Author Topic: Meeke/Meek from Northern Ireland to New Zealand (Read 15475 times)

aghadowey

There's so much in this thread that is confusing (as well as some errors) but I think a large part of the problem is that there are comments about different Meeke families here.

“Meekstown is a townland near Ahoghill and Cullybackey, I do not live very far from it” (reply #44)
It is not a townland but part of a townland

"I have found further information out about James Meeke/Meek. Mother Margaret Jane Craig, father James Meeke, married 28 February 1891. Surprisingly there were two. The first James Meek was born on the 22/11/1891 but died shortly afterwards. Margaret then gave birth again to another son on the 27/10/1892 and again called him James" (reply #9)
It wasn’t uncommon for children to be given the same name as a deceased sibling, especially if the Christian name was a family on (grandparent, etc.)

"Emerald Ancestors has a marriage record in 1891 for a Margaret Jane Craig and a John Meek, with no end 'E' but that's common."
If that’s the case then Emerald Ancestors has mistranscribed the record as it is clearly MEEKE (with E at end)- https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1891/10656/5882392.pdf However, the marriage was at 1st Ahoghill Presbyterian Church & John Meeke is given as a farmer living at Craignageragh. Here are the same couple in 1911- http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Ahoghill/Ballykennedy/115042/

James Meeke m. Margaret Jane Craig
1. James Meeke (22 Nov.1891)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1891/02371/1885085.pdf
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1891/06057/4726501.pdf
2. James Meeke (27 Oct.1892)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1892/02328/1871499.pdf

See next post for Benvarden/Ballyhunsley Meeke family ...

aghadowey

This is possibly/probably the father/parents of James Meeke who married Margaret Jane Sinclair-
Henry Meeke m.(1857 Coleraine Registry Office) Sarah (Mooney) Hodge
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1857/09527/5453535.pdf

James Meeke (c1863-alive 1925) m.(1885 Ballyrashane Presbyterian Church) Margaret/Maggie Jane Sinclair (c1867-1925)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1885/10866/5967693.pdf (father Henry Meek, labourer)
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Beardiville/Ballyhunsley_South/943234/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Beardiville/Ballyhunsley__South/127006/ (12 children/10 living)
Died at her Residence Benvarden on Friday 1st May 1925 MARGARET JANE SINCLAIR(our Great Grandmother) age?? dearly beloved wife of JAMES MEEKE (our Great Grandfather) Her remains will be removed for internment in Derrykeighan Burying ground on Monday 4th May.

1. Thomas Sinclair/Meeke (1882 Benvarden) m.(1907 Benvarden Presbyterian Church) Maria Stewart
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1882/02774/2018320.pdf (illegitimate)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1907/10078/5665618.pdf
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Beardiville/Ballywatt__West/130677/
a. Margaret Jane “Maggie” Meeke (1907 Ballywatt)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1907/01689/1671098.pdf
b. James Meeke (1913 Bllywatt)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1913/01455/1594237.pdf
c. Robert McCollum Meeke (1917 Ballywatt)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1917/01298/1537224.pdf

2. Sarah Meeke (1885 Ballyhunsley) m.(1904) Robert Harrison
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1885/02629/1969728.pdf
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Beardiville/Islandcarragh_South/943258/
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1904/10196/5710197.pdf

3. Henry Meeke (1887 Ballyhunsley) m.(1909 Ballywatt Presbyterian Church) Isabella “Bella” Greer McCollum
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1887/02553/1944409.pdf
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1909/10031/5648888.pdf (bride- no father’s name listed & her maiden name shown as Greer on children’s birth registrations)
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Beardiville/Ballywatt__West/130675/
a. Margaret Jane Meeke (1911 Ballywatt), twin
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1911/01542/1624325.pdf (mother Greer)
b. Elizabeth Meeke (1911 Ballywatt), twin
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1911/01542/1624325.pdf (mother Greer)
c. James Meeke (1913 Ballywatt)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1913/01433/1587599.pdf (mother Greer)
d. Henry Meeke (1917 Ballywatt)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1917/01322/1546213.pdf (mother Greer)

4. James Meeke (c1888) m.(1913 Billy COI) Susan McKeown (c1892-1925)
Haven’t found birth registration
“My marriage data for James Meeke and Susan McKeown however is from Emerald Ancestors which shows them being married in the Billy Church of Ireland on 24/9/1913 in Coleraine.” https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1913/09886/5591577.pdf Billy Parish Church is in North Antrim, not Coleraine
Died at Ballymoney Infirmary on Monday 15th June 1925 SUSAN MCKEOWN (our Grandmother) aged 33 years dearly beloved wife of JAMES MEEKE (our Grandfather) Her remains will be removed from her late residence Beardiville for internment in Billy Church Yard on Wednesday 17th June. (this information differs slightly from the information I got from a family bible but as the notes are from official notices at the time I think would be more reliable as the entries in the bible were all i think from memory) Your father is also buried in Billy.
a. Thomas Meeke (1914 Benvarden-1987)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1914/01405/1577682.pdf
my father and his four brothers, Henry, John, Samuel and William James lived on Benvarden Estate at one time as children and the name 'Benvarden' pops up all over the place
b. William James Meeke (1916 Benvarden)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1916/01346/1555406.pdf
c. Samuel Meeke (1918 Dervock)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1918/01282/1531419.pdf
d. John Meeke (1920 Benvarden)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1920/01210/1503151.pdf

continued in next post ...

aghadowey

kyrameeke

Hello, I am married to Steve Meeke from Carrickfergus - He is descended from James steele meeke bank manager from Omagh, Co Tyrone. I suspect these meekes may be related to the James meeke the clergyman from Co Antrim - but just a suspicion. I have only managed to find two meeke relations and from running through the family it seems the vast majority died childless apart from DH side of the family. Got a large tree on ancestry and happy to Link up

Emzy14 · « **Reply #67 on:** Thursday 25 May 23 12:16 BST (UK) »

Quote from: Billyblue on Wednesday 11 January 12 10:36 GMT (UK)

Hi Maggie
I don't know your Meek/Meeks family but you did ask for any family with that name.

Here's a list of coincidences:
My cousin (who's now dead) was an illegitimate son of Alfred Meeks and Susette Montgomery , born in Sydney NSW in 1927.
Our Montgomery family came from your current home town, back in 1840.
One of the sons married into the Blue family (Billy Blue's granddaughter Mary Ann) and I note you have Blue in your RC name.
Alfred Meeks's father - whose name I can't remember just now - is listed on a certificate as being born in the USA - would have been sometime in the 1800s.

Stranger than fiction, as they say

Dawn M

Hi Dawn,

I was wondering if you have more information about Susette Montgomery or any photos.
My grand father in law would have been Alfred Meek and we are doing some family research and learning quite a bit.
Any help would be appreciated.
I can send you my email address if that helps.

Thanks
Emma

Skoosh · « **Reply #68 on:** Friday 26 May 23 15:52 BST (UK) »

Meeke & Meeks was not much used in Scotland so where the Irish folk hailed from originally is a wee bit of a mystery.

Bests,
Skoosh.

RootsChat.Com

Author Topic: Meeke/Meek from Northern Ireland to New Zealand (Read 15475 times)

aghadowey

Re: Meeke/Meek from Northern Ireland to New Zealand

aghadowey

Re: Meeke/Meek from Northern Ireland to New Zealand

aghadowey

Re: Meeke/Meek from Northern Ireland to New Zealand

kyrameeke

Re: Meeke/Meek from Northern Ireland to New Zealand

Emzy14

Re: Meeke/Meek from Northern Ireland to New Zealand

Skoosh

Re: Meeke/Meek from Northern Ireland to New Zealand

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