Dead EndsAuthor(s): Martin GraySource: North Irish Roots, Vol. 13, No. 1 (2002), pp. 39-40Published by: North of Ireland Family History Society (NIFHS)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27697433 .

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Ballymena, Spirit Dealer and Farmer who died 19 Feb. 1907 were granted to Mary Hannan, a married woman.

Effects 383 17s 6d.

This information allowed me to trace the property in Bridge St., over a period of one hundred years, from 1808 to 1907. The Daniel O'Hara who died 19 Feb. 1907 was the son of Daniel O'Hara, brother to Owen O'Hara and was also known within the family circle as

"Young Daniel"

The story began with Patrick O'Hara buying the pub from William O'Hara. Owen O'Hara was in possession of it in the year 1846 but by 1849 he had moved to Belfast. He was married and had three children: John, Daniel and Kate.

We know nothing about Owen's wife. John entered the religious life and was called Brother

Alphonsis. Daniel, according to the Letters of Administration was termed a lunatic. We know nothing about Kate.

Owen lived or worked at 70 Hercules St. Belfast from 1849 -1880. He was described as a Clerk and Grocer. He died intestate in Divis St., Belfast in 1882.

DEAD ENDS Martin Gray, Member B 0552

Long ago in 1930, when I was young, my father, R.T. Gray, prepared a family tree chart for our Gray line. Sixty years later, on joining the Bangor Branch of the North of Ireland Family History Society, I started on my own research. By then, everyone of my father's generation was dead. The same going for Grandfather's time and Great Grandfather's also.

Dad's chart had to be my starting point. On the microfilm records of Eglinton Street Presbyte rian Church, Belfast, I found the marriage of grandfather Robert Gray to Eliza Martin -

Residences given only as Belfast. The chart showed great grandfather Thomas Gray mar ried to Elizabeth Armstrong

- this possibly in the early 1820s. Eglinton Street is off Crumlin Road near Carlisle Circus. I suspect that both the Gray and Martin sides came from north Belfast, possibly from the direction of Ballysillan or Ligoniel both of which I found mentioned somewhere! (When I did my early research I did not keep good records and failed to note

sources). I have been unable to find dates or locations for birth, marriage or death of Thomas and Elizabeth Gray. Dead End! Their first child, a son, is shown as John, born 5 July 1825 - but where? He may have married a Barkley (no first name shown). Did they marry in Ireland or, as some suggest, in America? They seem to have had two children -

Margaret who married George Myers and Jane Elizabeth who married someone Crawford and had a son Walter Gray. A second son, Ernest, married Esther Dumont Wolfe. Nothing more on the chart except a

pencil note '253 Mowell Street, Newark, Ohio, and Bookstore'. John Gray's first wife must have died - Where and when? No name shown for the second wife but a note 'Clinton,

Michigan'. This time there were five children:

John, jnr - note 'Sydney, Australia'. Nothing more.

Frank - note 'Locomotive Engineer, Duluth, Minnesota'. Nothing more.

William (Jim) - note 'Floater'. Nothing more.

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Anna, married Harry Huffman. One son, also Harry. Note - 'Huffman -

Baker -

Clinton, Michigan'. Nothing more.

Cecilia married Edward Lancaster (thought to have two daughters) - note

'Janesville, Wisconsin'. Nothing more.

All these people in far away places - no easy way for me to research. That makes a great

many dead ends!

After John came Mary Gray, born 26 February 1827 - unmarried; then grandfather Robert

Gray born 9 April 1834 married to Eliza Martin; Thomas Gray born 1 September 1836 -

unmarried; Annie Gray born 10 April 1838 married to Hugh Kilpatrick; Sarah Gray born 1

September 1841 married to Robert Stevenson.

Dad's chart contains considerable information but is short on many bits of the detail needed to prove a Tree. Many dead ends - few points where fresh research would jump start new work. Some day perhaps with help, lightning will strike and I will find distant relatives in the USA or Australia.

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