Colhouns of Donegal

[Gilby]

That’s possible, but I think the way the 1762 deed is worded, it was William who was giving lands to his brother Owens and father-in-law Tristram Cary to hold in trust for his wife.  I need to take a better look at the Carys at some point.

[Gilby]

This is one that might become relevant…

Book 464 / Page 93 / Number 293405
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSJW-6J9K?i=52&cat=185720
Memorial of articles of agreement dated 4th Jul 1792 between John Law of Banagher, Co Londonderry of the 1st; Isabella Kinnier otherwise Rankin, widow, of the 2nd; and Thomas Colhoun of the City of Dublin of the 3rd part.  John Law granted to Thomas Colhoun lands in Rosguire, Co Donegal then in the possession of James Kernahan and Andrew Kernahan, to hold in trust [for Isabella??].  Witnessed by Rev William Rankin of Warrington, Co Down, and Samuel Colhoun.  Oath by Samuel Colhoun aged 20 years and upwards.

[Gortinanima]

I know I'm getting a bit carried away but I made a few more notes which I'll post before I forget about them...

This is the John who was son of John Colhoun the agent who died in 1755.  I think he may be the one who was married to Jane Rankin, daughter of the Rev. Samuel Rankin (d. 1756).

Wonderful research on the Colhouns -- I can confirm that John Colhoun (son of John Colhoun, senior, the Agent for the Abercorns) was indeed married to a daughter of the Rev Samuel Rankin.

The Rev Samuel Rankin (c1686-1756)
Samuel Rankin of Corncamon (Taughboyne), Co Donegal Clk will dated 3 Jan 1756 proved 27 March 1756
Wife Jane Rankin orse Baird.
Daughters – Catherine, Isabella, Jane, Mary
Sons Samuel, John, William and eldest son Thomas
Son in law – John Colhoun
[Betham Will extracts]
Note: The Rev Samuel Rankin married Jane Baird. She was the daughter of Thomas Baird. In his will Thomas Baird left his land of upper Cloghogal equally to his daughter Jane Rankin and Tristram Cary of Tonagh. The Rev Rankin‘s eldest son Thomas Rankin took possession of Upper Cloghogle. He and Tristram Cary held them in common and divided the lands from the high road to the top of the mountain. [D623/A/37/4].

[lmgnz]

Thank you for the confirmation that John Colhoun of Corncammon married Jane Rankin. The Betham Will extracts are very useful in confirming relationships in the 1700s that  it would otherwise be very difficult to prove. I have now been sent several from relatives who have (until recently) had access to PRONI. Though I have seen a few omssions and possible errors.


I think the July 1796 extract I was sent for John Colhoun gent of Corncammon was a Betham Will extract. Though Orval Calhoun and others have interpreted this as being for John who married Jane Rankin, I think it was for John presumed son of  John (Jack) Colhoun and Jane Rankin.

The extract lists John Fivey Colhoun as son and a Mary Colhoun as widow and relict. It is clear from newspaper articles (Belfast Newsletter 1 January 1799 and a couple later) that John Fivey Colhoun was a minor and Elizabeth Colhoun was the widow, which agrees with the 1787 marriage settlement between John Colhoun surgeon and apothecary of Londonderry and Elizabeth Fivey. The same article mentions an annuity for a very old grandmother of John Fivey Colhoun, who may in fact be Jane nee Rankin.

John Colhoun husband of Jane purchased a farm in Momeen in 1771 and had died by 18776 when his widow (Jane) sold the property.

D623/A/39/116
John Colhoun, Corncamon, to [Earl of Abercorn] (20th Apr 1771)
I have this day purchased James Doyle's farm of Momeen, and nothing is wanting to confirm it but your Lordship's approbation. I have a large family and would be very fond to secure some settlement for some of them. It is nigh Raphoe where there is a good school to have my boys instructed, and I am convinced from your Lordship's regard for my father, of your Lordship's concurrance in this, but I thought my duty not to make any bargain of any lease in your Lordship's land without first consulting your Lordship and getting your Lordship's consent, and I expect your Lordship will condescend as to lett me know if you approve of it.


D623/A/43/19
James Hamilton, Strabane, to [Earl of Abercorn].  (19th May 1776)
On the 8th of this month Mr John Colhown's widow sold her farm in Momeen; Nathaniel Rogers of Woodland who wanted but the quarter of it was the purchaser; he had before he bid for it agreed with a man who was to have had three quarters of it; that man has given it up, Rogers fearing to lose 15 guineas he gave in earnest, and desirous of getting the quarter, agreed with Adam Starrat for the three quarters, at a considerable loss to himself.


I have yet to fully document the family of John Colhoun and Jane Rankin but have this week been sent a list of possible sources of male descendants in this line who a member of the Calhoun FTDNA project  is hoping will lead to a y DNA donor who could help establish whether this line does (or as we suspect does not) belong to the Crosh house line of Colhouns.

Orval Calhoun has John Colhoun died 1755 (agent of Abercorn) as a son of Alexander Colhoun of Crosh house but I think he is more likely to have been the son of John Colhoun and Mary Owens.

The Betham Will extract for John's 1732 Will does not list his son William who married Mary/Catherine/ Isabella Cary daughter of Tristram. The Betham extract for Tristram Cary's 1780 will only lists a daughter Mary Colhoun and son in law William Colhoun.

Because my grandmothers oldest sister was named Catherine Colhoun Dougherty I think I am going to opt for William's wife to be named Catherine Mary Cary.

Cheers

Linda

[lmgnz]

To clarify previous post. The Betham Will exttract for Tristram cary onlu mentions one daughter, but it does mention sons George, Thomas and Tristram.

Also is is the newspaper article of i jan 1799 than mentions a 20 pound annuity for the grandmother of John Fivey Colhoun. The article was related to a Dec 1798 chancery claim made by the Gallagher family. Mary Gallagher, widow of William was listed on the Betham extract of the 1796 will of John Colhoun, as having an interest. Which would appear to be related to the deed below. The 20 pound annuity is probably the same as mentioned in the newspaper article as belonging to John Fivey Colhouns grandmother (mother of John who is making the deed) who was probably Jane nee Rankin.


Book 396 / Page 162 / Number 260736
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSJW-5PWF?i=90&cat=185720
Memorial of a mortgage dated May 1787 between John Colhown [Colhoun] of Corncammon, Co Donegal, gent, on the 1st part; William Gallagher of Ruskey, Co Donegal, farmer, on the second.  Whereby John Colhoun granted to Gallagher the moiety of Corncammon as theretofore was in the occupation of John Colhoun deceased and his undertenants, and now of the said John Colhoun.  The moiety being the north side of the townland of Corncammon, Barony of Raphoe, Co Donegal.  William Gallagher to hold with all rights, subject to an annuity of £20/pa, plus a clause of redemption upon payment of a certain sum.  Deed and memorial witnessed by Peter McDonagh, not. pub., and Peter McDonagh junior, both of the City of Londonderry.

[Gilby]

Gortinanima,

Thanks.  I hadn’t twigged before that Tristram Cary and Samuel Rankin were married to two Baird sisters.  That could explain how the Carys and Colhouns were already kin before 1755.

Amy Young in Three Hundred Years in Innishowen states:
Tristram [Cary], born 1713, died 1781; buried in St. Johnstone, near Derry.  Married three times: first, Miss Baird; second, Eliza, daughter of ____ Wensley, widow of William Chambers; third, ____, widow of ____ Woods.  He had no issue by the last two wives.  By his first wife he had six sons and two daughters, Catherine and Mary (dsp 1756).

[As Linda mentioned, the Catherine/Mary Cary thing is a bit of a mystery.  Catherine Cary married William Colhoun in 1762, but Betham’s abstract of Tristram Cary’s will has daughter “Mary Colhowne”.  Then Amy Young says both Catherine and Mary died without issue before 1756…?]

In the family tree in Three Hundred Years in Innishowen, Miss Baird is shown as the daughter of a “Lt. Baird”.  So Lieutenant Thomas Baird?  Do you know when he died?

Could he be the same Thomas Baird of St. Johnstown named as executor in the will of Patrick Buchanan of Dundee, Taughboyne parish (1720 - Crossle extract)?

A son Thomas is mentioned in the will of Robert Baird (1713) of St. Johnston:
https://irishdeedsindex.net/mem.php?memorial=5237

Gilby

[lmgnz]

Just to update on progress in the family of Andrew Colhoun of Corncammon.

Firstly there is still a generation gap between Andrew Colhoun of Corncammon who died 1865 and the family of John Colhoun, agent to Lord Abercorn who died 1755. yDNA from a direct male line descendant of Andrew Colhoun could potentially bridge that gap.

Next this is my current list of Andrew's family;

Family of Andrew Colhoun and Ann of Corncammmon aka Corncamble

1 Samuel Colhoun   b 1811      d 1900 Canada    m to Sarah Mitchell pre 1845
2 John Colhoun    b  1817   d 1906, m 1851 to Margaret Moore Doherty
3 Thomas Colhoun   b c1819 (guess)
4 William Colhoun   b c1820         m (1)Elizabeth Roulston   m(2) Martha Hughes
5 Ann Colhoun      b         ?m pre 1845 John Anderson
6 Andrew Colhoun   b c1823      d 1881 m1863 to Catherine Sheilds
7 Jane Colhoun      b c1826         m 1846 to David Rutherford
8 Isabella         ? m pre 1845    d <1881   
Hugh  (alive in 1881)

Ann and Isabella could potentially have been born between 1811 and 1817.

Further notes:
1 Samuel lived in Tullyannan and most of his children were baptised at Monreagh Presbyterian Church. Samuel aged 63, Sarah 60 and daughters Sarah aged 23 and Elizabeth aged 19  arrived in Canada on the Polynesian on 26 May 1874. Samuel said he was a farmer. Other children appear to have travelled to Canada on different dates (John, Ann, Margaret, Samuel and Mary Jane).

2 John Colhoun of Corncammon, son of Andrew, married Margaret Moore Doherty in 1851 at Monreagh Presbyterian Church. I have only identified 3 people in this family so far with a large gap between marriage and the first known child Elizabeth and between her and her two brothers. I do not know where the oldest, Elizabeth Ann born c 1859 was born but she was living with her parents at Ballyargus when she married John Loughead of Drung in 1883. Both her brothers, Archy Andrew Colhoun born 1869 and John Colhoun born 1870 were born at Drung. Archy emigrated to the USA.
Both John and his wife Margaret (plus son JOhn) were in Ballyargus in 1901. Margaret died 1902 and John in 1906.

3 Thomas Colhoun. not found.

4 William Colhoun of Corncammon probably married Elizabeth Roulston pre 1845. Children, Andrew b1846, Joseph b1849, Isabella b1852 (died 1869) and William baptised 1854 at Monreagh. Elizabeth must have died shortly after this last birth as William Colhoun of Corncammon, widower, son of Andrew,  married Martha Hughes ion 28 Feb 1856 at Monreagh.

5 Ann married pre 1845. Jane Anderson, a daughter of Ann Colhoun and John Anderson was baptised at Monreagh  but after that I have no records for this family. However an Ancestry tree shows another daughter Margaret born 1849.

6 Andrew Colhoun born c 1824 was the subject of my original 2011 post. Andrew married my 2x gt grand Aunt Catherine Shields in 1863. They had no children so their Wills (1881 and 1894 respectively) have lots of family information.

7 Jane Colhoun b c1826 was a minor (age not given) when she married David Rutherford in 1846 at Monreagh. Their son Henry moved in with Catherine, widow of Andrew after he died, and inherited the Bishop St Londonderry business in1894 when Catherine died. Large family of 10 which I will not list.

8 Isabella. Isabella could have been the oldest daughter and named after a grandmother. From her brother Andrew's Will is appears she married and had children and died pre 1881 but married name and death have not been found.

9 Hugh. Not found. Probably did not marry.

Cheers

Linda

[hotelmedicis]

Hello Linda,

This is a fascinating thread full of wonderful information. I have been researching the Colhouns in Donegal but not the same ones that you have mentioned. The Colhouns that I'm interested in lived in the township of Carnone (AKA Carnowen), Donaghmore, County Donegal (and specifically the sub-township of Brockstown). It's about halfway from Castlefinn to Convoy and not far from Strabane. My great-grandfather was Charles Colhoun (1848 - 1925) and his father was Alexander Colhoun (Abt. 1793 to 1878). I have done extensive genealogical research post-1850 but unfortunately there is very little available for the beginning of the 19th century or the 18th century. I have found Colhoun names in Carnone in the 1826 Tithe Tax Applotment Books (Robert, Joseph, Charles and Edward) as well as the 1796 Flax Growers list (William, Robert and Edward) and finally the 1768 Freeholders list (Edward, William and Charles) but that's about it. Other than doing research on site at PRONI in the Presbyterian church records, would you have any other suggestions? I've done all the general searches on Ancestry and FamilySearch and although they have both been very helpful I feel as if I have exhausted all my resources.

Many thanks in advance for any ideas you may have. Your FamilySearch links to the deeds of the Colhouns is fascinating but I have not found a way to search those deeds on FamilySearch.

All the best,

Daniel

[Kiltaglassan]

Welcome to RootsChat 

The Colhouns that I'm interested in lived in the township of Carnone (AKA Carnowen), Donaghmore, County Donegal (and specifically the sub-township of Brockstown). It's about halfway from Castlefinn to Convoy and not far from Strabane.

Here's the townland of Carnowen.
https://www.townlands.ie/donegal/raphoe-south/donaghmore/castlefinn/carnowen/

KG

Edited to add:
Brock's Town Lower
https://www.townlands.ie/donegal/raphoe-south/donaghmore/castlefinn/carnowen/brocks-town-lower/
Brock's Town Upper
https://www.townlands.ie/donegal/raphoe-south/donaghmore/castlefinn/carnowen/brocks-town-upper/