieland and wore the kilt and hose." I would assume that two generations would put his Father's Father being born in the highlands 1720ish.
The letter also stated that Mary Gray b. 1785 "claimed to be of Highland race she told one that there was Dougals and Kenniths both Hiland names in her relations."
The letter also states that their names in gaelic were McEchern and McGlashan.
Ron
Yes I am the same person as on Irelandxo.
Good to have my theory about the family origins confirmed by your family letter. McEchern or McEachern sounds right for the Gaelic version. I think there was a fair bit of two way travel between the north coast of Antrim & Derry over to Islay and beyond. As an example, the fiddle payer who gave us the Londonderry Air (Blind Jimmy McCurry) was born in Co. Derry but his father, another famous fiddle player, came from Islay in the early 1800s.
If the Coleraine McKechnies were RC there are no records in Coleraine earlier than the 1840s. If Presbyterian, the earliest are 1845. The Church of Ireland is the only one with earlier records. They start in 1769. (Copy in PRONI). Otherwise finding records of them in Coleraine c 1807 may prove fairly difficult.
I searched the British Newspaper archives for mentions of Coleraine + McKechnie but without success.
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I am to the point of finding a connection to other McKechnie's using DNA testing as a last resort. It most likely will not give me a definite connection but may help me to find a point of origin in Scotland.
Thank you once again for your reply.
Ron
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Hello,
I realize this is an old chat, but I am going through the genealogy paper work my grandmother used to work on. I am planning a trip to Scotland and Ireland in the fall so I started going through her boxes. I came across this thread and definitely have these same names listed in her paperwork. I will just list what I have at the moment and will update more as I get to that box (in the garage, bottom box, of course)
- Stephen McKechnie born unknown, place unknown
* officer 71st Highlander- Stationed at Claverhouse Castle, near Dundee, Scotland in 1851
- married Margaret Duncan Oct. 7, 1843 at Cardoss/Cardress, Dunbarton, Scotland
* children:
- Thomas christened May 21st 1848, Regent Place United, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
- William christened Jan. 5th 1851, Regent Place United, Glasgow, Scotland
- James christened June 19th 1853,
Regent Place United, Glasgow, Scotland
Stephen died buried cemetery-Elsinore County- Braue(sp?), Township- Arran, occupation: Officer 71st Highlanders
Stephen’s Son
- Major William McKechnie
Born 1832 in Claverhouse Castle
Near Dundee, Scotland, where his father was quartered as an officer in the 71st Highlander
- William married Mary Bell
* daughter - Edith Maud Hay Lillian McKecknie born April 19th 1972
Port Hope, Ontario
- Edith married Andrew Robert Tufts
Children:
- Evelyn Edith Tufts (McGregor)
- William Ronald McKecknie Tufts
- Elmar Tufts
* Elmar married Amy
* William married Lela Hazel Ellis
* Evelyn married Elwood McGregor
- William and Lela’s child:
* Vera Virgina Tufts (my maternal grandmother)