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Yes indeed. The Spence family from East Donegal had all departed from there by 1908. I have traced them all—with exception of two of the brothers: Andrew & William. By a process of elimination I know one of these two went to the north-west of England. The Joseph Street William Spences were in Whitehaven, Cumbria at some stage before returning to Belfast. I know grandfather Spence from the Belfast family is, according to the census, from Co. Antrim; but I do have examples of people from pre-partition Ulster, denying connections to the south.

I have a Minnie Spence who married a William John Molloy. Her parents were William Spence & Margaret McElhinney. Minnie and William emigrated to Indianapolis, USA circa 1906.

Quote from: JACK GEE on Sunday 22 October 23 07:04 BST (UK)

Try this post in Rootschat as Simon007 is researching the same Spence McElhinney line.

United States of America / Re: Spence family - Hoboken in 1920

I have an interest in this conversation and following it closely.  My McClure research has both McElhinney and Elliott attachments.
Happy to chat if McClure turns up in Spence/McElhinney/Elliott research.

Cheers
Jack Gee

The late Simon Bird (Simon007) is a member of my Spence family, although I never got the pleasure of meeting him. William Spence & Margaret McElhinney were our great-great grandparents. In recent days I have been given details from  an 1821 church census for Killymard Parish Donegal, for an area known as Drumstevlin, concerning a Spence family. There are McLures in this, and a reference to the USA, although most of the names detailed fail to chime fully with me. That is not say there is no connection, just that it hasn’t been established yet.

DRUMSTEVLIN
SPENCE. Jacob [46] Isobel [45] John [22] Elizabeth [19] George
[16] Jacob [13] James [10]
SPENCE. John [321 Jane Wilson
[30] Married 23/3/1819 Dorothy [1
½] William [22]
SPENCE. David [43] Mary [38]
Catherine [15] John [11] Susan [6]
SPENCE. James [41] Jane [38]
William [16] Sarah [10] Andrew [7]
James [4] Mary [1 ½]
[Present John, Sam, and Lizzie Spence great-grandparents]
WRAY. Joseph [35] Barbara [Spence] [35] Lucy [12] Married < McClure David [8] USA Mary [6]
John [3] died young Barbara [married Billy Spence] Mary married Robert Williamson, father of Edward
WRAY. William [40] Eleanor Stewart 281 David 5 Ann married Williamson.
WRAY. David 76] Lucy Acheson
60] Alexander [22] Lucy Taylor [Lucy Acheson's niece [22] William
12] Isaac ?6 months.

That’s very good of you, many thanks indeed.  I don’t think Spence is related to me, although Janet/Jean most likely will be. My Jack family have been in that area  for centuries. My Spence line arrived for the first time in the late 1800s from Ulster I’m pretty certain. Thanks again for your help and advice.