Our branch of the McNeill's of Co.Antrim, Ireland have been traced back to 1803, the birth year of my second great grandfather Denis McNeill from records in the 1851 Census for Antrim.
       Denis married Catherine Stewart and of their eight children, our line of decent flows from their sixth child, my great grandfather Hugh who was born in 1844.
       Hugh married Bridget McQuade of Pomeroy Co.Tyrone which is where their first three children were born: Patrick, 1864; John, 1865; and Mary, 1867. Around 1870 they emigrated to England and their next two children were born at Consett Co.Durham: Hugh, my grandfather, 1873 and Ellen, 1877. Their last child, Sarah Ann was born in Dungannon Ireland in 1877.

       At about this same time, 1870, my grandmothers family emigrated from Co.Tyrone, Ireland to Co. Durham.
       Great grandfather, James Gartland, married Ellen McNicholl of Co.Tyrone, Ireland and worked in England as a Coal Miner where they obviously moved around as their three children: Thomas, 1870; Susannah, my grandmother, 1873 and John, 1876 were all born in different parts of Co.Durham, England.