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« on: Thursday 06 December 12 04:36 GMT (UK) »
Catherine Miller that married James Major QC was the eldest daughter of William Miller, the Collector of Excise for Londonderry. On 22 May 1824, there is a newspaper report of the death of James Major Esq at Kilmallock, an Officer of Excise. The fathers appear to have had a professional connection.
I am descended from William Miller's third son Croker Miller. William purchased a position of ensign in th 17th Regt for his son Croker. His first deployment was a guard on a convict ship to Sydney, Australia in 1830. In Sydney, Croker met and married Matilda Kinchela, the daughter of John Kinchela, Attorney General of then Colony of New South Wales. The regiment then went to India. Matilda followed her husband to India. Eventually they returned to Ireland. My great grandfather was born in Ireland. Some of the family including my great grandfather, Rowley Croker Miller returned to live in Australia.
William Miller was the eldest son of John Miller and Margaret Oulton. John Miller was the Agent that managed the estate at Moneymore firstly for Sir William Rowley for 37 years. When Sir William Rowley's lease expired and reverted back to the Worshipful Drapers' Company of London, John Miller continued to manage the estate at Moneymore for the Drapers Company. When John died, the position passed to his sixth son, Rowley Miller. Rowley was then joined in a joint agency with his son John Rowley Miller. On the death of John Rowley Miller, John Rowley's son Henry Rowley Miller became Assistant agent at Moneymore along side his grandfather. He became Agent on the death of his grandfather in 1866 and held the position until his death in 1873.
John Miller was the son of Robert Miller of Coleraine and Mary Ann Gamble, daughter of William Gamble Esq of Derry. This is as far back as I have been able to connect.
My research interest is in the Miller family. I just recently came across the connection to the Henry family, so I have not pursued the link in any detail. Below is the information that I have researched:
Rev WILLIAM MILLER MAJOR (?-1894)
William Miller Major obtained a BA (1847) and MA (1860) and was appointed Deacon at Cork on 26th May 1850. He was Rector of Culmore, Canon of Derry and Rural Dean of Moville, Co. Derry. On 14th June 1860, he married Elizabeth Jane Henry of 3 Clare St, Dublin, daughter of Elizabeth and James Henry Esq of Drumlamph, Co. Londonderry. His mother-in-law, Elizabeth Henry died at their residence, Moville Rectory on 11th April 1866. William Miller Major died in 1894. Elizabeth Jane Major died in 1913.
I am uncertain of the date of birth for William Miller Major. The newspapers reported the births of sons to Catherine at her father's residence at Bellemonte in 1822, 1823, 1826. John Croker Major was born in 1831. An unknown son was born in 1833 and George Hill Major was born in 1834.
From an ebook extract on Landed gentry, I found the information on the Gelliland connection.
Daughter: ELIZABETH CATHERINE MAJOR
Elizabeth Catherine Major married William Louis Gilliland Esq, a Barrister of Eshcol in 1888. William Louis Gilliland died in 1904.
There were two children:
Daughter: LOUISE ELIZABETH FRANCES GELLILAND
Louise Elizabeth Frances Gelliland married Cyril Bland, only son of Sydney and Aylward Bland of Bournemouth, on June 6, 1922, at St James's, Piccadilly.
My information on the place of the wedding differs slightly to yours. I think I got the information from the Diamond Memorial Project website. What is your source? The Miller is spelt incorrectly on the site, so this could be another error.
Son: Lieut. WILLIAM MILLER MAJOR GELLILAND
William Miller Major Gilliland was gazetted to the 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on February 25, 1914, and accompanied his battalion to France as part of the Expeditionary Force. He was wounded at the battle of Le Cateau (receiving a bullet in his right wrist, a shattered hand, and a shrapnel wound on the leg) in August 1914, and on his recovery was attached to the 3rd Battalion of his regiment until February 1915, when he joined the 1st Battalion, and proceeded with them as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. He was killed in action near Krithia, Gallipoli Peninsula, 28th April, 1915, aged 20. He is interred in Pink Farm Cemetery, Helles. His name is on the Diamond War Memorial and also on All Saints' Church (Church of Ireland), Clooney Parish, 1914-18 Roll of Honour. There is also a brass plaque in the church.
William Miller Major Gelliland information in on the Diamond Memorial Project website. Interestingly two of Rowley Miller's descendants also served in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers: Lieut Alexander Rowley Miller who died in South Africa in 1902 (Boer War) and Inglis Francis Rowley Miller who died in 1914 in France. My grandfather Alexander Croker Miller also fought a Gallipoli and fortunately survived both Gallipoli and the Western Front.
At the moment I am pursuing the Major family connection to the Miller family and trying to sort out which are connected. If I find any other information, I will pass it on.
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