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I recently came across this remarkable photograph of Rifleman Thomas Moody (left) and his brother Rifleman Andrew Moody ...
28/06/2026

I recently came across this remarkable photograph of Rifleman Thomas Moody (left) and his brother Rifleman Andrew Moody (right), both wearing what were first thought to be Royal Irish Rifles uniforms during the First World War. The Moody brothers were sons of John Moody and Mary Moody (née Hogg) of Balnamore Mill Village, where the family lived between 1901 and 1911.

Thomas Moody was born at Balnamore on 3 January 1898. On 21 June 1917, the Ballymoney Free Press and Northern Counties Advertiser reported: “After twenty-one months active service, Rifleman Thom[as] Moody, Royal Irish Rifles, is at home in Balnamore from France.” Thomas later emigrated to the United States in 1923, where he married and raised a family. He settled in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and died there on 7 September 1965, aged 67.

Andrew Moody, born at Balnamore on 12 October 1896, served with the 12th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles. On 2 November 1918, the Larne Times reported: “Rifleman Andrew Moody, Royal Irish Rifles, wounded in the ankle, son of Mr. John Moody, Balnamore, Ballymoney.” When the Ballymoney Free Press and Northern Counties Advertiser published its Roll of Honour on 15 November 1915, Andrew (who was mentioned in it) was 19 years old. He later emigrated to Donora, Pennsylvania, USA with his wife Annie Moody (ńee Moore), aboard the the Cameronia in 1925, eventually settling in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1927, having arrived there aboard the Melita. They spent the rest of their lifes there. Andrew died on 17 October 1966, aged 70 and Annie died on 9 October 1962.

The Moody family illustrates how Balnamore Flax and Tow Spinning Mill relied on the employment of entire families. In 1911 John Moody (52) held the skilled position of Spinning Engine Driver there, while his daughters, Mary Ann (22) and Nellie (20), worked as spinners in the linen mill. His sons, Andy (14) and Thomas (13), (both mentioned above) were employed as a Carding Room Boy and Spinning Room Boy respectively, learning the trade from a young age.

In this photograph, Hope Turney (née Langford) (1921–2022) of California is seen opening the gates of the Old Church of ...
28/06/2026

In this photograph, Hope Turney (née Langford) (1921–2022) of California is seen opening the gates of the Old Church of Ireland graveyard in Ballymoney.

Hope visited the graveyard in 1970 with her husband, Roy Clayton Turney (1918–2008), in search of the ancestral resting places of her Caldwell family — the Caldwell’s of Ballynacree‑Skein, historically known as Harmony Hill, now Balnamore.

Hope Turney (née Langford) was the niece of Edward Thomas Langford of New York and the 2× great‑granddaughter of John Caldwell Junior (1769–1850) of Salisbury Mills, New York and Harmony Hill, Ballynacree-Skein. In this graveyard, she noted that she found many graves belonging to her extended family.

Although not a professional historian, Edward Thomas Langford's contribution to preserving the history of his ancestors ...
19/06/2026

Although not a professional historian, Edward Thomas Langford's contribution to preserving the history of his ancestors (the Caldwell's of Ballynacree-Skein, or Harmony Hill— now Balnamore), has proved invaluable.

Through his foresight, diligence, and perseverance, a remarkable body of family history survived and continues to inform historians, genealogists, and descendants on both sides of the Atlantic.

Much of the material he collected, transcribed, and preserved now forms part of a significant archival collection formerly held by the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society and now housed within the archives of the New York Public Library.

His legacy lies not only in the records he safeguarded, but in ensuring that the story of the Caldwell family of Harmony Hill (Balnamore) can still be researched, understood, and shared by everyone today.

More than twenty years later, Edward Thomas Langford—by then 54 years old—once again answered his nation’s call. His 194...
19/06/2026

More than twenty years later, Edward Thomas Langford—by then 54 years old—once again answered his nation’s call.

His 1942 United States Selective Service registration card shows that, at an age when many would have stepped back from such obligations, he registered for potential service during WWII.

Although registration did not guarantee active duty, it nevertheless demonstrated his enduring sense of responsibility and his willingness to serve his country during two global conflicts.

John Caldwell junior's (1769-1850) great grandson - Edward Thomas Langford's, achievements were not confined to genealog...
19/06/2026

John Caldwell junior's (1769-1850) great grandson - Edward Thomas Langford's, achievements were not confined to genealogy and historical research.

During WWI he served with the 107th U.S. Infantry Regiment, attaining the rank of First Sergeant in Company K. Contemporary accounts record his gallantry during the fighting in Europe on 17 October 1918 when, after an enemy shell demolished a building occupied by members of his company and left him buried beneath the debris, 1st Sergeant Langford emerged to direct the rescue of the wounded and continued in action despite being badly shaken and almost deafened by the explosion.

Edward Thomas Langford’s research also informed writings about the Caldwell family by Rev. Thomas Hugh Mullin in Colerai...
19/06/2026

Edward Thomas Langford’s research also informed writings about the Caldwell family by Rev. Thomas Hugh Mullin in Coleraine in Georgian Times (1977), demonstrating the enduring value of the material he had assembled. What began as a personal endeavour to document the history of his own family ultimately became an important source for subsequent generations of historians and genealogists.

The influence of Langford's work extended beyond local history. His preserved correspondence, transcriptions, and genealogical notes contributed to research about the Caldwell family in Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan by Kerby A. Miller and his co-authors. Through these records, material originally gathered to trace the history of the Caldwell family of Ballynacree-Skein (Balnamore) also helped illuminate the wider experience of Irish migration and settlement in North America.

Much of what we know today about the Caldwell family (former owners of the townland of Ballynacree-Skein, otherwise know...
19/06/2026

Much of what we know today about the Caldwell family (former owners of the townland of Ballynacree-Skein, otherwise known as Harmony Hill - now Balnamore) owes a great deal to the efforts of Edward Thomas Langford, the great-grandson of John Caldwell Junior (1769–1850) . A central figure in the family's history, Caldwell was convicted of treason and sedition in 1798 and was subsequently exiled to America.

Driven by a desire to preserve the history of his ancestors, the Caldwells of Ballynacree-Skein, Langford devoted many years to collecting, transcribing, and safeguarding family papers, correspondence, and genealogical records. Without his dedication, much of the surviving knowledge of the family and its history would likely have been lost.

The significance of Langford's work is reflected in the writings of later historians. The account of the Caldwell family published by James Brown Hamilton in Ballymoney and District: In the County of Antrim Prior to the Twentieth Century (1957) was based largely upon research and documentation supplied by Langford. Writing from New York, Langford maintained a regular correspondence with Hamilton in Ballymoney, forwarding transcriptions, family records, genealogical information, and historical notes that helped preserve and reconstruct the story of the Caldwell family.

This is a transcript of one of Langford's letters to Hamilton dated 1934:

The colour version is every bit as impressive, and you can really pick out the finer details in the landscape. Look at ...
08/06/2026

The colour version is every bit as impressive, and you can really pick out the finer details in the landscape. Look at the Mill Pond too 😍 I also managed to find a date for the photograph: it was taken on 5 May 1968, nine years after Balnamore Spinning Mill ceased operations as a linen yarn manufacturing site.

For all the times I’ve been in and out of the shop in Balnamore, I somehow never noticed this picture on the wall. It ca...
08/06/2026

For all the times I’ve been in and out of the shop in Balnamore, I somehow never noticed this picture on the wall. It caught my eye last night, so I asked to borrow it — and I’m glad I did.

Once I took a proper look, I realised it’s an aerial view not just of the Spinning Mill, but of the Old Mill Village as well. The detail in it is incredible. Along with a missing roof, there’s the remains of a building shown exactly where I’ve often said Harvey’s corn mill and grain store should be.

Harvey’s corn mill predates every other structure on that industrial site. It was standing in 1637 — 389 years ago — long before the Caldwell’s built their bleach works or the Bryans put up the first spinning mill. That long building is as old as the church tower in Ballymoney Church of Ireland graveyard, and remarkably, parts of it have survived the passage of time.

This picture is a fascinating glimpse into the past and one that I’ve clearly walked past for years without ever noticing.

Document No. 466799 (Registry of Deeds) is a memorial registered on 8 August 1814 of an assignment dated 7 August 1814, ...
15/03/2026

Document No. 466799 (Registry of Deeds) is a memorial registered on 8 August 1814 of an assignment dated 7 August 1814, in which Josiah [William] Bryan of Balnamore transfers property and associated assets to his brother-in-law, Samuel Smith of Woodville. This document provides useful evidence for confirming Bryan’s correct name and for demonstrating his direct involvement with the Balnamore property and mills. I have highlighted Josiah’s name in the document for ease of reference, as he was not called Joseph; and while I cannot share every document that records his name (and there are several), this should help provide clear grounding for my argument.

Summary of the 1814 assignment, and some information on the 1811 mortgage for context:

The attached document No. 466799 is a Registry of Deeds memorial registered on 8 August 1814 of an assignment dated 7 August 1814. It records Josiah [William] Bryan of Balnamore (linen manufacturer) transferring his interest in the Balnamore property and associated assets to his brother-in-law, Samuel Smith of Woodville (linen draper). The ex*****on was witnessed in Belfast and is supported by an affidavit sworn on 28 August 1814.

The memorial explicitly lists the property and works being assigned: the quarterland of Ballynacreekane (also called Harmony Hill) together with the bleaching works (described as a bleach mill) and associated buildings and machinery; the corn mill known as “Harveys Mill” with its usual toll/grist (mulcture) rights; and land with turbary at Drumlee in Finvoy parish (given as 20½ acres, Cunningham measure, with a map referenced). It also includes moveable assets such as stock of trade, machinery, cattle, farming utensils, and crops then standing.

An earlier memorial dated 21 December 1811 provides useful background: it is a mortgage in which Bryan borrows £2323 3s. 8d. from Smith and grants Smith a secured interest over essentially the same property and industrial assets (including machinery used for spinning flax). That 1811 record shows Smith’s financial leverage through security, but does not, by itself, prove outright ownership at that date. The 1814 assignment is therefore the clearer record of a later transfer of Bryan’s interest, and together the two documents give strong, dated, primary evidence for Josiah William Bryan’s connection to Balnamore property (including the bleaching works, the Flax Spinning Mill and Harveys Corn Mill).

I have highlighted Josiah's name in the document in red:

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Balnamore Flax And Tow Spinning Mill
Ballymoney

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