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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Antrim => Topic started by: Gortraney on Wednesday 06 July 11 14:49 BST (UK)
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Since these boards have proven a mine of information in the past, I'm going to try again with another brick wall...
My great-great grandmother was Sarah Hanna Kennedy born abt. 1854 in Co. Antrim, Ireland, died 1 Sept. 1927 in Kildrum, Kells near Ballymena, Co. Antrim. She married George Boyle Hanna (1840-1912) on 28th April 1870 in Randalstown Old Presbyterian Church and was buried in the Hanna family plot in Connor New Cemetery.
George and Sarah had 11 children and were a prominent family in the Kildrum area as George Boyle Hanna ran the family dyeing and finishing works established in the late 1700's and known as John Hanna & Sons, which, though still in business, has been under new management since 1960.
I've been doing a lot of research into this family but Sarah remains one of the handful I can't quite get to grips with. I know her father was Robert Kennedy, listed as a merchant when she married George, but beyond that I know nothing about her family. When George Boyle Hanna died in 1912, his obituary in the Ballymena Observer mentioned nephews I have been unable to pin down either; Rev. Kenneth Currie and Samuel Currie of Belfast, who may be connected to the Kennedy side of the family...
Any help with Sarah would be greatly appreciated. :)
Many thanks
Trish
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Hello! I am new. You mentioned Hannas and my gg-gm, Margaret was a Hanna. She was the daughter of John and margaret (nee Houston) Hanna She came to the States from County Antrim. I have a lot of Hanna history that supposedly goes pretty far back. She was Presbyterian as all were that I knew of. I am meeting with an older relative next month and am happy to share what I find.
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In case you don’t have it, here’s the abstract of Robert Kennedy’s will:
The Will of Robert Kennedy late of Kildrum County Antrim Gentleman who died 16 January 1888 at same place was proved at Belfast by Sarah Kennedy of Kildrum the Reverend Thomas Eaton of New Lodge Carnaughts in said County Presbyterian Clergyman and John Ross Senior of Kildrum Merchant the Executors. Effects £884.
The will itself mentions 2 daughters Sarah Hanna & Ellen Curry, a grandson Robert Kennedy Hanna and Robert Kennedy’s wife (looks like Hannah or Sarah). You can see the will on the PRONI site.
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Hello! I am new. You mentioned Hannas and my gg-gm, Margaret was a Hanna. She was the daughter of John and margaret (nee Houston) Hanna She came to the States from County Antrim. I have a lot of Hanna history that supposedly goes pretty far back. She was Presbyterian as all were that I knew of. I am meeting with an older relative next month and am happy to share what I find.
Do you have dates for John Hanna and Margaret Houston by any chance? I'm hoping there is a link there as the Houston name appears as a middle name further down the family line with a Robert Houston Hanna who was born in 1928. Currently I don't have a name for my gggg-gm, whose husband was John Hanna (abt. 1772-1810). This might be a little too early, but considering the number of John Hanna's there were in the family, I'm hoping there IS a link. :) Would most DEFINITELY be interested in anything you can find!
ETA: I should also mention they were all most definitely Presbyterians as a great many of them were ministers and several of them were Moderators of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland - starting with my gggg-gf's brother the Rev. Samuel Hanna, who was the first Moderator of the reformed church.
Looking forward to hearing from you :)
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In case you don’t have it, here’s the abstract of Robert Kennedy’s will:
The Will of Robert Kennedy late of Kildrum County Antrim Gentleman who died 16 January 1888 at same place was proved at Belfast by Sarah Kennedy of Kildrum the Reverend Thomas Eaton of New Lodge Carnaughts in said County Presbyterian Clergyman and John Ross Senior of Kildrum Merchant the Executors. Effects £884.
The will itself mentions 2 daughters Sarah Hanna & Ellen Curry, a grandson Robert Kennedy Hanna and Robert Kennedy’s wife (looks like Hannah or Sarah). You can see the will on the PRONI site.
Thank you Elwyn!
I didn't have this and it's definitely the right Robert as not only is the Rev. Robert Kennedy Hanna my great-grandmother's brother but the Ross name appears in some of the other wills in the family and I've been tearing my hair out trying to find the link! I shall head off to the PRONI site and read the will forthwith :)
Trish
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Here are the very basics of what I have. Happy to send you a tree when I meet with the older relative bc apparently she has a lot of memories that should bring all of us related together.
Margaret J Hanna was born in September 1867 (d. 1923) in Glarryford, County Antrim to John Hanna (1811-1899) and Margaret (nee Houston (1842-1923). I am not sure who her parents were... still working there. John's parents were Robert and Catherine (nee Peters) Hanna.
Siblings of Margaret's that I know of were: Samuel, Robert, Elizabeth, Katherine, Agnes and Sara.
Her father John's siblings were: David, Katherine, William and Robert.
John's father, Robert Hanna was born after 1750 in Ireland and died in Ballymena, County Antrim.
Yes I am sure the family was somehow related. Even when they came to the States, they didn't lose their faith. Btw, I have found a few Reverend Hanna's in Ireland. Have you ever tried contacting them?
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Here are the very basics of what I have. Happy to send you a tree when I meet with the older relative bc apparently she has a lot of memories that should bring all of us related together.
Margaret J Hanna was born in September 1867 (d. 1923) in Glarryford, County Antrim to John Hanna (1811-1899) and Margaret (nee Houston (1842-1923). I am not sure who her parents were... still working there. John's parents were Robert and Catherine (nee Peters) Hanna.
Siblings of Margaret's that I know of were: Samuel, Robert, Elizabeth, Katherine, Agnes and Sara.
Her father John's siblings were: David, Katherine, William and Robert.
John's father, Robert Hanna was born after 1750 in Ireland and died in Ballymena, County Antrim.
Yes I am sure the family was somehow related. Even when they came to the States, they didn't lose their faith. Btw, I have found a few Reverend Hanna's in Ireland. Have you ever tried contacting them?
I think my gggg-gf John was one of five brothers, four of which were my John, Rev. Samuel Hanna, William Hanna and a Robert Hanna who died young (they were all born around the 1770's). I've found a lot of older children named after ones who passed away before they were born, so that's a possibility. I can also tell you that their parents were a Robert Hanna (abt. 1742 to 1810) and a Jane McCrory (abt. 1751 to abt.1810). Not sure if any of that helps.
Kellswater/Kells/Kildrum is close to Ballymena and much of the family is buried at either St. Saviour's or New Connor cemeteries. My gggg-gf John started what was originally meant as a bleaching green which went on to become John Hanna & Son Dyeing & Finishing works and is still in operation in Kildrum today, though under different management but the majority of the family seem to have all started as farmers at some point...
I hadn't thought about contacting any of the Rev. Hanna's there are today, mostly because most of my research seems to indicate the family ended up spread around the globe, particularly in South Africa, Australia, the USA and 'across the water' in England. There were a lot of connections to the Presbyterian Church, local politics, the Indian Medical Corps and the Dyeing & Finishing trade.
ANYTHING you can discover that proves a link would be greatly appreciated! :)
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I will keep looking. I'll also be in Ireland in October and have plans to stop in Ballymena and check things out. The Presbyterian Church usually keeps great records. I found some locally in upstate NY where some Hanna family had lived. I am certain there is additional information in Ireland. Our Hannah branch came from Scotland originally- that I am certain of.
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I will keep looking. I'll also be in Ireland in October and have plans to stop in Ballymena and check things out. The Presbyterian Church usually keeps great records. I found some locally in upstate NY where some Hanna family had lived. I am certain there is additional information in Ireland. Our Hannah branch came from Scotland originally- that I am certain of.
Yes, the fact that the vast majority of the family are Presbyterian has been a saving grace for much of my research too :) Also was starting to believe the family originated in Scotland. Good luck with the research in Ballymena! Let me know how you get on :)
And Elwyn - just wanted to say thanks again for that will! It led me to a burial record at The Braid where I have found his wife Sarah's maiden name as Dysart and that he was married to an Ellen Ross. Brick wall broken through and it's all thanks to you!
I LOVE this site!
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Quote: "The fact that the vast majority of the family are Presbyterian has been a saving grace for much of my research too. Also was starting to believe the family originated in Scotland."
If the family were Presbyterian, and from Co. Antrim, then it's pretty reasonable to assume that at some point in the past their ancestors came from Scotland. However that could be as far back as the Hamilton Montgomery settlement in 1606. It was largely the Scots who brought Presbyterianism to Ireland and around Ballymena in particular the numbers of families of Scots origins is very high.
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Hello again!
I did go to Ireland last year; but was only able to spend time in the south where my maternal grandfather is from. I've no doubt that the Hanna's are related. Below I have included a quote from the will of John Hanna, one of my relatives and obviously yours.
"I, John Hanna of Kildrum Kills in the County of Antrim, Bleacher and Dyer hereby revoke all testamentary dispositions made by me and declare this to be my last will which I make this twenty-fifth day of April one thousand eight hundred and ninety-five. I appoint my brothers, Robert Hanna and George Boyle Hanna to be the executors of this my will. I bequeath to my wife Sophia Mary Hanna an annuity of fifty pounds for her life..."
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Hello again!
I did go to Ireland last year; but was only able to spend time in the south where my maternal grandfather is from. I've no doubt that the Hanna's are related. Below I have included a quote from the will of John Hanna, one of my relatives and obviously yours.
"I, John Hanna of Kildrum Kills in the County of Antrim, Bleacher and Dyer hereby revoke all testamentary dispositions made by me and declare this to be my last will which I make this twenty-fifth day of April one thousand eight hundred and ninety-five. I appoint my brothers, Robert Hanna and George Boyle Hanna to be the executors of this my will. I bequeath to my wife Sophia Mary Hanna an annuity of fifty pounds for her life..."
Hello again! :)
This is DEFINITELY my branch of the Hanna's, so all I have to do now is work my way back and try to slot in where you are.
The John and Robert mentioned in your quote with my George Boyle Hanna were some of the children of John Hanna (1801-1874) and Jane Boyle (c.1805-1875). There was also son called William, who I am assuming reading between the gaps was possibly a Downs Syndrome child, and four sisters.
I think half the difficulty is each generation used the names of the generation which preceded them to name their children, often naming a new baby with the exact same name as a baby who had died. William, John, Robert and Samuel all seem to be frequently recurring Hanna names.
So if we go back to John Hanna (1801-1874) I currently know he had at least three brothers; Robert and Samuel, who I don't know much about beyond their names, and William ((1794-1864) who married a Jane Cathcart (1805-1869) and had at least 4 daughters and six sons (a William who died young, another William, a Robert, a John, a Samuel and a Joseph). See what I mean about the names? THANKS ANCESTORS!
Going back another generation I know John (1801-1874) and William's (1794-1864) father was yet another John Hanna (c1772-1810) who married an unknown Johnston. This John again had at least 4 brothers and 3 sisters. From what I can glean the brothers were Samuel, Robert, William and Joseph and the sisters were Margaret, Jane and Anna. Joseph married a Nancy McCrory and that's all I know about him. William (c1774-1824) married a Susan Longbridge and had at least three sons he named-wait for it!-Robert, William and Samuel. Robert died young (c1773-1775) but probably the best known member of this generation of the family was the Reverend Samuel Hanna (1771-1852) who was the first moderator of the reformed Presbyterian Church in Ireland; he married a Martha Gemmel and they had at least 3 sons and 4 daughters. Want to guess what he named the boys?
I can go back a generation to John Hanna's (c1772-1810) father Robert Hanna (c1742-c1810) and mother Jane McCrory, so if you can figure out where you slot in I would LOVE to piece it all together with what you have. I've become obsessed with the Hanna family and at some point would like to put all the info together in a book. I'm hoping to go 'up the country' in the next few months to do some research so anything you can add would be so very gratefully recieved! If you like we can swap email addresses and take it from there :)
Trish
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Hi Trish!
There is another lady on here who has Hanna ancestry as well and is from Belfast. My personal email is (*) . I have a tree on ancestry. I'll review tonight to see what can be found. ;)
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I know that this is a really old post - - but I am related to the John Hanna (4x great grandfather) who started the John Hanna and Co Linen Co and have considerable information on the line - - -I do have a tree on ancestry but it is a private tree - though I am willing to share with interested family members - ancestry name catherinehale1 . . .and of course interested in learning new information I dont have!!!
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Dear Gortraney,
I am writing this on behalf Peggy Clampit. Peggy is the granddaughter of Sophia Mary Hanna who married Robert McIlwaine. Can you please send me a message as Peggy would like to correspond with you via email.
Peggy is very keen to learn more about her family and is hoping that you might be able to help her with some more information.
Kind regards,
Heather >:(
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Heather,
As this is your first post, welcome to Rootschat. However to use the Personal Message (PM) system on this site you have to make another couple of posts.
Regards
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Hi
I've just come across this thread while researching this line myself and I think I can shed some light.
Sarah Kennedy's father as noted was Robert Kennedy from Carnraughts. He was married twice. His first wife was Ellen Ross and they were married on 17 Feb 1852 at Rasharkin. Ellen Ross died on 15 Nov 1878 and remarried a Sarah Dysart on 21 Dec 1880 in Finvoy.
I believe that his parents were Josias and Sarah Kennedy, unfortunately I don't have a maiden name. My source for this is the will of a Josias Kennedy - also of Carnraughts - who was born abt 1811 and died on 5 Jan 1896 in Kildrum. Josias was married to an Elizabeth Johnston and it appears that they were childless as he makes various bequests to nieces and nephews including Sarah Kennedy. This will is available on the PRONI Will Calendars site.
On his wedding certificate to Eliza on 12 Mar 1853 in Ballymena he gives his father as Josias Kennedy.
Interestingly George Boyle Hanna's brother Robert, married a Mary Jane Kennedy on 4 Dec 1863 in Antrim. Mary Jane was a first cousin of Sarah - her father was William Kennedy, Robert's brother and she was also a beneficiary of Josias's will.
I have an interest in this as my 4xGreat Grandparents were a John Hanna and Joice Kennedy from Cromkill - which is obviously very close. The younger Josias was one of the executors of John Hanna's will. I'm working to establish whether or not Josias and Joice Kennedy were related, I suspect first cousins, which would explain this. I also have a couple of DNA matches to descendants of the older Josias Kennedy which adds some credence to this.
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I too have just come across this site. I think there may be a connection to my family, but a bit earlier than the persons mentioned so far. My gt gt grandparents were Robert Henry and Jane Kennedy of Kildrum; Jane's sister, Margaret Kennedy, was married to James Arthur and lived nearby at Kells. Jane died quite young around the time of the birth of her third child in 1830. Margaret lived for many years and produced a large family including the well known Rev William Arthur, many descendants now in USA. The Kennedy sisters parentage is not known but they claim descent from the Earls of Cassilis. I estimate that they were born around 1795-1800. I have a copy of the gravestone transcriptions from St Saviour's C of I, Connor, which include the following, plus a number of family members, including Hannas, in each grave:
John Kennedy of Lisnevanagh, born c 1780
Josias Kennedy of Carnaught, born c 1770, died 6 Feb 1838
William Kennedy, born c 1695, died 9 Apr 1756,
William Kennedy of Slatt, born c 1756, died 19 Aug 1837
William Kennedy of Carnaught (late Ballymena), born c 1812, died 29 Aug 1851.
If Jane and Margaret were from any of the above patriarchs, the most likely seems to be Josias, but neither gave that name to one of their sons - more popular names were William, James, John, David. Any suggestions appreciated. Julia.
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Hi Julia - I guess we are - somehow - related.
Joice Kennedy - my 4xGGM - died on 12 May 1867 aged 81. That would give her year of birth as c. 1786, so she would've been certainly would've been contemporary with some of those you mentioned.
I'm just looking at my research tree and my working assumption is that the Josias Kennedy (1770-1838) is her uncle rather than brother. I have her father as most likely a John Kennedy. That Josias Kennedy was father of Josias Kennedy (1811-1896) of Carnaught who was the executor of John Hanna's will. It's not outwith the realms of possibilty that the older Josias is also Joice's father though.
There is another Josias Kennedy who was born in 1813 and died in Lisnevanagh on 19-Sep-1869. Presumably he could be the son of the John Kennedy you mention below.
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Thanks aaid, I am setting out below the details I took of the Kennedy graves at Connor. I suspect your John is John Kennedy of Lisnevanagh who I think is a brother or cousin of Josias. He could be a brother of my Jane and Margaret:
JOHN KENNEDY OF LISNEVANAGH (adjoins Kildrum), B C 1780
Margaret, d of above, b c 1814, D 21 Sep 1833, 19yrs
James, s of above, b c 1806, d 16 Jan 1842, 36 yrs
John, s of above, b c 1812, d 10 Apr 1845, age 35
William, s of above, b c 1802, d 5 Aug 1847, age 45
Josias, b c 1819, d 19 Sep 1869, age 50
Anthony, b c 1841, d 22 Oct 1889, age 48, grandson (s of Josias?)
JOSIAS KENNEDY OF CARNAUGHT, B C 1770, D 6 FEB 1838, Age 68
Sarah, wife, b c 1778, d 6 Feb 1846, age 68
Elizabeth, d in law, b c 1814, d 24 May 1888, age 74.
Josias, s of above, b c 1811, d 5 Jan 1896, age 85 (of Kildrum on death, Executors James
Thompson and George R Hanna, both of Kildrum).
Mary Jane Thompson, niece of Josias jnr, b c 1880, d 9 Sep 1882.
(Obviously Josias snr and Sarah also had a daughter, married to Thompson)
WILLIAM KENNEDY, B C 1695, D 9 APR 1756, Age 61 (Grandfather of Josias?)
Helen, wife, b c 1701, d 10 Mar 1767, age 66
John, son, b c 1727, d 21 Feb 1783, age 56
Josias Kennedy of Carnaughts, b c 1770, d 6 Feb 1838. Josias seems to be son of John.
WILLIAM KENNEDY OF SLATT, B C 1756, D 19 Aug 1837, age 81.
John, son
Mary, wife of John, b c 1798, d 14 Aug 1838
WILLIAM KENNEDY OF CARNAUGHT (LATE BALLYMENA), B C 1812, D 29 Aug 1851, age 39 (Son of
Josias?)
Anna, wife, d 1 Oct ? , age 57
Josias, son, d in infancy
Jane Hanna, granddaughter, d in infancy
Annie Jane Hanna, b 1870, d 16 Feb 1871, age 10 mths.
Josias Kennedy Hanna, b 1874, d 29 Jun 1874, age 7 wks.
(A daughter of William and Anna married Hanna)
It is very difficult to find any information on these families, though I am still trying to link them to the Cassilis descendants. It seems that Elizabeth Wilson, nee Kennedy, who can certainly be traced to that line, was living in Connor when she died in 1802.
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Some of that I already had but there's a lot I didn't so thanks again.
I meant to add in my previous post that the possible Cassillis connection makes sense. I'm pretty sure that I turned up some anecdotal evidence to support that but can seem to locate that at the moment.
The Hannas here are descendants of the Sorbie Hannays who moved to Ireland in the 17th century - initially to Monaghan and then spread out. Connections between them and the Kennedys of Cassillis go back centuries although they were feuding for a period - looks like they must have made up though.
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Hi aaid, I am replying to your first message as well, in case Roots Chat thinks I'm not interested. I think these Kennedys are descendants of one of two brothers, clergy, Thomas and Gilbert Kennedy, who left Ayrshire around the 1640s. I have spent a lot of time trying to trace their descendants as I haven't got any other clues to the ancestry of Jane and Margaret Kennedy. Today I discovered that, Catherine, a daughter of Gilbert Kennedy must have been living in Connor with her husband, William Tennent, for some years in the early 1700s. At that time he was an Anglican clergyman but later joined the Presbyterian Church and went with his family to USA, set up Log Cabin College which later became Princeton University. All points to the Kildrum etc Kennedys being relatives.
Julia.
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Hi! I have no idea currently if I am related to these individuals, but I am a Hanna! I was excited to see my name in the forum. I know names and birth/death dates of all my close relatives, but I am trying to trace my surname back to Ireland. I heard that if you go back far enough, the name was O'Hannaigh. The farthest back I am able to go is Andrew Jackson Hanna (1833-1880) born in St. Clair Alabama, USA and died in Sebastian, Arkansas, USA. He was married to Emily Thurber. A potential mother for Andrew is Mary Keaton (1797- 1874).
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I think some of the other correspondents will be able to give you more information. However, I know that the Hanna's were an important family in the parish of Connor, town of Kells, and townland of Kildrum, County Antrim, at the time my family was there (maybe 1800 to 1850). They seem to have been major entrepreneurs in the linen industry with linen works there. It would be worth doing some research in that area although records are hard to find.
Julia.
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Hi! I have no idea currently if I am related to these individuals, but I am a Hanna! I was excited to see my name in the forum. I know names and birth/death dates of all my close relatives, but I am trying to trace my surname back to Ireland. I heard that if you go back far enough, the name was O'Hannaigh. The farthest back I am able to go is Andrew Jackson Hanna (1833-1880) born in St. Clair Alabama, USA and died in Sebastian, Arkansas, USA. He was married to Emily Thurber. A potential mother for Andrew is Mary Keaton (1797- 1874).
There's a fairly active Hanna/Hannay group on Facebook called Clan Hannay Forum. That might be a good place to start.
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Sooooo much to catch upon in this thread! Just need a mo to wrap my head around it all. :)
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I know that this is a really old post - - but I am related to the John Hanna (4x great grandfather) who started the John Hanna and Co Linen Co and have considerable information on the line - - -I do have a tree on ancestry but it is a private tree - though I am willing to share with interested family members - ancestry name catherinehale1 . . .and of course interested in learning new information I dont have!!!
*waves*
Hi Catherine :) Hope you are keeping well since we last spoke.
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Dear Gortraney,
I am writing this on behalf Peggy Clampit. Peggy is the granddaughter of Sophia Mary Hanna who married Robert McIlwaine. Can you please send me a message as Peggy would like to correspond with you via email.
Peggy is very keen to learn more about her family and is hoping that you might be able to help her with some more information.
Kind regards,
Heather >:(
Hi Heather!
I sent you a private message but you may not be able to read it yet (you need a couple of posts before you can access them) so just thought I'd reply in here in the hope you might see it. I would LOVE to know more about Peggy's branch of the family, as my great grandmother used to visit her sister over there, a lot over the years! She traveled with her daughter, who would eventually meet her husband in South Africa and loved there for several years before returning home to Ireland.
So, have my fingers crossed you will see this!
Trish
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Sooooo much to catch upon in this thread! Just need a mo to wrap my head around it all. :)
Sparked on by this thread, I've been spending quite a bit of time looking at the connections here and I think it's almost certain we're related on both the Hanna and Kennedy lines.
Hanna is my paternal line and I've had a Y-DNA test done. I have a close match to someone who is a direct descendent of Samuel Hanna (1793-1873) and Margaret Parker. I believe that he is the brother to John who you mentioned and lived in Sharvogues. These are likely to be 1C1Rs of my 4th GGF, another John Hanna of Cromkill.
I suspect Robert Hanna - the father of your John Hanna (b. abt 1772) - and Samuel Hanna - father of my John Hanna b. 1785) were brothers. Who their father was, I don't know but John would have to be a good bet on the basis of the naming tradition.
On the Kennedy side, Sarah is almost certainly related to my 4th GGM, Joice Kennedy - John Hanna's wife - my guess is 1C1R.
My assumption here is that Joice's father (John Kennedy dob unknown but probably about 1760) is the brother of Josias Kennedy (b1770) who was Sarah's grandfather. Their father was John Kennedy (1727-1783).
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Hi
I've just come across this thread while researching this line myself and I think I can shed some light.
Sarah Kennedy's father as noted was Robert Kennedy from Carnraughts. He was married twice. His first wife was Ellen Ross and they were married on 17 Feb 1852 at Rasharkin. Ellen Ross died on 15 Nov 1878 and remarried a Sarah Dysart on 21 Dec 1880 in Finvoy.
I believe that his parents were Josias and Sarah Kennedy, unfortunately I don't have a maiden name. My source for this is the will of a Josias Kennedy - also of Carnraughts - who was born abt 1811 and died on 5 Jan 1896 in Kildrum. Josias was married to an Elizabeth Johnston and it appears that they were childless as he makes various bequests to nieces and nephews including Sarah Kennedy. This will is available on the PRONI Will Calendars site.
On his wedding certificate to Eliza on 12 Mar 1853 in Ballymena he gives his father as Josias Kennedy.
Interestingly George Boyle Hanna's brother Robert, married a Mary Jane Kennedy on 4 Dec 1863 in Antrim. Mary Jane was a first cousin of Sarah - her father was William Kennedy, Robert's brother and she was also a beneficiary of Josias's will.
I have an interest in this as my 4xGreat Grandparents were a John Hanna and Joice Kennedy from Cromkill - which is obviously very close. The younger Josias was one of the executors of John Hanna's will. I'm working to establish whether or not Josias and Joice Kennedy were related, I suspect first cousins, which would explain this. I also have a couple of DNA matches to descendants of the older Josias Kennedy which adds some credence to this.
Hi there,
It is lovely to meet you! I agree we must be related somewhere in there and while the information I have highlighted above is stuff I have found since starting this thread, it is fantastic to see it confirmed! :)
The Hanna's and Kennedy's seem to have been entangled with each other one way or another for several generations, which makes it a bit of a trial to untangle. The recurrence of the Josias Kennedy name helps. It's just a case of figuring out who slots in where. I think the connection may involve the Johnston's too, as I see they are mentioned further down this thread, with John Hanna (1772 - 1810) married to an unnamed Johnston according to some research which was handed down to me within the family, Josias Kennedy (Jnr.) being married to Elizabeth Johnston and I think possibly William Kennedy (Mary Jane Kennedy-Hanna's father) being married to a Mary Johnston (though am still working on confirmation of this one cos it doesn't match with the Anna on his gravestone)
There's also another Kennedy branch in the 1901/1911 census in Lisnevnagh (Shilvodan, Antrim) I'm having difficulty slotting into place:
James Kennedy (born abt. 1871) and his wife Annie (born abt. 1881) have children:
Josias (born abt. 1900)
Ellen (abt. 1902)
William (abt. 1904)
John Bedmond (abt. 1905)
Mary Elizabeth (abt. 1907)
Annie (abt. 1910)
I know for certain Robert Kennedy and Ellen Ross had two daughters, the Sarah from my branch and Ellen Ross Kennedy, who married William Boal Curry/Currie and, according to the 1911 census in Ballymuckvea (Kells, Antrim), had children as follows:
Josias (abt. 1885)
Mary (abt. 1887)
William (abt. 1889)
Nellie (abt. 1891)
Janie (abt. 1895)
Sara Currie (abt. 1907)
This also shows that Ellen Ross Kennedy was born in abt. 1863 in Co. Wexford, which led me to another birth, that of Robert James Kennedy in 1864 in Co. Wexford, though by the time of Robert Kennedy's death in 1888 he wasn't mentioned in his father's will, so I presume must have pre-deceased him.
More in the next post. Still wrapping my head round all this new info and where it might tie into the new info I have now :)
Trish
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Sooooo much to catch upon in this thread! Just need a mo to wrap my head around it all. :)
Sparked on by this thread, I've been spending quite a bit of time looking at the connections here and I think it's almost certain we're related on both the Hanna and Kennedy lines.
Hanna is my paternal line and I've had a Y-DNA test done. I have a close match to someone who is a direct descendent of Samuel Hanna (1793-1873) and Margaret Parker. I believe that he is the brother to John who you mentioned and lived in Sharvogues. These are likely to be 1C1Rs of my 4th GGF, another John Hanna of Cromkill.
I suspect Robert Hanna - the father of your John Hanna (b. abt 1772) - and Samuel Hanna - father of my John Hanna b. 1785) were brothers. Who their father was, I don't know but John would have to be a good bet on the basis of the naming tradition.
On the Kennedy side, Sarah is almost certainly related to my 4th GGM, Joice Kennedy - John Hanna's wife - my guess is 1C1R.
My assumption here is that Joice's father (John Kennedy dob unknown but probably about 1760) is the brother of Josias Kennedy (b1770) who was Sarah's grandfather. Their father was John Kennedy (1727-1783).
Was working through the posts in order but this one has me super excited!!!
Samuel is definitely a Hanna family name. The earliest one I had on record prior to this is my John (1772 - 1810) Hanna's brother, the Rev. Samuel Hanna (1771 - 1852) who is pretty well documented as he was the first moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. And if you are right, was most likely named after your Samuel! :)
Back in a mo!
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Thanks aaid, I am setting out below the details I took of the Kennedy graves at Connor. I suspect your John is John Kennedy of Lisnevanagh who I think is a brother or cousin of Josias. He could be a brother of my Jane and Margaret:
JOHN KENNEDY OF LISNEVANAGH (adjoins Kildrum), B C 1780
Margaret, d of above, b c 1814, D 21 Sep 1833, 19yrs
James, s of above, b c 1806, d 16 Jan 1842, 36 yrs
John, s of above, b c 1812, d 10 Apr 1845, age 35
William, s of above, b c 1802, d 5 Aug 1847, age 45
Josias, b c 1819, d 19 Sep 1869, age 50
Anthony, b c 1841, d 22 Oct 1889, age 48, grandson (s of Josias?)
JOSIAS KENNEDY OF CARNAUGHT, B C 1770, D 6 FEB 1838, Age 68
Sarah, wife, b c 1778, d 6 Feb 1846, age 68
Elizabeth, d in law, b c 1814, d 24 May 1888, age 74.
Josias, s of above, b c 1811, d 5 Jan 1896, age 85 (of Kildrum on death, Executors James
Thompson and George R Hanna, both of Kildrum).
Mary Jane Thompson, niece of Josias jnr, b c 1880, d 9 Sep 1882.
(Obviously Josias snr and Sarah also had a daughter, married to Thompson)
WILLIAM KENNEDY, B C 1695, D 9 APR 1756, Age 61 (Grandfather of Josias?)
Helen, wife, b c 1701, d 10 Mar 1767, age 66
John, son, b c 1727, d 21 Feb 1783, age 56
Josias Kennedy of Carnaughts, b c 1770, d 6 Feb 1838. Josias seems to be son of John.
WILLIAM KENNEDY OF SLATT, B C 1756, D 19 Aug 1837, age 81.
John, son
Mary, wife of John, b c 1798, d 14 Aug 1838
WILLIAM KENNEDY OF CARNAUGHT (LATE BALLYMENA), B C 1812, D 29 Aug 1851, age 39 (Son of
Josias?)
Anna, wife, d 1 Oct ? , age 57
Josias, son, d in infancy
Jane Hanna, granddaughter, d in infancy
Annie Jane Hanna, b 1870, d 16 Feb 1871, age 10 mths.
Josias Kennedy Hanna, b 1874, d 29 Jun 1874, age 7 wks.
(A daughter of William and Anna married Hanna)
It is very difficult to find any information on these families, though I am still trying to link them to the Cassilis descendants. It seems that Elizabeth Wilson, nee Kennedy, who can certainly be traced to that line, was living in Connor when she died in 1802.
Hi! I've highlighted the two Kennedy branches you've mentioned from gravestones which are definitely tied to my Hanna research.
The first, as already mentioned in this thread, are Josias Kennedy and Sarah , who were the parents of my ggg grandfather Robert Kennedy who married Ellen Ross, their daughter Sarah Kennedy then marrying George Boyle Hanna (my gg grandparents) - so George B Hanna, not George R Hanna as mentioned in your post. Josias Kennedy and his wife Elizabeth (Johnston) who were mentioned on that same gravestone are the ones who didn't have children, and it is possible the niece mentioned may have been on the Johnston side.
William Kennedy, on the other gravestone listing in your post that I've highlighted, was the father of Mary Jane Kennedy, who married Robert Hanna, the brother of George Boyle Hanna (they named one of their children William Kennedy Hanna after him and the Hanna children listed on the gravestone are children who died young).
Will take a look at my tree and see if I can figure out where the others fit in :)
Trish
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Hi aaid, I am replying to your first message as well, in case Roots Chat thinks I'm not interested. I think these Kennedys are descendants of one of two brothers, clergy, Thomas and Gilbert Kennedy, who left Ayrshire around the 1640s. I have spent a lot of time trying to trace their descendants as I haven't got any other clues to the ancestry of Jane and Margaret Kennedy. Today I discovered that, Catherine, a daughter of Gilbert Kennedy must have been living in Connor with her husband, William Tennent, for some years in the early 1700s. At that time he was an Anglican clergyman but later joined the Presbyterian Church and went with his family to USA, set up Log Cabin College which later became Princeton University. All points to the Kildrum etc Kennedys being relatives.
Julia.
This is really interesting, too! In a group family photo of my great grandparents wedding in 1899 there are a LOT of ministers. The Hanna family were very connected to the Presbyterian church, with no less than three moderators at my last count. They also married ministers and daughters of ministers. So, if this is correct, it could go back a long way!
Trish
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I think some of the other correspondents will be able to give you more information. However, I know that the Hanna's were an important family in the parish of Connor, town of Kells, and townland of Kildrum, County Antrim, at the time my family was there (maybe 1800 to 1850). They seem to have been major entrepreneurs in the linen industry with linen works there. It would be worth doing some research in that area although records are hard to find.
Julia.
The linen lot are my lot and the business still runs under the John Hanna & Sons name, though it isn't family owned anymore.
Trish
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Hi there,
It is lovely to meet you! I agree we must be related somewhere in there and while the information I have highlighted above is stuff I have found since starting this thread, it is fantastic to see it confirmed! :)
The Hanna's and Kennedy's seem to have been entangled with each other one way or another for several generations, which makes it a bit of a trial to untangle. The recurrence of the Josias Kennedy name helps. It's just a case of figuring out who slots in where. I think the connection may involve the Johnston's too, as I see they are mentioned further down this thread, with John Hanna (1772 - 1810) married to an unnamed Johnston according to some research which was handed down to me within the family, Josias Kennedy (Jnr.) being married to Elizabeth Johnston and I think possibly William Kennedy (Mary Jane Kennedy-Hanna's father) being married to a Mary Johnston (though am still working on confirmation of this one cos it doesn't match with the Anna on his gravestone)
There's also another Kennedy branch in the 1901/1911 census in Lisnevnagh (Shilvodan, Antrim) I'm having difficulty slotting into place:
James Kennedy (born abt. 1871) and his wife Annie (born abt. 1881) have children:
Josias (born abt. 1900)
Ellen (abt. 1902)
William (abt. 1904)
John Bedmond (abt. 1905)
Mary Elizabeth (abt. 1907)
Annie (abt. 1910)
I know for certain Robert Kennedy and Ellen Ross had two daughters, the Sarah from my branch and Ellen Ross Kennedy, who married William Boal Curry/Currie and, according to the 1911 census in Ballymuckvea (Kells, Antrim), had children as follows:
Josias (abt. 1885)
Mary (abt. 1887)
William (abt. 1889)
Nellie (abt. 1891)
Janie (abt. 1895)
Sara Currie (abt. 1907)
This also shows that Ellen Ross Kennedy was born in abt. 1863 in Co. Wexford, which led me to another birth, that of Robert James Kennedy in 1864 in Co. Wexford, though by the time of Robert Kennedy's death in 1888 he wasn't mentioned in his father's will, so I presume must have pre-deceased him.
More in the next post. Still wrapping my head round all this new info and where it might tie into the new info I have now :)
Trish
I have the wife of John Hanna (1772-1810) as a Jane Johnston, although I can't be too certain of the provenance of that.
For the Kennedys in Lisnevenagh. James's wife was an Annie Gawn. Josias, the oldest
son's birth record is on irishgenealogy.ie from 1899 but it is recorded as Josiah Kennedy.
They were married in Randalstown in 1898 - listed under Antrim. James' father is listed as Anthony Kennedy.
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The first, as already mentioned in this thread, are Josias Kennedy and Sarah , who were the parents of my ggg grandfather Robert Kennedy who married Ellen Ross, their daughter Sarah Kennedy then marrying George Boyle Hanna (my gg grandparents) - so George B Hanna, not George R Hanna as mentioned in your post. Josias Kennedy and his wife Elizabeth (Johnston) who were mentioned on that same gravestone are the ones who didn't have children, and it is possible the niece mentioned may have been on the Johnston side.
The niece - Mary Jane Thompson - was born on 13 January 1880 and was the daughter of James Thompson and Sarah Kennedy. She is mentioned as a beneficiary in the will of Josias Kennedy (1811-1896) along with three of her surviving children. Unfortunately the father's name on her marriage certificate on irishgenealogy isn't legible.
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They were married in Randalstown in 1898 - listed under Antrim. James' father is listed as Anthony Kennedy.
Just putting up the link for all to see.
Marriage 1898
James Kennedy, & Annie Gawn, residence Dunsilly, on 13th December.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1898/10431/5798092.pdf
https://www.townlands.ie/antrim/toome-upper/antrim/dunsilly/
Maggie Gawn is a witness. Her birth 1880 (Margaret)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1880/02888/2058024.pdf
KG
Edited to add:
James's residence is Lisnevanagh
https://www.townlands.ie/antrim/toome-upper/grange-of-shilvodan/lisnevanagh/