William John Adams Wray is one of my ancestors. He died 8th October 1915. His name is at the top of the family tombstone in Donaghmore near Castlefinn. If I knew how to insert a photo of it I would.
My maternal great-grandmother was
Martha Holmes Wray, born in Castlefinn 1862, daughter of
William John Adams Wray born in Portglenone, Co. Antrim as his father was minister there (son of William McClintock Wray of the Castlefinn area <Rockfield Estate>, and Elizabeth Adams, of Portglenone, Co. Antrim),
and Mary Elizabeth McCurdy (daughter of George McCurdy of Dungorman and Martha Holmes of Carnowen).
Family surnames from the area, that go back many generations, include:
Wray, Holmes, McCurdy, McClintock, Stewart...
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1st Feb 1862 | |
| Date of Death | 1st Feb 1947 | |
Comments
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Lyn Wray
Sunday 10th October 2021 04:20AM -
My great,great,grandfather was Rev.William McClintockWray,Presbyterian in Buckna. His granddaughter
Mary Hay Wray was my paternal grandmother.She was the seventh daughter of William John Adams Wray and his wife Mary Elizabeth (neeMcCurdy)
Mary
Saturday 8th January 2022 05:34PM -
Hi Mary!
You and my Mom (also named Mary!) are second cousins, as you have the same great-grandparents! How exciting! She'll be over the moon to know of you (and maybe even meet you some day?)!
Mom's paternal Irish Granny was Martha Holmes Wray, and yours was her younger sister! That makes me your second cousin once removed.
Mom and I have been to Buckna, Co. Antrim, to the Presbyterian Church there, where Rev. Wm. McClintock Wray was minister for something like 30+ years. We were even invited to attend church there - and did - and afterwards, they showed us down to the offices and shared all kinds of photographs and books, etc., about Rev. Wray!
In front of the church is an obelisk, inscribed with Rev. Wray's name, etc., in memory of him and the many yeears of service he gave to the church there. I have several photos of Mom beside the obelisk. We looked for a headstone or similar, however, and could find nothing. Later, I was told that it was not uncommon in the Presbyterian church to bury an individual, who was being honoured by an obelisk, etc., under that memorial, so we know, now, that we, indeed, found his burial place, too.
We have also been to Castlefinn, where W.J.A. Wray lived and raised his family, but we weren't there long enough to find the actual house where they lived. We had planned to return two years ago, but then Covid happened, and we still have not been able to return!
I have found the family estate, Rockfield, not far from there, as well as Holmestown where Mary Elizabeth McCurdy's mother, Martha Holmes, came from (after whom Granny Martha Holmes Wray was named), but again, we haven't had a chance to actually go there and find that, either.
But it's exciting to "meet" you!
...P. Lynne (Henry) Courtney, daughter of Mary Margaret (Hobson) Henry, daughter of James Nathaniel Campbell Hobson, son of Martha Holmes Wray (Donegal) and Nathaniel Hobson (Armagh), both of Ireland.
Lynne Henry
Saturday 8th January 2022 11:11PM -
Hello Lyn Wray!
I don't think I recall even getting a notification of your comment here - or somehow I missed it! I am so happy I "found" it now...
I wonder at what level W.J.A. Wray is for you? He was my great-great-grandfather, on Mom's paternal side.
His eldest daughter, Martha Holmes Wray was my Mom's Granny, with whom she grew up, here in Canada. Mom's father was James Nathaniel Campbell Hobson (he and his siblings were born here in Canada), son of Martha H. Wray (Castlefinn, Co. Donegal) and Nathaniel Hobson (Mongrief, Lurgan, Co. Armagh).
Do you live in Ireland? Close by Castlefinn, perhaps?
I'd love to get in touch with you, too! We actually could be something like second cousins!
...P. Lynne Courtney
Lynne Henry
Saturday 8th January 2022 11:18PM -
”
Hello Lynne, Lovely to “meet you”.
My father Harold Desmond Patrick was the youngest of the six children ofJohn Patrick and Mary Hay Wray who lived just outside Broughshane ,which is very close to Buckna. As a result of this proximity we were aware from childhood of the Rev,William McClintock Wray ,and the memorial in Buckna which we often passed.As my father’s oldest brother was called William McClintock Patrick the connection was made clear,and my sister has Wray in her name.
John Patrick and Mary Wray married in 1905,with her sister Ethel as one of the witnesses. John died in 1930, and she died in1949. (Five of their children married,four of whom had families.)They are both buried in 1st Broughshane Presbyterian graveyard in the Patrick family plot,as are four of their sons.
A few years ago I found a remark made of the Rev.Wm.McClintock Wray by a contemporary in a local history book: “Many know of the large hand of the Rev.Wm.McC .Wray,the hand of god is mightier still”
Once again nice to make the family connection.
Mary Patrick,daughter of Harold Desmond Patrick,son of Mary Hay Wray and John Patrick.
Mary
Monday 10th January 2022 03:03PM -
Hello Mary and Lynne, What an interesting connection to see your posts pop up on my email. I don't have my ancestry details close to hand but can say that my paternal grandfather was James Wray, eldest son of William John Adams Wray who had a farm near Castlefinn. James had one son, also called WJA Wray, who was my father.
It sounds like James was a brother to Martha. My dad also spoke of an aunt named Ethel who helped James to raise him after his mother (Elizabeth Crawford) left. After James died, dad served in WW2 then moved to Scotland. He died there in 1983, a decade after I had emigrated to Canada.
Figuring out exact relationships isn't my strong suit but it does sound as if we share family ties! To be continued.....
Best wishes, Lyn WrayLyn Wray
Tuesday 11th January 2022 12:05AM -
Hello Lyn, James Stewart Wray
was the youngest of the twelve children of
William John Adams Wray and Mary Elizabeth (nee McCurdy) of Rockfield,Castlefin.His son ,with his wife Elizabeth(nee Crawford),was indeed named William John Adams Wray.
James did have an unmarried sister called Ethel.so this would fit in with your details.
My paternal grandmother was an older sister of your paternal grandfather.
Regards Mary.
Mary
Tuesday 11th January 2022 02:45PM -
Thanks, Mary, for the correction. Yes, James Stewart Wray, my paternal grandfather, was the youngest, not oldest, son of WJA Wray.
When I visited Ireland for the first time a few years ago, my main source of info was the 1901 census. At that time those living at the farm in Rockfield were WJA Wray, age 59, Mary Hay 25 (your grandmother, Mary), Katie 23, Ethel 21 and James 19 (my grandfather). Lynne Courtney's great-grandmother Martha, and the other children of WJA must have already left. I was interested to find out through Wikitree that some had moved to Canada where coincidentally I live. I hadn't realized that WJA had 12 children!
So, it sounds as if you, Mary, are my second cousin and Lynne is my second cousin once removed, correct? I'm very pleased to meet you both and interested to find out more about my father's family. He didn't speak much about his upbringing on the farm - loved his dad (James), loved the dog, but Aunt Ethel, not so much. She is described on Wikitree as having been sharp-tongued and perhaps a reason why this branch of the Wrays wasn't included in "The Wrays of Donegal", a history stretching back to the 1600s!
Dad's mother, Elizabeth Crawford, is a mystery to us. She left for London when Dad was a baby yet is on the family headstone in Donaghmore as the wife of James. I wonder if she returned to Ireland after his death. She died around 1959 but we were never in touch with her.
Apologies if I'm getting into detail not suitable for this site. Thank you both again for responding and I look forward to continuing the conversation.
Lyn Wray
Lyn Wray
Wednesday 12th January 2022 03:10AM
