I'm interested in the Gribbin family of Bogassen, County Antrim, Ireland from 1700 to the present. I'm specifically looking for parentage and birth information of John Gribbin (b.c.1850). I'd love to share information with other Gribbin researchers.

/R

Stephen
Washington, DC

Gribbin and relatives McWhinney, Anderson, and Gray
Cross postings exist!

There does not appear to be any listing of townland or parish called, "Bogassen" in Antrim. Is that the correct spelling and where exactly is it ?

Hugh,
Thank you for taking interests in my request.
I hope some of what follows is useful. I working off an old copy of a typed manuscipt originally penned by the late Robert Emmett Gribbin one-time Bishop of the of the Episcopalian Archdiocese of North Carolina. Gribbin describe the describes the birthplace of his father John Gribbin as "Bogassen, near Portglenone, County Antrim, Ireland. John Gribbin's mother Margaret McWhinney was born southwest of Portglenone in Magherafelt, County Derry (Londonderry). I don't know if Ireland is anything like America where name places change, fade away after a generation of two, and/or are incorporated into larger town's and city's through expansion. If so Bogassen may be lost to more modern maps. I do appreciate your assistance though. Hope this helps.

Respectfully Submitted,

Stephen
Washington, DC

Gribbin is still a common name around Portglenone and you can find Gribbins by either going to Google and printing gribbin portglenone and getting names or finding Gribbins through British Telcom <bt.com> directory assistance. You have to register and get a password. Likely there is some Gribbin in Portglenone who will have some family history. You should be able to get the appropriate church records through your nearest branch of the LDS library. There is some variation in name spelling - Gribbin, Gribben,Gribbon.
Some were Protestant and others R.C. There are fragments of the 1851 Antrim Census on the net which would be worth going through. Just print gribbin portglenone on Google and see what you get. There were Gribbens at Rasharkin I know.

John Gribbin was a police officer in Blackville, SC and was shot by one of the Brown brothers. Are you in contact with Mary Lucas (Mrs. Ron)? She lives in Blackville but winters in Florida the last I heard.