Owners of a Belfast Pub

[Gerard 62]

The 1901 census shows Joseph O'Kane, unmarried, from Co Derry running a pub at 9 Frederick St Belfast.
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/St__Anne_s_Ward/Fredrick_Street/959722/
Assisting is Joseph's nephew, James O'Connor, also from Co Derry. When Joseph died on 28 Feb 1909, James O'Connor took over the pub (per 1911 census).
If James was Joseph's nephew, his mother's maiden name was O'Kane.
Can anybody identify where in Co Derry this family was from? I've drawn a blank on church & state records. Can anybody access Joseph's will?
Also, when did James die?
I've posted today on the Derry page about the Connor family of Maghera. There may or may not be a link.

[Kiltaglassan]

Can anybody access Joseph's will?

PRONI Will Calendars https://apps.proni.gov.uk/WillsCalendar_IE/WillsSearch.aspx

Probate of the Will of Joseph O'Kane late of 9 and 11 Frederick Street Belfast Spirit Merchant who died 28 February 1909 granted at Belfast to Thomas Quinn Bookkeeper.
Date of Grant :   31 March 1909
Effects:      £330 19s. 2d.

https://apps.proni.gov.uk/WillsCalendar_IE/WillsSearchImage.aspx?id=260155

[aghadowey]

Links to both your Connor topics on the Londonderry board-
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=894305.new#new
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=892584.new#new

In 1901 nephew James O'Connor is age 44 but in 1911 he's age 48-
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Belfast_East/Frederick_Street/143316/
Aunt Martha O'kane, on the other hand, has aged 10 years in 10 years.

Death of Joseph O'Kane in 1909 registered by sister Martha-
https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/deaths_returns/deaths_1909/05473/4531878.pdf

Martha O'Kane died 1919- grand niece Katie Kennedy was informant-
https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/deaths_returns/deaths_1919/05164/4424492.pdf

[Gerard 62]

Thanks Kiltaglassan,
I see from the Will that Joseph had a brother Hugh (an undertaker). He died in 1907 - wife Catherine O'Connor, married 1888. That casts a doubt on whether James O'Connor was really Joseph O'Kane's nephew.
The parents of Joseph and Hugh O'Kane were, apparently, Edward O'Kane (died Belfast 1882, age 63) and Mary Anne O'Kane (died Belfast 1889, age 61). Must try to find their Co. Derry origins.

[aghadowey]

I think you might be overlooking a few details which could help you find more information.

Belfast Telegraph, 17 Apr.1882: O'KANE—April 16, his residence, 116 Donegall Street, Belfast, Edward O’Kane, aged 63 years. The remains of beloved husband will be removed from the above address for interment in Milltown Catholic ...
Have you contacted Milltown to see what records they might have? It's not a place I have done any searching in so I'm not aware of how much they have but worth a try.

Death notice for Joseph O'Kane appear in Ballymoney Free Press, 11 Mar.1909, and Coleraine Chronicle, 6 Mar.1909.
Both these papers cover part of Co. Derry and there is likely a good reason these notices appear in these particular papers.

Mary Anne O’Kane’s death in 1889 gives her age as 61 (so born c1828). IF accurate this makes her too young to be mother of Joseph and Martha (IF their ages are accurate). Could Joseph and Martha be from a previous marriage of Edward’s but Hugh was Mary Anne’s son?

According to 1901 census Joseph born c1835, Martha c1837 (both in Co. Derry) but Hugh born c1856 in Belfast [(age consistent with death registration). Perhaps family moved to Belfast between Martha’s birth and Hugh’s.
Here’s Hugh’s household in 1901-
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Duncairn_Ward/Limestone_Street/958902/
The only shown as born Co. Derry is niece Catherine Black age 20.
Is this Catherine- born Limavady, daughter of Laurence Black and Mary Connor?
https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/birth_returns/births_1880/02889/2058688.pdf
Hugh O’Kane wife was also a daughter of John O’Connor- she and Mary likely sisters and James their connection?
Laurence Black & Mary O’Connor married 1876- her father John O’Connor deceased-
https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/marriage_returns/marriages_1876/11167/8091037.pdf

[Gerard 62]

Thanks aghadowey.
In Belfast baptism records, I see children of Edward & Mary Anne (McCall):
Hugh 5 Dec 1853
Martha 6 Jan 1857
Catherine 11 Nov 1860
William John 19 Jul 1863.

Before that I see their children in Coleraine baptisms:
Patrick 4 Jun 1844
John 22 Feb 1852.

I can't find Joseph's baptism. However, it's a fair guess that Coleraine is his Derry birthplace.
The O'Connor links you found point to the Limavady area.
My interest in this was to find where in Derry James Connor, publican, was born. My theory was that he was one of the Connor family of Maghera that I enquired about (in the Derry pages) but that doesn't seem to hold up.
I need to find a new theory that links the Maghera Connors to Belfast.

Nothing is simple.

[aghadowey]

The Coleraine registers covers 3 churches- St. John's, Killowen (west bank of Coleraine), Aghadowey (the old chapel at Mullahinch and later various temporary locations until present one built) and Macosquin (to the west of Coleraine). The Ballymoney Free Press was popular in the Aghadowey district (part of the civil parish of Aghadowey came under Ballymoney Post Office).

Is it James Connor (publican) you are trying to trace or the Connors of Maghera?

[Gerard 62]

My family tree includes a baby born in Belfast on 7 July 1898, father unknown. DNA tells me that the father was one of the Connor family from Maghera. I'm trying to identify which one. So far, John Connor (jnr.), the carpenter, is the only male of that family, that I can find, who was alive in 1897. His profile makes me guess he wasn't the father. The baby's mother, Isabella McGlenon, lived in Belfast about 100 yards from the pub where James O'Connor worked, hence my interest in him, but he seems to be a red herring.
My sweep of the area tells me that in the 1861 street directory, 65 York Street, Belfast was occupied by John Connor, a carpenter. That seems too far back to be significant, but....
I also know that in 1908, when John Connor Jnr's daughter Rose got married, she lived in Old Lodge Road, Belfast.
I really need to fill out the Maghera family but I've no leads there.