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Protestant names began to appear in Monaghan over a period of about 50 years, from 1606 to the 1650s. As a result of the Tudor, Stewart and Cromwellian conquests of Ireland, as we know, most of the land in Ireland was taken from the native Irish and given to Protestant planters. Monaghan, however, did not have the heavily organized plantation settlement that Northern Ulster experienced. Consequently, Protestant names are fewer. The pattern of land ownership in the 1606 division of County Monaghan, for instance, divided about 60 per cent of the county between a dozen main Gaelic families (former territorial chiefs/leaders) and several hundred of their followers. The rest of the county was divided among just a few British/English planters. Some of the new landlords were men who purchased estates from the Irish chiefs and then brought in more British settlers -- such as John Burnett of Ballyleck in 1609, who bought land from County Monaghan's famous MacMahons and settled it with his choice of Ulster and British tenants. MadPat theorized correctly that: <<great chunks of land were granted to some and then poorer settlers came over to work for them.>>

The Cromwellian settlements of the early-to-mid-1600s included men who were discharged soldiers (taking land as their pay), as well as planters and followers of the new landholding gentry. So, all sorts of surnames came into County Monaghan with these ex-soldiers and civilians, not just lords' and ladies' names. Still, the 1659 census shows only 434 "English" heads of household living in the county, while 3,649 Irish families were residents of Monaghan. If your ancestors were Protestant, they aren't hard to find in that small a percentage.

There are a number of excellent books and articles describing the changes in land ownership in County Monaghan over the centuries and the arrival of specific Protestant groups, with dates, locations, estate records, surname lists, hearth money rolls, etc. Not only were there new English soldiers, planters and tenants whose names began to appear in County Monaghan records, but the Castleblayney area saw an influx of French Huguenots (one of my ancestral lines in Co. Monaghan was a French Huguenot family -- the Calvins/Colvins). Scots settlers came in at different times, as well. So you'll see several types of Protestant surnames coming into Monaghan records of the Tudor to Cromwellian time period, not just English/British. Keep that in mind as you do your research.

Recommended reading:

The History of the County of Monaghan, by Evelyn Philip Shirley (1879)
History of the County of Monaghan for 200 years: 1660 -1860, by Denis Carolan Rushe (1921)
The Monaghan Story, by Peadar Livingstone (1980)
"The Evolution of Estate Properties in South Ulster, 1600-1900," by Patrick J. Duffy in Common Ground: Essays on the Historical Geography of Ireland (1988)
Landscapes of South Ulster, by Patrick J. Duffy
County Monaghan Sources in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (1998)

Also, see the Clogher Record articles index by the Clogher Historical Society, which is on-line. Excellent society and publications. And, they offer overseas as well as UK memberships.

Annie

Thank you so much --and yes I'm sure that must be our Mona. It's too unusual a name. Now I'm looking for TWO obituaries and burial places. Poor Mona and her mother Clara. I really appreciate your finding and posting the 1931 death record.

Annie

I've seen your posts about William Hadden born (1871) in Co. Tyrone, possibly the son of a James and Mary Ann Hadden. We might have corresponded about these Haddens before, but if you already have this information, my post here may help someone else.

James Alexander HADDEN who married Mary Anne MOORE in 1870 was the son of John HADDEN of Farriter. John died 29 October 1870 at Farriter, aged 60 years. His son John Hadden Jr. was the informant on the death, and his tombstone is in Upper Clonaneese Presbyterian Church cemetery, Killeeshil parish, Co. Tyrone.

There's a James HADDEN at Farriter in the Tithe Applotments, 1829, who is very likely John's father (and so James Alexander Hadden's grandfather), but that's not proven, just a probability.

I have more on this family if anyone is descended from the Haddens of Farriter, and am always glad to share research notes.

Regards,
Annie

Not looking at my notebooks, but recalling sources, I think the 1824 survey was at the RCB library in Dublin (Representative Church Body Library, with archival holdings of the Church of Ireland). There may have been a copy at the National Archives which is also in Dublin. I've spent a lot of time at both places, and my notes aren't all typed into the computer. Aghabog Parish Church of Ireland records ARE at the RCB library, as are a number of other Co. Monaghan church records.

If you're researching Protestant Aghabog-resident ancestors, keep in mind that although the earliest registers of the Aghabog Church of Ireland haven't survived, they do have marriages 1845+ and baptisms/burials 1877/78+. Vestry minutes exist from 1814+ -- all of which might include your ancestors' names.

Killeevan parish Church of Ireland records start in 1811, and Newbliss Church of Ireland records in 1841.


Annie