Daniel McCollum

I am a postgrad student at QUB studying roots tourism in Northern Ireland. As part of my dissertation I've traced my own heritage to this ancestor as the one who left Ireland and  first came to America. 

His name is Daniel McCollum and he was born in Strabane in 1760 and died in Anson, North Carolina in January 1825. I have found him in  the 1790 and 1800 census records and read a transcription of his will. He had a 1000 acre farm and bequeathed valuables to all of his 6 children. 

Problematic is the unsourced family trees that seem to cojoin 2 different Daniels both born in Ireland but one in 1760 and one in 1740 and they sometimes have different offspring. I have been looking for primary source material from people in the States on ancestry.com but have had no luck.

I understand Daniel was born during a time where there very well may be no records left of him here in Ireland. But if anyone can give me any information I'd be much obliged. I understand that there are still McCollums who live in the Strabane area- is it silly for me to think that there is a connection?

Warm Regards,

Sheila Petersen