The search for your Cree, Crie, Crea, Cre, Crey and Chree origins
Pre-1800 Cree references in the Belfast Newsletter
Originally posted by Trevor Cree on March 30, 2012 at 15:23
The Belfast Newsletter, 9 November 1750, Page 3.
Town-Hall of Belfast, November 6, 1750.
The Directors of the Belfast Society adjudged and paid the following Premiums, viz.
To Allan Gray at Ballylanaghan for selling in the Linen Hall this day the best Piece of Linen Cloth of his own Manufacturing from a 19 to a 21 hundred s. d. q. 16 3
Richard McKnight at Broomhedge for 2d 11 4 2
Edw. McDonald at Trumry for best 11 9 9
John Hamil at Hillsborough for 2d 8 1 2
Geo. Archer at Kilwarlin for 3d 6 6
Thomas Irvine at Ballylesson for best 17 9 9
John Patterson at Purdysburn for 2d 8 1 2
Tho. McClure at Ahoghill for 3d 6 6
Wm. Cree at Ballylanaghan for 4th 4 4
Geo. Arbuthnot at Hillsborough for 5th 2 8 2
Richard Green at Broomhedge for best 16 8 1 2
A number of others are listed after these
Signed by Order
CHARLES HAMILTON, Secr.
The Belfast Newsletter, 7 December 1750, Page 3.
BELFAST
Town-Hall of Belfast, December 4, 1750.
The Directors of the Belfast Society adjudged and paid the following Premiums, viz.
To James Holmes at Templepatick for selling in the Linen Hall this day the best Piece of Linen Cloth of his own Manufacturing from a 19 to a 21 hundred. s d q
16 - 3
Francis Mc.Cowen at Hillborough for 2d 11 - 4 - 2
John Cabry at Trumry for best 18 9 - 9
Sam. McElveen at Ballylanghan for 2d 8 - 1 - 2
Adam Gibson at Ballynasy for 3d 6 - 6
Thomas Irvine at Ballylesson for best 17 9 - 9
Wm. Cree at Ballylanghan for 2d 8 - 1 - 2
Alex. McPhearson at Maze for 3d 6 - 6
A number of others are listed after these
Signed by Order
Charles Hamilton, Secr.
N.B. The 5th best 16 Hundred produced by William Waterworth, 2d best 15 Hundred produced by John Mc.Grigor, the 4th best 14 Hundred produced by John Bennet, and the 3d best 13 Hundred produced by Henry Johnston, were all rejected for not being sufficient Breadths.
(It would seem that William Cree at Ballylanghan won second prize in the 17 category, perhaps 17 hundred threads per square inch??)
The Belfast Newsletter, 16 November 1770, Page 3.
To be sold by publick Cant, on Saturday the 24th of this Inst. in Newtown-Ards, the Sum of Ten Pounds Sterl: yearly, the Property of James Thompson of Ballybarnes, during the natural Lives of the said James Thompson and Archibald Thompson, both in said Townland; the Tennants are very capable of paying as it becomes due the first of May and the first of November: The one Half of the Money to be in Hand, the other Half two Months Credit, giving Security it demanded.
Archibald Thompson, 1l. 17s. 3d,. William Hamilton, 3l ? ?, Barney O'Neal, 1l. 2s. 9d., Robert Thompson, 1l. 10s., Robert Cree, 2l., Ballybarnes, November 13th, 1770.
JAMES THOMPSON
The Belfast Newsletter, 9-13 September 1774, Page 3.
Whereas on Tuesday Evening the 6th Day of September Instant, Arthur Clements the younger, was murdered in the Market-house of Armagh, by Patrick Donaghy, otherwise Donovan, a Trooper in the second Regiment of Horse, and William Mathews, a Servant out of Place, as appears by the Verdict of a Jury at an Inquest held by the Coronor on the Body of the deceased.
Now we the undernamed Persons, Inhabitants of the Town and Neighbourhood of Armagh, being desirous to bring the Perpetrators of said Murder to speedy Justice, do hereby promise and engage to pay the Several Sums annexed to our respective Names, to such Person or Persons as shall within six Months from the Date hereof, apprehend and lodge the said Patrick Donaghy and William Matthews, or the said Donaghy alone, in any of his Majesty's Gaols in this Kingdom.
Donaghy is about eight and twenty or thirty Years of Age, about six Feet and an Inch high, black haired, coarse yellow visaged, remarkably strong made, wants two or three of his fore Teeth, is mark'd with a Scar on his upper Lip, and at the Time of his Escape wore the regimental Uniform.
William Mathews is about five Feet eight Inches high, pale complexioned, his Hair a light brown, and long visaged; wore a Fustian Cloaths when he made his Escape, and lately lived in the Service of Counseller Blacker and Cornet Scott, both of Newry.
Armagh, 13th September, 1774.
A list of names follows of men committing from 0 - 11 - 4h up to 4 - 11 - 0. John Cree pledged 0 - 11 - 4h.
The Belfast Newsletter, 20-24 February 1784, Page 3.
County of Down
Whereas We the undersigned Freeholders of the County of Down have observed in the Belfast News-Letter of the 20th of January last, an account of the Proceedings of a meeting of the Gentlemen, Clergy and Freeholders of the said County held at the Court-House in Downpatrick on the 17th of that month, and said to be very numerous (although we are well informed the same was very small and inconsiderable) and that they came to several Resolutions which they state as expressive of the sense of the said County. NOW we the undersigned Freeholders of the said County DO hereby declare our Dissent from and Disapprobation of such of the said Resolutions as tend to introduce any alteration of our happy Constitution legally confirmed and established at the Glorious Revolution under late King William the Third, and that we can by no means allow such a meeting as was so held, notwithstanding the cogent and unanswerable reasons assigned by the high Sheriff for not convening the County, to be intitled either by number or possessions, to express the general principles and opinions of this great populous and respectable County.
AND WHEREAS we understand from the aforesaid publication, that it is intended to offer Instructions to our Representatives in Parliament directing them to support and promote the objects of the said Resolutions: We do hereby Protest against any such Instructions; nor do we offer any to our Representatives, not doubting that they will act in such manner as shall appear to them to be most conducive to the real interests of this Kingdom.
And as it is declared in the said publication that a Petition shall be presented to the House of Commons from the said meeting, praying that alterations may be made in the Constitution: We think it our duty to our Gracious Sovereign, and to both Houses of Parliament, to our Country and to ourselves, to present the following Memorial to that honourable House, in case the said Petition should be presented; and we request our worthy Representatives to present the said Memorial.
To the Honourable the Commons of Ireland in Parliament assembled, The humble Memorial of the undersigned Freeholders of the County of Down humbly beg leave to state to this Honourable House, intitled, "The humble Petition of the Freeholders of the County of Down convened by public notice," can and ought to be regarded as the Petition of such Freeholders only as were present at the meeting so convened amounting as your Memorialists are credibly informed to a very small and inconsiderable number; and that your Memorialists do verily believe that the contents of the said Petition are not agreeable to the sense and opinion of the majority of the Gentlemen, Clergy and Freeholders of the County of Down.
Your Memorialists cannot find words strong enough to express their gratitude to his Majesty and the Parliament of this kingdom for the blessings they enjoy under jis Majesty's most auspicious government and our present happy Constitution as legally settled under the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which we hope will be transmitted entire and inviolate to latest posterity; and we take leave to express the high satisfaction we received from the Address of both Houses of Parliament to the King upon this subject, and the gracious assurances expressed in his Majesty's royal answer.
All which is humbly submitted.
Column 1............Column 2
Hillsborough........ Hugh Gillespie
Clanbrassil........ Arthur Luik
Moira............... John E. Allen
Charles Fitzgerald.......... Francis Palmer
Henry Fitzgerald........... Robert Kyle
Glerawley.............. Alex. Mc.Minn
Tho. Dromore.............. Thomas Mc.Minn
Wm. Down & Connor........... John Mc.Minn
Welles............ John Smith
Richard Annesley........... John Semple
William Annesley....... Michael Smith
Richard Johnston......... Francis Hutcheson
C. Price............ Francis Hutcheson, junr.
Robert Ross........... Francis Johnston
Wm. Montgomery.......... Hamilton Trail
Hugh Montgomery....... Roger Blackall
And so on until we come to:
John Brett............ John Crey
And so on:
Together with the Names of upwards of 3000 respectable Freeholders already signed, besides those which have not yet been collected.
The Belfast Newsletter, 4-7 January 1785, Page 1.
Same as below, 7-11 January 1785 with And. Cree, Robt. Cree and James Cree listed. Andrew and Robert Cree are listed close together which may indicate Ballybarnes whilst James is listed at some distance and may be Ballycastle.
The Belfast Newsletter, 7-11 January 1785, Page 4.
To the Freeholders of the County of Downe.
Convinced of the absolute necessity of a Parliamentary Reform,
We the undersigned do earnestly request a meeting of the Freeholders of the county of Downe at Downpatrick on SATURDAY the FIFTEENTH of January, 1785, to choose five proper persons to act for said county in the Assembly of Delegates for promoting a Parliamentary Reform; to be holden in Dublin by adjournment on the 20th of said month.
The late decision in the Court of King's Bench induced the Freeholders to enter into the resolution of convening themselves in this manner, without a requisition to their present worthy Sheriff whose patriotic principles they hold in the highest estimation.
At the request of nearly Five Hundred Freeholders in the neighbourhood of Newry, Dromore, Banbridge and Bangor, the day of meeting is fixed as above on Saturday the fifteenth INSTANT; the fairs of Banbridge and Bangor falling on the day formerly intended.
Very long list of names including:
And. Cree
Robt. Cree
James Cree
All of the above pre-1800 Belfast Newsletter entries provide us with an initial insight into the life and times of the early Cree and Crey families in Northern Ireland. Clearly smaller Freeholders were up against the interests of the large landowners. The disillusion of many may have made them migrate to the USA and elsewhere.
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