Watt Family Donaghmore Parish, County Tryone

You haven’t said what precise denomination your Watt family was. From the information you have provided, I would guess either Presbyterian or Church of Ireland. The Church of Ireland in Donaghmore has records from 1758 onwards; the Presbyterian church in Carland has records from 1759 (with gaps) and Castlecaulfield Presb church has baptisms from 1855 and marriages from 1834. There are copies of those records in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. You may be able to verify or extend your information from that. A personal visit is required to search them.

If you are able to trace your family to a specific townland, perhaps from church records, I may be able to help you search a bit further.

If any of the Watt family remained in Donaghmore and were farmers then you would expect them to be listed in the tithe applotment records. There’s just one Watt in the 1826 records for Donaghmore. He was a James Watt and farmed in Tullyarran:

https://cotyroneireland.com/tithe/donaghmore.html

Something to bear in mind if you can link your family to that townland.  In Griffiths Valuation for 1860 there were 3 Watt households (likely connected as they were beside each other).  Mary, Jane & James. The 2 ladies were probably widows.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=nameSearch

One Watt farming there in the 1901 census. He was Presbyterian.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Crossdernot/Tullyaran/1735685/

I agree that your ancestors may well have originated in Scotland. The surname, location and likely denomination all point to them arriving in the 1600s as part of the Plantation.

Can’t help you with your clans. It’s not something that most folk in Ireland take much interest in. And most of the Scots settlers who came to Ireland came from Lowland Scotland where the clan system didn’t prevail to the same extent as in the Highlands.

Watch out with tartans. Most of the more modern tartans are Victorian inventions created for wealthy visitors. Queen Victoria acquired Balmoral Castle and suddenly Scotland became very fashionable for wealthy English visitors. They liked to dress up in “traditional style” and there was a commensurate growth in tartans and highland paraphernalia. The Scots did wear plaid but I don’t think there were really many genuine tartans in the old days. At the battle of Culloden (1746) the various clans used crests for identification. Clearly if they wore tartan at all, it didn’t identify them. If you are interested in the background, a good read is Hugh Trevor-Roper’s book: “The invention of Scotland” especially the chapter entitled “The sartorial myth.” It was apparently an Englishman named Rawlinson who invented the modern kilt because his Scots workers were having difficulty felling timber in their plaid, which was too cumbersome.

Finally, Sally is a common diminutive for Sarah, both in Ireland and in Scotland

Thank you.  I believe that the Watts were Church of Scotland - Presbyterian.  The earliest Watt from Donaghmore I've identified was Hugh Watt 1744-?  I presume he died in either County Tyrone or Heathfield, Ayrshire, Scotland, where his son William (1778-1819) died.  William was also born in Donaghmore.  William's son Henry (1804-1853) was born in Donaghmore but emigrated to Canada.  As I mentioned earlier, the family has been in Canada and the U.S. ever since my great grandfather Henry Watt left Port Daniel, PQ for Maine in the 1880s.

I'm not at all surprised by the information about tartans.  

Ireland research has always been a challenge to me, especially as most of my Irish ancestors were Catholic and came to the United States or Canada around the time of the Famine.  I have, however, located Corrs in County Meath; Riellys in County Cavan;  McDevitts in County Clare; Colliers, Allens, Hughes and Kennedys in County Tipperary.  DNA testing and the connections it opens has been a godsend.  

Rob Jackson 

Hi Rob,

I'm related to Henry Watt's wife - Sarah/Sally Hamilton. She was the aunt of my greatgrandmother, Mary Ann Hamilton [later McIvor], of Altmore, Pomeroy, Co. Tyrone. We can compare what we have on the Watts and I have a few generations on Sarah's side. I can offer some help in a few days as I'm personally bogged down with a few things.

In the meantime, may I suggest if you're on Facebook to follow the page  "The Watts - Descendents of Henry & Margaret Watt"? But perhaps you already know about it. I realize you posted in July of 2019 and you might already have the info you want.

Cheers,

Sheila Heinrich, nee McIver,

in Canada

Hi Sheila,    

Thanks for contacting me.  And "yes," I'd like to share information the Watts and the Hamiltons.  I did find a copy of a drawing/portrait of Sally Hamilton, which I did find exciting.  

The Facebook page you mention is mine.  I started it a few years ago to share information about the Watts and the Allens (my great grandparents) and any other connections to their ancestors and relatives.  I don't post as often as I'd like as I'm still working as a lawyer in the Washington, D.C. area.  I grew up in the Twin Cities, worked in Omaha and Des Moines.  I've been in Washington since the mid-1980s.  My wife, Jean, who is a retired lawyer, and I have two grown children.  

Best regards,
Your Cousin Rob