Mc Cormicks of comber and Rea's

[brufsup]

 Hello,
 I am new to the site so apologies if I'm getting it wrong. I'm interested in finding out information about my 2x,3x and 4x great grandparents who came from Dundonald and Comber. My 3x great grandfather was David Rea, bc 1801 in Dundonald, he married catherine Mc Cormick who was bc 1810 in Comber. Catherines mother was Elizabeth Mc Cormick bc 1775. David and Catherine had at least 7 children, one of whom was my 2x greatgrandfather David Rea bc 1829. I have found census records from 1851 in Cumberland but nothing earlier and do not know when or why they came to England. If anyone has any information or can help in any way Itwould be much appreciated.

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
  At this time the linen industry was becoming mechanised and there was a depression in the farming industry, the two main sources of income in the north of Ireland. Many people emigrated and the money available determined how far they went.

Regards

[brufsup]

Hi,
Thanks for the info, it would be interesting to find out what my family did and whether they worked in the Linen industry or in farming, I do know that they didn't do all that well when they arrived over in Cumberland but I suppose they didn't have such a good start.

[BallyaltikilliganG]

Some further reasons for migration Lord Londonderry imported workers regularly from his estates in the north of Ireland particularly in Co Down  and in 1844 particularly to act as strike-breakers in Durham.  Also the famine was breaking out.,
I think you may be part of the Matthew and James Rea family line in Dundonald  dating from before 1729, so heres a few extracts from
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rosdavies/SURNAMES/R/Rea.htm
REA  family Down genealogy papers in PRONI OFD p 193 {see my note about Linenhall Library below please}
David REA . Dundonald died 29 Jun 1828 aged 37; brother of Robert; buried Dundonald graveyard MIs
David REA . Dundonald & Holywood  in Killeen ; leased a house & 24 acres in 1863 from John Cleland  GV
Miss Hannah REA . Dundonald aged 20; daughter of James Rea (a farmer); married Hugh Young of Belfast 13 Oct 1853 at Linenhall Presbyterian Church, Belfast  PR
Hugh REA . Dundonald of Killeen in 1852 POD
Hugh REA . Dundonald  of Killeen; a farmer ; husband of Miss Moore; father of David bpt. 1862 at 1st Holywood Presbyterian Church  PR
James REA . Dundonald & Magheradrool bpt. 23 Mar 1729; son of David Rea & Elizabeth Martin of Magheraknock; inherited Killeen; husband of Margaret ; died before Dec 1774  RSIA p 20,21
Matthew REA . Magheradrool & Dundonald  of Magheraknock; son of David Rea; husband of Margaret; father of David; died before 1774; inherited lands in Kileen  RSIA p21
Robert REA . Dundonald  husband of Margaret; father of Martha, Isabella & Robert also Margret who d. 29 Oct 1825 aged 2; brother of David; Dundonald graveyard MIs
if you don’t know this website see the rest of the Reas and also the  McCormicks

REA family manuscripts also exist in volumes 12p85 Drumskee, 13p25 Castlenavin, 13p85 Annacloy, 17N, 20 Oakley, 23 two items, 27T Drumskee, 34, Belfast, 82 Belfast 1798-1857 printed. These exist
in the Blackwood Family history manuscript trees in the LinenHall library, Belfast. My suggestion is don’t rush there yet.  When you are ready you could ask them for photocopying estimates if they think your knowledge relevant and you should be prepared to pay a fee for copying, post and packing, and perhaps some staff time and overheads. However if the material is really relevant when you get it, I suggest a further donation to this unique library that is always needing extra funds and because you have acquired a valueable family tree say £100-£10,000.. Linen Hall Library,17 Donegall Square North, Belfast BT15GB, Northern Ireland, Telephone: +44 (0)28 9032 1707,  Fax: +44 (0)28 9043 8586, Email: <irish.reference[at]linenhall.com>.replace the [AT] with the symbol please

Need to go , Jim

[brufsup]

Wow, Thank you so much, I didn't think I would receive so much help as quickly as this and I shall certainly check out all the information you have given me. If I do contact the Linen hall library and the information is relevant I will certainly give them a donation. Last year I requested informationfrom the Children's Society (formerly the Waifs & Strays) in England and when I received it (No Payment was Required which was unusual as you do have to pay Bernardo's Homes) ) I sent them a donation. I don't know what we would do if we were unable to access these records. Once again, thank You very much.
Regards June

[BallyaltikilliganG]

Well done. Here are my McCormick entries taken from the historical directory of Comber civil parish thats an ebook in the history section of www.Comberonline.com. They are 3 years out of date. So Ros davies website needs looking at!
McCormick,  Cornelius,  Cherryvalley  Householder in Griffiths Valuation ~1863 several websites have details [best is askireland]
McCormick,  Hannah,   Clatteringford Comber,   Down: North,   Comber,   1st Presbyterian Church,    Ulster Covenant 1912 in  www.proni.gov.uk       
McCormick,  Mary,   Railway Street Comber,   Down: North,   Comber,   Orange Hall,    Ulster Covenant 1912 in  www.proni.gov.uk       
McCormick,  Mary, Miss.. Comber Wife of Robert Kye Senior of Ballybeen C. 1757 PE/ Reg Deeds Dublin,   freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rosdavies/
McCormick,  Robert,  Cattogs,  D/654/A3/1N,      Freeholder in  www.proni.gov.uk       
McCormick,  Robert,  Cattogs,  D/654/A3/1S,      Freeholder in  www.proni.gov.uk       
McCormick   Samuel Castleavery Down: North Newtownards Guild Hall and Town Hall Ulster Covenant 1912 in  www.proni.gov.uk
McCormick Thomas Clontonecally D/654/A3/1N Freeholders in  www.proni.gov.uk       
McCormick,  Victor,   Comber,   Down: North,   Comber,   Square (The),    Ulster Covenant 1912 in  www.proni.gov.uk       
McCormick,  William,  Ballyloughan,  D/654/A3/1N,      Freeholder in  www.proni.gov.uk       
I am trying to guide you to look up each and every freeholder some are great with names of next of kin etc, some are early in date. lots of good luck, Jim

[brufsup]

What can I say, except thank you again and I think that this evening, I will be so engrossed in what you have sent me  that nothing else will be done at all. My family certainly travelled and didn't make it easy for me to find them, I have them in Australia, Canada, Ireland and no doubt some will turn up in America. Ah well it makes life more exciting. Thanks June

[kevinarea]

Hello,  I am curious if you ordered any documents from the PRONI about the Rea's.
What were the costs and if you found anything interesting.
Thank you,
Kevin Rea

[brufsup]

Hello Kevin,
I did not get around to sending off for  information from Proni as I received information from the roots web site which gave me such a lot of family history to work through. I took the advice given to me above and contacted the Ros Davies' Co Down, Ireland Genealogy research Site. I also came across a booklet by William Roulston called (Reconstructing an eighteenth-century Ulster family : the reas of Magheraknock and Kileen, County down.) this contained quite a lot of information about the Rea family in the area I was interested in which was a great help. I also went onto the http:/genforum.genealogy.com/rea
web site and received help from there, I will eventually contact Proni but it will be a while yet, I  have collected some information about the Reas in Ireland so I may be able to help if  know who you are searching for. Regards June