Tithe Applotment Antrim town, 1833
Hugh Leese, Antrim Town Gardens, Scotch 2nd, 0A;0R;14P, £0;5s;3d
Robt Leese, Antrim Town Gardens, Scotch 2nd North, 0A;0R;16P, £0;6s;0d
Robt Leese, Antrim Town Gardens, Main Street, 0A;0R;3P, £0;1s;1d

According to a family bible passed down to a descendant, Robert Lees, Porter/Carman in Belfast, was married to Margaret Close. So far, we have identified four children likely descended from this couple, though there were probably more:

  • Margaret Lees, b. abt 1811, was a Servant, she d. 31 Jul 1881 at 26 Craigmore Street, Belfast. The informant was John Thompson of 26 Craigmore Street.
  • Eliza Lees, b. abt 1811, was a Servant. She died 30 Mar 1883 at 26 Criagmore Street. Jane Thompson, 26 Craigmore Street, was the informant.
  • William Lees, b. abt 1819 Antrim, m. 6 Feb 1851 Susan Lowry before witnesses John Lowry and Jackson Gribben. The couple had four known children and William d. 2 Jun 1898.
  • Robert Lees, b. abt 1825 Antrim, m. Mary Riley 22 Oct 1847 Belfast Parish Church before witnesses Ann Alexander and W[illiam] Long, d. 8 Mar 1902 Belfast.

Also related to this family are another branch of Lees who emigrated to Ohio, USA (see further below). This has been confirmed through shared DNA matches between descendants, although the exact relation is unknown.

On the FamilySearch IGI there is also a record of a Ellen Kearns Lees born 11 June 1838, christened 29 Nov 1838 Millrow Presbyterian, Antrim to Hugh Lees & Margaret Andrews

American Connections

There are a number of Lees families that settled in William County, Ohio, USA. According to various American secondary sources, these families were either from Belfast, from Antrim town, or from “near Belfast”.

DNA testing has shown shared heritage between descendants of the Ohio Lees and that of the Belfast family of William Lees and Susan Lowry. This latter family is believed to originally hail from the town of Antrim.

There are many online trees for most of the Ohio Lees families, however some contain obvious inaccuracies and falsehoods, so here I have attempted to source each piece of information I have found, or make a note of details I am unsure about.

Elizabeth Lees married Thomas Ingram. This blog post contains a lot of information on the couple. According to a 1905 obituary for their daughter Susan, the family came from “A[n]trim County, Ireland, near Belfast”. According to an IGI submitted tree, the couple were from “Islandbawn” [Islandbane townland], which is by Antrim town, Co. Antrim.

William Lees married Frances or Fanny Marshall 12 Oct 1838 Carnmoney, Co. Antrim, according to the IGI. I don’t know at the stage what church this record is sourced from, but it is likely to have been Presbyterian. According to William‘s 1878 obituary, he was originally from the town of Antrim.
See the family’s FamilySearch family tree.

Hugh Lees married Catherine Delargy ???. This book contains a lot of information on the family.

1850 census, Lukes Corner, Florence, Williams, Ohio, United States
House 843
Thomas Ingram Male 47 Ireland
Elisebeth Ingram Female 44 Ireland
James Ingraim Male 21 Ireland
Thomas Ingraim Male 16 Ohio
Mary Ingraim Female 13 Ohio
Robbert Ingraim Male 12 Ohio
Isac Ingraim Male 10 Ohio
John Ingraim Male 5 Ohio
Catherine Ingraim Female 3 Ohio
Hugh Ingraim Male 1 Ohio
House 851
William Lees Male 35 Ireland
Frances Webb Female 30 Ireland [should likely read Frances Lees]
Sarah Webb Female 12 Ireland [should likely read Sarah Lees]
Susan Webb Female 9 Ireland [should likely read Susan Lees]
Hannah Webb Female 6 Ohio [should likely read Hannah Lees]
Hugh Webb Male 3 Ohio [should likely read Hugh Lees]
House 852
Hugh Lees Male 33 Ireland
Catherine Lees Female 33 Ireland
Susan Lees Female 7 Ohio
Elisebeth Lees Female 5 Ohio
Exephena Lees Male 3 Ohio

1860 census, Lukes Corner, Florence, Williams, Ohio, United States
House 342
Jane Leese Female 50 Ireland
Robert Leese Male 20 Shoemaker Ireland
Catherine Shannon Female 28 Ireland
Peter Shannon Male 7 Ohio
House 343
Humphrey Lees Male 42 Farm Labourer Ireland
Nancy Lees Female 28 Ohio
Susan Lees Female 16 New York
Elisabeth Lees Female 14 New York
Azapana Lees Male 12 [Zephney] New York
Mary A Lees Female 9 New York
House 344
Wm Lees 44 Male Farmer Ireland
Francis Lees 40 Female Ireland
Susan Lees 18 Female Ireland
Hannah Lees 15 Female Ireland [place of birth is incorrect]
Hugh Lees 12 Male Ireland [place of birth is incorrect]
Wm M Lees 9 Male Ireland [place of birth is incorrect]
Robert Lees 7 M Ireland [place of birth is incorrect]
Thomas Lees 4 M Ireland [place of birth is incorrect]
John Lees 1 Male Ireland [place of birth is incorrect]

1870 census, Florence Township, Williams, Ohio, United States, Page Number: 17
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6GQ-J56
House 131
Hugh Lees Male 57 Farmer Ireland
Nancy Lees Female 38 Ohio
Lees Male 23 Ohio
Lees Male 9 Ohio
Lees 7 Ohio
Willis Lees Male 5 Ohio
Edson Lees Male 3 Ohio
House 157
Robert Lees Male 38 Shoemaker Ireland
Jane Lees Female 65 Ireland
Peter Shannon Male 15 Shoemaker’s Apprentice Ohio

1880 census; Florence, Williams, Ohio, United States; Sheet Letter: B Sheet Number: 563/564 Person Number: 0 Volume: 1 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YBN-92KY
House 199
Hugh Lees Self Male (58) Farmer Ireland
Mary Lees Wife Female 36 Pennsylvania, United States
Mervin Lees Son Male 20 Ohio, United States
Elmer Lees Son Male 18 Ohio, United States
Willes Lees Son Male 14 Ohio, United States
Edmund Lees Son Male 12 Ohio, United States
House 200
William M Lees Self Male 27 Ohio, United States
Sarah Lees Other Female 26 Ohio, United States
Fanny Lees Other Female 5 Ohio, United States
Nettie Lees Other Female 4 Ohio, United States
House 201
Fanny Lees Self Female 62 Ireland