McCosh, James
McCosh, James (1811–94), presbyterian minister, philosopher, and academic, was born 1 April 1811, near Patna, Ayrshire, Scotland, second and only surviving son and fifth child of seven born to Andrew McCosh, farmer, and Jean Carson, his wife. Educated at the local parish school,…...
McSkimin, Samuel (‘Sam’)
McSkimin, Samuel (‘Sam’) (1775–1843), local historian and collector, was born near Ballyclare, Co. Antrim, on a site later occupied by the Ollardale hotel, probably the only child of Samuel McSkimin (1754–1808) and his wife Nancy (1740–1820). His father was a unitarian…...
Mullin, (Thomas) Hugh
Mullin, (Thomas) Hugh (1914–2006), presbyterian minister and historian, was born 22 September 1914 at Irish Green Street, Limavady, Co. Londonderry, second son in a family of four boys of John Barbour Mullin and his wife Effie (née Black). Both his parents were teachers. Hugh was…...
Neilson, William (Mac Néill, Uilliam)
Neilson, William (Mac Néill, Uilliam) (1774–1821), presbyterian minister, classical and Irish-language scholar and writer, was born 12 September 1774 at Rademon, Kilmore, Co. Down, fourth among seven sons of the Rev. Moses Neilson (1739?–1823), schoolmaster and presbyterian minister of…...
Patterson, Robert
Patterson, Robert (1743–1824), mathematician and educator, was born 30 May 1743 at Hillsborough, Co. Down, eldest son among three sons and two daughters of Robert Patterson, presbyterian farmer, and Jane Patterson (née Walker). Educated locally, he displayed a natural talent for…...
Porter, Josiah Leslie
Porter, Josiah Leslie (1823–89), presbyterian minister, professor, and president of QCB, was born 4 October 1823 at Carrowan, Burt, Co. Donegal, youngest son of William Porter and Margaret Porter (née Leslie); both parents were from…...
Reid, James Seaton
Reid, James Seaton (1798–1851), presbyterian historian, was born 19 December 1798 at Lurgan, Co. Armagh, eleventh son among seventeen children of Forrest Reid (d. 1801), schoolmaster, and Mary Reid (née Weir) of Derriaghy, Co. Antrim. Only five of the children survived childhood.…...
Rentoul, John Laurence
Rentoul, John Laurence (1846–1926), presbyterian minister, academic, and poet, was born 6 July 1846 at Garvagh, Co. Londonderry, fourth son of the Rev. James Buchan Rentoul (d. 1886) and his wife Sarah, daughter of the Rev. William Wilson of Crossgar. He was educated at…...
Shanks, James
Shanks, James (1854–1912), farmer, agrarian activist, and self-taught naturalist and historian, was born 4 November 1854 on Ballyfounder farm, two miles south of Portaferry on the Ards peninsula, Co. Down. A presbyterian, after attending Portaferry no. 2 national school until age…...
Sibbett, Robert Mackie
Sibbett, Robert Mackie (1868–1941), journalist and author, was born 4 September 1868 in the townland of Killycoogan, Portglenone, Co. Antrim, the only son of James Mackie and Agnes Ann Mackie (née Sibbett; b. 1832, d. 4 November 1916), who were married on 20 November 1867. After…...
Solomon, Philip Raymond ('Phil')
Solomon, Philip Raymond ('Phil') (1924–2011), music promoter and businessman, was born on 27 April 1924 in Ashley Gardens, Lansdowne Road, Belfast, the younger son of Maurice Solomon (born in Belfast to Russian-Jewish parents) and his wife Evelyn (née Peres), a native of Leeds. In the…...
Stevenson, John
Stevenson, John (1850–1931), printer, inventor, antiquary, and author, was born in Rostrevor, Co. Down, in 1850, eldest among three to five sons of John Stevenson (d. 1881) and Harriet Stevenson (née Walsh; d. 1891). One brother died in childhood and one as a young man; there may…...
Stewart, Anthony Terence Quincey ('A. T. Q.')
Stewart, Anthony Terence Quincey ('A. T. Q.') (1929–2010), historian, was born on 8 July 1929 in the Ballygomartin area of north Belfast, only child of Christopher Greenwood Stewart, a baker, and his second wife (née Quincey), who came from Stockport, Lancashire. The presbyterian…...
Swan, Harry Percival
Swan, Harry Percival (1879–1970), businessman, antiquarian, and author, was born 4 June 1879 at Ardeelan House, Buncrana, eldest child among five sons and three daughters of Thomas Swan, miller, and his wife Isabella, daughter of James Cooke of Belfast. His father owned a milling…...
Warden, David Bailie
Warden, David Bailie (1772–1845), United Irishman, diplomat, and bibliographer, was born at Ballycastle, Co. Down, eldest among three sons of Robert Warden, tenant farmer, and Elizabeth Warden (née Bailie). Educated locally, he studied for the presbyterian ministry, despite being…...
Watts, William Arthur ('Bill')
Watts, William Arthur ('Bill') (1930–2010), scientist and provost of TCD, was born on 26 May 1930 in Upper Mayor Street, in Dublin's East Wall area, his maternal grandparents' home. His mother, Bess Dickinson, had moved to Dublin from England as a child, and in 1925 married William…...
Weingreen, Jacob
Weingreen, Jacob (1908–95), Hebrew scholar, was born 21 January 1908 in Manchester, England, son of Isidore Weingreen, salesman (born in Krakow, Poland, later residing in Manchester, Belfast, Dublin, and New York) and Sarah Weingreen (née Axelrad), seamstress, born in Jassy-…...
Witherow, Thomas
Witherow, Thomas (1824–90), presbyterian minister and historian, was born 29 May 1824 in his maternal grandfather's house at Ballycastle, near Limavady, Co. Londonderry, eldest in a family of four children of Hugh Witherow, a prosperous farmer and grazier from Aughlish, near…...
Wright, William
Wright, William (1918–85), professor of civil engineering, was born 3 December 1918 in Stewarton, Ayrshire (Strathclyde), Scotland, son of James Wright, presbyterian minister; his mother's name is not known. He received his early education at Inverness Royal Academy and George…...
Wylie, Samuel Brown
Wylie, Samuel Brown (1773–1852), presbyterian minister, and oriental and classical scholar, was born 21 May 1773 at Moylarg, Co. Antrim, son of Adam Wylie, a prosperous farmer, and Margaret Wylie (née Brown). Educated locally, he entered the University of Glasgow, where he…...