William McCANN, born Dec 1820, was an orphan. I went to Ballygawley, County Tyrone and this is what I learned about his probable ancestors.

Mr. and Mrs. McCANN (see family Tree) are the parents of Owen McCANN, (b. 1780) and William McCANN (b 1787). The ancestors of Owen McCANN were driven from their land in Armagh and forced onto inferior land in Tyrone. This is family tradition, passed to Thomas James McKenna by his mother Mary McCANN. Notes on a family tree done by Patty Jo McCLEAN further support this. Patty Jo's source was Tommy Montague of Altamuskin.

The McCANNs of Clan Brasil originated on the banks of Lough Neagh.

In 1789, there were three McCANNs leasing land in Lurganboy, Tyrone. They were Francis, William and Stephen. It is likely that this Mr. McCann was one of them or one of their sons. From land records and naming patterns he is most likely William, second likely Francis and not likely to be Stephen. Of Course, he could be none of them and could be a son. These men held 21 year leases from 1769, so they would be old enough to be this man's father or grandfather.

The foregoing hypotheses were derived from materials at the PRONI in Belfast. In summary:

In 1785 Verner owned some land in the Lurganboy-Cloghfin area- and had Boyd do a valuation of it. The valuation was done in 1785 but a lot of the leases ran back to 1769. I then tried to compare the valuations to the leases, rent books, Tithes and Griffiths for the same area. From these material I drafted a chart that is not included here but is available as a Word.doc .

In 1785, all of Lurganboy comprised only two parcels totaling about 430 Irish Acres. William and Francis McCANN leased Parcel #1 (220 Acres) referred to in the rent books as Lurganboy (Hadden). Likewise Parcel # 2 (210 acres), referred to as Lurganboy (McGarvey) was leased to Steven McCANN and Francis Donnelley. Then in the rent books the agent divided each of the parcels into numbered parcels. This gets confusing but they are done by two different people at least and at different times. Parcel # 2 Lurganboy McGarvey was divided into five parcels #1 -#5.

In the rent book you can see the payers change over time even though the lease may not change. Also there must have been some blurring of original lines set forth in Boyd's valuation. In 1838 Loughlin McGarvey's lease expired on 264 acres in the parcel known as Lurganboy McGarvey, because Loughlin died. Loughlin had more acres than were originally in that McGarvey parcel so they either came from the Lurganboy Hadden parcel or possibly from some land in Cloghfin. Some of the land in the adjacent parcel (formerly Lurganboy -Hadden) gets renamed Cloghfin over time.(This adds to the confusion because Cloghfin and Lurganboy are in two different civil and Catholic parishes.)

Anyway, when Loughlin dies in 1838 the 264 acres were relet to

the following folks. The number after each of their names refers to the number of acres they were leasing. : Patrick McGarvey Roe- 42, Terence McGarvey-21, Margaret Mc Garvey-19, Pat-k McGarvey (Black)-9. Patk Murphy-10,

John McGarvey-10, William Campbell-12, John cassidy-11, Neil McGarvey-13, Widow Mary Cassidy-20, Laurence Mullen-13, Peter McMahon 23, William McGarvey-7, John Devlin-24, and Owen McMahon 10.

You can see William McGarvey above. He was there in 1838 and part of 1839. Then they refer you to a new rent book, which I have not seen.

Today I went to the library and checked the CD for Griffith's valuation. There was no William McGarvey in either Lurganboy or Cloghfin when Griffiths did his valuation (1848-1860ish). Of course there are many possible explanations, one could be that this was Paul Broderick's (another Lurganboy McGarvey researcher) William and he left Ireland. (paulbroderick@earthlink.net)

Who is Mrs. McCANN. I am not certain. She could be a McGarvey. I have confirmed that I descend from a William McCANN b 1820. I suspect for a number of fairly good reasons that his family originated from Parcel Number One Lurganboy-Hadden. I do not know who William's mother was. I think I have found his father's gravestone and it is likely that his father was William McCann also who died in 1825/6. From reading the letters and interviewing the local people over a period of eight years it is likely that his mother was a McGarvey, Kelly or McGeary. I am interested in the research of folks who are researching those names in this area as they may uncover something that will help me.

Because of the overlap between Lurganboy and Cloghfin the research can be confusing. Cloghfin is in another parish-Termonamaguirk. Excerpts from Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, published in 1837:

This parish is partly in the barony of Strabane but chiefly in that of

Omagh. It is 9 miles SE of Omagh, on the road to Dungannon and on the new

line of road to Belfast. The parish, including the village of

Six-Mile-Cross, has 10,307 inhabitants and has 4675 acres of which 291 are

water and 31,817 are applotted under the tithe act. The area is

mountainous and while the land is generally of good quality, there are

extensive areas of mountain and bog that can't be cultivated. Agriculture

is improving under the auspices of the rector and Sir Hugh Stewart, Bart.,

the cultivation of wheat having been lately introduced in sheltered

situations.

The only gentleman's seat is Loughmacrory, the residence of Sir Hugh

Stewart, Bart. A portion of the parish, called the Eighteen Townlands,

belongs to the Primate of Armagh. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in

the diocese of Armagh, and in the patronage of the Marquess of

Waterford. A large church is now under construction at Six-Mile-Cross

which will also serve some of the townlands of the parish of Errigal Keroge

and in the meantime services are held in the Presbyterian chapel every

Sunday before the Presbyterian congregation assembles. The R. C. parish

covers the same area and there are 3 chapels, located at Creggan,

Loughmacrory, and Rocktown. There is a church of Seceders (Associate

Presbyterians) at Six-Mile-Cross.

About 1200 children are taught in 10 public schools and four private school

enroll 200 children.

The old church of Termon is in ruins. The cemetery is still used for

burials by the R. C. parishioners. Near it is a separate burial place for

children and within a quarter of a mile is one exclusively for women.

The village of Six-Mile-Cross has 275 inhabitants. The parish church of

Termon was built here when the village was established in 1634. The

village contains 65 meanly built houses, mostly thatched, in one small

street, though some good houses have been built lately. It has a penny

post to Omagh and Dungannon. The village, manor, and lands around are the

property of the Earl of Belmore.