I am seeking information on my gggrandfather, Robert BELL, a mason. He was born 01 May 1820 and died 18 March 1889 in Ballymena. He married Eleanor Jane COOK; and had three children (William Arthur, Mary Elizabeth, Robert). Any information about him would help me break through this brick wall. I believe he may be burried in Kirkinrola, but I am not certain of this. Many thanks for any help.
gerbell:
Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!
Our Co. Antrim expert is away for a couple weeks. I will send him an e-mail and hopefully he will have time to respond when he returns. What was the religious denomination of your ancestors?
Roger McDonnell
I don't know the religious denomination of Robert BELL; however, his son (William Arthur BELL) was married in the Church of England at St. James Clerkenwell in the County of Middlesex, England
Gravestone inscriptions for Kirkinriola cemetery are on-line on this site:
There are only 4 for Kirkinriola. None mentions a Robert who died in 1889. However if he was buried without a gravestone (as the majority of the population were) then there’s no easy way of finding out if he is in that cemetery.
http://thebraid.com/genealogy.aspx
You might want to search the inscriptions for other cemeteries in the area.
I looked for a death certificate for Robert, on 18.3.1889. I didn’t find one. Could the date be wrong? What’s your source for that information? The nearest (indeed the only Robert Bell death) in 1889 in Ballymena registration area was 21.9.1889, aged 63. However I don’t think he’s your man as I found this probate abstract for that death:
The Will of Robert Bell late of Lisnahuncheon County Antrim Farmer who died 21 September 1889 at same place was proved at Belfast by Mary Jane Bell of Lisnahuncheon Widow one of the Executors.
I looked for Robert’s marriage to Eleanor (probably Ellen in Ireland). I didn’t see it in the statutory registers, which start in April 1845. Could the couple have married before that? (When was their eldest child born?). If so, you would need to search church records to find it.