Nevin family of Donaghadee

I think the townland where the family lived was probably also known as Carreyreagh, as well as Canneyreagh and was/is 261 acres of agricultural land. It is a mile or so west of Donaghadee village and is in the parish of Donaghadee.

In Griffiths Valuation (1863) there were 18 households there. (No Nevin or McMinn). It is listed as Carreyreagh in Griffiths. The modern Canneyreagh Rd runs through it today.

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

Donaghadee Church of Ireland records start in 1771. For Presbyterians, there’s a choice of about 10 churches in the area. (Which you attended was a matter of personal preference and not always the closest). Donaghadee 1st Presbyterian’s records start in 1793. There’s a copy of all the surviving church records for that area in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. The records themselves are not on-line and a personal visit is required to view them there.

The tithe applotment records for 1834 list a B. C Nevin Esq. in Cannyreagh. He also appears in Ballymacruise townland and so presumably also had land there.

http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/down/tithe-applotment-books/donaghadee-parish.php#.Vqm_UVJ2ug0

Esquire means he was of some standing in the community and probably of independent means. There were some McMinns nearby in Herdstown & Hogstown, again Esq. So that might be Jemima’s family.

B. C Nevin is probably Benjamin Chapman Nevin. PRONI have a mortgage in his name, on property in Ballymacruise, which indicates he was living in Paris (France) in October 1832. D366/492.

See also D664/DA/691, which is described as “George Dunbar's copy of a Landed Estates Court rental and particulars of sale of lands in Ballymacruise and Carrowreagh, Co. Down” Benjamin Nevis (spelling) was listed as the owner. The involvement of the Landed Estates Court usually indicates the landlord was in some financial difficulty and couldn’t settle his debts.

See also T2265 which was: “Encumbered estate court rental, with maps and particulars, relating to the sale of Benjamin Nevin's estate at Ballymacruise and Carrowreagh, Co. Down”. Dated 1864.

Source: http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/search_the_archives/ecatalogue.htm

These records are not on-line and, if you can’t go in person, you’ll need a researcher to get them for you. (Or pay PRONI a hefty fee to copy them).

I also noted this probate abstract on the PRONI website:

Nevin, Benjamin of 4 Bensham Avenue Gateshead 8 county Durham died 27 July 1965 Probate Newcastle-upon-Tyne 12 November to Andrew Galbraith solicitor and George Magnay chartered accountant. Effects in Northern Ireland £158 8s. Re-sealed Belfast 23 December.

Benjamin Nevin is quite an unusual name and although this relates to someone who died in 1965, I’d wonder if there’s a family connection. The full file should be held in PRONI. (Re-sealed means he had property in more than one jurisdiction presumably England & Northern Ireland).

Thank you, Elwyn, for your suggestions!  I had wondered if there were any other Nevins in the area.  Benjamin (1835) could have been a brother or father of John, as John's oldest son was named Benjamin. From what is known of the family in the US, I had thought that after Benjamin was settled, the rest of his family followed.  They would have been out of Donaghadee by the early 1820's.  That is why I am interested in records before 1825.  I had thought, after reading Jemima's letter, that the family was educated and well off. They were written of in a book on the history of St. Lawrence County, New York and mention of the Nevin family can be found in The Montgomery Manuscripts as to how they came to own the land in Donaghadee.  Although, I am not certain that the latter is my family.  I would love a road trip to Belfast, but I think a researcher would be less expensive!

I have a copy of a lease of land to family member of mine, I believe, dated 1825, the landlord being Benjamin C. Nevin (Ballymacruise).