John and Jane MURRAY nee Grace

[Dendiva1]

John and Jane had a son called James who married Catherine Neill in Ballintoy, Antrim, in 1888. I know his parents are John and Jane as it is on his death certificate. I have lost count of the hours I have researched this family. I cannot find any information on John and Jane MURRAY or Jane GRACE  I am assuming they lived in Antrim somewhere as James was born there. I would appreciate any help anyone can give me.
Margaret Murray

[gaffy]

A belated welcome to RootsChat, for others reading your topic, here is the 1889 marriage of James Murray and Catherine Neill, showing them resident at 'Glenstaghy':
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1889/10746/5918539.pdf

Glenstaghey townland:
https://www.townlands.ie/antrim/cary/ballintoy/ballintoy/glenstaghey/

First born was a daughter Rosetta in 1890 at 'Craiganboy':
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1890/02422/1902127.pdf

In this instance, the location is more likely Cregganboy townland, rather than the alternative in County Antrim spelled as in the birth registration:
https://www.townlands.ie/antrim/cary/ramoan/ramoan/cregganboy/

More children by 1901, Matilda, Sarah... and a 15 year old Catherine?
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Ramoan/Creggan/921872/



Edited to add: this looks like a birth for that 15 year old daughter Catherine, registered under Neill, she was born at Glenstaghey:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1886/02617/1965910.pdf

[Dundee]

I know his parents are John and Jane as it is on his death certificate.

Death certificates can be the most unreliable documents.  I see that the name of Catherine's mother was also Jane so I would keep in mind that this name may not be correct for James' mother.

This looks like Catherine's birth

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1866/03532/2299844.pdf

If James' age was correct in 1901 then he was born before civil registration started in 1864.  Do you have a more specific place of birth for James as you might be able to find younger siblings who were born after 1864.

For others searching, this is James' death details just from the index.

1942
29579/1942

MURRAY, James

Mother: Jane GRACE
Father: John MURRAY
Born: ARAMOY, IRELAND
Died: MONTROSE (Victoria, Australia)
Aged 79

Debra 

[aghadowey]

"ARAMOY, IRELAND," based on he reference to Glenstaghy, is likely to be Armoy which is roughly between Ballymoney and Ballycastle.

[Dundee]

I have had a look at MURRAY births 1864 to 1870 in the Ballycastle registration district and cannot see any with a mother's surname of GRACE.

There is one birth for the surname GRACE in Ballycastle district 1864 to 1900, a male child at the workhouse, mother Jane GRACE.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1877/03014/2104188.pdf

Debra 

[gaffy]

There was a Jane Grace who died in 1906 in the Union Workhouse, Ballycastle, she was from Clare townland just west of Ballycastle, a spinster with a reported age of 75:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1907/05541/4553855.pdf

In the 1901 Ireland census there are a couple of possible candidates for her in the workhouse:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Ballycastle/Townparks/921177/

[Dundee]

Just adding here in case it becomes relevant, two marriages in Ballycastle, Ellen Jane GRACE and Thomas GRACE, neither knew their father's name.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1900/10341/5764772.pdf

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1903/10250/5730649.pdf

Thomas was living with Ellen and family in 1901.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Ramoan/Novally/921960/

Debra 

[Dundee]

Loughguile & Armoy

LOST - Registers for this parish were in PROI in 1922 and were thus not saved

https://www.ireland.anglican.org/cmsfiles/pdf/AboutUs/library/registers/ParishRegisters/PARISHREGISTERS.pdf

Adjacent parishes and registration districts

https://www.swilson.info/regdistmap.php?gregdistid=11

I think that you might have to resort to DNA testing to try to find some family connections.

Debra