Isabella (we have not found a maiden name) Hutchinson was born about 1809, likely in Mettican Glebe, Garvagh, Errigal, Ireland. We believe she was Protestant as her son Knox was Protestant. Isabella married William Hutchinson in Mettican Glebe prior to 1847. We know she had at least one son, Knox born about 1849 and a daughter, Elizabeth around 1848. Elizabeth passed away in 1876 at the age of 28 from heart failure. It is possible that William and Isabella had at least two other male children, as the 1831 census lists William's household with 3 males and 1 female. It does not seem likely that one male would be William's father William Hutchinson Sr since William Sr.'s wife (who we believe is Sarah) appears to be alive and living in the small cottage on plot 17b in the 1859 Griffith's valuation. We believe William's father's name was also William from the 1825 Tithe Appointment Records.
William Hutchinson was a tenant farmer who likely died between 1860 and 1864. (He should have been alive in the 1859 Griffith's. We have searched all death records from 1864 - 1881 and not found him; including viewing records from GRONI.) When William died, his farm lands passed to Isabella. The main farm consisted of eleven acres and two roods (equivalent to a half acre), statute measure. William was also a 1/7 owner of a five acre share with Robert, John, and Cochrane Moore, Randal and John McAneary, and John Darragh. Rev. Robert Gage was the landlord for the Church of Ireland, Church Temporalities Commissioners. (We think it could be possible that Isabella's and Sarah's maiden names could be Moore, Darragh, or McAneary due to the way the 5 acres was shared.)
In 1875, at age 66, Isabella purchased the farm from the Church Temporalities Commissioners subject to a mortgage of 130 pounds, 16 shillings 3 penny, payable by Ten yearly installments of 16 pounds per year. The farm was situated about one mile north of Garvagh on Mettican Road. It was fenced and yielded high cultivations. It had a very comfortable dwelling house and an office. A beautiful spring ran thru the property with a never ending supply of water and a Turbary to cut peat for fuel. Isabella also had a cow, a Heifer, a horse, and two carts with harnesses and brakes. William's brother Hugh Hutchinson, owned the fenced 15 acre plot across Old Mettican Road from Isabella. A typical harvest year would net 3 acres of prime black oats, a field of flax, an acre and a half of potatoes, and five cocks of meadow hay (the big round hay bale or a hay tower). Isabella appears to have stopped farming, for herself, around 1873 and sublet to others until 1878. Robert McCaulay was farming the property in 1873. He was replaced by Thomas Paul (related by marriage to Knox's wife, Margaret Forgrave) in 1876, and then Alexander McAnary acquired it in 1879 when Isabella sold the farm to retire. Knox continued to farm the shared five acre portion of the farm after his mother retired. In 1880, Knox recorded Black Oats that were over seven feet tall. In one sample with 15 stalks, one head contained over 300 seeds and was reflective of the entire crop. Margaret Forgrave's brother, Thomas Forgrave, bought Knox's seventh share of the 5 acre farmland about 1885. Isabella died of natural causes on 1 December 1881 in Garvagh, where she was living with Knox and Margaret above their Pub.
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1st Jan 1809 (circa) | |
| Date of Death | 1st Dec 1881 | VIEW SOURCE |
| Townland born | Likely in Mettican Glebe, Errigal, Coleraine, Ireland | |
| Spouse (First Name/s and Maiden/Surname) | William Hutchinson Likely born around 1800 Likely died 1860- 1864 | VIEW SOURCE |
| Number of Children | At least 2, more likely, at least 4. | |
| Names of Children | Knox Hutchinson (John Knox Hutchinson) B. about 1849 d 1912 Renal disease Elizabeth Hutchinson b. about 1848 d. 1876 Heart failure | |
| Place of Death | Garvagh, Errigal, Coleraine, Ireland 1 December 1881 | |
