Jeffrey / Kane from Ballykeel, Holywood

[corbiekid]

I am looking for any info on my great great grandparents, William Jeffrey and Elizabeth Kane of Ballykeel, Holywood, County Down.

Their children:

Mary Jane, born abt 1854 - (first spouse William John Simpson, second spouse Robert Campbell) - died 1948 Glasgow, age 94

Robert, b 1859 Greenock - d 1859, Greenock

Martha Maria, b 1860 Greenock – (married Samuel Smyth in 1883 at Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church, Bangor, County Down) – d 1932, Carriden

Elizabeth, bpt. 1863 at 1st Holywood Presbyterian Church

Sarah, b 29 Mar 1865

Agnes, b 26 Oct 1867 (married James Speers in 1889 in 1st Holywood Presbyterian Church)

Susannah, bpt. 1870 at 1st Holywood Presbyterian Church


William and Elizabeth may have married in Greenock in 1853.  The parish records show the marriage of William Jeffrey and Elizabeth Kean.

William’s surname is Jeffery on the Scottish birth certificates and Jeffrey and Jeffray on the Irish births.  Elizabeth’s surname is Cain on the Scottish births and Kane on the Irish births.

They were not in Scotland at the 1861 census.  I think they must have moved to Ireland shortly after the birth of Martha.

In Ireland, William’s early occupation was a labourer but by 1883 he was a farmer.


  When and where were William and Elizabeth born?  When and where did they die?  Who were their parents? 

Can you help?

[aghadowey]

If they married in Scotland there should details of parents on the marriage certificate. Birth certificates in Scotland should list date and place of parents' marriage so you could perhaps get birth certificate for Martha (1860) and see what's listed then you'll know if the Scottish certificate you found in the index is a match.

[corbiekid]

Yes, details of the parents' marriage is normally the case but for some (frustrating) reason not on this ocassion.

The relevant pages in the original birth registers for Robert and Martha can be viewed on Scotland's People and none of the births on these two pages (6 in total) show marriage details.

So frustrating 

[akanex2]

I think Elizabeth could well be the sister of my gt gt grandfather, David Kane of Dundonald, Co Down.  David and his siblings were baptised in Dundonald Presbyterian Church where the records go back to 1678.  Unfortunately I find no Kanes in them until Sarah, daughter of Robert and Mary Kane of Ballylisbredan is baptised in 1820 (there is a gap in the records immediately prior to 1819 which may have contained information on the marriage of her parents or the births of older children).  Robert and Mary have further children baptised in 1822 (Robert) and 1825 (William John) before David was baptised in 1831.  In between is the following entry:

Born 14 Jan 1829; Baptised 16 Jan 1829; Elizabeth, daughter of John Kane of Ballylisbredan and Mary Cooper, his wife.

It is clear from the records that the entries for this period were originally recorded on loose leaves (some still in register) before being written into the book in batches and I wondered if a mistake had been made in writing up Elizabeth’s father’s name since no other Kane family appears in the records in this period.  None of the other Kane entries in this generation give the mothers maiden name.  Working on the theory that Elizabeth could be David’s sister, I have been searching for her marriage certificate to find out what name it gave for her father, but with no success.

Ballykeel townland in Holywood parish actually borders on Dundonald parish and David’s eldest brother Robert was living there in 1853 when he married Jane Swaine.  Several Jeffreys families are also recorded living in Ballykeel in the early 1860s in Griffith Valuation along with Swaines suggesting Kanes, Swaines and Jeffreys were neighbours in the 1850s and perhaps before.

I expect from the details in your post that you have seen Ros Davies Co Down website which has loads of information on the family.

Where did the family end up?  If Elizabeth died in Scotland, her death certificate could have good info on her parents names.  I assume the 1853 marriage has no additional information since it predates registration in Scotland?

[Comberjohn]

I think we share the same great, great grandparents. I have have just started to research my family history and came across your entry while looking for information on my grandfather, James Speers, who came from Holywood. I discovered that his father was also called James and was married to an Agnes who I believe could be the daughter of William Jeffrey and Elizabeth Kane.
You can find out more information about James and Agnes at; http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Holywood_Urban/Ballykeel/232554/
I'm fascinated to find that I may have a Scottish link. My grandfather died 30 years ago and spent most of his life in Comber, Co Down. Sorry I haven't any more information but have only started. Let me know if I can tell you anything about this line of the family.

[corbiekid]

Hi Comberjohn, sorry for not replying sooner but I have just logged in for the first time this year and saw your posting.

Unfortunately, I cannot tell you anything of significance about the Speers family but do have some snippets that may prove useful.

I cannot send you a personal message with the info until you have made three postings but if you contact me through my website (click on the world icon under my name) I will email you.

[akanex2]

Hi Comberjohn

Your grandfather James Speers was my grandfather's second cousin.  Once you have posted a couple more messages I can send you a personal message with the details I hold for this family.

AK2