Thread: William Gates from Gracehill Village, Ireland

I am searching for William Gates, b. 1802, wife Jane (maiden name unknown), b.1803 from Gracehill, Ireland. Their children were George, Agnes, Matthew, James and Thomas. They sailed to New York from Liverpool in 1857. Any help that can be provided will be greatly appreciated.

Jean Ennis

What religious denomination were your family?

I can see just one Gates household in the area in the 1901 census:

National Archives: Census of Ireland 1911

Thank you for your reply. I am not sure but believe it to be Protestant - Moravian, since they lived in the Gracehill Village.
Again, thanks for the quick response.

JE

William, his wife and their children were born long before the start of statutory registration of births in Ireland (1864) and so to find any record of them you will be heavily dependant on church records, which is why I asked about their denomination.

Although Gracehill is famous for being the home of a large Moravian congregation, not everyone was Moravian. In the 1901 census there were 848 people there, of whom about 40% were Moravian, 40% Presbyterian and the remainder a mix of Methodist, United Free Presbyterian, Church of Ireland and RC.

Here’s details of the surviving non RC church records for that area, held at PRONI, Belfast:

C.I. Ahoghill (Connor diocese) Baptisms, 1811-1928, with the McKinney family details from 1802-23; marriages, 1811-1996; burials, 1821- 1952; banns, 1829-39. MIC583/9; CR/1/90
Vestry minutes, 1811-27, 1847-61 and 1870-; account books, 1811-30 and 1874-94; preachers’ books, 1849- 64, 1868-1920 and 1929-. In local custody
MOR. Gracehill Diaries which record baptisms, marriages and deaths and the movement of members, 1750-1899; baptisms, 1749-1986; marriages, 1758-1862; burials, 1766-1987; Elders’ Conference minutes, 1755-1892; Congregational Committee minutes, 1788-1927; Congregational Council minutes, 1790-95 and 1833-93; Lot Conference minutes, 1755-91; register of members, with an index, 1755-91; register of pupils and teachers at Gracehill Academy, 1805-83; reviews of the years’ activities, including details of births, marriages and deaths, 1863-91 etc.; printed history, 1984. MIC1F/3; CR9
P. 1st Ahoghill Baptisms, 1841-1922; marriages, 1841-1920; session minutes, 1845-78. MIC1P/64
P. Brookside or 3rd Ahoghill Baptisms, 1859-1962; marriages, 1845-1911. MIC1P/95
P. Cunningham Memorial, Cullybackey [see under CRAIGS]
P. Trinity or 2nd Ahoghill Baptisms, 1835-1901; marriages, 1836-1920. MIC1P/136
Typescript history of the church from the 17th century to c.1900.

If your ancestors were United Free Presbyterian, then they would have attended the UFP church in Cullybackey. Unfortunately their records don’t go back far enough to cover the period you are looking at. Your best bet would be to start with the Moravian records. These are not on-line as far as I am aware and you would need to go to PRONI or get someone to look them up for you.

You have provided so much more information than I had anticipated. Thank you for all the details. Perhaps I should plan a visit and look up some of these records myself. I have never been to Northern Ireland and would most likely have a wonderful trip.

Best Regards,
Jean Ennis
West Palm Beach, Florida