MULLEN family (Patrick/Rosanna/James)

Griffiths Valuation for Kilcootry was compiled around 1860, so if your Rosanna left Ireland c 1850, she’s unlikely to still be listed in 1860 and beyond. The one in Kilcootry was head of household, so probably a widow. The Patrick living nearby is most unlikely to be her husband. He could well be a relation by marriage but they could not be husband & wife.

You can use the Valuation revision records on the PRONI site to take Griffiths records forward.

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/services/searching-valuation-revision-books

Those records show that Patrick had plot 11 which was a 9 acre farm. It remains in his name till 1880 when the tenant changes to John (who appears to be his son). Patrick Mullin died 17.2.1879 aged 75 at Kilcootry. His wife was still alive and his son John was the informant.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1879/06527/4880972.pdf

Rosanna was next door on plot 12. She had 3 acres of land but no house, so she was lodging with someone else in the townland. (There are several Mullin households there as you may have observed.)  Her name is deleted in 1876 and her land appears to have then been annexed into one of the adjacent small farms. So she might have died around that time, or left the area. I cannot find a death for Rosanna but she would have been either a single woman or a widow. Until the Married Woman’s Property Act in 1882, a married woman’s assets were all her husband's and so she wouldn’t be a leaseholder in her own right. Indeed couldn't be a leaseholder.

I have known people who have emigrated retain land in Ireland, but usually it’s sublet and the new tenant’s name appears in the records. In most cases, if it is in someone's name in Griffiths, they were living there.

Donacavey RC parish records only start in 1857, so if that’s where your Rosanna was born or married, then sadly there are no records to consult.

Mullin/Mullan etc in Kilcootry in the 1901 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Seskinore/Kilcootry/1743732/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Seskinore/Kilcootry/1743733/

The above are children of Bernard Mullin and Mary Anne McGrale

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Seskinore/Kilcootry/1743735/

You can use this site to see the various cemeteries in Donacavey. There are 5 listed:

https://www.ancestryireland.com/family-records/graveyards-in-ulster/

Thanks so much, Elwyn. If something appears too good to be true I should have expected it wouldn't be. I failed to menton that my Rosanna appears to have had money, perhaps from the sale of land after her husband died? She was able to build and inhabit what was a very nice house in the suburbs of Boston upon arrival. As I said, she arrived without husband and just a young child. Census records place her In Newton MA prior to 1860 and likely prior to 1850. My best estimate is circa 1847.She died in Newton in 1893 at the age of 84. Kevin

Mullen/Mullan/Mullin is a very common name in Tyrone. In the 1901 census there were 1315 in the county. Makes it very difficult to identify the right family. I think you may struggle to find where Rosanna originated. As you will have discovered the early censuses have largely been destroyed, there are no death records before 1864, and many parishes weren’t keeping baptism or marriage records either.

Thanks, Elwyn.That has certainly been the case so far. Kevin

Hi there.
I have ancestors related to Cranny and several Donacavey Townlands. I am currently researching this line on Ancestry. Not sure if you are an Ancestry member? I will certainly look up these links. I have come across a Hogan/Mcspirit link. Via Catherine Mullan/Mullin.

Marriage for Catherina Mullin to Patritius McAspirit on 4 March 1867 Clogher, Ireland in the diocese of Clogher. Listed as living in Garlan at the time. Her parents are Partick Mullin and Margaret Hogan.

Catherine is aged 35. So she's born around 1832.

Here’s the civil certificate that goes with the RC marriage that you have attached. The only difference I can see is that in the RC version Catherine is residing in Maguiresbridge, Co. Fermanagh whereas in the civil she is from Garlaw.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1867/11487/8222443.pdf

There was a Terence McSpirits farming in Drummod (Standardised version is Drumad) in the parish of Cleenish, Fermanagh in 1834. That might be where Patrick is from originally. It's a very rare name.

http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/fermanagh/tithe-applotment-books/parish-of-cleenish.php

There are no Mullin households in Garlaw in Griffiths Valuation c 1860 but labourers tended to move about a lot and can be very difficult to trace.

The Cranny Mullans were a very well of respected family of the Clogher Valley. I am picking them up in Drumragh as well as the Donacavey Townlands. My descendant is from this clan but hardly nothing appears to be documented about them. Although I am have been working on them for a while, I am still trying to piece together who is who etc, rightly so as we know people move out of the area. Although it is traditional to marry in the brides area, I am finding a lot of marriage certificates listed in Donacavey where the Mullan's reside. I have attached an obituary for Catherine Mullan who was married to Hugh McElhill. It briefly explains Cranny Mullan's. 

P.S. I found Garlaw in Fermanagh too but ran another search. Its appears between Clogher and Fivemiletown. So it is a bit confusing. Although I will go back and double check later today.

Sorry I made a slight mistake in my earlier post when I said the bride was from Maguiresbridge. That was actually one of the witnesses address. Both bride & groom were living in Garlaw. But I suspect Patrick maybe from Fermanagh originally (just a few miles away). The name Terence McSpirit is very rare, farmers didn’t move around much and there’s only the 1 in Northern Ireland in the tithes so I suspect that could well be where Patrick comes from. (One of the witnesses was from Maguiresbridge which is in Fermanagh, so that's a hint too, perhaps.

The RC baptism records for Cleenish only start in 1835 which is probably not back far enough for Patrick (who was 35 in 1867) but you might find some siblings.

Labourers moved around a lot to follow available work. They can be hard to trace and they don’t always show up in the available records. I checked the Valuation Revision  records for Garlaw for 1864-1880 on the PRONI website.  Garlaw then had 6 plots of land and 4 farms on it. Presumably Patrick and Catherine had gone there for work, and were lodging on one of those properties but they are not listed themselves.

Hi Elwyn.

I totally agree with you regarding the Fermanagh link somewhere. Trying to rule people out in Tyrone before I commit them to Fermanagh. Like you say McAspirit is a rare name. So far I have traced one to Scotland or another still in Ireland who appears to get into a lot of trouble regarding Petty Court Sessions. Also noticed Elwyn in a post you mentioned on the Donacavey site regarding McFarland. Wondering if you found out any additional information since your posting?

KPMULLEN I may well have a connection somewhere. Notied you mentioned McGrale. I have a McGale in my tree but currently working away on it. I also have another Mullan family in Kilcootry. I have added your Rosanna into my tree to see what happens.

Donna,

No, I have no additional information on that Donacavey family.