Millikens of Belfast

[GaryOB]

Hello Anthony.
Just a snippet but it proves the saying "one mans throw away price of junk is another mans treasure".  Your information comes under the heading of "Good news, Bad news".
Good news because the address and occupation would seem to indicate a direct link, and the name John ties in with David calling his first son John. 
Bad news because up to now I had been working on the theory that David came from Saintfield and his father was William James.  That family have a John but he stayed and inherited the farm thus would be unlikely to also own a barber shop in 1884.  That David had the right birth date (mid 1860's) and also had a sister called Sarah.
It looks like the focus of my research now moves back to Belfast.  In a way I am happy because the Saintfield connection never "felt right"  because my mother always insisted we came from Islandmagee direction before arriving in Belfast.
Thus the earliest known ancestor seems to be John Millken 1884, unfortunately Christopher did not see him in his 1880 directory.  (Would it be possible to recheck if you read this Christopher?). 
Can I link to Israel Milliken mentioned previously in 1830 at St Peters Hill??
The joys of geneology and the reason we keep coming back for more.

Thank you again Anthony, you have set me off on another direction.
Gary

[scotmum]

The Griffiths Valuation has a number of Milliken names recorded in the Island Magee area for mid 1800's - it may be worth having a look at them.

[scotmum]

Also, had you considered the David Milliken born at Ballycarry (http://www.from-ireland.net/lewis/ant/ballycarry.htm - nearby Island Magee) in 1864. He seems to have had a sister Sarah born 1867 and Annie born 1869. Parents names were James Milliken and Eliza(beth) McMulli/an. Hope this doesn't confuse you further.

[Christopher]

Hi Gary,

I have a directory of Belfast and the Province of Ulster Volume 1 - 1852. Anthony mentioned Israel as his name appeared in this directory. There were several others - 10 in fact. It may be worth while making a note of them. I see you have not commented about your great grandfather's parents so the names below may prove useful at some stage in the course of your research.

Directory of Belfast and the Province of Ulster 1852
Emanuel Milliken, master mariner, 7, McCrory's Row, Ballymacarrett
Elizabeth Milliken, 48, Little Patrick Street
George Milliken, publican, Falls Road
James Milliken, hatter, 65, Green Street
Jane Milliken, lodging house, 4, Gordon Street
James Milliken, boot and shoe maker, 44, Cromac Street
Margaret Milliken, dressmaker, 64, Donegall Street
Robert Milliken, grocer, Falls Road
Robert Milliken, saddler, 49, North Street and 21, Long Lane
William Milliken, ostler, 11, Little Donegall Street

There was a Robert Millikin, publican, at Whiteabbey. I suppose typesetting errors occurred occasionally. I mention Robert as he is on the Islandmagee side of Belfast.

It may be worthwhile having a closer look at Emanuel Milliken. Many mariners came from Islandmagee. He may have moved from that part of Co. Antrim to Ballymacarrett to be closer to the docks in Belfast.

Best Wishes with your research,

Christopher

[GaryOB]

I am overwhelmed with the responses so far and hope to return the favour to others on this website in the future. 
My original target for research was Islandmagee and my mother insisted that her family came from that area, especially Ballycarry (thanks Scotsmum).  This was the place that "felt right" but I was put off because another Milliken researcher stated categorically that that David was a different man.
I actually have a detailed geneology (somewhere in my records) for the family from Islandmagee but was never able to prove the link. 
Could Scotmum confirm the record that gives his birthdate at 1864, sister (Sarah) etc?  I would need to get copies for my records.  As you can see from my previous postings they seem to be the same details.

If David was born in 1864 he would be 20 when John Milliken had the barbershop in Belfast, then 32 when he next turns up in the street directory as owning the barshop in1896.  But there is no record in the street directory in 1880 which would seem to indicate that that is when they relocated (1880-84).

This is a tremendous development so thank you everybody for your help, and keep it coming.  I must dig out the old geneology for Islandmagee.

The power of coincidence. 
David Milliken born 1864 Ballycarry sister called Sarah born 1867.
David Milliken born 1866 Saintfield sister called Sarah born 1868.

[scotmum]

The Ballycarry Milliken details for David et al were from IGI, so may or may not be totally accurate (although I usually find most IGI records I have used in past to be fairly good when compared with originals). Further,  have you asked anyone here to check BIVRI for you - it may throw up some finds not on IGI? Also, do you have a name for the wife of your David (I notice you say he had a son, John). Any thoughts on when they married as getting hold of this certificate should give you David's father's name?

[Christopher]

Hi Gary,

Keep them coming. Here they come then - Millikens from Islandmagee - mentioned in Earls Family Chronicles by Christopher E. Brennan

http://www.dankat.com/earls/chap5.htm
http://www.dankat.com/earls/chap6.htm
http://users.cis.net/daver/irelcem.htm

Best Wishes, Christopher

[GaryOB]

Hi Christopher
Thanks for the links to the "Earls" website, there was some good background info there (and a lovely map).  It confirms some of the information that is in the old "Milliken of Templephin geneology" which dates from 1964.   I need to do some serious reading now to remind myself of that whole situation.
Gary

[stevenson]

Hi Garyob

Just thought I would let you know that the "Porters " were at Red Hall Ballycarry up to the 1800's.
You can see Islandmagee from there

Steve