The two townlands where Nathaniel and Mary Jane were living when they married are Dunaird and Lisnamurrikin (spelling varies). Rooghan is immediately beside Lisnamurrican. They are all adjacent to each other and just south of the town of Broughshane. The modern Rathkeel Rd runs through them. So the two homes were within easy walking distance of each other.
You don’t say what church they married in, but tradition was to marry in the bride’s church, so that’d be the place to look for her family. Which church was it? (The records are probably not on-line but I can tell you what records exist and where they are held).
What were the occupations on the marriage cert, both for the groom and the two fathers?
The tithe applotment records have a James Black living in Lisnamurrican in 1825. Also a Nathaniel and Patrick in Roughan. (These would be heads of households, so adults).
http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/antrim/tithe-applotments/skerry-parish.php#.WA9QgBR9eg0
There’s no Black household in Lisnamurrican by the time of Griffiths Valuation but there is a John Black in Dunaird. He had plot 17 which was a house, flax mill and 11 acres. You have evidently seen the Roughan Black households in Griffiths.
Found these probate abstracts:
The Will of John Black late of Dunaird County Antrim Farmer who died 18 December 1886 at same place was proved at Belfast by John White of Cross said County Farmer and Martha Black of Dunaird Widow the Executors
The will itself is on-line on the PRONI site and in addition to his wife, it mentions his nephew Robert Black who is to live on the farm. Also a niece Martha. Martha Black’s maiden name was evidently white (!) as her brother John White is also mentioned as executor.
The Will of James Black late of Roughan County Antrim Farmer deceased who died 20 May 1868 at same place was proved at Belfast by the oath of John Black of Donard (Broughshane) in said County Farmer one of the Executors.
The above will is also on-line and mentions wife Elizabeth, brother John and sons James, Hugh & Alexander.
The Will of James Black late of Roughan County Antrim Farmer deceased who died 26 October 1873 at same place was proved at Belfast by the oaths of Jenny Black Widow and James Black Farmer both of Roughan and Samuel M'Allister of Crevamoy Grocer all in (Broughshane) said County the Executors.
The above will is on-line and mentions wife Jenny, children, James, Margaret, Molly, Jane, Matty (Matilda), William, Mathew, Elizabeth and Patrick.
The Will of Matthew Dickey Black late of Roughan County Antrim Farmer deceased who died 16 June 1871 at same place was proved at Belfast by the oath of Alexander Black of Roughan (Broughshane) same County Farmer one of the Executors.
Again this will is on-line and mentions sons Alexander, Nathaniel, James & Wilson.
The Will of Patrick Black late of Roughan County Antrim Farmer deceased who died 23 March 1873 at same place was proved at Belfast by the oaths of Matthew Black of Roughan Farmer Samuel M'Callister of Crevamoy Grocer and John Meban of Roughan Farmer all in (Broughshane) said County the Executors.
The will mentions a nephew Mathew Black of Roughan, another nephew Mathew Black of Ballygelly, nephew James Black junior, sister Nancy Black and nephew Patrick Black.
Couldn’t find any wills relating to Blacks of Linsnamurrican.
I noticed this grave inscription in Ballymena graveyard:
Black. In memory of Nathaniel Black, died 2nd January 1921 and his wife Alice, died 20th February, 1925. "Until the day break, and the shadows flee away." Agnes R Black, died 24th May, 1951. James Black, died 8th December 1896. Margaret Black, died 30th J.
Here’s that family in 1901:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Ballymena_and_Town_and_Urban_District_of_Ballymena/Cullybackey_Road__part_of__Inboundary/925297/
Families liked to keep using the same names, and so it’s possible that there’s a link with Jeremiah’s father Nathaniel. (I can tell from the marriage indexes that this Nathaniel married Alice Craig in 1876 and his father was Mathew Black).
No Blacks in Dunaird, Roughan or Lisnamurrican in the 1901 census. So they must all have died out or moved away.
The place name Blackstown, Ballypatrick doesn’t mean anything to me. There are two places named Ballypatrick in Co Antrim. One in the parish of Culfeightrin and the other in Ballymoney. (Both are about 15 to 20 miles north of Dunaird). I searched the valuation revision records (which take Griffiths primary valuation forward) for the late 1870s and early 1880s but did not see any Black household in either. So I can’t help with the location of Jeremiah’s former home, prior to leaving Ireland.
So you know that there were a lot of Black families in the Roughan, Lisnamurrican & Dunaird areas, though all had gone by 1901. They were evidently closely related. You may need to spend a little time trying to sort them all out. You may well need a researcher to go through the church records for you to try and piece the families together.
I’d guess that your families probably attended either Buckna or Broughshane 1st Presbyterian churches. They both have records from about the 1830s.
I had a look for marriage between Thomas McFadden and Sarah McCurry but didn’t find one. It was probably before the start of statutory marriage registration in 1845. So very hard to find unless you know which church.
Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘