James Adair / Jane Minnis Co Down

[snackdahl]

Hi all. I'm currently at a loss on how to find any more information on my gg grandparents and would appreciate any input or advice. I've searched for them on the IGI pilot site, Ancestry and also Ros Davies site to no avail.

James Adair, born c1845 in Newtonards (although sometimes states Comber on the census?) Father was William Adair (labourer). Married Jane Minnis in 1865 (West Rainton, Co Durham). Jane was born c1850 in Comber, her parents were Robert Minnis (miner) and Margaret Reid.

Regards,
Rob

[kingskerswell]

Rob,
      I have found something odd. 30 Dec 1884, Robert Minnis married Margaret Reid in Newtownards Civil Registrars office. Info is from Emerald Ancestors.

Regards

[snackdahl]

Thanks for that, but surely they must be a different Robert Minnis and Margaret Reid (massive coincidence I know)? They were living in West Rainton, County Durham in 1881 with at least 7 children, oldest 31 and youngest 12! Would they have travelled all the way back to Ireland to wed in their fifties I wonder?

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
    I have done a further check and my later marriage is a coincidence. Using the Record search Pilot site in www.familysearch.org Robert Minnis was married in Newtownards in 1848 Vol 9 Page 243.
I matched the location, year, volume and page number for Margaret Reid.

Regards

[LJReb123]

Hello

Minnis and Reid are fairly common names in the Ards - so was Robert and Margaret - maybe a co-incidence- The Ards registration area typically is recorded as 'Newtownards' (The Town), when in fact a marriage etc could have taken place anywhere in the area, in my family's case-Ballygowan,  to the west of Newtownards town.

Also I have a  recollection that the Londonderry family who still own large parts of the Ards had strong connections with Co Durham and that, in particular, Comber families frequently went back and forth between the two areas. Hence a Minnis becoming a (Coal?)miner.

hope this helps.

David

[snackdahl]

Thanks for all the help so far. I have had a breakthrough thanks to David from Emerald Ancestors who very kindly searched the unvalidated records last night and has hopefully found enough details to enable me to order a marriage certificate for Robert and Margaret (fingers crossed). Incidentally these details do not match the ones found on the pilot site.

Just need to find James Adairs parents now 

[snackdahl]

Result!! Recieved the marriage certificate today from Ards Borough Council and I have the right Robert Minnis and Margaret Reid (and now also their fathers names and occupations too!)

Many thanks to all for the help and a special thank you to David from Emerald Ancestors for his kind offer to search their unvalidated records for me.

Now to find William Adair and his wife......................