Re: [CoTyroneMailingList] Life in Tyrone in the 19th century

[Dorothy Gaunt via CoTyroneList]

Elwyn, thank you so much for this fascinating account. It makes the ancestors 
come alive, reading of their day-to-day lives. 
Dorothy in New Zealand 

Sent from my iPad

> On 20/10/2018, at 4:29 AM, elwyn soutter via CoTyroneList 
>  wrote:
> 
> From a recent post about farming in Tyrone, I sense there is an interest in 
> day to day life in Tyrone in the 1800s. The following document might 
> therefore interest members of this forum. I found it in PRONI and thought it 
> gave a good description of life then.
> 
>  
> 
> PRONI Reference :
> 
> T2279/2
> 
>  
> 
> MEMORIES OF DUNGANNON, FLAX, THE BIG WIND, TRAVEL, EMIGRATION, POTATO BLIGHT, 
> FAMINE
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Notes and reminiscences dictated to me during the winter of 1904-5 by my 
> father James Brown Donaghmore, [Co. Tyrone] [signed] Nora Brown.
> 
>  
> 
> 'I was born on 25 July 1823 in the old house in Donaghmore, now a part of the 
> soap works. My father was David Brown, son of John Brown who married Miss 
> McClelland and lived in Mullaghmore. Miss McClelland's brother married my 
> grandfather's sister and also lived in Mullaghmore. My father had one brother 
> John who lived in Irish Street and carried on a bakery. He married Miss Jane 
> McDowell. My mother was Betty, daughter of Henry King of Middletown Co 
> Monaghan.'
> 
>  
> 
> 'When first married, my parents lived in a small house in Mullaghmore, since 
> pulled down, and afterwards in a house in Donaghmore opposite the chapel. 
> Then they moved to the house where I was born. They had ten children. Mary 
> married Richard Tener; Henry married Jane Carr; Ann and Thomas who died in 
> childhood. Margaret married Henry Oliver; Eliza married Robert Smith; Jane 
> married Thomas Lilburn; Amelia married Joseph Acheson; Isabella married John 
> Beatty and myself who married Jane Ellen Nicholson.'
> 
>  
> 
> 'The first thing I can remember is a servant of ours Mary Mullen going to 
> America on St. Patrick's Day 1828. She and the rest of her party drove to 
> Belfast in a cart to sail thence to America. They took with them provisions 
> for the journey, chiefly oat cakes, as then was the custom. The outward 
> voyage averaged 30 days, but occasionally was 6 or 7 weeks and on these 
> occasions provisions ran short and the poor people were in danger of 
> starvation.'
> 
>  
> 
> 'Another early recollection is being taken into a darkened bedroom to see a 
> little play fellow, who was ill of smallpox, there being little knowledge of 
> the risk of infection then.'
> 
>  
> 
> 'My first teacher was Mr Richard Robinson whose school was in the space now 
> planted with trees behind the cross. It was then the only school in the 
> village. Later I had lessons at home from Mr Stuart who taught the R[oman] 
> C[atholic] school in Dungannon.'
> 
>  
> 
> 'After leaving the village school I was sent to my sister Mary Tener in Perry 
> Street where her husband had a grocer's shop and I attended a school kept by 
> two teachers from the South of Ireland, Messrs Murphy and Riordan. Afterwards 
> I lived with my sister Margaret in Church Street where her husband carried on 
> a saddlery trade and I went to Mr Burch's school on the Castle Hill. I 
> remained here until I was nearly 13 when in the summer of 1836 I went to the 
> Rev. John Bleckley's school in Monaghan. Here I stayed until I was sent for 
> to come to the death bed of my father on 17 November 1837. He died on 22 
> November and I did not return to school, but went to business with my brother 
> in Donaghmore.'
> 
>  
> 
> 'Previous to the year 1816 my father was engaged in the linen trade giving 
> out home spun yarn and getting it woven in hand looms in the cottages. At 
> that time a good deal of the linen trade was transacted in Dublin, not 
> Belfast, probably in consequence of better banking facilities. My father used 
> to go to Dublin to sell his linen, in company of other merchants. They rode 
> on horse back, in parties, for protection from highwaymen, the journey to 
> Dublin occupying three days. In later years when the linen trade in Belfast 
> had increased, buyers for the bleachers came to Dungannon every Thursday and 
> took their places on the "standings" on the east side of the square where the 
> farmers brought the webs, woven by their families and servants. The 
> "standings" were benches with boards in front of them, on which the webs were 
> thrown for examination. When the price was arranged the buyer put his mark on 
> it and the seller took it to Mr Robert Tener in Perry Street who measured it. 
> He got a few pence for each web measured, in consideration for which he 
> supplied the buyers with dinner.'
> 
>  
> 
> 'Travellers then wishing to go to Belfast, used to leave Dungannon at 4 am on 
> a long car which took them by Moy and Loughgall to Portadown. Here they 
> joined John Byer's coach, running between Armagh and Belfast, reaching the 
> latter place about 1 pm.'
> 
>  
> 
> 'During the war with 

Re: [CoTyroneMailingList] Life in Tyrone in the 19th century

[Marion via CoTyroneList]

Hello Elwyn
Thanks for sharing such a fascinating document with lots of insights into life 
at that time.
Regards Marion Shepharrd

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: elwyn soutter via CoTyroneList
Sent: 19 October 2018 16:31
To: CoTyroneIreland.com Mailing List
Cc: elwyn soutter
Subject: [CoTyroneMailingList] Life in Tyrone in the 19th century

>From a recent post about farming in Tyrone, I sense there is an interest in 
>day to day life in Tyrone in the 1800s. The following document might therefore 
>interest members of this forum. I found it in PRONI and thought it gave a good 
>description of life then.
 
PRONI Reference : 
T2279/2
 
MEMORIES OF DUNGANNON, FLAX, THE BIG WIND, TRAVEL, EMIGRATION, POTATO BLIGHT, 
FAMINE
 
 
Notes and reminiscences dictated to me during the winter of 1904-5 by my father 
James Brown Donaghmore, [Co. Tyrone] [signed] Nora Brown.
 
'I was born on 25 July 1823 in the old house in Donaghmore, now a part of the 
soap works. My father was David Brown, son of John Brown who married Miss 
McClelland and lived in Mullaghmore. Miss McClelland's brother married my 
grandfather's sister and also lived in Mullaghmore. My father had one brother 
John who lived in Irish Street and carried on a bakery. He married Miss Jane 
McDowell. My mother was Betty, daughter of Henry King of Middletown Co 
Monaghan.'
 
'When first married, my parents lived in a small house in Mullaghmore, since 
pulled down, and afterwards in a house in Donaghmore opposite the chapel. Then 
they moved to the house where I was born. They had ten children. Mary married 
Richard Tener; Henry married Jane Carr; Ann and Thomas who died in childhood. 
Margaret married Henry Oliver; Eliza married Robert Smith; Jane married Thomas 
Lilburn; Amelia married Joseph Acheson; Isabella married John Beatty and myself 
who married Jane Ellen Nicholson.'
 
'The first thing I can remember is a servant of ours Mary Mullen going to 
America on St. Patrick's Day 1828. She and the rest of her party drove to 
Belfast in a cart to sail thence to America. They took with them provisions for 
the journey, chiefly oat cakes, as then was the custom. The outward voyage 
averaged 30 days, but occasionally was 6 or 7 weeks and on these occasions 
provisions ran short and the poor people were in danger of starvation.'
 
'Another early recollection is being taken into a darkened bedroom to see a 
little play fellow, who was ill of smallpox, there being little knowledge of 
the risk of infection then.'
 
'My first teacher was Mr Richard Robinson whose school was in the space now 
planted with trees behind the cross. It was then the only school in the 
village. Later I had lessons at home from Mr Stuart who taught the R[oman] 
C[atholic] school in Dungannon.'
 
'After leaving the village school I was sent to my sister Mary Tener in Perry 
Street where her husband had a grocer's shop and I attended a school kept by 
two teachers from the South of Ireland, Messrs Murphy and Riordan. Afterwards I 
lived with my sister Margaret in Church Street where her husband carried on a 
saddlery trade and I went to Mr Burch's school on the Castle Hill. I remained 
here until I was nearly 13 when in the summer of 1836 I went to the Rev. John 
Bleckley's school in Monaghan. Here I stayed until I was sent for to come to 
the death bed of my father on 17 November 1837. He died on 22 November and I 
did not return to school, but went to business with my brother in Donaghmore.'
 
'Previous to the year 1816 my father was engaged in the linen trade giving out 
home spun yarn and getting it woven in hand looms in the cottages. At that time 
a good deal of the linen trade was transacted in Dublin, not Belfast, probably 
in consequence of better banking facilities. My father used to go to Dublin to 
sell his linen, in company of other merchants. They rode on horse back, in 
parties, for protection from highwaymen, the journey to Dublin occupying three 
days. In later years when the linen trade in Belfast had increased, buyers for 
the bleachers came to Dungannon every Thursday and took their places on the 
"standings" on the east side of the square where the farmers brought the webs, 
woven by their families and servants. The "standings" were benches with boards 
in front of them, on which the webs were thrown for examination. When the price 
was arranged the buyer put his mark on it and the seller took it to Mr Robert 
Tener in Perry Street who measured it. He got a few pence for each web 
measured, in consideration for which he supplied the buyers with dinner.'
 
'Travellers then wishing to go to Belfast, used to leave Dungannon at 4 am on a 
long car which took them by Moy and Loughgall to Portadown. Here they joined 
John Byer's coach, running between Armagh and Belfast, reaching the latter 
place about 1 pm.'
 
'During the war with Napoleon prices for agricultural produce were high, but 
the peace of 1815 was followed by a time of great depression, partly caused by 

Re: [CoTyroneMailingList] Life in Tyrone in the 19th century

[Jacque Newman via CoTyroneList]

That was a great read - thanks so much for posting it.
If anyone else on the list has more stories like this, please share! 
Written pictures of our ancestors' lives is much appreciated for those of us 
who have  nothing more than names, dates, and maybe a grainy photo or two.  
Bonus: It also helps put sober perspective into what we consider "problems" in 
our own lives.   
Jacquelyn 



 

On Friday, October 19, 2018 12:18 PM, Liz Fitzgerald via CoTyroneList 
 wrote:
 

 This was wonderful to read. Thank you. So enjoyable. 
Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 19, 2018, at 11:13 AM, Gail Mooney via CoTyroneList 
 wrote:


Awesome, thank you so much Elwyn.  For those of us in other parts of the world 
who are challenged in our quests for information about our family members in 
Ireland, you provide a window into their times.  More,please!Gail IRWIN Mooney 
/ xo
From: "elwyn soutter via CoTyroneList" 
To: "CoTyroneIreland.com Mailing List" 
Cc: "elwyn soutter" 
Sent: Friday, October 19, 2018 10:29:46 AM
Subject: [CoTyroneMailingList] Life in Tyrone in the 19th century

>From a recent post about farming in Tyrone, I sense there is an interest in 
>day to day life in Tyrone in the 1800s. The following document might therefore 
>interest members of this forum. I found it in PRONI and thought it gave a good 
>description of life then. 
| PRONI Reference : | T2279/2 |

 MEMORIES OF DUNGANNON, FLAX, THE BIG WIND, TRAVEL, EMIGRATION, POTATO BLIGHT, 
FAMINE  Notes and reminiscences dictated to me during the winter of 1904-5 by 
my father James Brown Donaghmore, [Co. Tyrone] [signed] Nora Brown. 'I was born 
on 25 July 1823 in the old house in Donaghmore, now a part of the soap works. 
My father was David Brown, son of John Brown who married Miss McClelland and 
lived in Mullaghmore. Miss McClelland's brother married my grandfather's sister 
and also lived in Mullaghmore. My father had one brother John who lived in 
Irish Street and carried on a bakery. He married Miss Jane McDowell. My mother 
was Betty, daughter of Henry King of Middletown Co Monaghan.' 'When first 
married, my parents lived in a small house in Mullaghmore, since pulled down, 
and afterwards in a house in Donaghmore opposite the chapel. Then they moved to 
the house where I was born. They had ten children. Mary married Richard Tener; 
Henry married Jane Carr; Ann and Thomas who died in childhood. Margaret married 
Henry Oliver; Eliza married Robert Smith; Jane married Thomas Lilburn; Amelia 
married Joseph Acheson; Isabella married John Beatty and myself who married 
Jane Ellen Nicholson.' 'The first thing I can remember is a servant of ours 
Mary Mullen going to America onSt. Patrick's Day 1828. She and the rest of her 
party drove to Belfast in a cart to sail thence to America. They took with them 
provisions for the journey, chiefly oat cakes, as then was the custom. The 
outward voyage averaged 30 days, but occasionally was 6 or 7 weeks and on these 
occasions provisions ran short and the poor people were in danger of 
starvation.' 'Another early recollection is being taken into a darkened bedroom 
to see a little play fellow, who was ill of smallpox, there being little 
knowledge of the risk of infection then.' 'My first teacher was Mr Richard 
Robinson whose school was in the space now planted with trees behind the cross. 
It was then the only school in the village. Later I had lessons at home from Mr 
Stuart who taught the R[oman] C[atholic] school in Dungannon.' 'After leaving 
the village school I was sent to my sister Mary Tener in Perry Street where her 
husband had a grocer's shop and I attended a school kept by two teachers from 
the South of Ireland, Messrs Murphy and Riordan. Afterwards I lived with my 
sister Margaret in Church Street where her husband carried on a saddlery trade 
and I went to Mr Burch's school on the Castle Hill. I remained here until I was 
nearly 13 when in the summer of 1836 I went to the Rev. John Bleckley's school 
in Monaghan. Here I stayed until I was sent for to come to the death bed of my 
father on 17 November 1837. He died on 22 November and I did not return to 
school, but went to business with my brother in Donaghmore.' 'Previous to the 
year 1816 my father was engaged in the linen trade giving out home spun yarn 
and getting it woven in hand looms in the cottages. At that time a good deal of 
the linen trade was transacted in Dublin, not Belfast, probably in consequence 
of better banking facilities. My father used to go to Dublin to sell his linen, 
incompany of other merchants. They rode on horse back, in parties, for 
protection from highwaymen, the journey to Dublin occupying three days. In 
later years when the linen trade in Belfast had increased, buyers for the 
bleachers came to Dungannon every Thursday and took their places on the 
"standings" on the east side of the square where the farmers brought the webs, 
woven by their families and servants. The "standings" were benches with boards 

Re: [CoTyroneMailingList] Life in Tyrone in the 19th century

[Liz Fitzgerald via CoTyroneList]

This was wonderful to read. Thank you. So enjoyable.

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 19, 2018, at 11:13 AM, Gail Mooney via CoTyroneList 
mailto:cotyronelist@cotyroneireland.com>> 
wrote:

Awesome, thank you so much Elwyn.  For those of us in other parts of the world 
who are challenged in our quests for information about our family members in 
Ireland, you provide a window into their times.  More,please!
Gail IRWIN Mooney / xo


From: "elwyn soutter via CoTyroneList" 
mailto:cotyronelist@cotyroneireland.com>>
To: "CoTyroneIreland.com Mailing List" 
mailto:cotyronelist@cotyroneireland.com>>
Cc: "elwyn soutter" 
mailto:elwynsout...@googlemail.com>>
Sent: Friday, October 19, 2018 10:29:46 AM
Subject: [CoTyroneMailingList] Life in Tyrone in the 19th century

From a recent post about farming in Tyrone, I sense there is an interest in day 
to day life in Tyrone in the 1800s. The following document might therefore 
interest members of this forum. I found it in PRONI and thought it gave a good 
description of life then.

PRONI Reference :

T2279/2


MEMORIES OF DUNGANNON, FLAX, THE BIG WIND, TRAVEL, EMIGRATION, POTATO BLIGHT, 
FAMINE


Notes and reminiscences dictated to me during the winter of 1904-5 by my father 
James Brown Donaghmore, [Co. Tyrone] [signed] Nora Brown.

'I was born on 25 July 1823 in the old house in Donaghmore, now a part of the 
soap works. My father was David Brown, son of John Brown who married Miss 
McClelland and lived in Mullaghmore. Miss McClelland's brother married my 
grandfather's sister and also lived in Mullaghmore. My father had one brother 
John who lived in Irish Street and carried on a bakery. He married Miss Jane 
McDowell. My mother was Betty, daughter of Henry King of Middletown Co 
Monaghan.'

'When first married, my parents lived in a small house in Mullaghmore, since 
pulled down, and afterwards in a house in Donaghmore opposite the chapel. Then 
they moved to the house where I was born. They had ten children. Mary married 
Richard Tener; Henry married Jane Carr; Ann and Thomas who died in childhood. 
Margaret married Henry Oliver; Eliza married Robert Smith; Jane married Thomas 
Lilburn; Amelia married Joseph Acheson; Isabella married John Beatty and myself 
who married Jane Ellen Nicholson.'

'The first thing I can remember is a servant of ours Mary Mullen going to 
America on St. Patrick's Day 1828. She and the rest of her party drove to 
Belfast in a cart to sail thence to America. They took with them provisions for 
the journey, chiefly oat cakes, as then was the custom. The outward voyage 
averaged 30 days, but occasionally was 6 or 7 weeks and on these occasions 
provisions ran short and the poor people were in danger of starvation.'

'Another early recollection is being taken into a darkened bedroom to see a 
little play fellow, who was ill of smallpox, there being little knowledge of 
the risk of infection then.'

'My first teacher was Mr Richard Robinson whose school was in the space now 
planted with trees behind the cross. It was then the only school in the 
village. Later I had lessons at home from Mr Stuart who taught the R[oman] 
C[atholic] school in Dungannon.'

'After leaving the village school I was sent to my sister Mary Tener in Perry 
Street where her husband had a grocer's shop and I attended a school kept by 
two teachers from the South of Ireland, Messrs Murphy and Riordan. Afterwards I 
lived with my sister Margaret in Church Street where her husband carried on a 
saddlery trade and I went to Mr Burch's school on the Castle Hill. I remained 
here until I was nearly 13 when in the summer of 1836 I went to the Rev. John 
Bleckley's school in Monaghan. Here I stayed until I was sent for to come to 
the death bed of my father on 17 November 1837. He died on 22 November and I 
did not return to school, but went to business with my brother in Donaghmore.'

'Previous to the year 1816 my father was engaged in the linen trade giving out 
home spun yarn and getting it woven in hand looms in the cottages. At that time 
a good deal of the linen trade was transacted in Dublin, not Belfast, probably 
in consequence of better banking facilities. My father used to go to Dublin to 
sell his linen, in company of other merchants. They rode on horse back, in 
parties, for protection from highwaymen, the journey to Dublin occupying three 
days. In later years when the linen trade in Belfast had increased, buyers for 
the bleachers came to Dungannon every Thursday and took their places on the 
"standings" on the east side of the square where the farmers brought the webs, 
woven by their families and servants. The "standings" were benches with boards 
in front of them, on which the webs were thrown for examination. When the price 
was arranged the buyer put his mark on it and the seller took it to Mr Robert 
Tener in Perry Street who measured it. He got a few pence for each web 
measured, in consideration for 

Re: [CoTyroneMailingList] Life in Tyrone in the 19th century

[Gail Mooney via CoTyroneList]

Awesome, thank you so much Elwyn. For those of us in other parts of the world 
who are challenged in our quests for information about our family members in 
Ireland, you provide a window into their times. More,please! 
Gail IRWIN Mooney / xo 

- Original Message -

From: "elwyn soutter via CoTyroneList"  
To: "CoTyroneIreland.com Mailing List"  
Cc: "elwyn soutter"  
Sent: Friday, October 19, 2018 10:29:46 AM 
Subject: [CoTyroneMailingList] Life in Tyrone in the 19th century 



>From a recent post about farming in Tyrone, I sense there is an interest in 
>day to day life in Tyrone in the 1800s. The following document might therefore 
>interest members of this forum. I found it in PRONI and thought it gave a good 
>description of life then. 



PRONI Reference :   

T2279/2 



MEMORIES OF DUNGANNON, FLAX, THE BIG WIND, TRAVEL, EMIGRATION, POTATO BLIGHT, 
FAMINE 





Notes and reminiscences dictated to me during the winter of 1904-5 by my father 
James Brown Donaghmore, [Co. Tyrone] [signed] Nora Brown. 



'I was born on 25 July 1823 in the old house in Donaghmore, now a part of the 
soap works. My father was David Brown, son of John Brown who married Miss 
McClelland and lived in Mullaghmore. Miss McClelland's brother married my 
grandfather's sister and also lived in Mullaghmore. My father had one brother 
John who lived in Irish Street and carried on a bakery. He married Miss Jane 
McDowell. My mother was Betty, daughter of Henry King of Middletown Co 
Monaghan.' 



'When first married, my parents lived in a small house in Mullaghmore, since 
pulled down, and afterwards in a house in Donaghmore opposite the chapel. Then 
they moved to the house where I was born. They had ten children. Mary married 
Richard Tener; Henry married Jane Carr; Ann and Thomas who died in childhood. 
Margaret married Henry Oliver; Eliza married Robert Smith; Jane married Thomas 
Lilburn; Amelia married Joseph Acheson; Isabella married John Beatty and myself 
who married Jane Ellen Nicholson.' 



'The first thing I can remember is a servant of ours Mary Mullen going to 
America on St . Patrick's Day 1828. She and the rest of her party drove to 
Belfast in a cart to sail thence to America. They took with them provisions for 
the journey, chiefly oat cakes, as then was the custom. The outward voyage 
averaged 30 days, but occasionally was 6 or 7 weeks and on these occasions 
provisions ran short and the poor people were in danger of starvation.' 



'Another early recollection is being taken into a darkened bedroom to see a 
little play fellow, who was ill of smallpox, there being little knowledge of 
the risk of infection then.' 



'My first teacher was Mr Richard Robinson whose school was in the space now 
planted with trees behind the cross. It was then the only school in the 
village. Later I had lessons at home from Mr Stuart who taught the R[oman] 
C[atholic] school in Dungannon.' 



'After leaving the village school I was sent to my sister Mary Tener in Perry 
Street where her husband had a grocer's shop and I attended a school kept by 
two teachers from the South of Ireland, Messrs Murphy and Riordan. Afterwards I 
lived with my sister Margaret in Church Street where her husband carried on a 
saddlery trade and I went to Mr Burch's school on the Castle Hill. I remained 
here until I was nearly 13 when in the summer of 1836 I went to the Rev. John 
Bleckley's school in Monaghan. Here I stayed until I was sent for to come to 
the death bed of my father on 17 November 1837. He died on 22 November and I 
did not return to school, but went to business with my brother in Donaghmore.' 



'Previous to the year 1816 my father was engaged in the linen trade giving out 
home spun yarn and getting it woven in hand looms in the cottages. At that time 
a good deal of the linen trade was transacted in Dublin, not Belfast, probably 
in consequence of better banking facilities. My father used to go to Dublin to 
sell his linen, in company of other merchants. They rode on horse back, in 
parties, for protection from highwaymen, the journey to Dublin occupying three 
days. In later years when the linen trade in Belfast had increased, buyers for 
the bleachers came to Dungannon every Thursday and took their places on the 
"standings" on the east side of the square where the farmers brought the webs, 
woven by their families and servants. The "standings" were benches with boards 
in front of them, on which the webs were thrown for examination. When the price 
was arranged the buyer put his mark on it and the seller took it to Mr Robert 
Tener in Perry Street who measured it. He got a few pence for each web 
measured, in consideration for which he supplied the buyers with dinner.' 



'Travellers then wishing to go to Belfast, used to leave Dungannon at 4 am on a 
long car which took them by Moy and Loughgall to Portadown. Here they joined 
John Byer's coach, running between Armagh and Belfast, reaching the latter 
place 

Re: [CoTyroneMailingList] Gt gt grandfathers farm

[Marion via CoTyroneList]

Hello Ron,
Many thanks for your reply and the  interpretation of the descriptions of the 
soil. I was particularly interested in the grazing system you mentioned and the 
involvement of communities in it’s management. You have also given me a much 
better picture of what the land was really like and the problems Thomas faced. 
I have visited the area and the fields seem pretty rough (seen through a 
townies eyes) although there was another McCay farm in the area which was about 
10 cunningham acres and seemed a little better, and is still farmed today. I 
also looked on Google maps and saw areas which were very water logged with few 
signs of cultivation while others look as if they would be used for pasture.. I 
think I will go and have another look on my next visit. It is fascinating to 
compare the Griffiths maps with Googles aerial views. The original fields are 
still clearly visible.
Thomas is the earliest ancestor that I can positively identify from the Tithe 
Applotments and church records. By the time of the Griffith Valuation, his two 
sons had extended their farms to about 24 statute acres each, with no shared 
leases, although the land was still the poorest in the area. I did find a 
conversion for Cunningham acres – 10 cunningham acres was about 13 statute 
acres, so each farm had probably almost doubled in size. Interestingly, and 
possibly due to the effects of the great famine, almost all their neighbours in 
Rabstown had changed. By the mid nineteenth century, only the McCays and the 
Flanagans, of the TAB tenants, were still leaseholders.  The records relating 
to land have allowed me to track their progress through most of the nineteenth 
century into the twentieth and now I am trying to add a little more information 
into the lives they probably lead.
Your comments and insight have helped me to do that. Thankyou again.
Regards Marion (nee McCay)

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Ron McCoy via CoTyroneList
Sent: 19 October 2018 00:47
To: cotyronelist@cotyroneireland.com
Cc: Ron McCoy
Subject: Re: [CoTyroneMailingList] Gt gt grandfathers farm

Hi Marion
I am guilty of being a farmer and my last name is McCoy a version of McCay. I 
have also walked a lot of farms in Ireland but do not claim to be an expert on 
any thing you have mentioned below. Having said that I can give it a go until 
someone who is more knowledgeable comes along and corrects my poor thoughts. 
You say it is 39 Cunningham acres shared by four farmers. That is hard to know 
how big that is because the Cunningham acre was different in different 
Scotch/Ulster communities. As you know the Irish acre was about 27% bigger per 
side for a  60% increase over a Statue acre. You are right about the potatoes 
and oats. These were grown in any shape plot they could find and often close to 
the house to provide food and sale if possible. At the height of the many 
potato famines Irish potatoes were still advertised on the Docks of Quebec and 
Montreal for sale. The first description is mountain arable and heathy pasture, 
shallow    white gravely sand subsoil. The land is arable so it has been 
cleared and has been plowed at one time. Likely rocks picked and fences build. 
However by the description as being heathy pasture and shallow I take it to 
likely mean at one time there was lots of erosion and the fields played out 
quickly. Heathy land especially on the hill sides are usually covered with low 
growing shrubs which are the devil to take out again and are extremely 
invasive. With out an aerial map it is hard to tell but probably the land is on 
a steep slope and may be part of what is known as a ladder grazing system. The 
population of Ireland was about 8 million people to this day it still has not 
regained that number. Every inch of land was being cleared and utilized. The 
ladder grazing systems took old fields that were unsuited for plowing any 
longer and used them for seasonal grazing. Farmers usually together took the 
cattle to the top fields of the hills early in the spring were the top field 
was dry and the early grass already growing. As each field below grew and got 
dry enough they would move the cattle down the ladder to the bottom of the 
hill. This system was well established and communities worked together to mend 
fences, maintain fields and share pasture land.
The next description is of a deep arable soil which usually means that their is 
a good depth of top soil. Moory land is usually wet and boggy often containing 
high levels of peat and high organic mater which has a number of difficulties 
in farming. The Irish farmers dealt with wet bogey lands by ditching and 
creating what was known as ,"Irish Drains,." These were the for runner of our 
modern tile drains. They would dig a net work of ditches and lay stones in them 
with flat stones on top. The water would find its way to the spaces between the 
stones and flow to a near by stream via the Irish drain. This took incredible 
craftsmanship 

[CoTyroneMailingList] Life in Tyrone in the 19th century

[elwyn soutter via CoTyroneList]

>From a recent post about farming in Tyrone, I sense there is an interest in
day to day life in Tyrone in the 1800s. The following document might
therefore interest members of this forum. I found it in PRONI and thought
it gave a good description of life then.



*PRONI Reference : *

T2279/2



MEMORIES OF DUNGANNON, FLAX, THE BIG WIND, TRAVEL, EMIGRATION, POTATO
BLIGHT, FAMINE





Notes and reminiscences dictated to me during the winter of 1904-5 by my
father James Brown Donaghmore, [Co. Tyrone] [signed] Nora Brown.



'I was born on 25 July 1823 in the old house in Donaghmore, now a part of
the soap works. My father was David Brown, son of John Brown who married
Miss McClelland and lived in Mullaghmore. Miss McClelland's brother married
my grandfather's sister and also lived in Mullaghmore. My father had one
brother John who lived in Irish Street and carried on a bakery. He married
Miss Jane McDowell. My mother was Betty, daughter of Henry King of
Middletown Co Monaghan.'



'When first married, my parents lived in a small house in Mullaghmore,
since pulled down, and afterwards in a house in Donaghmore opposite the
chapel. Then they moved to the house where I was born. They had ten
children. Mary married Richard Tener; Henry married Jane Carr; Ann and
Thomas who died in childhood. Margaret married Henry Oliver; Eliza married
Robert Smith; Jane married Thomas Lilburn; Amelia married Joseph Acheson;
Isabella married John Beatty and myself who married Jane Ellen Nicholson.'



'The first thing I can remember is a servant of ours Mary Mullen going to
America on St. Patrick's Day 1828. She and the rest of her party drove to
Belfast in a cart to sail thence to America. They took with them provisions
for the journey, chiefly oat cakes, as then was the custom. The outward
voyage averaged 30 days, but occasionally was 6 or 7 weeks and on these
occasions provisions ran short and the poor people were in danger of
starvation.'



'Another early recollection is being taken into a darkened bedroom to see a
little play fellow, who was ill of smallpox, there being little knowledge
of the risk of infection then.'



'My first teacher was Mr Richard Robinson whose school was in the space now
planted with trees behind the cross. It was then the only school in the
village. Later I had lessons at home from Mr Stuart who taught the R[oman]
C[atholic] school in Dungannon.'



'After leaving the village school I was sent to my sister Mary Tener in
Perry Street where her husband had a grocer's shop and I attended a school
kept by two teachers from the South of Ireland, Messrs Murphy and Riordan.
Afterwards I lived with my sister Margaret in Church Street where her
husband carried on a saddlery trade and I went to Mr Burch's school on the
Castle Hill. I remained here until I was nearly 13 when in the summer of
1836 I went to the Rev. John Bleckley's school in Monaghan. Here I stayed
until I was sent for to come to the death bed of my father on 17 November
1837. He died on 22 November and I did not return to school, but went to
business with my brother in Donaghmore.'



'Previous to the year 1816 my father was engaged in the linen trade giving
out home spun yarn and getting it woven in hand looms in the cottages. At
that time a good deal of the linen trade was transacted in Dublin, not
Belfast, probably in consequence of better banking facilities. My father
used to go to Dublin to sell his linen, in company of other merchants. They
rode on horse back, in parties, for protection from highwaymen, the journey
to Dublin occupying three days. In later years when the linen trade in
Belfast had increased, buyers for the bleachers came to Dungannon every
Thursday and took their places on the "standings" on the east side of the
square where the farmers brought the webs, woven by their families and
servants. The "standings" were benches with boards in front of them, on
which the webs were thrown for examination. When the price was arranged the
buyer put his mark on it and the seller took it to Mr Robert Tener in Perry
Street who measured it. He got a few pence for each web measured, in
consideration for which he supplied the buyers with dinner.'



'Travellers then wishing to go to Belfast, used to leave Dungannon at 4 am
on a long car which took them by Moy and Loughgall to Portadown. Here they
joined John Byer's coach, running between Armagh and Belfast, reaching the
latter place about 1 pm.'



'During the war with Napoleon prices for agricultural produce were high,
but the peace of 1815 was followed by a time of great depression, partly
caused by two bad seasons, a very wet summer and a very dry one. During the
latter the corn was so short it could not be reaped in the usual way but
had to be pulled. The depression in the linen trade caused my father to
open a bakery in Donaghmore and I remember his telling me that the first
flour he used was American and cost 4 guineas[1] <#_ftn1> a barrel.'



'About the year 1820 partly from the 

Re: [CoTyroneMailingList] CoTyroneIreland.com - New Content - Muster Roll of Sir Robert Stewart's Regiment, Raphoe, Co. Donegal 1642

[K Cooper via CoTyroneList]

Bless you Len! I have been in Salt Lake City the past week with Fintan
Mullin and he says “another win for Len!” Found my ancestor John McIlray on
the list and also the names of families who married with the family later.
What a treat!

Cheers
Kathleen

PS I have been boosting the CTI site all week.

On Fri, Oct 19, 2018 at 6:14 AM Jim McKane via CoTyroneList <
cotyronelist@cotyroneireland.com> wrote:

> Muster Roll of Sir Robert Stewart's Regiment, Raphoe, Co. Donegal 1642
> 
>
> AND Thanks again to Len Swindley for another great addition to CTI!
>
> Jim McKane
> South Bruce Peninsula, Ontario
> ___
> CoTyroneList mailing list
> CoTyroneList@cotyroneireland.com
> http://mail.cotyroneireland.com/mailman/listinfo/
> (_internal_name)s

-- 
*Cuimhnigh ar na daoine ónar tháinig tú*
*"Remember the men whence you came."*
___
CoTyroneList mailing list
CoTyroneList@cotyroneireland.com
http://mail.cotyroneireland.com/mailman/listinfo/
(_internal_name)s

[CoTyroneMailingList] CoTyroneIreland.com - New Content - Muster Roll of Sir Robert Stewart's Regiment, Raphoe, Co. Donegal 1642

[Jim McKane via CoTyroneList]

Muster Roll of Sir Robert Stewart's Regiment, Raphoe, Co. Donegal 1642


AND Thanks again to Len Swindley for another great addition to CTI!

Jim McKane
South Bruce Peninsula, Ontario
___
CoTyroneList mailing list
CoTyroneList@cotyroneireland.com
http://mail.cotyroneireland.com/mailman/listinfo/
(_internal_name)s

Re: [CoTyroneMailingList] McCay & McCoy - Ron McCoy & Marion Shephard -

[Ron McCoy via CoTyroneList]

Hi Janet

Don't know if this is of help but I remembered I do have a Wilson 
connection Ruby (McCoy)Wilson but much more modern. Wilson was a common 
name in our area and likely arrived on the same boat at Quebec city and 
made our way like the rest of us to the Ottawa Canada area. 
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/McCoy-4884.

Ron


On 2018-10-18 9:30 PM, Janet Fairless via CoTyroneList wrote:
> Hello All,
>
> I just wanted to thank Marion Shephard for the excellent question and Ron 
> McCoy for the interesting and informative response.
>
> These sorts of exchanges benefit us all.
>
> Marion, Ron, I have an interest in the McCays from around the Newtownstewart 
> area in the Parish of Ardstraw, Co.Tyrone. Is there anywhere that either of 
> you have your early to mid 19th Century family trees available for perusal?
>
> I have found a distant DNA connection between my Wilson’s and the McCay’s 
> from that region, and would love to be able to join the dots.
>
> With gratitude for your questions and answers.
>
>
> Janet Fairless (nee Wilson)
> Brisbane
> Australia
> (Researching my Wilson’s from townland of Cavandarragh/Whitehouse from the 
> early 1800’s)
> ___
> CoTyroneList mailing list
> CoTyroneList@cotyroneireland.com
> http://mail.cotyroneireland.com/mailman/listinfo/
> (_internal_name)s

___
CoTyroneList mailing list
CoTyroneList@cotyroneireland.com
http://mail.cotyroneireland.com/mailman/listinfo/
(_internal_name)s

Re: [CoTyroneMailingList] McCay & McCoy - Ron McCoy & Marion Shephard -

[Ron McCoy via CoTyroneList]

Hi Janet

Thank you for the kind words about my farming answer. The rule is never 
ask a farmer about something related to  farming unless you are having 
trouble sleeping.

The farthest I have gone back on my family tree is John " 
McCoy-4704"1766-1866, you can find John and Mary Gadys (Gaddes) on 
Wikitree.  Evidence strongly suggest to me that they came from Pomeroy 
Tyrone but I have yet to be able to make a conclusive paper connection 
so I have not included these details  in Wikitree. John and Mary could 
not read or write and so the name is some what fluid, being spelled 
phonetically by who ever the local official they need paper work done 
by. I suspect our family came via Ballymena area but that is just a 
guess based on similar names in the area and a known route that early 
Scottish people flowed from their home land. Hope that helps and we can 
finds some common ancestor.

Cheers

Ron McCoy


On 2018-10-18 9:30 PM, Janet Fairless via CoTyroneList wrote:
> Hello All,
>
> I just wanted to thank Marion Shephard for the excellent question and Ron 
> McCoy for the interesting and informative response.
>
> These sorts of exchanges benefit us all.
>
> Marion, Ron, I have an interest in the McCays from around the Newtownstewart 
> area in the Parish of Ardstraw, Co.Tyrone. Is there anywhere that either of 
> you have your early to mid 19th Century family trees available for perusal?
>
> I have found a distant DNA connection between my Wilson’s and the McCay’s 
> from that region, and would love to be able to join the dots.
>
> With gratitude for your questions and answers.
>
>
> Janet Fairless (nee Wilson)
> Brisbane
> Australia
> (Researching my Wilson’s from townland of Cavandarragh/Whitehouse from the 
> early 1800’s)
> ___
> CoTyroneList mailing list
> CoTyroneList@cotyroneireland.com
> http://mail.cotyroneireland.com/mailman/listinfo/
> (_internal_name)s

___
CoTyroneList mailing list
CoTyroneList@cotyroneireland.com
http://mail.cotyroneireland.com/mailman/listinfo/
(_internal_name)s

[CoTyroneMailingList] CoTyroneIreland.com - New Content - Urney Parish Church (Christ Church, Church of Ireland), Strabane, Co. Tyrone Marriages 1820-70

[Jim McKane via CoTyroneList]

Urney Parish Church (Christ Church, Church of Ireland), Strabane, Co.
Tyrone Marriages 1820-70
 - *Updated &
Expanded*

*Thanks again to Len Swindley for another HUGE addition to CTI!*

Jim McKane
South Bruce Peninsula, Ontario
___
CoTyroneList mailing list
CoTyroneList@cotyroneireland.com
http://mail.cotyroneireland.com/mailman/listinfo/
(_internal_name)s

Re: [CoTyroneMailingList] McCay & McCoy - Ron McCoy & Marion Shephard -

[Marion via CoTyroneList]

Hello Janet
My tree is on Ancestry and is just called McCay family tree. It is public so 
you should be able to look if you are a member. Rabstown, where my family 
lived, is in the parish of Urney but not far from Ardstraw and Newtonstewart. 
Let me know if I can help at all.
Regards Marion

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Janet Fairless via CoTyroneList
Sent: 19 October 2018 02:31
To: CoTyroneIreland.com Mailing List
Cc: Janet Fairless
Subject: [CoTyroneMailingList] McCay & McCoy - Ron McCoy & Marion Shephard -

Hello All,

I just wanted to thank Marion Shephard for the excellent question and Ron McCoy 
for the interesting and informative response. 

These sorts of exchanges benefit us all. 

Marion, Ron, I have an interest in the McCays from around the Newtownstewart 
area in the Parish of Ardstraw, Co.Tyrone. Is there anywhere that either of you 
have your early to mid 19th Century family trees available for perusal? 

I have found a distant DNA connection between my Wilson’s and the McCay’s from 
that region, and would love to be able to join the dots. 

With gratitude for your questions and answers. 


Janet Fairless (nee Wilson)
Brisbane
Australia 
(Researching my Wilson’s from townland of Cavandarragh/Whitehouse from the 
early 1800’s) 
___
CoTyroneList mailing list
CoTyroneList@cotyroneireland.com
http://mail.cotyroneireland.com/mailman/listinfo/
(_internal_name)s

___
CoTyroneList mailing list
CoTyroneList@cotyroneireland.com
http://mail.cotyroneireland.com/mailman/listinfo/
(_internal_name)s