Thomas McCROSSAN in Napoleonic Wars

[Aussie33]

My 3 X great grandfather Thomas McCROSSAN was born c 1791 in (probably) Castlederg,Co Tyrone,Ireland. From newspaper in 1846 Bankruptcy & Insolvency-“Thomas McCROSSAN,Late of Dartans,previously of Kilcroagh & formerly of Cardreen,Co Tyrone & of HIGH STREET,GLASGOW; Pensioner & Weaver”. He was living at High Street,Glasgow in 1841 Scotland census with his 2nd wife Sarah,nee McCRUDDEN & family.
Thomas was in 28th Regiment of Foot & he served in the Napoleonic Wars. He died 4 Sep 1847 (but dont know where)

My question is- as an Army Pensioner , would he have received a little money even if he emigrated to Pennsylvannia,USA? There is a suggestion that he went there but nothing concrete. Are there any other Records available (other than those below) which may help me?

According to -https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10355045
WO 121/212/223 THOMAS MCCROSSAN alias THOMAS MCCROSSIN.Born URNEY, Tyrone.
Served in 28th Foot Regiment; 8th Royal Veteran Battalion; 2nd Royal Veteran Battalion.
Discharged aged 38 after 13 years 9 months of service.
Residence or place where pension paid stated in document.
See film image 461. (This record should be on Findmypast- but cant access it)

Just adding other transcription info below-
From- Canada, British Regimental Registers of Service, 1756-1900; Name Thos McCrossan, Age    18; Birth Date 1790; Birth Place Lunnon, Tyrone; Military Date  5 May 1808; Unit 28th Foot Soldiers, 2nd Battalion.
From- UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949; Name   Thos Mccrossin; Service Date 1793-1815; Service Place Europe; Campaign or Service  Napoleonic Wars; Regiment or Unit Name  28th Regiment of Foot.
From- UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Admissions and Discharges, 1715-1925; Name Thos McCrossin; Discharge Age 22; Birth Year   1790; Birth Place Stribaro (should be Strabane) , Tyrone; Discharge Date   19 Jul 1812; Regiment 28th Regiment of Foot; Rank Private. On actual image it says from Skirrow (hard to read birth place), Co Tyrone, occupation WEAVER (so confirming again this is the correct Thomas)
From- UK, Royal Hospital, Chelsea: Regimental Registers of Pensioners, 1713-1882; Name Thos McCrossin; Birth Year   1790; Regiment  28th Regiment of Foot; Residence Date    7 Aug 1812 Document Type   -Regimental Registers of Pensioners.

[Elwyn Soutter]

The bankruptcy notice mentions that Thomas was “late of Dartans” etc. Dartans is about a mile west of Castlederg on the modern Mournebeg Rd. There were about 10 houses there in Griffiths Valuation (1859). One was occupied by a Sarah McCrossan who lived on plot 8b which was a weaver or labourer’s cottage. So possibly a family connection. Her name was deleted in the Valuation Revision books, between 1860 and 1863 (with the property being marked “vacant”) so she may have died in those years. Death registration didn’t start till 1864 so there’s probably no record unless she was Church of Ireland and in their burial records. In the 1901 census, Dartans had 14 homes and a population of 59.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Lisnacloon/Dartans/

No McCrossans in Kilcroagh in Griffiths Valuation (1859). Cardreen is probably Carndreen in the parish of Termonamongan which is near Castlederg. No McCrossans there in Griffiths either. Weavers and labourers often moved about to follow the available work and can be hard to trace.

Urney is a parish near Castlederg, but I cannot place Lunnon or Skirrow (or similar) in it. You haven’t said what denomination Thomas was but none of the several churches in Urney has baptism records for the 1700s so you probably aren’t going to find any record of his baptism or birth.

I don’t think migration to the USA would have prevented Thomas from receiving his army pension. I am pretty sure there were arrangements for payments overseas.

[Aussie33]

Thankyou for your reply & information. Always great that someone knows the area. The McCROSSAN's were Catholic.

I found a website about a book of Strabane Burial records which includes Thomas MCCROSSAN (2) & Also Sarah (but doesnt say other details). I added a query on Co Tyrone forum.

https://www.kabristan.org.uk/kabristan-indexes/ireland-indexes/37-ireland-county-tyrone-strabane/1019-strabane-cemeteries-m

[aghadowey]

If he did go to Pennsylvania (not sure why that would be a possibility) unlikely that he came back to Tyrone?
Have replied on other topic but bear in mind that McCrossan is a very common surname in Strabane area.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=873894.msg7454983

[ShaunJ]

When he died in September 1847 his pension was being paid in Omagh pension district.

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record/browse?id=gbm%2fwo22%2f192%2f00098

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FWO23%2F38%2F00160&parentid=GBM%2FWO23%2F38%2F00160%2F1049861

[Andy J2022]

As you mention Aussie, FindMyPast does have a copy of Thomas's discharge from the 2nd Royal Veteran Battalion dated 8 April 1826 (although his actual service lasted until 24 April) due to the disbanding of the 2nd RVB at Enniskillen. The document gives details of some of his overall 13 years and 268 days service. It doesn't show the actual dates for his service with 2nd battalion 28th Foot, but the length of that service was 5 years 122 days, so if he enlisted on 5 May 1808, that would mean he finished serving with the 28th around 4 September 1812. However the breakdown of his dates indicate he was already a pensioner by 7 August 1812, so a slight discrepancy there. He enrolled in the 2nd Bn RVB on 25 December 1821 shortly after that battalion was raised in Newry (having previously been based in Gosport and disbanded there early in 1821). The Royal Veteran Battalions were formed from the able bodied out pensioners and were effectively forerunners of the Militia and Rifle Volunteers. Their role was in support of the Regular battalions of the line and since this was before the formation of police forces, they were also used to quell civil unrest in Britain and Ireland.

As you know Thomas fought in the Peninsular War. His battalion's only significant action was the Battle of Albuera on 16 May 1811 for which he was awarded a clasp to his Peninsular War Medal. During this battle the 2nd battalion suffered very heavy casualties meaning that after the battle it was no longer viable as a fighting unit. In August 1811 most of the survivors were absorbed into the 1st battalion 28th Foot, while a small contingent returned to the UK to form the nucleus of a new 2nd Battalion. I suspect that Thomas was one of those who returned to the UK at this point, given that he is shown as receiving a pension by August 1812. I also think it is highly likely that he was wounded, at least superficially, at Albuera given the intensity of the fighting. This might explain why he didn't serve on in Spain and France with the 1st battalion when still a relatively young man of 22, and instead went into the 8th Royal Veteran Battalion. His dates in the 8th RVB are not clear from the document on FindMyPast.   

It is worth pointing out that the 13 years 268 days of service was counted from his 18th birthday, meaning that his birth date might have been 4 May 1790. It is also possible that he joined up as a boy soldier, but any boy service would not count towards his pension.

[Aussie33]

Thanks ShaunJ -I had found those records but wasnt sure of spelling/place name.

aghadowey- Thankyou. Others had tried to convince me that he went to Pennsylvania so I thought Id try to eliminate that possibility.Some of his children went there.

[Neale1961]

 I also think it is highly likely that he was wounded, at least superficially, at Albuera given the intensity of the fighting.

“Wounded left leg at Albuera”
from Regimental Register  of pensioners- 28 Regiment of Foot
5 Aug 1812.

[Andy J2022]

Thanks Neale 1961, It's nice to have a hunch confirmed!