Anne Moan - Greagchasel, Galloon, Fermanagh

Hello Movick,

Unfortunately, there will not be a civil registration birth record for Anne Moan, as civil registration of births didn't commence in Ireland until 1864. Additionally, there will not be a baptism record for Anne in the Galloon Catholic Parish registers. According to the National Library of Ireland (NLI) website link, the Galloon Catholic baptisms do not begin until the year 1853, while Galloon Catholic marriages go back to 10 May 1847. See: https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0310

I did find Anne's father Owen however, in an Irish Property tax record known as Griffiths Valuation. Griffiths Valuation was enumerated in the 32 counties of Ireland between 1847 and 1864. The valuation for County Fermanagh was completed by the year 1862, which means Anne’s father was still alive as of that year.

Unlike a census, Griffiths Valuation did not enumerate individual members of a family, such as husband, wife, and children in a household residence. Those named in the valuation were individuals who leased property. Each person who paid to lease the property was called an “Occupier.” The other person listed in Griffiths Valuation was the person who owned the property, or who worked as the middleman for the owner. This person was called the “Immediate Lessor.”

You can access Griffiths Valuation transcriptions and original copies for free at the askaboutireland website link at: http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml

Beow is a transcription of the Griffiths Valuation entry for Owen Moan in the townland of Greaghcashel, Civil parish of Galloon.

No. and Letters of Reference to Map: 3 A B C
Civil Parish: Galloon
Townland: Greaghcashel
Occupier: Owen Moan
Immediate Lessor: Henry Haire
Description of Tenement: House, offices, & land
Area of Land, First Parcel: 17 Acres, 2 Roods, 20 Perches
Area of Land, Second Parcel: 15 Acres, 0 Roods, 10 Perches
Area of Land, Third Parcel: 11 Acres, 1 Rood, 0 Perches
Rateable Annual Valuation of Land, First Parcel: 1 Pounds, 15 Shillings
Rateable Annual Valuation of Land, Second Parcel: 4 Pounds, 10 Shillings
Rateable Annula Valuation of Land. Third Parcel: 4 Pounds, 10 Shillings
Rateable Annual Valuation of Buildings: 1 Pound, 5 Shillings
Total Annual Valuation of Rateable Property: 12 Pounds

Source Information: askaboutireland: http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml
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Griffiths Valuation shows that Owen Moan leased three parcels of land plus a house, and offices, from an Immediate Lessor named Henry Haire. The first parcel of land was over 17 acres and valued at 1 Pound, 15 Shillings. The second parcel of land was over 15 acres and valued at 4 Pounds, 10 Shillings. The third parcel of land was over 11 acres and also valued at 4 Pounds, 10 Shillings. The house and offices were valued at 1 Pound, 5 Shillings. The total value of Owen Moan’s lease was 12 Pounds. He would have paid a percentage of this value toward the property tax. If the value of the property had been under 5 Pounds, the owner of the property would have been responsible for the payment of the tax.

An “office” in a Griffiths Valuation record could refer to any outbuildings on the property. These outbuildings may include a barn, stable, blacksmith shop, piggery, etc.

The map number designation you see at the top of the valuation record (3 A B C) refers to the location of Owen’s lease in Greaghcashel on an Ordnance Survey Map from the time period. This map can be accessed from the Griffiths Valuation index for Owen Moan at the Ask About Ireland website. But, townlands on the maps from the website can be a challenge to locate. I still haven’t found a way to attach or link these maps from the Ask About Ireland website. But I did find Greaghcashel on another Ordnance Survey Map produced between 1829 and 1841. This map is available from the Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) website, which you can view at: http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V2,642252,833592,10,7

Griffiths Valuation also shows several other members of the Moan Occupiers leasing property in Greaghcashel. These include John Moan, Mary Moan, Bernard Moan, Patrick Moan, and Edward Moan. One of these Occupiers could have been Owen’s father, or his uncle, or his cousins.

To see another map of Greaghcashel and its relation to Lisnaskea in County Fermanagh, go to the townlands.ie link at: https://www.townlands.ie/fermanagh/clankelly/galloon/greaghcashel/

On the map Greaghcashel is highlighted in blue and is located just to the right of Lisnaskea.

Next I found information about the death of Owen “Mowen,” at the FamilySearch/Latter Day Saints (LDS) website. Owen was recorded in a record called, “Ireland Calendar of Wills and Administrations.” This record, shows that Owen, a farmer, died in “Greaheshal,” County Fermanagh, on 27 December 1877. Greaheshal is an alternate spelling, or perhaps a misspelling of Greaghcashel. The will was proved at Armagh by Peter Cosgrove of Greaheshal. Peter was a farmer and one of the executors of the will. You can view a copy of the original Ireland Calendar of Wills and Administrations at the LDS link at: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9TM1-QC9?i=271&cc=1921…

Peter Cosgrove may have been a close friend or possibly related to Owen Moan. He would have been Owen’s neighbor as he is enumerated in Griffiths Valuation just after Owen, at Map Reference 4 in Greaghcashel, where he rented a house, offices and over 31 acres of land from Henry Haire. See the Griffiths Valuation transcription for Peter Cosgrove below:

No. and Letters of Reference to Map: 4
Civil Parish: Galloon
Townland: Greaghcashel
Occupier: Peter Cosgrove
Immediate Lessor: Henry Haire
Description of Tenement: House, offices, & land
Area of Land: 31 Acres, 2 Roods, 10 Perches
Rateable Annual Valuation of Land: 5 Pounds, 15 Shillings
Rateable Annual Valuation of Buildings: 1 Pound
Total Annual Valuation of Rateable Property: 6 Pounds, 15 Shillings

Source Information: askaboutireland: http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml
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With Kind Regards,

Dave Boylan

Wow! Thank you so much for all your work Dave! This information is very helpful.  I am curious, is it possible that John Moan was a brother to Owen? You only mentioned Uncle or Father - do you have information that would exclude a brother relationship?  I have been tracking down my Great Grandmother Susan (Moan/Mowen) born circa 1856.  I have had no success on finding any documentation other than U.S. records.  I believe that Susan is the daughter of John and Rose Moan, they had three two sons and a daughter that I can document - Michael (1865) John (1868) and Elizabeth (1868).  All came to the U.S.

Again, thank you so much! I really appreciate all the information!

Maureen McGowan Vick

Thanks Dave for the very comprehensive reply!  Jane 

Hello Maureen and Jane,

Many thanks for your replies.

It is entirely possible that John was Owen’s brother, but there is no way to prove the relationship through Griffiths Valuation. Also, the Galloon Catholic Parish registers do not go back far enough in time to see if Owen and John and the other Moan Occupiers in Griffiths Valuation had the same parents or not.

As noted in the previous reply the Galloon Catholic baptism registers go back to the year 1853. Your information shows that your great grandmother Susan Moan/Mowen was born in 1856, and that you believe that her parents were John and Rose Moan.

With this information I looked for a baptism record for a Susan Mohan in the Galloon Catholic registers at the National Library of Ireland website, and did find a Susannam “Mohn.” Susannam is the Latin for Susan or Susana. But, Susan’s parents are shown to be Robert Moan and Maria, with no maiden name given for Maria. Susan was baptized on October 14, 1856.

The sponsors, or godparents are Bernardus (Bernard) and Catharina McElroy.

The baptism record for Susannam Mohn is the 3rd entry up from the bottom of the right-hand baptism register page at: https://registers.nli.ie//registers/vtls000632868#page/12/mode/1up

Portions of the baptism are in Latin, and so I’ve transcribed the baptism record below, as much as I could understand it:

Oct. 14: Bp Susannam Mohn filiam et Roberti et Maria. Sponsores Bernardus et Catharina McElroy.

Source Information: National Library of Ireland
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The Latin “filiam” means child or daughter of. Sponsores is the Latin for Sponsors, or Godparents.

I also found the Galloon baptism records for two more children or Robert and Maria. These baptisms are for Ann and Joannem (John). First the baptism record for Ann, whose name in the baptism is recorded in the Latin as Annam. Her last name is spelled Moan. Ann was baptized in Galloon on 12 January 1854. Her parents are Roberti and Maria. One of the sponsors appears to be Hugo Keenan. The other sponsor is Maria Haran. The priest who baptized Ann was H. Ward. Ann’s baptism record is the 6th entry down from the top of the right-hand baptism register page at: https://registers.nli.ie//registers/vtls000632868#page/5/mode/1up

Next is the baptism record for John “Mohn.” He was baptized in the Galloon Catholic Parish on 24 November 1858. His parents are recorded as Roberti and Maria Mohn. The sponsors are Jacobus (James) and Maria Haran. The baptism entry for John is very faded but still readable. John’s baptism record is the 1st entry at the top of the left-hand baptism register page at:
https://registers.nli.ie//registers/vtls000632868#page/16/mode/1up

Maureen, do think the Susannam Mohn in the 1856 baptism record could be your great grandmother, even though her parents are Robert and Maria, rather than John and Rose?

I then looked for the marriage of a Robert Moan/Mohn/Moen, etc and a Maria in the Gallonn Catholic Parish, but didn’t find it.

The next search involved looking for the marriage of a John and Rose Moan in the Galloon Catholic Parish. You wrote that you believe that Susan was the daughter of John and Rose Moan. I didn’t find a marriage record for the couple anywhere in County Fermanagh, but did uncover the 1854 church marriage record for a John Moan and a Rose Woods in the Catholic Parish of Derrynoose, County Armagh. But I don’t think this is the couple you’re looking for, as I found the civil birth record for a Michael Moan at the irishgenealogy.ie website, which shows he was born in “Greyheshel,” that is, Greaghcashel, Fermanagh, on 22 December 1865. His parents are John Moan a farmer of Greyheshel, and Rose Moan, formerly McAloon. John Moan reported the birth to the local registrar, whose name appears to be William James Sandels, and who recorded Michael’s birth in the Lisnaskea Registration District on 30 December 1865. Michael’s birth record is attached to this reply.

I didn’t find the birth records for John or Elizabeth Moan at the irishgenealogy.ie website, nor did I uncover their baptism records anywhere in Ireland. Of course it’s always possible that I missed uncovering the birth and baptism records for John and Elizabeth. Do your records show that they were born in Ireland?

Sorry I couldn’t find more information Maureen.

Best Wishes,

Dave

Hi Dave - Please accept my apology for the late reply.  I have just seen your additional hard work! Again, thank you so much for all your assistance. 

Unfortunately, all information I have for the Moan/Mowen family is limited. I do have a copy of Susan Mowen McGowan's death certificate, which states her mother was Mary McAloon.  Since Susan was a brick wall, I completed inferential genealogy, searching her brother, which  I concluded was Michael Mowen (Moan) (he came to the U.S. and was living with my Great-Grandparents).  As more documentation came on line, I was able to confirm that John and Elizabeth were siblings, as their death certificates confirmed the same parents, John Moan and Rose McAloon.

I recently found what I believe is John Moan (Rose's husband) death certificate  attached.

Thank you

Maureen

No apology necessary Maureen. I really appreciate the update and your sending the attachment of John Moan's civil death record. Best wishes with your research.

Dave