Ireland XO
Back to Message Board

GRAHAMs of Antrim

AntrimAntrim (Antrim)

My great-grandfather, Thompson Graham (1855-1923) emigrated to New Zealand in 1874 where he married and was a farmer. His death certificate states that his father's name was Isaac and his mother's Mary Anna (maiden name unknown). It states he was born in Belfast although his daughter's birth certificate states that he was born in Ballypitman, County Antrim - this appears to be some kind of error as this does not seem to be a place. I did find apossible death registration for Isaac Graham but can't be sure it's the right one:
Registration number D/1890/26/1004/7/492
Registration district Ballymena(pre-1973 Q4)
Registration sub-district Toome
Deceased details Deceased name(s) Isaac Graham
Sex of deceased Male
Marital status of deceased Widowed
Date of death 10th July 1890
Age at death 83
District of death Ballymena(pre-1973 Q4)
Informant was son Joseph
Groffan, Drummaul

That's all I've managed to find on these Grahams.. Does anyone have any pointers on where to look next? Thanks, Jo

JMHilderNZ

7 replies

Thank you. I will!

JMHilderNZ

The place on the 1890 death certificate is Groggan, not Groffan. It’s a mile or so north of Randalstown, in Co. Antrim. The modern Groggan Rd runs through it. There was 1 Graham family there in the 1901 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Drumanaway/Groggan/941844/

 

And in 1911:

 

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Drumanaway/Groggan/124959/

 

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Drumanaway/Groggan/124988/

 

From the PRONI wills site, the Sarah Graham in the 1901 & 1911 censuses was married to Joseph who died in 1895:

Letters of Administration of the personal estate of Joseph Graham late of Groggan County Antrim Farmer who died 11 July 1895 were granted at Belfast to Sarah Graham of Groggan the Widow.

Joseph was 49 when he died, so of an age to be a possible brother to Thompson, if you have the right family.

Graham Elizabeth of Groggan Randalstown county Antrim spinster died 22 December 1946 Probate Belfast 6 May to Samuel James McComb and William Bonar farmers. Effects £126.

 

Griffiths Valuation for 1862 lists Isaac Graham in Groggan. He was on plot 12a which was a 10 acre farm.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=nameSearch

The revaluation clerks were a bit slow in picking up the change of tenant but in 1905 it’s shown as changing from Isaac to Sarah Graham. So it looks as though when Isaac died in 1890, the farm went to his son Joseph who then died in 1895 at which point it passed to his widow Sarah.

This family were Presbyterian and probably attended one of the 5 Presbyterian churches and close to Randalstown. Their records are copied and held in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast.

Having said that I suspect the townland name that you are looking for might be Ballypitmave which was in Glenavy parish. There was a Jeremiah Graham there in 1862 in Griffiths. None by the 1901 census, but you might want to check out the local parish records. (Copies in PRONI).

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks Elwyn.  The tip about Ballypitmave might be a good lead to follow - I've not seen that one before.  Thanks!

JMHilderNZ

Good afternoon JMHilderNZ 

I have just joined this site and came across your message.

I have a Thompson Graham (1855) in my tree who would have been my great great grandfather Isaac's brother.

His father was called Robert Graham married to Mary Ann Linn. They came from Ballypitmeave, Glenavy, Co. Antrim, before moving to Belfast.

The Griffith's Valuation 1862 has Jeremiah Graham who was my GGG grandfather.

Maybe they could have been cousins?

Annie

anniehamilton_…

Hello Annie

Thank you so much for your message.

I am very interested to know your source of information for the Thompson Graham b.1855 in your tree and the names of his parents. My only source for his parents' names is his death certificate here in New Zealand and of course that is not very reliable (I don't know who provided the information) and in fact, I did wonder whether Isaac is the correct name as I would have expected his father's name to turn up among the naming of his children following naming conventions and Isaac doesn't turn up at all but his first son is called Robert!  So maybe his father was Robert and they got the Mary Ann right...

I'm a little confused by how you are related as you say that your GGG grandfather is Jeremiah but that your GG grandfather was Isaac and had a father called Robert...

I'd be very happy if you want to email me directly  - I've put my email in the attachment (for safety).

Thanks again - it will be interesting to see if we are in fact related.

Jo

JMHilderNZ

PS Annie - if you would like to see more of what I have learned about my Graham ancestors, I have put together a book on both my Hilder background and my Graham background as two Hilder brothers married two Graham sisters (daughters of Thompson Graham) - it is available online here: https://tinyurl.com/HilderGrahamBook

The Graham section is towards the back of the book and I have much less information on the Irish roots unfortunately. I really must get over to Ireland one day...

 

Jo

JMHilderNZ

Reply

Reply
One image file up to 2 MB.
IrelandXO - Connecting the Irish Diaspora