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From my collection of PRONI wills...

PRONI Will - FERGUSON, ROBERT  
Curraseskin, Co Antrim, Esq

Will - 17th March 1787
Sister Dorothea Stewart.  Debt due by Roger Bristow of Newry.  Mrs Leonora Wilson £400 and at her death said sum to be divided between her three  daughters Mary, Elinor, and Leonora/Susan.  Her husband Lieut. William Wilson, now in India.  Brother James Stewart.  John Peter Dowlin, a sum contracted with the late Charles Prise.  My daughter Bell Stewart.  John Madden, servant.

Trustees and executors:
Sister Dorothea Stewart.
Mr. Peter Patterson of Ballyloghbegg.
Dr. Hugh Anderson of Bushmills.

Witnesses:
Archibald McMellan.
William Galt.
Daniel McLay.

Probate - 16th April 1790
Prerogative Court.  “Proved by Dorothea Stewart, one of the executors, saving the right of Peter Patterson and Hugh Anderson, the other executors.”

Notes
PRONI T741/1 p34 and T700/1 p483.  The third daughter is Leonora in T741 and Susan in T700.  Daniel “McLay” is probably Daniel McCay of Mosside. 

This deed confirms the location of Curramoney.

1783 – Robert Stewart to John Reynolds – Curramoney - ROD 354/339/238860
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSJW-K935-G?cat=185720
Memorial of deed dated 4th Apr 1783 between Robert Stewart of Curramoney, Co Antrim, Esq., and John Reynolds of Magiligan, Co Londonderry, gent, whereby Stewart demised to Reynolds the farm commonly called Curramony otherwise Haa [aka The Haw] in the Bo Dunluce, Co Antrim, bounded on the west with the Gate road leading from Bushavile to Doavagtson [?], the south by the town of Billy, and on the east by the Cozies, and the north by Craig & Castlemagget, at the rent of £50 plus 6% fees.  Witnessed by John McCurdy of Carnreagh and Ferguson McNeill of Tuffahume, both Co Antrim.  Memorial executed by John Reynolds, witnessed by John McCurdy and John Parke of Coleraine.

Yes, I agree on leaning towards Alumni Dublinensis.  And even if Richard and Mary's father was Robert, it may not be Robert Stewart of Curramoney.

I did know that area was known as the Grange at one time. I didn’t know it was Brice’s Land. That makes sense as Brice is one of the Scottish derivatives of Bryson. There is a branch of Brysons who immigrated to America in the 1700s from County Antrim.  I’m sure there’s some relationship there but no DNA.

It hadn't actually occurred to me that Brice might be Bryson.  I'm not sure if that is the derivation in this case, but it is possible.

In the mid-17th century the townland was owned by one Brice Crawford.  I guess he may have inherited it from a Brice maternal grandfather, but I have no evidence for that.  I think he may have been ancestor of the Crawfords of Ballysavage.

I've gleaned most of that information from a 1728 deed where the 600 acres of Grange were sold to William Gilliland (my 8x great grandfather).  The seller was John Crawford of Holestone which presumably was the name of his house/farm, but not yet the name of the townland.

Just in case people aren’t aware, because it isn’t all that obvious with a Google search, but the Kilbride graveyard has been surveyed, with results here (go to Cemeteries, search for Kilbride under “UK – Northern Ireland”):
https://discovereverafter.com/

Having said that, if there is a headstone of a James Bryson who died in 1787, I can’t make it out in the photos.  Deb, do you have a transcript?

Yes, James Bryson’s (d. 1832) purchase of Duncan’s Farm would have made him one of the largest farmers in the area.  Who is the son or grandson you have a will for?  I haven’t looked at the Brysons on the PRONI catalogue recently so you may be talking about one there.

The James Bryson of Covelodge was the father of Margaret Bryson who married Charles Bryson of Ballybracken in 1835.  Was that James Bryson also the father of James Bryson who married Agnes Bird née Bryson in 1855?

Yes, RE the place names in this area.  Even Holestone only really emerged as a townland in the mid-1700s I think.  It used to include part of Moyadam and was called Grange.  In the 1600s it was apparently called Brice’s Land.

On the Fergusons, I don’t think anyone has yet figured out who the parents were of Francis Ferguson (c1791-1866) who married Agnes Gawn.  One of his descendants did a Y-DNA test, and his daughter posted earlier on this thread – so hopefully we’ll figure it out eventually.