Currans of Ballyhalbert, Co. DownAuthor(s): Martha ParkerSource: North Irish Roots, Vol. 21, No. 1 (2010), p. 14Published by: North of Ireland Family History Society (NIFHS)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25700287 .

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Correspondence - Currans of Ballyhalbert, Co. Down

Dear Editor,

I am researching the Currans of Ballyhalbert, County Down. James Curran (1795-) presumably married Jane Kirkpatrick (1795-) in Ballyhalbert. Their family left the Ards Peninsula in stages. John Curran (1818-1890) immigrated in 1844 to Ontario, Canada, and later settled in Oswego, New York, U.S.A. He was married to Elizabeth M'Tear/M'Teer and after her death he married Matilda Curran in Ontario, Canada. Archibald Curran (1838-1906) was born in Ballyhalbert and was living on Amherst Island2, Ontario, Canada, in 1859. He moved to Chicago with his family and then to Douglas, Michigan. After returning to Chicago he headed west and lived in Montana. He settled in Saskatchewan, Canada. He was married to Jane Reid. After her death

he married her sister Elizabeth Reid Dempster of Douglas, Michigan. James Curran (1828 1910) left Ballyhalbert in 1872-3 and settled in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. He was married to Rachel Warnock of Portavogie. In some of the Glastry Church records Curran was spelled Corn. Rachel's parents were Robert Warnock and Jane living in Portavogie.

Three male descendants from each of these branches have had their Y-DNA tested and these tests prove that they are all closely related. The test results may be seen at the Ards Peninsula DNA website which may be of interest to some of the readers who have families in this area or those interested in DNA studies. The Currans are listed under I2a at this website:

http://www.familvtreedna.com/public/ardsdnaproject/default.aspx?section=yresults. The

administrator of the website is Mary Becker who is a descendant of the Clint family. The co

administrator is Len M'Vea. Part of the website includes a forum where you can find information

on families who lived in this area. The forum is located at

http://www.worldfamilies.net/forum/index.php?board=2126.0.

In addition to the above Currans there was a Robert Curran (1814-1897) from Ballyhemlin, also married to a Jane Reid. They lived on Amherst Island and then moved to Huron County, Ontario, Canada. To my knowledge no one from this branch has had their DNA tested but it is

likely, if this were to occur, that there would be another match.

DNA testing has helped to prove a family relationship in the three Curran branches. I have often wondered if the Warnock family of Portavogie might be related to the Warnock family of

Ballyeasborough. A DNA test would certainly prove or disprove this theory. Sometimes when

you lack other resources it is the way to go.

Other names associated with the Curran and Warnock families are Bailie, Adair, Reid, Dempster, M^ear, Mahood, Thompson, Robinson, Palmer, Cochrane among others. If anyone

is researching or is interested in the above families please contact me. Thank you.

Martha Parker, B1770

2 Catharine Anne Wilson's book A New Lease on Life: Landlords, Tenants and Immigrants in Ireland and Canada,

published by McGill-Queen's University Press in 1994, follows more than 100 tenant families who, between 1820 and 1860, migrated from the Ards Peninsula in County Down to Amherst Island.

North of Ireland Family History Society North Irish Roots, 2010, Vol. 21, No. 1, Page 14

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