Nixon family Ireland-Philadelphia

[BallyaltikilliganG]

in case you dont know
1833-4  Tithes Applotment book has not survived further new work on tyrone see https://www.cotyroneireland.com/tithe/donagheadytithe.html a partial list has been discovered but no Nixon recorded
1858  Griffiths Valuation has
Nixon   Andrew   Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone map ref 1d
Nixon   Andrew, Jr.   Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone map ref 6a
Nixon   Andrew, Sr.   Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone map ref 6b
Nixon   James      Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone map ref 1c
Nixon   James   Jas   Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone map ref 1e
Nixon   James, Jr.   Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone map ref 4-b
Nixon   James, Sr.   Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone map ref 4c
Nixon   Robert      Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone map ref 1a
Nixon   Sarah      Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone map ref 1g
a lot moreinformation exists each persons building valuation and size of land used.  Those in map ref 1 must have had very difficult land. if you look up each plot you can also see the house with fences and boundaries for each tenant. the main landlord is Marguis of Abercorn [the Hamilton family. Anndre junior is subleasing 4c to his father. you can then relate to from map of about the date to satellite and ofrten the same blg site is still in use today. I was a bit surprised not to find John Nixon    however the valuation books continued
and kept online at PRONI examples
Castlewarren   -   Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone   1860   1863
Castlewarren   -   Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone   1864   1880
Castlewarren   -   Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone   1881   1881
Castlewarren   -   Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone   1882   1893
Castlewarren   -   Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone   1894   1907
Castlewarren   -   Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone   1908   1921
Castlewarren   -   Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone   1921   1924
Castlewarren   -   Castlewarren   Donaghedy   Tyrone   1923   1929
you will be glued for hours no quick way to find relatives unless they existed in 1901 census here are the over 41 ie b before 1860

Nixon   Bessie   60 Irish Church   Wife   Married
Nixon   David   44 Farmer and Grocer Church of Ireland   Head of Family   married
Nixon   Margaret 45    Church of Ireland   Wife   Married
Nixon   Nancy   50 General Servant-Domestic Church of Ireland   Servant Not married
Nixon   Samuel 52   Retired Farmer Church of Ireland Brother in Law   Not Married
Nixon   William 45   Farmer Church of Ireland Head of Family   Married
Nixon   William 55   Farmer Irish Church   Head of Family   Married
Nixon   William James46   Farmer   Irish Church   Head of Family   Married


https://cotyroneireland.com/sphider/search.php?query=nixon+castlewarren&type=and&results=50&search=1 has Nixon in Castlewarren entries this is an excellent website
example a oneliner produced this
John Nixon Castlewarren 1835 will destroyed
Thomas Nixon Castlewarren 1740 will destroyed
so the family was there in 1740  nearly 300 years worth searching further

[joanscottallen]

Hello fellow researcher -

A most interesting reply.  Thank you.

I am a direct descendant of Andrew Nixon (jnr).  Note that he was the cousin of Andrew Nixon (snr).  Their fathers were brothers, Andrew (jnr) was son of John and Andrew (snr) was son of Robert. 

There are maps of the Castlewarren properties dated 1777 and 1809, unfortunately not online but can be viewed at PRONI in Belfast.  The 1777 map has an Andrew Nixon as tenant of what became Holding 6. This Andrew would have been my 4x great grandfather.  The 1809 map has this holding divided in two, tenants were John and Robert, the sons of the original Andrew, so this John is my 3x great grandfather.  I believe John died around 1835.  By the time of Griffith's Valuation Robert had died.  The  sons of John and Robert are listed as the tenants of their respective holdings in Griffith's.

Kylie, who started this thread, is a direct descendant of Mary Jane Nixon, whose father was John Nixon, whose father was James Nixon (jnr) tenant of 4b.  I believe his James(jnr) was son of James (snr).

As you note the farms in Griffith's map ref. 1 must have been challenging.  There had been subdivision since 1777, the land is poor.  But, by 1920 century most of these particular  Nixons had moved away or emigrated, neighbouring farmers took over the farms. 

My grandfather, William Blackburn Nixon (a grandson of Andrew (jnr) became owner of holdings 4 and 6 (during period 1913 to 1940)  which are still in the family to this day. 



Kind regards,
Joan Allen.

[Kiltaglassan]

For information-
Castlewarren townland in Donaghedy Civil Parish.

https://www.townlands.ie/tyrone/strabane-lower/donaghedy/castlewarren/

KG