Looking for parents of John Daniel McKnight Born in Creevycarnonan Kilmore

[DaveMcC]

My grandad  on my dads side was John Daniel McKnight. We don't know anything about his parents and family and I have been trying without much success to find out more about who his parents and siblings (if he had any) are. My ada told me that he was born somewhere around Killyleagh.

I did get DNA matches on Ancestry to several men who are McKnights living in USA/Canada so that is how we could be related.

I found John Daniel McKnight's birth record which I have attached. It says he was born 17 January 1917 in Creevycarnonan.  Here is where Creevycarnonan is: https://www.townlands.ie/down/castlereagh-upper/kilmore/kilmore/creevycarnonan/

On the bottom of the page there are two records for his birth, the top one was crossed out but it says Samuel McKnight was his father but that is blank in the ammended record below it and it gives parent as Margaret McKnight formerly a Servant (which is her job, not name). It says Bridget Keenan was present at his birth. On Ancestry I got a DNA match to a man directly related to the Keenans from Crossgar/Creevycarnonan so possibly there could be a connection there?

John Daniel McKnight was living in 3 Burton Avenue in Dundonald at the time of his marriage in 1939 and on his marriage certificate it said John Daniel McKnight (Known as McCormick) and he married Mary Josephine McGahey (that is actually McGaughey spelled wrong) who was also living in Burton Avenue at the time, her family are from Fintona/Omagh in Tyrone and I know a lot about thern and who they were/are. No idea why my grandad went by the surname McCormick. John died 29 January 1980, before I was born so I never got to know him.

I looked up Irish census records for a Samuel McKnight in 1911 as its the closest records I could get to 1917 for families and I can find no record of a Samuel McKnight in the the Killyleagh/Crossgar/Downpatrick/Ballynahinch or that general region. I don't know who this Margaret is either so I am at a loss. Can anyone help?

[scotmum]

Did wonder if this might be Margaret's family, as they state 4 children living at 1911, yet only 3 are at home:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Kilmore/Creevycarnoonan/234841/

however, the closest I can see for this family in 1901 is:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Crossgar/Killyleagh_Street/1229867/

with Hugh possibly being elsewhere at:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Bryansford/Church_Street/1233637/

but no Margaret, which would seem to rule them out, although perhaps still related in some way, as no other McKnights in Creevycarnonan at 1911.

There is this 1911 possibility for Bridget Keenan:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Kilmore/Creevycarnoonan/234861/

and her possible marriage as Bridget McMullan:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/035e022004604

If Hugh and Mary Jane McKnight were connected to Margaret in any way (eg an uncle/aunt that she went to stay with to have her child), they look to have possibly married over Gilnahirk direction, if this is correct marriage (seems to be based on mmn matching on birth records for children), https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/8e22002472637, which might mean you also need to extend your search area for Margaret McKnight.

Was there any entry under father on John's marriage record? Who were the witnesses? I'm assuming not, from what you have said, but do the family have any idea if John was brought up by his mum or relatives or otherwise?

Depending on cM levels of the various DNA matches you have, you could try Colour Clustering them to see if it helps in any way:

https://www.danaleeds.com/the-leeds-method/

[DaveMcC]

Did wonder if this might be Margaret's family, as they state 4 children living at 1911, yet only 3 are at home:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Kilmore/Creevycarnoonan/234841/

however, the closest I can see for this family in 1901 is:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Crossgar/Killyleagh_Street/1229867/

with Hugh possibly being elsewhere at:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Bryansford/Church_Street/1233637/

but no Margaret, which would seem to rule them out, although perhaps still related in some way, as no other McKnights in Creevycarnonan at 1911.

There is this 1911 possibility for Bridget Keenan:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Kilmore/Creevycarnoonan/234861/

and her possible marriage as Bridget McMullan:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/035e022004604

If Hugh and Mary Jane McKnight were connected to Margaret in any way (eg an uncle/aunt that she went to stay with to have her child), they look to have possibly married over Gilnahirk direction, if this is correct marriage (seems to be based on mmn matching on birth records for children), https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/8e22002472637, which might mean you also need to extend your search area for Margaret McKnight.

Was there any entry under father on John's marriage record? Who were the witnesses? I'm assuming not, from what you have said, but do the family have any idea if John was brought up by his mum or relatives or otherwise?

Depending on cM levels of the various DNA matches you have, you could try Colour Clustering them to see if it helps in any way:

https://www.danaleeds.com/the-leeds-method/

Thanks for the help. I did see those Census records before and I did wonder if there was a connection. My grandparents marriage certificate doesn't help as ts blank for my grandfaters fathers name and the two witnesses were a John and Rosina Galbraith, John living in Newtownards and Rosina living in Middlepath street in Belfast, so again no help there.

It might help if I could find a Samuel McKnight mentioned anywhere if he is the father. I am assuming that McKnight isn't Margarets surname but her married name (if she was married) and that her surname might be something else (although I did find a marriage record for a Samuel and Margaret McKnight in Belfast but probably not a connection to who I am looking for: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1899/10368/5774587.pdf

One of my assumptions was that Margaret might have been Margaret Keenan? Just a theory but have no real evidence for that other than Bridget Keenan being present at the birth and myself getting a DNA match to a Keenan who's Keenan family are from the same Creevycarnonan area.

[DaveMcC]

While I haven't found the father, I found a record that Margret McKnight had another child, James McKnight, born on 6th August 1918 in Creevycarnonan, again no father is listed: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1918/01275/1528624.pdf

It says Annabella McCormick was present at the birth. It looks like Annabella might be Margaret's sister. I found the birth record for Agnes Heniretta McCormick/McCormack, says father is Daniel McCormick/McCormack and mother is Annabella McCormick formerly McKnight: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1911/01543/1624743.pdf

I have not been able to find their marriage record yet but I found a Census record for them in 1911 living in Cluntagh, Crossgar: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Crossgar/Cluntagh/239355/

It says they were married for 3 years and had 2 children but I cannot yet find the birth record for their other child, just Agnes.

What I would like to know if anyone can find it, if there is a marriage record for Daniel McCormick or McCormack and Annabella McKnight? That might have Annabella's fathers name on it. It says on the census record they were married for 3 years but I cannot find a record between 1907-1908 or at all. Can anyone help?

I found this record of the birth of a Margaret McKnight in Killyleagh 1880 to a John McKnight and a Margaret Matthews, but I don't know if this is the same Margaret McKnight I am looking for but its possible since her father is listed as John McKnight a Joiner and the Margaret McKnight I am looking for, her son, my grandad was John McKnight, and he was also a Joiner: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1880/02889/2058578.pdf

I also can't find what happened to James McKnight if anyone can help me with him?

Edit: I realised I had a photo of Daniel McCormick and Annabella's grave I took in 2017 in Killyleagh when my dad and I went looking for my grandads grave. At the time I never realised it was their grave and my grandad John was buried in the same grave, says on the headstone he is their son, so looks like Daniel and Annabella may have adopted him as their own son, which explains why my grandad went by the name McCormick and not McKnight when he got married.

[scotmum]

Not seeing Daniel/Annabella marriage either, but the relatives they were living with in 1911, look to have possibly been Daniel's sister and her husband:

Henry MCAVOY and Agnes MCCORMICK
Married on 25 December 1895

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/4d03712249384

[scotmum]

For Annabella's death in 1979, additional death notices were inserted by two sons and a daughter. No specific mention of John.

[DaveMcC]

Not seeing Daniel/Annabella marriage either, but the relatives they were living with in 1911, look to have possibly been Daniel's sister and her husband:

Henry MCAVOY and Agnes MCCORMICK
Married on 25 December 1895

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/4d03712249384

Thanks. If I am reading that right, does that say Henry McAvoy's father is Patrick McCormick?

I also found Annabella's death notice in the newspaper, 1979 and your right no mention of John.

[DaveMcC]

I realised I posted something that was wrong but I can't delete this post.

[DaveMcC]

Researching into McKnights, I looked at Irish Census records and that wasn't helping, so I checked my Ancestry DNA results. I discovered a 5th – 8th cousin match who has McKnights on their tree as ancestors. They have:

Richard McKnight and Anne Roney who got married 10 August 1844 Mourne Lower, County Down. They had a daughter Ellen McNeight born 1846, registered in Kilkeel, Sarah McKnight born 8 March 1864 (although I can't read the location): https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1864/03630/2340128.pdf and a son, Robert McKnight (no dates listed on the tree)

They also have a Mary Anne McKnight born to Ellen McNeight (written as McKnight on birth certificate) 03 April 1870, Magherasaul but no father listed. Says Ellen was living in Magherasaul at the time. Ellen married John Curry in Workington, Cumberland, England and Mary Anne Mcknight lived in Workington, Cumberland, shown in 1881 Census.

I am wondering if my grandad, Margaret and Annabella McKnight were related to these McKnights? I don't know much about them yet if anyone can help?