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If only I could locate such a gravestone for my Johnston/Johnson forebears!

Thank you for the will calendar links - I see what you mean about the handwriting.

I am the great-great grand daughter of James Johnston (abt 1797-1854) and Margaret Ligat (or Liggate or Liggett). James and Margaret married on May 12th 1834, and the marriage announcement in the Belfast Commercial Chronicle states " On the 12th instant, by the Rev. Robert Magill, Mr James Johnson, of Islandbawn, near Antrim, to Margaret, eldest daughter of the late James Ligat, Ballyrobin."

In 1838 the Rev. Robert Magill married Margaret's sister Ellen (or Eleanor, she seems to have been known by both names). She was his second wife, and the marriage announcement (Belfast Commercial Chronicle, June 18th 1838) said " On the 11th instant, by the Rev. Henry Cooke, D.D. LL.D., the Rev. Robert Magill, Antrim, to Ellen, second daughter of the late Mr. James Liggat, Ballyrobin, near Antrim."

Digging further into the records, Margaret and Ellen seem to have had two brothers: Abraham (born 1817), who was a presbyterian minister at Ballygilbert, and John (born 1821), who was involved in at least two court cases.

Abraham died in 1851, leaving a will which mentions his sisters, named as Margaret, Sarah, and Eleanor Magill. He also mentions his mother and his brother John, and an Uncle Alexander (resident in Lynchburg, Virginia).

John Liggett wound up in court in 1853 accused of "seducing" the daughter of a neighbour. In 1855 he was back in court, accused of so arranging his affairs as to appear insolvent and unable to pay the fine from the first case. There are several days of court reports available, from late July and early August 1855 (Owen O'Donnell vs Eleanor Liggat), as the courts attempted to determine who owned what. John's mother, Eleanor Liggat was the defendant in the second case, as the person in possession of a disputed farm. She was a widow in 1855, and stated that her husband had been dead for twenty years. There is some other detail of family members, which fits with what I have described above, except for one confusing statement made by one of the lawyers on August 1, 1855. The lawyer states that John's father was called Abraham Liggett, where I have been assuming that James Ligat was his father: "It was the property of Abraham Liggett, his father, and was left by him to another son, who, like a dutiful son, bequeathed it to his mother..." This does fit with the disposition of property in the Reverend Abraham Liggat's will - he did leave a farm to his mother, and he is mentioned in the court report as her deceased son.

My guess is that the lawyer made a mistake in his address. However, if anyone has any detail on this family - hopefully with better information than I have managed to extract from old newspapers - I would love to hear from you.

Capt. Jock

I am just in the process of transcribing the marriage records of 1st Donegore.  On July 4th 1843, George Hill of Whiteabbey married Rebecca Whittle of Kings Moss (I think that is what it says).  The witnesses were Jane Whittle and John Whittle.  Is this of any use to you? 

regards

Melodie

Capt. Paul,

Ah yes, navigating the HILLs of Antrim has worn down many a tough old sole ...

... but that just makes them flounder in to the shallows, or sink in to the depths, where they can be speared or dredged up easily!

So, if you promise to leave those nutcrackers on dry land, you are welcome to come aboard my dingy craft for an exciting sail through the lashing oceans (and some murky depths!), with a promise of a "good fishing" supper at the end ...

[N.B. I might have to leave you to paddle your own canoe up past those dangerous turbines (the foaming parts of the Main?) though!]

My fee: Any info you come across on George HILL of Whiteabbey, who married Margaret WHITTLE at Donegore 1st Pb in th 1840s.

Capt. Jock

Hi Captain Jock

I'm the person responsible for getting the 1st Donegore Pb baptismal records transcribed.  The marriage records are being transcribed at the moment, and should be finished in early February (assuming that all goes to plan). I have some facilities available at the moment to get this type of work performed, so if you know of any other church that has photos of its records, but doesn't have them transcribed, please let me know.  My rules are simple: I get the transcription completed and proof read, and then the transcription goes back to the church, and remains in their control. I do not send copies to anyone else.

I know of that Mary Jane Moore - her father Robert was the brother of the James I am interested in - the Moores seem to have been a prolific lot, and some of them were baptised in Antrim First (Millrow) Presbyterian. I'm going to enquire about getting access to the records of that church - I believe that they have been transcribed already.

Thanks for your efforts.

regards

Melodie