John McCallum, died 1892, gravestone at Armagh

John McCallum's gravestone has been discovered at the cemetery of Tullyallen Presbyterian Church, County Armagh.  His wife Sarah Sinclair Martin McCallum is also buried here. It was her father, John Dunwoody Martin who was pastor of this church for many years.

The gravestone lists John's birth as Sep 1843, however, I believe this may be in error. Estimates of his birth year from other records suggest 1845.   Also, his parents Daniel McCallum and Eliza Clarke were married some time in 1843. 

 

THANK YOU to Jennifer FitzGerald, Ph.D. for this discovery and photograph!

 

Dr. FitzGerald is Associate Professor of Political Science and teaches at the University of Colorado - Boulder.   Her recent book Helen Waddell and Maude Clarke: Irishwomen, Friends and Scholars (2012) brought us together related to John McCallum's daughter Amy McCallum, who was also a scholar connected with Waddell through Queen's University Belfast.

Posted below is his obituary from The Irish Times newspaper of Dublin, March 9th, 1892. 

 

Bryansburn House, Bangor, Down - Daniel McCallum family residence

Daniel McCallum (1853-1910) and his family resided at Bryansburn House, a stately home over looking Bryansburn Glen and Belfast Lough, on the west side of Bangor.

They lived here from 1888 to 1894 and leased it from the Gilmore family of Bangor.   The family later moved to Oriel House, right along the Bangor Quay afterward.

This photo is from about 1892/3.   From left to right Elsie, Mary Woods McCallum, Helen, Daniel McCallum, Daniel Jr., Mary.  The dog's name was Jeames, who would like to eat Danie's diabetic biskets and was intimidated by their cat (in Elsie's arms).

This photo was taken in 1999, just before a fire and its demolition in 2000.    We visited the property in Fall of 2000, and unfortunately it had been demolished.

Daniel McCallum obituary 1898 - and McCallum family origins

Daniel McCallum, (1820-1898) died at his home at the Omagh Gas Works on 18 May 1898, in County Tyrone, Ireland.   As previously mentioned, he had been the Manager, Engineer & Secretary of the Omagh Gas Works from its founding in 1850 until his death.

The obituary below gives us great information on the McCallum family origins and further ancestry.  It mentions he came from Belfast.   It also lists John Clarke of Belfast as a brother in law.   This confirms the theory that Daniel's wife was indeed Eliza Clarke, daughter of James Clarke, Belfast.   Both families lived right next to the Gas Works in Belfast in 1846-1852.

The article goes on to mention that some of his ancestry roots did indeed reside earlier in the Omagh area, withing the Drumragh Parish.   Furthermore it describes family gravestone inscriptions there back to 1700.   I am not sure if this is the McCallum paternal line or a maternal line, but we will research further.  

I am indebted to Colin McGaffin who provided both of these obituaries to me.