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Gilchrist family in Co. Antrim mid 1700s to early 1800s

Seeking information on sibings Sarah, Margaret and Jane Gilchrist of Co. Antrim.  I would like to identify their parents and other siblings. I'm not sure where they were living, but perhaps in the Killead parish area, possibly near Templepaptrick or Ballyrobin.

Sarah Gilchrist was b. about 1745.  She married Thomas McBurney about 1765.  They had four known children: James, Elizabeth, Barbara and Thomas. Thomas McBurney (Sr) died in 1773.  In 1784, Sarah, along with her unknown mother-in-law and 4 children immigrated to Philadelphia.  Daughter Barbara and the mother-in-law both died soon after arival in the US.  Daughter Elizabeth married Andrew Manderson (who had come from Camlin Co. Antrim) in Phildelphia in 1795. They remained in Philadelphia and she died there. In 1797, sons James and Thomas (Jr) went to Steuben Co. NY and their mother, Sarah, went with them.  They all died and are buried in Steuben Co. NY.  Sarah died in 1829.

Margaret Gilchrist was b. about 1755 in Co.Antrim.  She married Thomas Beattie about 1775.  She died in Co. Antrim about 1825.  Her date of death and burial location are unknown.  The Beatties were from Killead parish.  Thomas and Margaret had at least six children and I suspect more.  Thomas Beattie Jr. was b. 1777 in Killead, according to his military records.  He served in the Army 1805-1813 and returned to Artreshnahan.  I have no further information on him.  Mary Beattie was b, 1780 in Killead and married Samuel Molyneux.  They remained in Killead. She died in Killead in 1851.  John Beattie was b. Killead 1782 and died 1850 Steuben Co. NY.  About 1806, at the invitation of his cousin James McBurney, he immmigrated to Steuben Co NY.  He married in 1816 an unknown Eliza who was from Ballymena. Eliza had a sister, Mary, who married William Edmiston about 1820.   I know nothing further about Eliza and would like to identify her family. James Beattie was b. about 1790 in Killead.  He was still unmarried in 1837, but that's all I know about him.  Jane "Jenny" Beattie was b. 1795 in Killead and died 1820 near Randalstown.  She married about 1815, Thomas Henry McClure. They had three daughters: Nancy b. 1816, Mary b. 1818 and Margaret McClure b. 1820.  Nancy and Mary immigrated to Herkimer Co. NY.  I'm not sure about Margaret.  Margaret Beattie b. 1798 in Artreshnahan, near Randalstown.  She married David McClure, brother to Thomas Henry (above). They had nine children.  They lived their adult live in Derryhollagh, Duneane parish.  Their son, Robert, married his cousin, Nancy McClure (above) and they immigrated to Herkimer, NY as mntioned.  Some of their other children went to Michigan and Canada, but most remained in Co. Antrim.

About 1797, Thomas and Margaret removed from Killead to Artreshnahan, near Randalstown.  Thomas Beattie died about 1799.  Margaret sub-let part of their farm in 1807, but she remained in the Randalstown area.

Jane "Jenny" Gilchrist was b. 1760 in Co. Antrim and d. 1837 Washington Co. PA.  She married James Mulhollan(d) about 1783 and they immigrated to Washington Co PA about 1792.

Any information on any of these family members appreciated!!

 

 

Jan Beattie

6 replies

Jan,

 

I am the parish liaison for the area your ancestors lived in. To get back to the mid 1750s with some certainty about the information is generally regarded as quite an achievement with Irish research.

I am not sure I can add anything more to your knowledge of this family. (You may recall we worked on these families last year). I can’t think of any additional records that you have not already researched. However perhaps someone reading this board may know of these families and be able to provide some new information. 

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks, Elwyn.  I certainly appreciated your helping me!  It is my hope that someone will read my post and have some additional information!  I do feel fortunate to have uncovered as much information as I have, but one always wants to know as much as possible so I thought it was worth a try to post and see!  John Beatttie's wife, the unknown Eliza, continues to elude me.  I do hope some way, sometime, that we can identify her family.  There was a Mary Rowan (or Kirwan - hard to read the handwritten census) living with John Beatttie's daughter, Margaret Lomas and family in Menasha WI in 1870.  She is the right age to have been Eliza's sister, Mary.  So, she perhaps remarried to a Rowan.  She was b. IR about 1800 and her occupation was listed as "spinner".  This is the only clue we have for Eliza's family.  Mary wrote Eliza a letter in 1836.  At that time she was married to a William Edmiston and mentioned they had lived in CO. Down, in Scotland and he had gone to England seeking employment - and that's all we know.  By the next year, David MCClure wrote a letter and mentioned that he had no word on Eliza's family, but mentioned they had been in Ballymena but he thought they had immigrated.  So, the search continues.....

Jan Beattie

Hello Jan!  Thank you for the Gilchrist information. I am not sure if this is of interest to you or not, but I am the great x4 grandson of Elizabeth McBurney and Andrew Manderson. Andrew was a very successful lumber merchant and builder in Philadelphia, Pa. They had three sons, including Andrew Jr (my line) and his brother James (his grandfather McBurney's namesake), who were behind the development of Edgewater Park, New Jersey.  Elizabeth (daughter of Sarah and James), is buried  with her husband, sons and their families in the Manderson/Snyder/Merritt/Carroll/Troth family plot at Laurel Hill, East Falls Philadelphia PA.

 

 

Christopher Snyder

Thank you so much for your reply.  I've never connected with one of Elizabeth's descendants previously.  I knew about Andrew Manderson and his lumber success.  Visiting their graves is on my bucket list.  I think there was a connection with the Manderson family in Northern Ireland prior to coming to the US.  Or, Andrew Manderson was a much-respected man by our family as Margaret Beattie Lomas named her son Manderson Lomas.  And, some researchers believe Margaret's middle name is also Manderson.  This is new information for me that the grandfather was James McBurney - thanks!  Do you have any additional information on the McBurney family?  Our John Beattie came back  with James McBurney and settled in Steuben Co. NY at his cousin's behest.  Thank you so much.

Jan Beattie

 

Hello again, Jan.  I think James was Sarah Gilchrist's father (and also the name of one of her sons). James Manderson, her grandson and Elizabeth's son,  was named for her son (Elizabeth's brother). I can send a photo of the Manderson McBurney gravesite if you like. They won't let me post it on this site - or I just don't know how. I was just to Laurel Hill Cemetery this past week for Memorial Day. I cleaned up a bit (lots of moldy dirt on the stones). But they are beautiful granite markers - I think most were replaced in the 20th Century. Andrew and Elizabeth were moved from the Pine Street First Presbyterian Church, which is where all the Mandersons were married, christened etc. The Church still stands, and is a historic treasure.  The Senior Mandersons lived in a part of town called Northern Liberties, along the Delaware River. The streets have all changed as has the whole landscape. But they were near the docks which was critical to their business and trade as lumber merchants and builders. I B will send photos from a Laurel Hill if you provide an email address! Mine is chris10280@gmail.com

Thanks again!

Chris Snyder

 

Christopher Snyder

Thanks so much, Chris.  I'd love to see the photos.  I've heard the Laurel Hill Cemetery is quite beautiful.  My email is jankb80@sbcglobal.net

Jan Beattie

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