RootsChat.Com

Do we know anything about any of the relatives and descendants of the Kilkeel Grahams in our family.  Could they provide any clues to finding more about James Graham born 1795.  I know John Graham born 1851 had a brother George born 1843.  Did he have other brothers and sisters and who are their descendants. What about John Graham born 1820 (his father).  Did he have brother and sisters and who are their descendants?

Ivy Logan (Isabella Evelyn Graham born 4/7/1900 died 14/02/1987)
Her husband Thomas Logan born 17/01/1900 died June 1987

Hi Fiona,

Lovely to hear from you.  I will send photos but I may need your email address as last time I tried they were too big. I live in Vancouver, Canada and spend a few weeks in NI during Sept and Oct.  My mother and I visited the church and found the family grave and some of the baptism records in the church.  We meet someone who helped us find them and he knew my mother's uncle Thomas.  He took over and ran the shop.  He was known as a difficult character - my grandmother, Ivy (Maud's sister) told us her father had left some of the business to her ( she was good with money) but Thomas said women should have businesses.  We have a picture of him sitting on the steps outside the shop.  We also met a local historian who had published this picture and gave us a copy.  We have confirmed all information going back to your grandmother's great grandfather's generation but can't get back any further at the moment.  I have spoken with Jim Wallace a few time and he suggested some people to contact.  Who are your parents?
If I am in LA, I will contact you,

Linda

Hi David,

I have a copy of the wedding certificate and am happy to share it, but need to find where I put it first.  I did find a copy of the death certificate of John Graham but not his birth certificate.  There is no record of a birth certificate at the Proni ( I checked that last time - maybe destroyed in the fire).  So my next plan was to check with the church.  I will ask my mother about graves and let you know.  It may be that he was buried in another church.  My mother should know where her grandfather was buried.  I think his father was either John or James (from the marriage certificate but we can check that when I find it).
It has been frustrating not to able to get any further back.  We did meet one of the Kilkeel relatives when my grandmother was still alive but didn't get any information from her.  My grandmother thought she had the family bible but she said she didn't.

I will post the info I have as soon as I find where I put it when I tided up.

Linda

Ps David Mac is my uncle (my dad's half brother)  He has done a lot of work on the McMenemy tree.

Hi

My grandmother was Ivy (Isabella) Graham, daughter of John Graham and Margaret Scott.  She was born 1900 and married Thomas Logan, she died in 1987.  Her parents were married 28/09/1875 at Mourne Presbyterian Church.  I have a copy of this marriage certificate.  His father is referred to as James Graham in one document so I think James and John are interchangeable.  I visited the house on Greencastle street a number of times as a child and meet some of her brothers and Maud.  Maud's son is also trying to research the family but like me got stuck too.  My grandmother only told the story of Earl of Montrose when my mother (as a young child) met a women who worked for the Montrose family and was not only surprised at the likeness of her boss to my mother but that she had the same streak of white hair in the front of her head.  The story I heard was one of differences in belief.  At that time the Montrose family were Anglicans and he had become a non conformist.  No evidence for this. 

I spoke with my Maud's son.  He said John Graham (b 1851) had been a lay preacher in the
Presbyterian church, he left and the baptists wanted him to train to be a pastor with them but he had a big family to support.  He thought they went to both the Baptist church and then the Brethren.
Duncan immigrated to the US (1929 census). He was in the B specials and was beaten badly by the IRA.  I understood this was his reason for leaving Ulster.  I remember he came and stayed with us when I was young.  He married Margaret Trimble and lived in Allegheny, Pittsburg, PA.  His brother, George also lived there for some time - found him 1930 on US census but his wife wasn't there. Both brothers worked in watch repair.  My grandmother said her father, John Graham (b 1851) could repair any watch and taught her his skills.    So although his shop was a shoe shop, he also did watch repair.  Check the US census  1931 Duncan 30 M  - he states his father was from Scotland??, wife Margaret 25, Brother George 40 yrs but he states his father was from NI, daughter Margaret 9months and Brother in law Robert Trimble 23 were all living together.  Both brothers were watch makers, Duncan in a department store and jewellery store.

Ellis Island landing
First Name: George
Last Name: Graham
Ethnicity: British
Last Place of Residence: Kilkeel, Ireland
Date of Arrival: Apr 14, 1913
Age at Arrival: 19 Gender: M Marital Status: S
Ship of Travel: Caledonia
Port of Departure: Londonderry
Manifest Line Number: 0008

William emigrated to New Zealand - He was with the 13th Rifle regiment in Soames. 
Elizabeth (Bessy) became a member of the Plymouth Brethren - I remember they weren't able to eat at the same table as the rest of the family.  Bessy and Walter Balsom lived in Dublin for some time.

We also have a pdf of the Ulster Covenant (sheet 2498) with the signature of William, Thomas and James.  Ellen Jane married twice.  Brought her first husband's ashes on a cruise and met her second husband there.  Lived in London and then Southhampton.  My mother has confirmed this information.

I think that is most of the information I have.  Will post if I can find anything else.  Many records were destroyed in a fire so have to rely on church records.  However, there are so many John and James grahams so if is difficult to know when you are on the right path.

regards,