James and Ellen Graham

[djamesp]

I am searching for background for Thomas William Graham, born Ballyconnell, 25.10.1870. He was son to James Graham, farmer, and Ellen nee Webb, married in 1868. The latter information comes from his marriage licence from 1902. Thomas William had a very varied life, focused on evangelism.  He was engaged, almost certainly through the Methodist Church, in some sort of mission work among the country poor somewhere in Ireland, in the 1890's.  He was known to show lantern slides of thatched Irish cottages. He then spent over 20 years in New Zealand, mostly as a Methodist Home Missionary. For the next ten years or so, until the later 1930's, he was alternately in Australia or else a 'Faith Missionary' in India (Poona villages/Eurasian railway workers ) or China (Shanghai). I cannot trace him after that time, except that he returned to Australia in 1937. But I am interested in knowing more about his parents - their years especially.  One or two entries discovered through browsing suggest there was a Cavan Methodist family of long-standing named Graham.  Does anyone know anything about this family?

[hallmark]

"The latter information comes from his marriage licence from 1902"...Where? Religion? What does it say on licence about his address?

[aghadowey]

James Graham, son of William, married 8 Sept.1868 Tomregan, Co.Cavan to Ellen Webb, daughter of Thomas (www.familysearch.org)- the marriage certificate will show more detail such as exact place, residences of bride and groom, etc. Thomas William's birth is also listed in LDS database.

[djamesp]

Thomas William Graham married Caroline McFarlane at Dunedin, 1.4.1902. The Licence simply says, in regard to his parentage, that his father was James Graham a farmer of County Cavan, Ireland. No more than that.  It also says his mother was Ellen, nee Webb. So it's not much to go on. The religion of the couple can be inferred from the person who married them  - in this case a Wesleyan minister. The religion of the couple and/or their parents was not part of the information required.  But I am assuming Thomas William had Methodist connections since he referred, in a talk reported in a 1920's NZ newspaper, to his work as a Methodist 'missionary' in Ireland about 1895 I would guess.  And I have wondered  about a couple of references to web-site references to an earlier James Graham, of Cavan, who died, about 1880 as I recall, after more than 70 years involvement in the local Methodist church. I guess I was hoping that there might be an accessible cemetery reference to James and Ellen!

[heywood]

As Aghadowey has pointed out there are details on Family Search https://familysearch.org/ for the names you mention and you could send for the various certificates. http://www.groireland.ie/

These may be relevant:
marriage of Ellen Webb 1868  Bawnboy district volume 13 page 39
birth of Thomas William - 1870

there is a death for an Ellen Graham aged 30 yrs also in 1870 and a James, 35 yrs in 1873 - both Bawnboy district

regards
heywood

[Belowstairs]

I am not sure if it is the same family but in 1817 in Tomregan there was a William Graham born to a John Graham and Phebe Graham (Church of Ireland).  William was the twin of Eleanor Graham and younger brother of a Mary Graham born in 1808.  I believe Eleanor, my ancestor, married a Catholic called Henry Connell from Meath in Lurgan (Co. Cavan) in 1841.  Though on the marriage record Eleanor religion is Catholic.