Rhee Corn mill Aghadowey

[Sandel1]

Hi, I have been helping someone with geneaology (they may be a link to me by marriage) and we are seeking the history of the Orr family who ran the corn mill at Culcrow (Milltown) Aghadowey.  I find a Captain Orr at St Margarets, and we have found Shirley marrying Orr (Rhee) but we are seeking info on an Ann Orr who may have married McMullan, early 1800s and we think they connect to the mill.  As a former Aghadowey resident I am interested in the mill itself and what residence the mill owner occupied.  I used to think it was Lizard Manor but now not so sure.  In youth I heard a tale about a disparaging sign erected re the Laird of Rusky Hill, in St Guaire's graveyard and had in mind it was an Orr, but I may be wrong.

[aghadowey]

Hi, I have been helping someone with geneaology (they may be a link to me by marriage) and we are seeking the history of the Orr family who ran the corn mill at Culcrow (Milltown) Aghadowey.  I find a Captain Orr at St Margarets, and we have found Shirley marrying Orr (Rhee) but we are seeking info on an Ann Orr who may have married McMullan, early 1800s and we think they connect to the mill.  As a former Aghadowey resident I am interested in the mill itself and what residence the mill owner occupied.  I used to think it was Lizard Manor but now not so sure.  In youth I heard a tale about a disparaging sign erected re the Laird of Rusky Hill, in St Guaire's graveyard and had in mind it was an Orr, but I may be wrong.

Afraid lots of bits of information are jumbled up here. In no particular order-

In youth I heard a tale about a disparaging sign erected re the Laird of Rusky Hill, in St Guaire's graveyard and had in mind it was an Orr, but I may be wrong.
The 'Laird of Rusky Hill' was Anderson the agent for the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers. They eventually built the house known as Lizard Manor (lizards appear on their crest) as house for their agent.

I find a Captain Orr at St Margarets, and we have found Shirley marrying Orr (Rhee)
The Orr family were gentry (St. Margaret's named after daughter who died young) and family buried at St. Guaire's. The Orr/Shirley family have numerous descendant who believe they are the same family and lived in Lizard Manor before moving to Missouri. This was written in a history of the family written in the 1950s but I believe has been corrected in a recently revised version and possibly mentioned in the last few years at the annual Orr family reunion.

Will have to check Orr notes to see if I can find this Ann Orr and other files on Milltown, etc.

[aghadowey]

The corn mill at Culcrow goes back to perhaps pre-1700 and was under the local landlord the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers. From the 1954 Orr/Shirley book "Paul kept the mill on the Reafs" but it's possible that he did work there under the Company. The same book says "Capt. Orr [Paul's father] "lived in the mansion on the river Rhee." The truth is that the Orrs were tenants on a small bit of land which belonged to the Company and the Company later built the agent's house, Lizard Manor, there.

[Sandel1]

Aghadowey - thank you for all that info which makes things a lot clearer.   I will pass this on and hopefully my correspondent will join in herself as the situation unfolds.  Her ancestor Hugh McMullan was a land steward when his son Hugh married Martha McGraw of Cullycapple, whilst she was resident in Portstewart and he at Mullamore in 1870, so if the Orr family was not quite as prestigious as first thought this would be a more likely match earlier with Ann.  We are trying to tie Ann Orr into one of the Aghadowey Orrs, likewise Hugh  McMullan to the existing McMullan family of Cullycapple if there is a link.

[aghadowey]

Pretty sure that Hugh McMullan not connected to McMullans later in Cullycapple. Have seen at least one query about Hugh McMullan & Martha McGraw online which contains error and it's more than likely that 'landsteward' could be a more than slight exaggeration.

[Sandel1]

Thanks Aghadowey, I am well acquainted with McMullan's of Cullycapple, and have no knowledge of them having C of I connections, or relatives in Ballymena, which is where the latter Hugh went.  Both families featured the name William John which could have indicated connections.  My correspondent can confirm DNA with Shirley connections so we think the Orr family is valid enough. 

[aghadowey]

The corn mill at Culcrow goes back to perhaps pre-1700 and was under the local landlord the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers. From the 1954 Orr/Shirley book "Paul kept the mill on the Reafs" but it's possible that he did work there under the Company. The same book says "Capt. Orr [Paul's father] "lived in the mansion on the river Rhee." The truth is that the Orrs were tenants on a small bit of land which belonged to the Company and the Company later built the agent's house, Lizard Manor, there.

The revised family history (2015) says Paul Orr "operated a grain mill, which would probably have been on the Aghadowey or Macosquin Rivers."
This year's Orr reunion by Zoom as far as I can remember from email notification.

Thanks Aghadowey, I am well acquainted with McMullan's of Cullycapple, and have no knowledge of them having C of I connections, or relatives in Ballymena, which is where the latter Hugh went.  Both families featured the name William John which could have indicated connections.  My correspondent can confirm DNA with Shirley connections so we think the Orr family is valid enough. 

I'm a bit lost here at the moment. The other person (I'll call them X) has DNA links to Shirley family? which Shirley family (several in Aghadowey area)? the surname has just about died out in this area but there are still lots of descendants in Northern Ireland, some also in various parts of America.
If X does have Shirley connections then are you saying they can also make DNA connection to Orr descendants in America or here? or is it a McMullan link that DNA is showing?
If I knew which direction these matches are pointing then I could very well have information on the family involved.
I've got a family tree for McMullans of Cullycapple who are related to my father, details on Orr families and even more files on various Shirley families.

[Sandel1]

 Aghadowey - quote from my correspondent "that I have quite a few dna matches to Orr family.  The matches i have also have Valentine Shirley, Paul Orr, Ann Orr, a Captain Orr some Boyd family members." 
The correspondent, who I invited to Rootschat this evening states the above, and  I hope she comes forward with more info, but seems content with her Orr line. 
We have the earliest Cullycapple McMullan as born circa 1950 - Wm John.   
Thank you for your interest in this.

[aghadowey]

Hopefully she will appear 

We have the earliest Cullycapple McMullan as born circa 1950 - Wm John.
Do you mean your McMullans or mine? 1950ish quite recent and possibly went to Cullycapple School.