Re: 1660 names

[Lunney Family <jglunney@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Richard, jeepers! what a lot of work! Could you find somewhere more
public to upload all of these names? What aboutthe Rootsweb Derry queries
list? So much work should be useful to many people interested in the early
Derry families; it would be useful for comparisons between earlier and
later periods and between areas. I could imagine being able to identify
population trends by the names; I mean, I could have a guess at the
Scots and English and Irish settlers, and it might be very instructive
to compare the areas of strength. I would guess that the Ironmongers
might have more natives than the Mercers, based on presentday
distribution and on land qualities, but someone more expert could get a
lot out of your tabulation. I will send you a copy of a modern listing
of the Hearthmoney Rolls; I have a good part of Derry. If you could sort
out which parishes were in which estate, you could add in the 1660s
distribution too.

I will  type out Anne Torrens'Exchequer Bill; my notes are in pencil.
PRONI T748 p.146  this is I think a transcript made by Crossle
Exchequer Bill Anne Torrens widow James Torrens executor of Alexander T.
and Alexander T.
Plaintiff Anne T. widow of Alexander T. late of Mullahinch, co. derry,
farmer, dec'd, sheweth
That said ALexander T.being possessed of a valuable leasehold interest in
his farm of Mullahinch and of effects to a considerable amount in value
died in 1771 having made his will dated 31 Dec 1770 whereby he bequeathed
to deponent Anne his wife £80 to be paid her by his two sons James and
Alexander, to be by them paid at the rate of £10 a year till all was paid,
did also bequeath 12 guineas t pay for his funeral, also to dep. her bed,
chest and chest of drawers, and at dep.'s death to leave the chest of
drawers to his son Alexander, to his eldest son James £40 and his clothes
and to his youngest son Alexander all his goods, horses, cows, and
household furniture, save one cow to his son James, and he appointed said
James T. his son sole executor in the diocese of Derry, and who possessed
himself of all the  effects and ALexander the younger son possessed himself
not only of the goods left him but also continued in possession of the farm
and never paid the £40 he was desired by said will to pay to Dep.

That James T. not only paid dep. 12 guineas to pay for the funeral but did
also pay dep. the £40 his part to discharge the £80 so bequeathed to dep.
and did also paythe other legatees named in the will. That dep. repeatedly
applied to Alexander T. to pay her the £40 as he was directed by the will
which he was well able to do, being in receipt of the profits of the farm,
but he absolutely refused to do so, and referred dep. to James T. executor.

That dep. therefore applied to James T. for the £40 but he also refuses to
pay same, alleging that Alexander is well able to pay it.

That dep. is become very old and infirm and for want of provision in asmuch
as neither Alexander nor James will pay her the £40 which remains due in
part of the legacy of £80, with the interest thereof.
Prays that writs may be granted vs James T. as executor of Alexander
T.dec.d and vs Alexander T. to answer in these premises.

25 November 1780

So! They could be her own sons, reneging on will provisions, particularly
since it seems that she was aged; a second wife would  likely have been
younger than her man, and possibly only middleaged at his death; but I
don't know if matters would have got to that head, particularly since two
sons were refusing to pay upkeep.I could imagine that one son could have
been estranged from his mother, and the other would have been in her good
books, but two brothers together against a mother seems uncharacteristic.
Unless things were different then than now, I think the country wouldn't
have let two sons neglect duties to an aged mother; there would have been
community pressure.This would have been much less the case for a
stepmother.  If she was a second wife, and in old age by 1780, ten years
after Alexander died, then it looks as if Alexander could have been very
aged at his death.And he seems to have been Aghadowey treasurer for many
years also.  Say born 1690?   The other question it raises; it seems from
this as if the farm was not divided between James and Alexander; there are
two T. households in Mullahinch in the 1821 census. Is Elizabeth aged 62 in
a house in Mullahinch apparently landless the widow of Alexander? Living in
a cottage which had originally been Anne's? How did or where did James T.
make a living thereafter? He seems to have been in good circumstances.I
suppose he might have got a farm with his wife whoever she was.  Are there
any Jameses knocking about apparently unconnected to anyone else? He was
probably dead by 1821, unfortunately, since he might have been born even
before say 1740. Presumably Alexander in Mullahinch was son of Alexander;
was Elizabeth his mother, or the wife of his uncle James? There was a James
T. a linen buyer....He can't be either of the labourer James T.s in the
1821 census; they are too young.

Yes, the garden is off my conscience until spring; some time for this stuff
for a month or two! All good wishes Linde