James McElroy came from (possibly) Bally na Hinch, County Down. James & wife Sarah McCue, with other Protestants (Presbyterians, Old Covenanters) sailed from Belfast or Larne in 1729 to Pennsylvania. Need help researching this early date.
Sadly there are no records for the early 1700s in Ballynahinch that seem likely to help. None of the churches in the area have any records before the 1800s. (The first Covenanter Minister in Ireland was the Rev William Martin who was ordained in 1757, so your ancestors in Ireland probably attended mainstream Presbyterian churches).
A bit of general background here about why Presbyterians started to migrate from Ireland in the early 1700s.
https://www.ancestryireland.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/The_1718_Migration.pdf
Your ancestors will be descendants of Scots who settled in Ireland in the 1600s. They came in various batches throughout that century with a big rush in the 1690s due to famine in Scotland. Consequently, your family probably only lived in Ireland for a maximum of 100 years and perhaps quite a bit less.
The authorities in Ireland did not keep any records of persons leaving Ireland. Occasionally we know the names of passengers due to their being mentioned in a newspaper or a letter home which has made its way into a public collection but broadly there are no shipping records to consult.
In reading the history of Presbyterianism in Ireland that you included, I noted the name of the Rev. William Boyd. Mary Boyd (b. ~1707 Lurgan County Armagh) was married to one of my ascendants John Irvine (b. ~1700 Larne Co. Antrim). The article stated that the Rev. William Boyd was born in 1685 and dates possibly indicate that this could be her family? Findagrave notes state that Mary's father was William Boyd, descendant of the Boyds of Kilmarnock Ayrshire, Scotland. The author of the 1898 book "The Irvines and their Kin," wrote that among the Presbyterian group's voyage to Baltimore was the immigrant John Irvine, a Presbyterian minister. The ship, George and Ann, left May 9, 1729 and McElroys, Irvines, McDowells and Campbells among others sailed from Londonderry (not Belfast or Larne as other recollections stated). Maybe this will add a bit of additional information in my McElroy quest! Many thanks! Lucy
The Presbyterian Historical Society in Belfast keeps records of Ministers who served in Ireland. (A book called FASTI). It usually includes a little bio about where they were born and whom they married, plus information on where they qualified and later served as Minister. So you might get something from that.
https://www.presbyterianhistoryireland.com
In addition, because it wasn’t possible for Presbyterians to get a theology degree in Ireland till the 1840s, all Ministers qualified in Scotland. They went to one of the then 4 universities in Scotland – Glasgow, Edinburgh, St Andrews or Aberdeen (then known as Marischal College). Again those institutions keep records on their students and you can get a bit from that.
many thanks again! Lucy
Generation 7
James McElroy, son of Hugh McElroy and Ester McDowell, was born in 1708 in
Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland. He died on 10/19/1772 in Prince Edward, Virginia,
USA. He married Sarah McCune on 05/08/1729 in Down, Northern Ireland.
Sarah McCune, daughter of Archibald McCune and Sarah McDowell, was born on
01/01/1708 in Down, Northern Ireland. She died on 01/01/1760 in Campbell, Virginia,
USA.
32. Sarah McCune and James McElroy had the following child:
i. John Henry McElroy was born in 1727 in Down, Down, Northern Ireland. He
died in 1802 in Mecklenburg, North Carolina, USA. He married Jo Anna
Irvine in Virginia, USA. She was born in 1743 in Virginia, USA. She died in
1802 in Mecklenburg, North Carolina, USA. He married Martha Moore in
1750. She was born in 1728 in Mecklenburg, North Carolina, USA. She
died in 1790 in North Carolina, USA