Hi I am at a standstill in my research and was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to progress the matter. My research is as follows:- My Mckeowns are from Ballyeaston, Ballyclare, Ballynure (possibly Belfast) in Antrim. My line briefly is James McKEOWN (McKEON) born about 1823 married Sarah HOUSTON in Ballyeaston (Parish of Ballycor and Rashee) 9 Septenber 1845 in the Church of United Church of England and Ireland by licence, on the marriage entry Jas McKEON, Labourer (father of James) and Thomas HOUSTON, farmer, (father of Sarah), witnesses George BEGGS and Elizabeth BEGGS (or BIGGS), D.C. COURTENAY was the Perpetual Curate. their son David McKEOWN born about 1857 in Ballyclare (according to his New Zealand marriage certificate which also provided his parents names) , he travelled to New Zealand from Belfast to New Zealand on the ship Conflict in 1857, his name was bracketed with with a George GRAY (David at this time was 21 and George was 14) we are descended from David. I feel the following family is connected as well (James could be a sibling of David's): James McKEOWN b.1846 (wife Mary McVEIGH/McVAY b. 1850) who married in 1869 in Belfast who had Huston McKEOWN born 7 Jan 1871 in Ballynure,David McKEOWN b. 1872 and Samuel McKEOWN born 25 Jul 1874 Ballynure. I have written to several churches in the area (and must admit being not familiar with what Church of England and Ireland would be this makes the task even harder - I gather it would be Presbyterian?) Any help or advice would be most appreciated. Kind Regards Dorothy Derecourt New Zealand