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Wm John McMillen is my maternal great grandfather. I embarked on this research to try and find out why my mother and her father Thomas C McMillen had a very caustic relationship seeming to stem from the fact that she was born on St. Patrick's day. This birth date certainly not something she planned seemed to set the stage. Thomas her father was born in Pittsburgh Pa and as far as I knew never went to Ireland.
So he would not have experienced first
hand those things that resulted regarding Catholic/Protestant
conflict. Over the years I have read all I could find regarding the divisions in Ireland. As well as continue to research to determine which ancestor brought that culture and value to his children. I did not have to look far. It
was Thomas father William John.
William John McMillen born 04 Mar 1871 164 Portglenone Antrim N. Ireland Before he died 04 Jan 1941 Pittsburgh, NorthSide, Pennsylvania he had successfully instilled in his children the ideals, culture and biases of a devout orange man. My simple answer was this is all it took to cause the rift that would impact my mother in negative ways
and impact her children negatively as well. Originally I had
disdain for my grandfather. My Uncle sang the man's praises
as he was the favored child and experienced his father differently. The research has been cathartic. I have come to see the man as neither the angel my uncle saw or the evil devil my mother saw, but instead a complicated man who
was himself a victim of self laid traps. Anyway still
desiring to understand where this bias and prejudice originated I continued to search. Taking me to William in
Pittsburgh, he married Margaret Smith 01 Sep 1868 also from 111 Ahoghill, Antrim, Ireland (I realize this is just where the birth was registered).
She and William married in Pittsburgh in 1893. They immigrated a few years apart so no validation that they knew each other in Ireland. Perhaps the attraction was just
having come from the same area and perhaps experincing the same hardships.
William arrived alone and Margaret came with her mother having buried a father and a sister.
After 10 years I finally found Williams parents and some siblings.
Archibald McMillin (McMullan)these alternate names were part of the problem researching.) Archibald married
Eliza Jane Patterson in Antrim had the following children
James McMullan 17 May 1878 Portglenone Kilcurry, Antrim, Ireland
Benjamin McMullan 30 Jan 1869 Portglenone Antrim Ireland
Thomas McMillan 16 Jul 1875 Portglenone Antrim Ireland
Archibald Jr Mcmillan 01 Mar 1873 160 Portglenone Antrim Ireland
Hugh McMullin 20 Dec 1880 Portglenone, Antrim, Ireland
and of course William John McMillin
As you can see their names varied but all same parents same local.
My quandry now is to find if any others left Ireland and where they ended up. So far I have not found any in PA.
Perhaps they never left. I understand that there are few records to be had before 1911. It is unlikely that I will ever get to go to Ireland. Just as unlikely that I can pay the fees required in online Irish sites. Would i be able to find anything at LDS library? If all the births were registered in Portglenone does it mean they likely lived in the village? By birth dates it seems they must of been in the same location for about 10 years. Also is there a way
to determine the actual name?
Thank You
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