Wallace

Leonie,

Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church, so it’s possible that Mary Elizabeth was baptised in Ahoghill Church of Ireland. If so you might also find any siblings she had. That church's records are not on-line anywhere but there is a copy in PRONI, the public record office, in Belfast. Their copy is not on-line and so a personal visit is required to access them. If you are unable to go there yourself, you may need to employ a researcher.

http://www.proni.gov.uk/guide_to_church_records.pdf

Ahoghill COI’s records start in 1811.

I looked for a death certificate for Abraham Wallace but did not find one. Nor is he listed in Griffiths Valuation, so that suggests he died before 1864 when death regsitration began. His burial may be recorded in the church records though. Ahoghill Burial records start in 1821.

Gravestone inscriptions in Ahoghill and the surrounding area are listed on this site:

http://thebraid.com/genealogy.aspx

I don’t see a grave for Wallace of Gracehill but there are a couple of stones in one of the Ahoghill graveyards that just have the surname Wallace on them, and no other details, so who knows who they contain. (The church is unlikely to have full details of who is in each grave from the 1800s).

Only wealthier people could afford a gravestone and the majority of the population were buried without one. Farmers and tradesmen often had a gravestone, agricultural labourers, weavers and others like that did not.

I live in the Gracehill area but have not heard of anywhere named Cold Spring. Gracehill is not a very big village).  Is that information on the 1853 marriage certificate? If not, what townland does it give for Mary Elizabeth’s residence? Also, what does that certificate say Abraham Wallace’s occupation was?

Seems my reply has disappeared!! will try a shortened version.....Abraham was said to be a housepainter. David Wallace was a witness at Mary's wedding, so maybe he is her brother. HAve had no luck with migration records, cemetery indexes etc etc.

It has been suggested that Cold Spring might be the name of a house. Will try agin to attach the Marriage certificate..

Griffiths Valuation for 1862 lists a Mary Wallace in Ballykennedy. That’s the townland that contains Gracehill. Mary Wallace was probably a widow (generally if a woman appears in the listings she’s a widow). She had plot 40 in Ballykennedy which was a farm, outbuildings and 15 acres. That’s the only Wallace property listed in Gracehill in Griffiths. What was your Mary Wallace’s father's occupation on her marriage certificate? Was it farmer? In which case this might be her family home.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml

The revision records show this property changing to David Wallace in 1869 (suggesting Mary may have died around that time). Then it changes again to Samuel Montgomery in 1874.

Oh Elwyn!! Thank you so much, I think this is the family. Witnesses to Mary's wedding were David Wallace & Samuel Montgomery.  I will now copy this information and see what else I can find. Mary Elizabeth's father, Abraham was said to be a house painter. Tahnk you again, I really appreciate what you've done.

Leonie.

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