Request Help Understanding -Renting House but No Land?

[Maiden Stone]

Sinann, reply #17 certainly speaks for me.
I have the family stories, to which I didn't pay a great deal of attention at the time, and overheard conversations between relatives. 19thC Irish history was one of my topics in school history lessons in England and I built on that by reading. I've learned a lot of things on RootsChat. I've discovered information and sources online which weren't widely available decades ago e.g. Irish Petty Sessions, local newspapers.
Family history is in the context of local history and the history of the country. With Irish ancestors you always have to consider Britain. If Irish people couldn't make a proper living at home, the obvious place to go was Britain. It was internal migration, not emigration. It was like a Welsh or Scottish person going to England or an English person going to Scotland. If agriculture or industry in Britain experienced a slump,   employment opportunities for Irish people were affected. They were more likely to consider emigration during those periods.
The Great Famine in 1840s affected agriculture and land tenure. Pre-Famine, plots were divided between sons. They married fairly young.  Land-holdings got smaller with each generation. Post-Famine, the practice was for one son to succeed his father; individual land-holdings were larger than before; men married later.

[Maiden Stone]

My only information on Thomas Graham is on his marriage record for 1842 he is living in Tullygony. His burial record advises he was 80 years old when he died in 1882, so 1802 would be a guess for birth. Griffiths valuation gives me a Thomas Graham renting a house only in Tullygony. When I made inquiries about birth records for the Tullygony and or Rafeenan, anything on line advises the records only start at 1822 so where you see the early 1800’s I wish I could access.

 

Age at death should be regarded as a guide only, especially if the person was old. Many Irish people of Thomas Graham's era had only a vague idea of their age. E.g. one of my ancestors claimed to be 70 on 1901 census so estimated birth year was 1830; she married in 1840 so can't have been born in 1830. Recorded age at death could be a decade out if the person was very old. At least with a woman one can estimate age based on when her children were born.
An early record was Irish Flax Growers' List aka Spinning Wheel List. Another was Tithe Applotments. Neither was as extensive as Griffith Valuation. None of my ancestors are in either of the first 2 sources.

[Ruskie]

Interesting insights Maiden Stone.

[Maiden Stone]

There are gaps in the years of the above births, however Elizabeth Martin was born around 1822’s and Thomas Graham 1801 so big age difference. Their marriage record shows witness Andrew Martin and Thomas Morrow. Can’t find connection to Morrow but Andrew Martin was Elizabeth’s fathers name.

Have you checked to see if there are gaps in baptism register?
Thomas Morrow may have been related to Mary Murragh, who, like Thomas Graham, rented a house from Patrick McArce.

[hallmark]

OK thanks, wasn't sure if I had omitted to write down Sarah and Robert's parent's names.

[Suemagoo]

Maiden Stone just like you said I have learned more about Irish history in your last message then anywhere else. In Canada we don’t learn anything about Ireland so this is exactly what I needed. I have struggled for 5 years trying to find birth, marriage, death dates, where people are buried etc. Now I am at the stage where I want to understand what life my ancestors actually led. Siann, Ruskie and Hallmark, all of you have been great offering help, suggestions and I thank you.

Maiden Stone there is a gap between the children. 3 were born in 1843(year after marriage of 1842), 1846,1849 then gap to 1857,1859 then finally 1861 and 1863. Maybe the gap Thomas was away working, but all children were born either Tullygony at the beginning or Rafeenan near the end and as previously mentioned burial records for Thomas and Elizabeth is Rafeenan.

Another interesting thing I discovered. On Thomas and Elizabeth marriage record it said Thomas Morrow was a witness. One of their sons Thomas Jr who married a Mary CARSON on 12 May 1870, their witness was a William Morrow?  Can’t figure how Morrow and Mary Murrragh who rented next to Thomas and Elizabeth could be related?

This has been so great everyone again. You all have me so excited to keep going. Was so frustrated but not anymore. Amazing people!! THANKS👍🇨🇦

[Sinann]

It may be worth looking for births in the UK.
Work was seasonal so mostly only the men went but sometimes the whole family traveled over, perhaps as the children grew the older ones got work as well.

[Ruskie]

It might be worth checking a few English censuses in case Thomas or other family members happened to be around at census time. 

[hallmark]

Plenty of work around with the Ulster Canal being built a few 100meters from them, the new railway  line from Monaghan to Armagh  being built a few 100meters from them, bridge building, roads for mail coaches, etc...