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Kennedy and McMullen

AntrimGlenavy (Antrim)

I am descended from a James Kennedy and a Sarah McMullen, whom I believe were the couplemarried on 29 Jan 1831in Belfast (denomination was Roman Catholic). Per Griffith's Valuation, a James Kennedy is listed as leasing three tenements in County Antrim, Glenavy Parish, which were located in Ballymote and Tullynewbane Townlands and in the Village of Glenavy. A James Kennedy died 15 Mar 1886 residing in Ballymote, and his will was proved in Belfast. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who might be researching the Kennedy or McMullenfamilies in Glenavy. Also, I live in the U.S. and I hope to visit the area in August 2016, andI have been able to locate the townlandtenements on current maps. I therefore would really appreciateit if someone in the parish could contact me, so I could provide them with more detailed information regarding the location of the tenements, and he or she could possibly help me get in touch with the current ownersto perhaps coordinate a visit. Thank you!

IrelandXO member

8 replies

It shouldn’t be too difficult to locate the farms in Ballymote and Tullynewbane today. The Ballymote one is on the modern Crewe Rd and Tullynewbane on the Belfast Rd. Finding the property in Glenavy Village is likely to be very difficult if not impossible. The village is just several streets of a couple of hundred small properties. The modern numbering system bears no relation to Griffiths Plot numbers and unless you got someone who knew of the family (not very likely if it was 150 years ago) I can’t see how you would locate it today.

I presume you realise that the 3 properties are likely to be 3 different James Kennedys? (Griffiths wouldn't normally show them residing there if they didn't.)

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you very much for the prompt reply.

I agree that identifying the particular property in the village may be impossible.  I don't know if there were also village directories that might have street numbers.

I thought it was possible that the same individual could be leasing three tenements (for example, residing in the village and farming two leaseholds), so your point that it instead is likely these are three separate individuals is certainly important.  (See for example the two neighboring tenements held by Edward Andrew in Tullynewbank, p. 125.)  Given the limited information I have at this stage, and if they are three individuals, it is not possible to identify which of the three may be an ancestor.

Again, thanks!

IrelandXO member

Street numbers were only allocated in towns and villages in the 1950s. Prior to that your townland or village was sufficient to get a letter delivered. Everyone knew where everyone else lived. Indeed in some rural areas in Ireland today there are still no house numbers. Glenavy wouldn’t have had a street directory in the mid 1850s but even if it did it wouldn’t have shown where each house was. Just a list of names.

With Griffiths, if someone has 2 farms, in general he resides in one and just attends to the land in the other. And where that happens the other townland is in brackets after his name. So if James Kennedy lived in Ballymote, he’d appear there as just James Kennedy, but if he also had a farm in Tullynewbane then he’d be listed there as James Kennedy (Ballymote).  Now the other thing is that if he did have 2 farms, he’d hardly leave the second farmhouse empty. Paying rent for an empty house would be financial foolishness. He’d rent it out. So what you would see then is the farmhouse (say plot 2a) rented by JK to Mr X, and then the land (plot 2b) in JK’s own name. As for the cottage in the village, I have no way of knowing whether he owned it or not, but if he had a farm half a mile up the road, you’d wonder why he had it. And if he was subletting, he’d appear as the landlord and not as the tenant. I am pretty sure these were 3 different James Kennedys.

There’s 140 James Kennedys in Co Antrim in the 1901 census. It’s a pretty common name.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you, Elwyn.  Following your first message, I checked the valuation revision books online, and those three tenements changed hands at different times to different individuals.  Combined with your guidance above, I agree it is very likely these three James Kennedys are different individuals.

Of the three, the James in Ballymote seems like the most likely candidate, as the next two tenements are held by two McMullens.  But that is not certain either.

Again, thanks for taking the time to provide thoughtful responses to my messages.  I will continue to work on this family, and any suggestions as to further records to research will be appreciated.

IrelandXO member

Elwyn, I hope this finds you well.

I thought that I would follow up and see if you might be able to reach out to, or provide me with contact information for, the current owners of the property that was the James Kennedy tenement in Ballymote (location 14 on the Griffith's map).  In one of your earlier messages, you already noted its location today, but I am uploading an overlay of tenement 14 on the Griffith's map on a current satellite view from the Ask About Ireland site that shows the current dwellings.  Although a long shot as you indicated, it is possible the current owners are descendants of this James Kennedy, and may be able to tell me whether or not this James Kennedy is my ancestor..  I have photographs that family lore holds were of some of the Kennedys (taken in Belfast), which I could share with them if that would help.

If you would prefer to communicate that information outside of this site for privacy reasons, my Yahoo Mail user name is cewashburn.  Thank you.

IrelandXO member

Cewashburn,

I had a look at the Ballymote revaluation records. I see that James Kennedy disappears in 1887 and is replaced by Mary Steele who in turn was replaced by Robert Gibson Steele in 1913. James had evidently died, as you mentioned previously. Here’s his probate abstract:

The Will of James Kennedy late of Ballymote County Antrim Farmer who died 15 March 1886 at same place was proved at Belfast by Francis Gibson of Carnkilly said County Farmer one of the Executors.

The will itself is on-line on the PRONI wills site and shows that Mary Steele was his daughter and Robert Gibson Steele was her son. The farm was left to Mary during her lifetime and then to Robert Gibson Steele.

That family in the 1911 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Glenavy/Ballymote/198651/

Note that this family was Church of Ireland and Methodist. Not RC. I note also that the McMullen family in Ballymote were also Church of Ireland, not RC. How sure are you that these Ballymote Kennedys & McMullens are your family?

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Glenavy/Ballymote/998245/

The Kennedy family were still there in the 1950s. Probate abstract:

Steele Robert Gibson of Ballymote Glenavy county Antrim farmer died 30 November 1954 Probate Belfast 19 August to Margaret Steele spinster and William Ross farmer. Effects £588 0s. 5d.

With regard to finding out who lives there today, I can’t think of any easy way of doing that without going over to the house and knocking on the door. It’s about 30 miles from where I live and not somewhere I often find myself. I did look in the phone book to see if there are any Steeles listed on Crewe Rd (postcode BT29, by the way). None listed. But many people are ex-directory these days so that’s not conclusive. You may just have to go and knock on the door yourself when you visit later this year. 

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you, Elwyn, for that additional research on my behalf.  Because my ancestor who was a daughter of a James Kennedy and a Sarah McMullen from the Belfast area was married in the U.S. in a RC church, I am virtually certain based on your research that this James Kennedy of Ballymote is not the James who is my ancestor, and my hunch based on the McMullen neighbors was wrong.  Again, I really appreciate your help.

Best regards,

Chuck

IrelandXO member

Hi

I have the website www.glenavyhistory.com

I have only just joined and noted this thread. I have access to a set of older maps for the Glenavy area - pre griffiths from c 1830. A Jane Kennedy had no 14 at Ballymote at that time and at number 15a a John and James McMullan had this land/properties.  To my knowledge there was a McMullan link in the Glenavy village area. I do have a map showing exactly where people lived in Glenavy in the 1830 period.

The Steeles who resided in the Ballymote/Crew area are long gone. There are no connections there now.

I currently do village tours and talks about the area if anyone is visiting or interested.

I can be contacte via the website.

"The Digger"

IrelandXO member

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