I first met Mrs. McLeery in the diary of James Black, proprietor of the Randalstown cotton mills in County Antrim, Ireland, and a merchant of Charleston, South Carolina. Mr. Black was tangentially connected to my ancestors in Augusta, Georgia. The following entry from 31 August 1841 caught my attention because of Mrs. McCleery's nephew: Attended … Continue reading In Search of Mrs. McCleery
Wondering why there's an "s" on Adam? Read on to find out about this Eden of the 19th century. When Sarah Eve was a young woman, she was intrigued by a list of books that she found in her uncle's trunk. Sarah lived much of younger years with her aunt Catherine in Charleston, South Carolina. … Continue reading Adams & Eve’s Paradise
My 4th great-grandmother, Mary Elizabeth (Eve) Carmichael, kept a diary from 1837 to 1850 that was passed down and is now kept at the library at University of North Carolina. As a teenager, on one of our semiannual drives from Washington, DC to Clemson, South Carolina, to visit my grandmother, we stopped at UNC so … Continue reading Peculiar Gratitude
On a wooded section of road, an iron gate stands at the entrance of a driveway that climbs to the right, up a small hill. Peeking out behind trees and bushes stands Chequer Hall, a house built during the Plantation of Ulster during the 17th century and the home of my 7th great-grandfather, John Adams, … Continue reading Chequer Hall
One of my favorite things in Ireland was meeting people. Everyone was so nice and helpful and willing to talk. Our visit to the Kilraughts Reformed Presbyterian Church was no exception. We hadn't planned on attending the meeting there, but we were happy we did. The greeter at the door helped us get hymnals and … Continue reading Talking to Strangers
One of the first Presbyterian churches in Ireland, established during the Plantation era in the early 17th century, was built in the townland of Kilraughts, County Antrim. The congregation later moved 1.5 miles east, but burials still took place at the old churchyard. My ancestors, John and Elizabeth (Borland) Adams, likely attended this congregation. The … Continue reading Old Kilraughts Churchyard
I had been on the trail for several years, looking for the siblings of John Adams of Chequer Hall, County Antrim, Ireland. The only sibling I knew about was a brother named James, who received £50 in John's will. Family stories say that John and James were business partners. But without known parents and thin … Continue reading Finding Siblings
