New Zealand woman hoping to trace County Derry family

A woman from New Zealand is trying to trace the ancestral roots of her great-grandparents in an effort to find other family members in County Derry.

Rosann Holt (nee McElhannan) says her great grandparents Francis McElhennen and Mary Quinn have connections to County Derry however she says little is known about their other family members.

She is now hoping to trace extended members of the family who may still live in the area.

Rosann knows that her great-grandmother Mary's brother, Hugh Quinn, was a curate at Lissan Parish in the 1800s.

Francis and Mary had two sons – Joseph, born in 1841, who was a flax buyer, and Robert, Rosann's grandfather, who was born in 1845. He was a Garda at Westport and Ardee before his death in 1868.

Rosann's grandmother died at the age of 33, leaving five young children behind, who were split up and sent to live with relatives.

Rosann's own family emigrated to New Zealand in the 1960s.

Ms Holt, who lives in New Zealand's South Island, says research she has conducted herself shows that she may have family in Moneymore, Draperstown, Magherafelt, Lissan, Knockadoo, Rossmore and Derry.

Names which have also cropped up during her research include Bernard McElhennen and Mary Conlin, Peter McElhennen and Sarah Mulgrew, Peter McElhennen and Sarah McWilliams and Patrick McElhennen and Anne McIver.

“Having a surname that is not very common so I am hoping it will help,” said Rosann.

“What I know is only from notes of my grandad's, it is names and places but with no indication of how these people are connected.

“As families were rather large I am hoping they may be brothers, but could also be cousins.

“The name also appears at times as McElhennon, McElhannon, McElkennen and more recently McElhannan.”

She continued: “I have managed to contact cousins and they all basically know what I know. We have pieced a bit together but as families were large then there should be other branches which would be nice to find out about.

“If they are out there but prefer to remain anonymous and have no contact that's fine, not everyone is mad about family history.

“If I can just put some pieces together that will be just brilliant, its an odd feeling knowing you have family but have no idea about them. For once having a rather unique name may be helpful.”

Rosann can be contacted via email – handsworth5760@gmail.com