Knock Burying Ground/Knockmount Park

Thanks Elwyn - I will send an e-mail as well as trying to call ... Debbie

Hi Debbie:

Just saw your posting about your Patterson ancestors, and wanted to follow up with you.  My great-grandfather Joseph Patterson was married to Elizabeth McVicker.  They were both born around the year 1800; emigrated to the US in the early 1850's and settled in Ohio.  They had nine children, all of whom emigrated to the US at about the same time.  I know they lived in Coleraine sometime prior to emigration, and my grandfather, William John Patterson (1832-1917) departed from Belfast.

I wondered if any of those names are familiar to you -- I've had a lot of difficulty finding my Patterson/McVicker ancestors in Northern Ireland.

Best wishes,

Amy Patterson O'Keefe

Hello Amy - I don't know of a connection between the Pattersons you mention, and my great-grandfather, but that doesn't mean there isn't one. It is likely a distant one if it exists as I don't believe any of the Pattersons I'm looking for emigrated.

All I know about Thomas Patterson is that he was born about 1859, and married Isabella Bowman of Killinchy in November 1878. Their first child was born in Larne, which I thought might provide a clue, but no luck. Their next 2 children were born in Ballyministragh (near Killinchy, where the Bowman family lived), then the remainder were all born in Belfast. Thomas Patterson was a baker, and died of typhoid in 1899. His widow and children (ages 20 to 1) were listed at 40 Witham St in 1901 census. In 1905 they all emigrated to Rockford, Iowa.

I agree, Patterson name is difficult to trace. By searching Belfast City Cemetery records, I was able to find a record of Thomasina Patterson buried at Knock, which I can link with Thomas/Isabella Patterson's family. The death notice for Thomas Patterson indicates he was to buried at Knock, but I can't find a record for him through the 'search'. I'm hoping to find Thomas and Isabella's marriage record at PRONI in August, which might provide Thomas' father's name.

Short answer = I don't know, but not very likely :(

Debbie -- thank you for giving me that detailed response and, you're right -- it's hard to establish any connection between our families.  But I'll make a note of the names and places you mentioned, and go back through the research done by someone I hired in Belfast about a year ago to see if there's any overlap with what she found.  Best of luck with your own research!

Amy Patterson O'Keefe

Amy, good luck with your research as well. And I followed Elwyn's advice and found the marriage record of Thomas Patterson and Isabella Bowman. Thomas' father is listed as 'Samuel Patterson, Labourer', and both Thomas and Samuel's address is given as Ballymacarrett, County Down, a townland in east Belfast.

Elwyn, again thank you very much! I think I looked at this site some time ago, but had trouble registering. It was a bit tricky, but I managed to register, buy credits and view/order two certificates. Cheers, Debbie

ps I also took your advice about sending an e-mail to City Cemeteries, and I got a response this morning

Update..... I was able to visit Knock Burial Ground this past Monday. The folks at the Cemeteries office were very helpful, and Tom from Dundonald office gave me access. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find the specific plot I was looking for-SE 33-just the general area. The cemetery is quite overgrown and many stones have fallen over, too faded to read, or covered by vines and shrubs. What a beautiful spot though! . Thank you for help and advice.... Cheers, Debbie