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 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
My husband and I took a trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland last year. We enjoyed lots of beautiful scenes of rolling green hills dotted with sheep, weather changing hourly, and dramatic coastal views. In between all these delights, we made our way though out-of-the-way villages and towns and to cemeteries and houses that are … Continue reading Walking in Randalstown
Sources are essential to genealogical research. Typical sources include census records, birth and death records, marriage records, an so on. These sources provide various bits of information for the facts of an ancestor's life. Sometimes in a search, or through serendipity, a unique or unusual source will come to light. These might include journals and … Continue reading From Antrim to Augusta
Recently, I've had to scale way back on how much time I spend doing genealogy. This has been bittersweet: I'm grateful for this new chapter of my life, but I miss the hours looking for records and stories and connections. Amid some smaller projects, I came across Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Weeks of Ancestors. As … Continue reading A Start
Heart Genealogy 