c1825-40 Belfast marriage - James Steen and Mary Ann Glendinning

[george12]

Hi,
The wedding certificate at Ballarat, Australia in 1865 of my gg.grandmother Mary Ann Steen indicates she was born in Belfast c1840 to parents James Steen, a grocer, and Mary Ann Glendin(n)ing.
She died in 1880 at Stawell, Australia having three young sons and an adopted daughter. Her husband Thomas Sanderson had been working at a nearby town for a few days. She apparently came to Australia in 1860.
The Minister at her burial was Presbyterian.
I would like to find the wedding record of her parents probably in Belfast between 1825 and 1840.

I see a James Steen is a Provision and General Merchant in Talbot Street in the 1800's. James Steen & Co were proprietors of the the Owen O'Cork Mill in 1850's. A  'brother' William is a Merchant in Hill Street, and possibly another relation Henry nearby. James lived at "Skegoniell".

There is a Glendinning family with a memorial at The New Burying Ground, Clifton Street - William Glendinning and his wife Mary Ann Marshall.
Other Glendinnings indicate the families may have lived near each other in  central Belfast.

Perhaps James Steen was a Chapman from the Townlands  ... 
If I can find a wedding record it should help.

Grateful for any assistance  ...  Jim

[Elwyn Soutter]

Statutory recording of Protestant marriages in Ireland started in 1845 so for events prior to that you need to track down the church records, if they still exist. Although you know she was possibly Presbyterian, there are rather a lot of Presbyterian churches in Belfast. It was traditional to marry in the wife’s church, so that may not be the nearest church to where they lived. Details of what church records survive can be seen on the PRONI website:

www.proni.gov.uk/index/research_and_records_held/catalogues_guides_indexes_and_leaflets/online_guides_and_indexes.htm

I see a will for James Steen, who died 15.5.1881, on the PRONI website.

The Will of James Steen late of Skeigoniel House Belfast Esquire deceased who died 15 May 1881 at same place was proved at Belfast by Henry Jones Steen of Skeigoniel House Belfast Esquire one of the Executors. You can see the full will on:

http://applications.proni.gov.uk/DCAL_PRONI_WillsCalendar/willsSearchResultsDetails.aspx

It mentions some children and Henry appears to be a son.

[george12]

Thanks Elwyn. I had previously thought the Will was only legible in part, which I now understand. But some valuable information there.
Do you know if the Belfast Newsletter is likely to have a report of the marriage at this time?

Jim

[Elwyn Soutter]

Yes they might have done. In addition the Linenhall library, Belfast has an index of birth, death and marriages in the Belfast Newsletter 1801 – 1863. It’s a card index system (ie not on line) compiled by their staff over a number of years. If you e-mail them they may oblige by checking whether the marriage is listed.

Not sure how much detail the newspaper will carry. Often it wasn’t much more than A, daughter of B and residing in C town/townland married D, on such and such date.

[aghadowey]

It's usually only well-to-do families that would have put marriage notices in a newspaper so there may not be anything in the Newsletter.

[george12]

I will email the Linenhall Library on Tuesday and see if they may be able to look for Steen and Glendinning in the Card Index.
It seems the church where they married may be a bit hard to establish. I wonder if there is any other likely source of information about this couple in the 1800's?

Appreciate the help  ...  Jim

[liscoole]

Hi

Ive been browsing through the Gale database and found quite a few references to James Steen, the most notable being his obituary in the Belfast Newsletter.

He died at Skegoneill on 15 May 1881 aged 87 years. It seems he was quite a prominent figure in Belfast. He was also President of the Chamber of Commerce for two years.

It also says that he was attended by a son and daughter and his grave is in Clifton Street Burying Ground, which you already know.

PM me for more info.

Liscoole

[Canadianraptor]

Hi
I have an interest in the Steen family of Skegoneill as the land there was used to build the Northwood, Shore Road homes in 1935/36. My grandfather, Joseph King, lived in 40 Northwood Parade, and an overlay map from Griffiths Valuations shows that his house was built on what was likely the servants' quarters for Skegoneill House! I have more info on the Steens and know that James Steen was actually NOT buried in the family plots in Clifton Street in 1881 but in grave O316, Belfast Cemetery, along with his daughter Eleanor Grace (Steen) Purdon who died in 1916, aged 75.
I have more information and documents but since your last post was 2011 you may not see this, if you do contact me as I'll be checking this site weekly and we might be able to help each other.
Robert
Mississauga, Ontario
Canada

[george12]

Thanks for the post Robert.

Grateful for any information about the Steens of Skegoneill.
Do you know if this James Steen was married to Mary Ann Glendinning, or what was his wife's name ?
Why wasn't he buried in the Clifton Street family plot ?
What became of his son Henry Jones Steen ?
Was our Mary Ann Steen, born about 1840, his daughter ?

Appreciate any help ... Jim