Porterfield and Rowan Families

Marlee,

The family being Presbyterian fits with the timing of their departure from Ireland. The vast majority of migrants from Ireland in the 1700s were Presbyterian.  (Roman Catholics didn’t start migrating in significant numbers till the 1800s). Being Presbyterian and originating in Tyrone points strongly to them being of Scottish origins. They’ll have settled in the area in the 1600s.

There are very few records in Ireland for the 1700s and research at that period is notoriously difficult.

You say the Rowan family came from Ballynagappock. I can’t find any townland with that name in Co. Tyrone at all.  There is a Ballynagappogue in Co Down but nothing that seems to fit in Tyrone. (Ballynagappock is likely to be an approximation of the townland name in Ireland). How sure are you that your family came from Tyrone? The reason I ask is that I have found references to a Rowan family in Ballynagappogue in Co. Down. The references can be found on the PRONI website. (PRONI is the public record office in Belfast). You can find it using the PRONI website names check. https://apps.proni.gov.uk/ProniNames_IE/ResultDetails.aspx

The site tells you that there is a record of a John Rowan of Ballynagappog, Co Down. Probate was granted on his estate in 1728 and a copy or transcript of the will exists in PRONI, Ref T/808 p12970. (The transcript is not on-line. You either need to go to PRONI to view it, or pay them to copy it for you). There is a second reference to this same estate but with a date of 1749. So that might indicate a fresh probate grant. That may have happened if the original executor failed to wind up the estate effectively.

A Stewart Rowan of Ballnagappog is also listed. Probate was granted in 1728. His transcript is also under ref T/808 p 12970.

PRONI has a map of Ballynagappog compiled in 1748, under ref D671/M/7/1.

I searched the tithe applotment records (compiled c 1825-1835). They list farmers and others with land. There were no Rowans anywhere in Tyrone at that period. 

Griffiths Valuation for 1859 list one Rowan household in the county. He was William Rowan who had a farm labourer’s cottage (plot  6b) on William Boyd’s farm in Tullylagan which is in the parish of Desertcreat.

Here are all the Rowans in what is now Northern Ireland in the tithes:

Rowan Bell, Jno.-Townland: Demesne of Down Year: 1833-Down-Down

Rowan, Alexander-Townland: Livallyreagh Year: 1828-Dromara -Down

Rowan, Alexr.-Townland: Levallyreagh Year: 1828-Dromara -Down

Rowan, Andrew-- Townland: Altnamighan Year: 1830-Newtownhamilton-Armagh

Rowan, Archibald H., Esq.-Townland: Corporation Year: 1827-Killyleagh-Down

Rowan, Capt. Townland: Corporation Year: 1827-Killyleagh-Down

Rowan, Daniel-Townland: Ballydesland Year: 1834-Clonallan-Down

Rowan, Daniel-Townland: Burren Year: 1834-Clonallan-Down

Rowan, David-Townland: Levallyreagh Year: 1828-Dromara -Down

Rowan, David-Townland: Livallyreagh Year: 1828-Dromara -Down

Rowan, George-- Townland: Shewish Year: 1833-Kilmore-Armagh

Rowan, James-County: Down Townland: Balinadrone Year: 1834-Magheralin-Armagh

Rowan, James-County: Down Townland: Ballymacateer Year: 1834-Magheralin-Armagh

Rowan, James-County: Down Townland: Ballymacmean Year: 1834-Magheralin-Armagh

Rowan, James-Townland: Balinadrone Year: 1834-Magheralin-Down

Rowan, James-Townland: Ballymacateer Year: 1834-Magheralin-Down

Rowan, James-Townland: Ballymacmean Year: 1834-Magheralin-Down

Rowan, James-Townland: Glenavy Year: 1826-Glenavy-Antrim

Rowan, James-Townland: Glenavy Year: 1834-Glenavy-Antrim

Rowan, James-Townland: Knockentern Year: 1827-Coleraine-Derry

Rowan, Jno., Esq.-Townland: Demesne of Down Year: 1833-Down-Down

Rowan, John-Townland: Demesne of Down Year: 1833-Down-Down

Rowan, John-Townland: Drumnadrogh and Ballygowlan Year: 1835- Carnmoney-Antrim

Rowan, John-Townland: Drumnadrough Year: 1835- Carnmoney-Antrim

Rowan, John-Townland: Narrowwater Year: 1834-Clonallan-Down

Rowan, John, Esq.-Townland: Coole Year: 1827-Derrykeighan-Antrim

Rowan, John, Esq.-Townland: Coole Year: 1827-Donegore -Antrim

Rowan, John, Esq.-Townland: Knockavallon Year: 1827-Derrykeighan-Antrim

Rowan, John, Esq.-Townland: Knockavallon Year: 1827-Donegore -Antrim

Rowan, Mr. Jno.-Townland: Ballywarren Year: 1833-Down-Down

Rowan, Mrs. Townland: Larne Gardens Year: 1834-Larne-Antrim

Rowan, Robert-Townland: Newhill Year: 1825-Ballymoney-Antrim

Rowan, Robert-Townland: Newhill Year: 1825-Ballymoney-Derry & Antrim

Rowan, Thomas-- Townland: Altnamighan Year: 1830-Newtownhamilton-Armagh

Rowan, Thos.-Townland: Barmeen Year: 1834-Drumgath-Down

Rowan, Widow Townland: Lisnamuck Year: 1828-Maghera-Derry

Rowan, William-Townland: Clanmaghery Year: 1828-Seapatrick-Down

Rowan, William-Townland: Loughan Year: 1834-Kildollagh-Derry

Rowan, William-Townland: Snowhill Year: 1834-Cleenish-Fermanagh

Rowan, Willm.-Townland: Demesne of Down Year: 1833-Down-Down

Rowan, Wm.-Townland: Corcreeny Year: 1834-Donacloney-Down

Rowan, Wm.-Townland: Demesne of Down Year: 1833-Down-Down

Rowan, Wm.-Townland: Drumanee Year: 1828-Ballyscullion-Antrim & Derry

Rowan, Wm.-Townland: Drumanee Year: 1828-Ballyscullion-Derry

Rowan, Wm.-Townland: Old Town Downing Year: 1828-Ballyscullion-Antrim & Derry

Rowan, Wm.-Townland: Old Town Downing Year: 1828-Ballyscullion-Derry

There was only 1 Rowan family in Tyrone in the 1901 census but they were not native to the parish. The husband was from Armagh and his wife was from England:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Castlecaulfield/Castlecaulfield/1738598/

Ballynagappogue in Co Down is in the parish of Clonduff. There are 2 Presbyterian churches there: Clonduff & Hilltown. Neither has any records before 1842.

I suspect your Rowan fmaily were from Co. Down and not Tyrone.

There were only 2 Porterfields in Northern Ireland in the tithes, one of which was in Tyrone, in Leckpatrick parish:

Porterfield, John-- Townland: Rathconwell Year: 1834-Loughgilly-Armagh

Porterfield, Wm.-T: Leck Y: 1826-Leckpatrick-Tyrone

Griffiths Valuation for 1858 lists just 2 in the county. Both were named John Porterfield. One farmed plot 8 (11 acres) in Windy Hill, parish of Donaghedy. The other farmed plot 7 (27 acres) in Cortlogher, in the parish of Urney.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml

The Cortlogher/Gortlogher family were still there in 1901:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Altaclady/Gortl…

Altogether 14 Porterfields in the 1901 census of Tyrone. (5 households). All were Presbyterian:

You could check the Presbyterian church records for those areas. (They are all near Strabane). As far as I am aware none of the 6 or 7 Presbyterian churches in the area has any records for the 1700s.

Wow! I am not sure how I missed this message from eight months ago!! I am so very grateful though and do apologize for the delay.

I will look into all of this, I do appreciate the work you did and the areas I can further research.

Marlee
Someone has John Rowan born 1760 Tyrone, Tyrone - died 1843 Pensylvania on Geni. Parents William and Sarah Ann Daniel born 1735 D1800. I have not searched for records to verify any of this.

Thanks.  I'll research that and see what I can find.  Thanks, Maxim.