RootsChat.Com
Ireland (Historical Counties) => Antrim => Ireland => Antrim Completed Look up Requests => Topic started by: mrgreer on Tuesday 07 September 10 19:36 BST (UK)
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Hi all,
I'm currently trying to find information on a William Greer, a bleacher from Mallusk who died circa 1918. He was marred to Elizabeth Ferguson who died in 1943. Both were my great grandparents but following my fathers death the scent has gone cold.
I have been trolling the 1901 & 1911 census and have got some valuable information.
I believe they had 5 children,
Robert, Martha, Margaret, Charles Ferguson and Isabel.
The family grave is in Carnmoney cemetry although i was told it was difficult to find.
William's mother is believed to be a Mary Jane Kennedy born circa 1833 and father Robert Greer dates unknown..
Any information would be greatly appreciated as it is something I regret doing when my father was alive.
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Hi,
Welcome to Rootschat. I have done some look-ups and found that William Greer, father Robert, married Eliza Ferguson, father Charles, in Carnmoney Church of Ireland on 6 Sept 1866.
Using your information, Robert Greer married Mary Jane Kennedy in Woods Chapel Church of Ireland, Magherafelt Co.Londonderry on 23 Sept 1853. Using the Parent search on the IGI I found two children although there are probably more.
6 Sept 1866 Thomas, born Carnmoney.
22 Dec 1868 William Robert, born Hightown, Co. Antrim and christened on 27 Dec 1868 in Carnmoney Parish.
Regards
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Hi
Have you anymore information on the grave.
Do you know where in Carnmoney Cemetry or is it in the Church of Ireland graveyard. (Both are beside each other).
John
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Thanks for the information kingskerswell. This is extremely interesting as I am fairly new to this activity and to be honest am finding it all a bit confusing.
jwaugh: I believe from speaking to my mother that the grave is in the Church of Ireland graveyard and was heavily overgrown when my father last visited it some 15 years ago.
I believe it was last opened circa 1985 - 1995 to bury his uncle Charles Ferguson Greer and was on the left of the Church of Ireland graveyard and marked with a headstone listing William and Elisabeth.
I am interested in dates to hopefully allow a visit to Northern Ireland and the area to discover more about my predecessors and to give me a sound base to which to continue my searches.
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Hi
I will be passing the graveyard on Friday afternoon or Saturday if you want a photograph of the grave.
John
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That would be fantastic John
Many thanks.
Michael
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Hi Michael
I was at Carnmoney Parish Church today but was unable to find the grave. The Church was open as part of the European Heritage Open Days and a very helpful man, Maurice Atkinson, looked through the burial registers. We were unable to find a grave for the people you mentioned.
Is it possible that they could have been buried in Carnmoney Cemetery which is run by Newtownabbey Borough Council.
The only other way would be to have exact dates of death and check the Newspapers for a Death Notice which might give where they were buried.
John
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John,
A 3-grave GREER lot is located in the NW corner of Section C of Graveyard No. 3, marked "A32" on the 1960s map.
Ref: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,434765.msg2996289.html#msg2996289
Take the path at the LH side of church, up to nearly the junction with the cross-path.
The lot lies in the 2nd row in, behind IRWIN, between HANNA and GILCHRIST.
Probably not entered in the CoI burial register because the family were (?) dissenters.
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Michael,
The family burying ground being located in this old section of the graveyard would indicate a long association with the area.
[Mallusk lies only 2.5 miles away.]
The name is quite common in the surrounding area, e.g. ...
Isabella (d. 01-APR-1897 at her residence in Carntall), beloved wife of Robert GREER, was buried at the old burying ground in Ballylinney. Notice raised by a Robert GREER.
Ref: The Belfast News-Letter (Belfast, Ireland), Friday, April 2, 1897; Issue 25493
[There are 650 references to "Robert GREER" in the Belfast Newsletter 1828-1900!
One was an important politician.]
An "Allex GREEAR" is listed in the 1669 Hearth Roll as one of Lord Donegall's principal tenants in Moliske (one of the Carnmoney Liberties). Lease probably granted in 1662.
Ref: P.79, "Through the Ages to Newtownabbey" (Revised Edition), Robert Armstrong, Abbey Publications, ISBN 0-9526928-0-5
[A substantial tome, based on extensive research. A great read!]
An extensive bleaching and milling works was established in Mallusk ~1780 by John HYDE (at Hyde Park). These were taken over and converted to a wash house ~1815 by BATT. This got in to difficulty in 1832, causing the migration of over 80% of the workers.
Ref: Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Vol. 2, IIS & QUB, 1990, ISBN 0 85389 341 1, pp 106-115
Capt. Jock
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Hi Capt. Jock
Thanks for the link to the map. That would have been handy on Saturday! ;D
We did look in the Carved in Stone book and none of the four Greer's mentioned in the book matched any of the details given. I have now ordered my own copy of the book on CD so hopefully that will save me hunting the whole graveyard again in any searches.
I was told there is soon to be another book about the newest graveyard across the road from the church. Looking forward to it.
John
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Ach, you Ballyclare fowk are ayeways wintin' things done yesterday! :P
If it is not in the book then maybe a memorial was erected only recently (after the NIFHS research period) or it is located elsewhere ...
[Addendum: The labelling for that plot is probably "AG2" - the 2nd letter matching the start of the surname.
It would be nice to know what the exact connection is ...]
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I saw that details of "The Hidden Graveyard" (No. 1?) have been published by NIFHS already.
Interesting to hear about the impending publication on (No. 2?) graveyard, below the church.
This was used from (at least) the 1870s, when space ran out in the original plots.
[The one-time very unkempt nature of this area matches Michael's description better than that of the main graveyard, though it got badly overgrown also (and memorials vandalised). There was a long ongoing issue over who should maintain these private lands (nominally the plot owners were responsible), now resolved as being the duty of Newtownabbey Council - following allocation of grants. When I visited in 2002 the grounds had been blitzed with "Agent Orange", a powerful biocide, and all looked like a scene from Apocaplypse Now!]
Be very wary of walking in that lower area. The mats of moss covering the paths have a habit of slipping en masse in wet weather.
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Gents,
Many thanks for your help with this. The map is fascinating, so much so I'll have to get over to have a look.
As I've said earlier I'm pretty new to this and am finding it quite a struggle to gain any useful info past 1901 from Irish records. My wife's family, english, is a lot easier to research with the main site catering for virtually every type of record.
I've also had a look on the "Family Search site and found Thomas, William's brother was born in Carnmoney as kingskerswell has already stated. The thing is though I tried to get as much info from my father before his death and although we knew of another Greer son we did not know it was Thomas.
Indeed I've managed to go one step further in obtaining names for the two fathers of Robert and Mary Jane Greer who where Thomas' and William's parents.
I would however be interested in looking over the The Belfast News-Letter archives.
Is there a web site for death notices or is a PRONI held source?
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Hi
I searched Carnmoney again for the Graves Captin Jock gave and found them plus two others. I am still not sure if they are yours or not.
GREER
C011
erected by Eliza Greer in memory of her husband, Henry Greer died 7 December 1878 aged 46 years and their children James Burns died 17 August 1865 aged 1 month Francis Henry died 14 November 1869 aged 3 years 4 months Henrietta died 6 January 1873 aged 6 months Eliza died 11 August 1918 the above Eliza Greer died 28 July 1915 also their son Samuel Anderson died 21 February 1941 also their daughter Margaret Burns died 10 December 1954 Martha, wife of Samuel Anderson died 26 August 1968
GREER
A002
In memory of William Greer who died 4th May 1813 aged 53 years, his son Joseph who died 23rd May 1803 aged 9 months and of his son Archie who died 15th May 1804 aged 51 years
GREER
B009
fallen stone
erected by Henry Greer in memory of his affectionate mother, Eliza who departed this life 17 August 1881 aged 50 years
John
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B009
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Hi John,
Sorry I think that's another line. By all accounts my family should have been in the Ardtrea area until 1860 at the earliest. The first sounds plausable, date wise, however unless I'm missing someone and the family moved to Carnmoney earlier than previously thought then I would imagine it is unlikely. The Henry Greer would have to be a brother of the father of William Greer, Robert Greer, married in Woods Chapel 1853.
I'm told he had a brother John "Greer's Drapery Stores", Ballymena?????? however I have not been able to find any trace of them apart from the marriage as yet.
I'm planning to return to the Belfast in April next year to visit remaining family so I'll have a good scout around then.
Many thanks for your help.