Prodger's Scavenger Hunt....Everyone Welcome To Join In

[akanex2]

I belive the "Mr John McKunts of Belfast Falls" is likely to be John McCance the linen merchant - perhaps an employer of the Grahams before they emigrated?  Try searching the PRONI online catalogue to see if their business records are archived.

http://www.nares.net/mccance/john_mccance_1772.htm

[toni*]

Glenavy RC parish records only survive from 1848 so no good for your families (currently available on microfilm, but currently being digitised to be put online).

Are there BT’s?

[Prodger]

Hello all, and a big Canadian thank you for helping out. I am just up and need another cup of coffee to help digest your work so far.

James, Edward, Hugh are the early repeating names in the Graham line. Bytown (present day Ottawa) wasn't settled much until rideau canal was built. We believe James Graham came over to work on the canal. He then purchased some farm land nearby which was sold off or transferred to children in pieces over the years. 

I picked up Mary's maiden name (Upton) from a Canadian document. I will have to search for it to as I can't remember what type of document it was. My source recording is not very good. I do not know if he was married when he came or if he married after he arrived. The McCabes list reference to a female in family is assumed to be Mary. There is an Upton farm nearby but they arrived later and are from a very well known family. The father worked for the Russian Tsars and is well documented. If James married into this family it would be well documented.

I will look at what has been suggested and get back to you.

Regards Peter

[toni*]

Hi there I saw Hughs death has his mother as Mary Upton this is possibly where you got her maiden name from

[Prodger]

That's it. On Hugh's death index, b 1836, it calls her Marion Upton. On Eleanor's baptisim record, b  Dec 1834, it refers to her as Ann. In the death index for Edward, b 1845 it has Mary Ann Wpton (transcript error).

Regards Peter

[Prodger]

Akanex2 - The Griffith site looks very interesting. As you say I will need to confirm which James Graham before using the map.

Toni* - The links to Glenavy  will take some time to digest. I have been through the Glenavy history site but not the Church of the Dwarf link. That will take some careful reading and sifting. Many of the place names and references will have to be sorted out.

I have tried linking the McCabes list James and Hugh in Canada with no luck. This Hugh seems to have dissappeared. Many Irish canal workers died and were buried at the work sites.  Some memorials have been put in place but they are like graves of the unknown soldiers.

I have interpreted Hughs family count in the Mcabes listed as follows;
2 males = himself and brother/cousin James
4 females = wife (not found), james wife Upton, and two sisters in Ireland (two brothers-in-law mentioned)

I do not know when he arrived. The latest would be fall of 1828. He could not be in ByTown in Feburary 1829 unless he arrived the previous fall. There are no immigration records for that time period.  Entrance would be through Quebec or Montreal.

[Prodger]

Toni* - I don't have Mary Ann Uptons birth date. I have not found a death record for her. I will try the Family Search beta site again if they have added more info. I am confident James did not come as a child and came from Ireland to Bytown as an adult. Transit through Quebec or Montreal but travelling to Bytown to work on Rideau Canal.
Regards Peter

[Prodger]

Here is a summary of the progress made on this week's search for James Graham's family;

1) reference in McCabes list to a John McKunts is 98% probably John McCance the well known person of the area. This positions the Graham's in eastern Antrim closer to Belfast. Any McCance documentation will get my attention.
2) A deeper dive into the Glenavy web site found the "statistical account or parochial survey of Ireland" 1816. Vol 2 XIII covered Glenavy, Camlin, and Tullyrusk. The appendix included a list of surnames in the area in 1816 and included all 4 names I have connected to James Graham. Graham, Upton, May and Mcannally. (McNally being the spelling in McCabes list)
3) No new information was uncovered at the Familysearch beta search tool but I will check periodically.
4) I spent more time on the PRONI site and in reading about Ireland's history. I am becoming more comfortable with place names and terminology so that I can scan documents faster and more effectively.

There has been progress where prior to this I was at a standstill. For that I am appeciative. Thanks to all who contributed or had a look.  Regards Peter

[Tephra]

It's time for this weeks Scavenger Hunt and it's either going to be very easy or...............      !!

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,499050.0.html

Good Luck and Good Hunting

Barbara


As usual, this Hunt will remain open for any further information which may come in.