John McCullough Mary Anne Holmes. Gortfad

[abunile]

I wonder if anyone might be able to help trace descendants or siblings, if any, of the following couple:

John McCullough who married Mary Anne Holmes on 16th March 1865 in Ahoghill 2nd Presbyterian Church. 

Townland for both is given as Gortfad.

Father of John is given as John, with occupation weaver
Father of Mary Anne is given as Henry, occupation also weaver.

I have searched everywhere that I know for further evidence of their existence, including the well trodden route over to Scotland, but so far have drawn a complete blank. I’m hoping that I’ve missed something that sharper more experienced eyes might spot.

Any help or suggestions gratefully received.

Thanks to all.

[Elwyn Soutter]

There was a Holmes family and a lone McCullough in Gortfad in 1901. Any connection perhaps?

www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Lisnagarran/Gortfad/940402/

www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Lisnaarran/Gortfad/940403/

[abunile]

Thanks for your input Elwyn.

I suspect the Robert Holmes and daughter you've found living in Gortfad 1901 census, could be the brother and niece of Mary Anne McCullough/Holmes. 

LDS website gives a Robert Holmes (Gortfad) father Henry, marrying a Sarah Lowry 24th Jan 1867. And having five children including a Mary Anne Holmes in 1873.

I can't for the moment tie the Ellen Smyth/McCullough living in Gortfad that you found to anybody in my tree at the moment, but will file her away for future reference.

Thanks for the find.

[abunile]

Elwyn,

Having hastily dismissed your Ellen Smyth/McCullough as not from my tree, I pondered your posting and the links this morning. It did seem too much of a coincidence that there was a Holmes and a McCullough living in adjacent houses in Gortfad on the 1901 census.

So I checked and found that Ellen Smyth married a John McCullough(father John) in 1872.
Then I found the death record on Family Search dated 1871 of a Mary McCullough registered in the Ballymena district. Age at time of death 26.

Finally here is my point

If I was to get the marriage certificate of Ellen Smyth and John McCullough in 1872. Does anyone know if it would normally show John McCullough as a widower if it was the case when married. If so it would be reasonably certain that all Ellen, Mary Anne and John McCullough were indeed connected!?

Thanks again for spotting this possible connection Elwyn. I'd missed it totally.

[Elwyn Soutter]

The marriage cert should show John's previous marriage condition (or at least what he told the person conducting the service). So if he was a widower, it ought to say that.

[abunile]

Elwyn,

Just pressed the button on the download of marriage cert of John and Ellen McCullough.

He is indeed shown as a widower. Church Portglenone 3rd Presbyterian.

So I'm guessing the Mary McCullough detailed on LDS as deceased in 1871 was indeed my Mary Anne Holmes.

It seems curious that Johns first marriage to Mary Anne produced no offspring between 1865 and 1871(that I can find at least!!!). However there could be many reasons for this.

Well a good mornings work. I had thought that perhaps they had emigrated to Canada or America.

One more dead end explained. At least to my satisfaction.

Thanks again.

[Elwyn Soutter]

Glad to have helped.

Have you found Mary Anne's death cert? Perhaps she died in childbirth? Might explain a few things.

[abunile]

I haven't got the death certificate Of Mary Anne, but I should order it from GRONI for completeness.

I suppose there is a very good possibility that the informant of her death would be her husband John.

My understanding of Irish birth certificates of that time is that they only show minimal genealogical data, and the spouse name is not an included requirement.

Have a nice weekend.

[aghadowey]

My understanding of Irish birth certificates of that time is that they only show minimal genealogical data, and the spouse name is not an included requirement.

Think you mean death certificate rather than birth certificate? See here for details included on death certificates-
www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,433043.0.html