Blairs in Carrowcowan, Dunaghy near Ballymena

[lanarman]

Searching for any information (or descendants) for a Blair family who lived in Carrowcowan townland, Dunaghy civil parish, Barony of Kilconway, Ballymena PLU, Co. Antrim  mid 1800's.
I have noted 2 Blair families living there in the 1851 census fragments. Sarah Blair born c. 1816 married John I. Paul in 1842 and lived in Elginny townland just south of Carrowcowan. She had a sister Grace Blair who married a Hugh Knowles in Canada in 1853.  The Pauls emigrated (to Canada) in 1852, probably with Grace Blair. Trying to find parent's names for Sarah and Grace Blair.

[gaffy]

There is a William Blair from Carrowcowan who married a Martha Paul from Skerry in 1846 in 1st Broughshane Presbyterian church. It is far from unheard of for two or more siblings from one family to end up marrying the siblings from another local family. I'm not saying that this is the case here, but it may be worth banking this marriage informationuntil you know more.

By the way, both William and Martha's fathers were called John, both were farmers.

[lanarman]

Thanks for the marriage information, gaffy. This fits in perfectly with my information- almost.
John I. Paul and Sarah Blair's first 4 children were baptized at First Broughshane Presbyterian. Oldest was a daughter named Martha in 1842 and second child was a son named John. Then Nancy, William and Moses. Still looking for Moses' baptism- it wasn't at First Broughshane circa 1851, just before they emigrated in 1852.
But we have in our old family notes that John I. Paul's father was MOSES Paul. You note a Moses and John Paul as  witnesses to the marriage of Wm. Blair/Martha Paul, but that her father was JOHN. That's what confuses me. Other than this "glitch" I would definitely presume that William Blair was a brother of Sarah Blair-Paul.
And again, Martha Paul may have been John I. Paul's cousin, not his sister. 

[lanarman]

Another possibility is that the John and Moses Paul who were recorded as witnesses to Martha's marriage were her BROTHERS. There were 2 brothers by those names who emigrated to Canada.

[lanarman]

Archy, Hugh, John Blair in Carrowcowan. Late 1700's up to mid 1800's.

[lanarman]

There is another Blair/Paul marriage listed in the Civil Registration Indexes that interests me: James Blair and Alethea Paul in Ballymena district. 1846. Volume 2, Page 79.  Same Year, Volume and Page # as William Blair and Martha Paul. Two brothers marrying two sisters?  I would be interested in knowing the parents names and witnesses to the James Blair/Alethea Paul marriage. Thank you.

[Elwyn Soutter]

I think that the 1846 marriage for James Blair was to Jane Strange, not to Alethea Paul. (James’s father was David).

I think Alethea Paul married somebody else on that same page. By a process of elimination it looks like Wm McTarnaghan but not certain as I can’t find either of their names on the usual pay to view sites, whereas I can match off the other names.

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   I agree with Elwyn. The marriages took place in the same church, Broughshane First Presbyterian, so the two men may have been related. However William Blair's father was John.

Regards

[lanarman]

Thanks Elwyn and kingskerswell:

McTarnaghan is not a very common name, or am I mistaken?  I know the Pauls in this same area married into the KERNOHAN family- sometimes spelled as CARNAGHAN.  That would make a marriage between Alethea Paul and a Kernohan more logical. Sarah Blair and her husband John I. Paul had a daughter named Althea. Its a good fit, but then I have been wrong in my assumptions in the past.