Hanna and Heslip

Randy,

Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church which should be on the certificate (unless it was a Registry Office marriage). That church may be the place to look for her baptism and that of any siblings. James and Margary married in Downshire Presbyterian.

Downshire church has baptism records from 1848 onwards. I don’t think there is a copy on-line anywhere. However there is a copy in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. If you are unable to go there yourself you may need to hire a researcher to look them up.

Margary’s father James was a labourer. They are notoriously difficult to track as they often moved around to follow available work and often lived in houses of too low a value to appear in the property records. At the time of her marriage, Margary was living in Finnard townland.

I looked in Griffiths Valuation for 1864. There was only 1 Hanna household listed in Finnard. That was Joseph who had plot 34 which was 3 acre holding. (Today that’s up a lane off the Newry Rd). Joseph’s name remains against that property until 1887, when William takes over. William in turn is replaced by James Bradshaw in 1891. William returns briefly around 1898 and is then replaced by Marshall Murdoch.  However he remained somewhere in the townland.

William in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Ouley/Hinnard/1245150/

I also noted a John Hanna on plot 13b 1885 -1891 and Mary Hanna on 41b from 1899 – 1904, when the house is noted as “down”. However she isn't in the 1901 census and so appears to have gone by that year. I found Mary died 3.6.1898 aged 60 at Finnard. She was a spinster. Her brother William was the informant.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1898/05834/4652207.pdf

These Hannas seem likely to be related to your Margary but you may need to go through the Downshire church records to link them up. (And your task will be made harder by the fact that some appear to have been born before 1848).

I found what looks to be a brother to Margary. Joseph Hanna married Eliza Ann Trimble on 8.12.1884:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1884/10916/5987949.pdf

Family in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Crobane/Sheeptown…

I also found a Joseph of Finnard who was son of Joseph. Joseph junior married Ellen Kerr on 1.5.1879. So that suggests to me that Joseph senior and John may have been brothers. (That needs checking out). If you go through the Hanna marriages registered in Newry from say 1870 to 1890 you might find a few others. There’s 61 in that period.

I thank everyone involved.  The information is very impressive and helpful.

Are you able to give me any information on James Heslip (Heaslip)

The 1882 marriage certificate tells us that James He(a)slip’s father was Henry, a farmer, and that James lived in Finnard. Griffiths Valuation for 1864 doesn’t list a Henry Heaslip, in Finnard or anywhere else in Co Down. I searched for a death certificate 1864 – 1901 but did not find one so I’d guess that he died between 1858 (James baptism) and 1863.

There are 4 Heslip properties in Finnard, held by Samuel, Robert, John & William.  It’s possible that one of those inherited Henry’s farm.

There’s a marriage between Henry Heaslep and Charlotte McKee on 29.1.1852 that looks to be your family. Rootsireland records that it took place at Newry Register Office (so possibly a mixed marriage, or could be Brethren as they marry in Register Offices). Henry was a farmer from Finnard and his father William had also been a farmer. The bride Charlotte McKee also came from Finnard. Her father James was a labourer. Witnesses were James Sloan and William Linton.

Whilst searching for Charlotte’s death I noticed another widow in Finnard. I looked for a widow. The only death of a woman of about the right age I could find was Jane Heaslip 14.1.1899 aged 77, widow. Informant was son Samuel, also of Finnard. Unfortunately the death certificate doesn’t give her husband’s name. However Samuel is in the 1901 census.

James Heaslip’s birth in 1858 is before the start of statutory birth registration (1864) so you would need to search church baptism records for his and any siblings.

There’s 2 Heslip households in Finnard in the 1901 census. These were Presbyterian:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Ouley/Hinnard/1245152/

The other was Brethren (sometimes known as Plymouth Brethren though that term isn’t much favoured by Brethren in Ireland). Originally this family were probably Presbyterian too.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Ouley/Hinnard/1245161/

I also noticed this Hazlitt family. Hazlitt could be another variation of Heaslip.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Ouley/Hinnard/1245154/

I looked for Charlotte Heaslip’s death 1864 to 1901 and for any possible remarriage but did not find either. So possibly she too had died before 1864.

I’d be inclined to search the Downshire Presbyterian records in PRONI to see what you can find.

A couple of probate abstracts from the PRONI wills site:

Heslip Samuel of Finnard county Down farmer died 9 July 1936 Probate Belfast 1 October to Samuel John Heslip and Thomas Brown farmers. Effects £94 2s.

Hazlitt Mary Jane of Finnard county Down widow died 12 March 1932 Administration Belfast 1 June to Minnie Hamilton married woman. Effects £50 19s. 3d.

I can see two children to the 1882 Heslip/Hanna marriage, both born Finnard:

Mary Jane Heslip 12.1.1885

Margaret Heslip 23.5.1886.

You can view those free on the irishgenealogy site.

Thank you, your help is very much appreciated..

One other question, do you show any Heslips still living in that area?

Proud to be Irish,

Randy Eagon

Randy,

I don’t know if there are any Heaslips living in the Finnard area. I can’t see any in the local phone book but many people aren’t listed these days so that doesn’t mean a lot.

There are quite a few Heaslips in the general area (within a radius of 20 miles of Finnard). Several live in Kilkeel but that’s some distance away. Probably no connection. You could try writing to the Minister of Downshire Church to see if he has any in his congregation, who might be interested in getting in touch.

Downshire Presbyterian church, Downshire Road, Newry, Co. Down BT34 1DX

I found this item in the New Ross Standard for Friday 25th July 1913:

“On Monday an inquest was held at Finnard, Co Down, touching the death of James Heaslip, Finnard, a schoolboy, who was accidentally shot by a companion, Henry Campbell, on Saturday last. The inquiry was held by Dr Alex Heron JP, Coroner for South Down. Evidence was given that Mrs Brady, a neighbour, asked the boys to shoot blackbirds in her garden. The gun held by Campbell went off, and the shot lodged in Heaslip’s body. He died in great agony some hours afterwards. A verdict of accidental death was returned.”