Transcribed by Wendy Jack, footnoted by Sharon
Oddie Brown. December 17, 2003 Updated September 1, 2025 This was one of the letters in the collection of Christine WRIGHT of Gilford Castle. She gave me (and Wendy Jacks) full access to use all such letters and to share them in my research.. |
Beechill
Park Ave,
Dear Mr Wright [1] , You are quite correct. Mrs Bradford [2] and Capt. Gillmer [3] were half-brother and sister. I once promised to send you a pedigree of Mrs Bradford's ancestors, and it is enclosed. It also shows how you are related to the Crozier [4] family. Through the Jackson and White [5] family you could also claim relationship with the Chichester-Clark [6] and Clark of Upperlands [7] families. An old manuscript in my possession states that William Breakey [8] was a member of the Drumskelt, Co. Monaghan, family. I have been unable to check this statement. I am still working on the pedigree, and if I can come across any new facts I will pass them on to you. I would be more than grateful if you could, at your leisure, make out a pedigree, giving dates of birth, marriage, and death of Mrs Bradford's descendants. My pedigree is woefully incomplete. Yours sincerely, Aiken McClelland [9] P.S. I can verify the enclosed, if required. [1] James
Francis Wright (1902-1979)
[2] Elizabeth
Bradford née Breakey (1758-1844), daughter of William Breakey (1712-bef 1760) & Elizabeth Birch (1733-1812)
[3] Capt.
Gillmer is Eliezer Birch Gillmer (1763-1834) He was an officer in East
India Company and fought at Seringapatam.
[4] The Crozier
family connection is one I have yet to learn about. SEE: CROZIERs of Banbridge and Gilford. NOTE: A Martha LEDLIE (bef 1729-?) married a George CROZIER (?-1845), and the LEDLIEs married into the CLARKEs
[5] The White
family connection, I also know nothing of - although it may be due to Jane WHITE, wife of Jackson CLARK. NOTE: A new family tree for the CLARK/CLARKEs of Upperlands and Maghera will be forthcoming.
[6] Chichester-Clark,
ignorance on my part here too. NOTE: In 1924, James J. Lenox-Conyngham Clark changed the family name to Chichester-Clark by deed poll, thus preventing the old ascendancy name Chichester (his wife's maiden name) from dying out. NOTE: A new family tree for the CLARK/CLARKEs of Upperlands and Maghera will be forthcoming. They will be included.
[7] Clark
of Upperlands also signals another area for research - Jackson CLARK will likely be the link. Jackson Clark of Maghera, County Londonderry,was born abt. 1698,and was a son of John CLARKE and Jane (nee White). He married in 1720, and had 4 sons, 4 daughters. His will was dated 20 Nov 1754. NOTE: A new family tree for the CLARK/CLARKEs of Upperlands and Maghera will be forthcoming.
[8] William
Breakey died before 1760
[9] Aiken
McClelland. The archives at PRONI include the Aiken McClelland
papers D/3815, T/1752, T/2362, T/2046, D/2108, T/2917) These papers include:
"research undertaken by Aiken McClelland himself, the majority of
which was of a genealogical nature. These include approximately 140 notebooks
with information relating to William Johnston of Ballykilbeg, Co. Down,
the prominent Orangeman and Conservative M.P. for Belfast, 1868-1878,
the Rev. David Stewart, and research into the family trees and background
of the Birch and Ledlie families. Other (slightly extraneous) items include:
12 title deeds, legal case papers and wills, dating from 1810 to 1925,
relating to William Johnston and his property at Ballykilbeg; transcribed
minute books of the Dublin Protestant Association, 1861-1864, of the Greyabbey
Graveyard Committee, 1872-1893, and of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland,
1798; and a bundle of 25 typed essays by the writer, Cathal O'Byrne, 1965-1970." |
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