Author Topic: Have you any Melville ancestors?  (Read 3127 times)

Offline Fitzy81

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Re: Have you any Melville ancestors?
« Reply #18 on: Wednesday 02 August 23 20:56 BST (UK) »
Thank you for these links & ideas. The Connolly links are definitely my family. I still just can't confirm the parentage of  Wilhelmina Melville but I'll keep working on it!

I'd like to rule out a James Melville who married a Mary Kennedy 1872 in Millisle. If anyone happens to have researched this line?

Offline aghadowey

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Re: Have you any Melville ancestors?
« Reply #19 on: Wednesday 02 August 23 23:56 BST (UK) »
Thank you for these links & ideas. The Connolly links are definitely my family. I still just can't confirm the parentage of  Wilhelmina Melville but I'll keep working on it!

I'd like to rule out a James Melville who married a Mary Kennedy 1872 in Millisle. If anyone happens to have researched this line?

Marriage-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1872/11305/8148196.pdf
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!

Offline gaffy

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Re: Have you any Melville ancestors?
« Reply #20 on: Thursday 03 August 23 01:14 BST (UK) »

... I'd like to rule out a James Melville who married a Mary Kennedy 1872 in Millisle ...


I don't think you can just yet, for I suspect that this might be one of those cases where details like names and occupations are just all over the place and it could be the right marriage... I'm leaning slightly against it for now, but ultimately my jury's still out.  Anyway, see what you think of the following.

In November 1915, a widow called Clementina Donnelly married a Joseph Connor in St. Peter's Belfast,  Clementina's father was recorded as James Melville, a labourer, critically, one of the witnesses was a Mina Connolly:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1916/09766/5544884.pdf

Clementina's previous marriage was to a James Donnelly in St. Patrick's, Belfast, in October 1906, her address was 93 Hardinge Street - the exact same address of Charles and Mina Connolly in the 1911 Ireland census - and this time her father was recorded as William Melville, a labourer:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1907/10079/5665969.pdf

James and Clementina in 1911:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Smithfield/Mary_Street/186360/

Clementina Melville and Wilhelmina Melville, as names go, are at the more uncommon end of the spectrum and the following two births jump out:

- In April 1886, a daughter Clementina was born to a joiner called William Melville and Eliza Jane Kennedy:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1886/02606/1962340.pdf

- In November 1880, a daughter Wilhelmina was born to a carpenter called William 'Melvin' and Eliza Jane Kennedy:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1880/02854/2046011.pdf

I can also see a son William born to this couple in January 1882:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1882/02797/2026634.pdf


Offline Fitzy81

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Re: Have you any Melville ancestors?
« Reply #21 on: Thursday 03 August 23 22:20 BST (UK) »
Thank you! That has given me a further direction to go in. I'm almost certain Clementina/ Clementine was connected to My great grandmother, probably a sister or at least a cousin.

I've also turned up an interesting possible connection with Clough) Dundrum areas of Co Down. A Harriett Armstrong married a David Melville in 1884. She was widowed and remarried James Kennedy in 1895. The name Kennedy linked with Melville in both families is interesting...possibly they met via in laws.

 It looks like David had a brother called James and their father was William. So a number of things pushing me in that direction.


Offline Kiltaglassan

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Re: Have you any Melville ancestors?
« Reply #22 on: Friday 04 August 23 07:14 BST (UK) »

I've also turned up an interesting possible connection with Clough) Dundrum areas of Co Down. A Harriett Armstrong married a David Melville in 1884. She was widowed and remarried James Kennedy in 1895.


Marriages-

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1884/10907/5984286.pdf
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1895/10533/5836538.pdf

Both in 1st Clough Presbyterian Church.


Researching: Cuthbertson – Co. Derry, Scotland & Australia; Hunter – Co. Derry; Jackson – Co. Derry, Scotland & Canada; Scott – Co. Derry; Neilly – Co. Antrim & USA; McCurdy – Co. Antrim; Nixon – Co. Cavan, Co. Donegal, Canada & USA; Ryan & Noble – Co. Sligo

Offline gaffy

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Re: Have you any Melville ancestors?
« Reply #23 on: Friday 04 August 23 08:58 BST (UK) »
What follows is continuing the pattern of being all over the place in terms of names, but I believe it could be the same folk as my reply #20.  If I'm right, then both Clementina and Wilhelmina Melville converted to Catholicism in 1895 at St. Patrick's in Belfast. 

The older Wilhelmina (my reckoning aged 15) was baptised on 16 September (birth year stated as 1880), her address was recorded as 106 Henry Street and her sponsor was a Martha Morgan.  The younger 'Clementine' (my reckoning aged 9) followed suit a couple of months later on 29 November (birth year stated as 1884), her address was recorded as 73 Little Patrick Street and her sponsor was an Ann Russell. In both cases, they were described as protestant converts and their parents were transcribed as James Melville and Elizabeth Jane Kernaghan(?).

I can also see a St. Peter's Church version of the 1915 marriage of Clementina Donnelly nee Melville to Joseph Connor and both parents' names are included, transcribed as James Melville and Eliza Kernaghan (both deceased). 



Offline Kiltaglassan

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Researching: Cuthbertson – Co. Derry, Scotland & Australia; Hunter – Co. Derry; Jackson – Co. Derry, Scotland & Canada; Scott – Co. Derry; Neilly – Co. Antrim & USA; McCurdy – Co. Antrim; Nixon – Co. Cavan, Co. Donegal, Canada & USA; Ryan & Noble – Co. Sligo

Offline Fitzy81

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Re: Have you any Melville ancestors?
« Reply #26 on: Thursday 10 August 23 17:10 BST (UK) »
Ah yes, Gordon was the family above! That gets rid of that red herring then- thank you.