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John James Davidson and Sarah Grendle, plus McLeese family

AntrimBallymoney (Antrim)

This couple from Ballymoney both born C 1825 are my husbands 3 X great grandparents, they emigrated to Canada in 1845, their oldest son was born in the mid-Atlantic. We have very detailed information for this family from the time they arrived in Canada and settled in Westmeath Township, Renfrew County, Ontario. The Mcleese family also came from Ballymoney and arrived in Canada at about the same time, these 2 families intermarried more than once over several generations.

My main reason for posting this information is to provide a Canadian source for these families , Westmeath Township has a marvellous website with the family history and details of all the early settlers in this area. There are a significant number of Irish families in this township.

The Historic Westmeath Townshipwebsite is http://hwtproject.ca/

If anyone can trace records of John James and Sarah before they left Ireland.... it would be terrific other than their birth dates the only information I have is that they were not Catholic. They are variously listed on the Canadian censuses as Church of England, Church of Ireland and Presbyterian, which may have something to do with their being no established church in the area for many years.

And Yes the article on the Robinson settlers inspired this post.

userone@rogers.com

4 replies

I had a look at Parke’s census of Ballymoney in 1817 but did not find any Davidson or Grendle families listed there at that time. Davidson is a name commonly found in the county (over 1400 in Co Antrim in the 1901 census) but I am not sure about Grendle. There’s none in the 1901 Irish census and none in the civil birth indexes. I suspect that name has been altered or amended between Ireland and Canada, but I would struggle to say what it was in Ireland. Nearest in the Ballymoney area might be Gemmell.

Statutory recording of non RC marriages began in April 1845. I searched the indexes for a Davidson/Grendle marriage but did not find one. Prior to that you are dependent on church records (many of which are not on-line). Ballymoney Church of Ireland records start in 1807, 1st Presbyterian in 1817, 2nd Presbyterian in 1835 & Roseyards in 1780. Copies of these are held in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. A personal visit is required to view them though.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

This one from rootsireland.ie/ looks to be on the bally money!

Name:John DavidsonDate of Birth:/
Date of Baptism:26-Nov-1825Address:BallymoneyParish/District:BallymoneyGender:
CountyCo. Antrim
Denomination:Church Of Ireland
Father:Alexander DavidsonMother:Jane /

No luck with parents' marriage or marriages between the surnames I'm afraid

Col

 

ColCaffIrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks Col, you're right it is right on the money, and fits with the dates on censuses and his death record.The assumption from others reseaching this family is that  John and Sarah got married shortly before they left Ireland they would both have been 19-20 years old. As their oldest child was born in June en route to Canada they would have been married in 1844 or previously.

Regarding the Grendle last name, it says Grendle on her gravestone, I visited the Beachburg cemetery where all the early Davidsons are buried last summer and took photos of them all. Many of her children had Grendle or sometimes recorded as Grindle as a second name, the difference could easily be because the handwriting on some of the original documents is not clear so the officail transcriptions say Grindle, the local records all say Grendle.

If other members want more information I have photographs of the orginal log cabin it is still standing, and other original dcouments.

userone@rogers.com

There's a publican George Grindle in the Matier's Belfast Directory John Street 1835 on findmypast.ie/ which is free until 7th March. There are 7 other Grindles also. If you search with the surname variant ticked there are 437 of them.

Col

 

 

ColCaffIrelandXO Volunteer

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