James Spreull in Ireland
I didn’t have far to
look to track down James Spreull in Ireland. The very first record of a Sproule
is in the Muster Roll of 1631, and there he is, James Spreull in the Barony of Raphoe, County Donegal - only a few miles from the townland of Tullymoan in County Tyrone.1 He is on the land of Ludovick, Lord Duke of
Lennox, the same Duke of Lennox who was overlord of the Cowden lands in
Scotland. There were 59 overlords in Ulster, or undertakers as they were known
here. Lennox was one of the minor undertakers with only a couple of thousand acres. It is more than
co-incidental that the first Sproule arrives on his patch of land! The clues
are lining up in the right direction.
The next muster roll
of 1642 is even more interesting. James Spreull is mentioned again. This muster
was also held in Raphoe, but this fact doesn’t tell us a lot since all of the regiments in the North West
were mustered in Raphoe at the time. However, if we look at the regiment to
which James Spreull is attached, we can get another glimmer of light on the
story. James is now in the regiment of Captain James Hamilton, whose lands were
not in Donegal. Hamilton lands were
in County Tyrone.1
On to Tyrone
This would indicate
that at some time between 1631 and 1642, James Spreull moved east from Donegal
to County Tyrone. Was he in Tullymoan? I have no definite evidence as yet, and the
hunt continues. However, everything that I have found so far points to the
veracity of the original story. I have found no reason to doubt it.
But was this James, James the Younger, the
father of all Tyrone Sproules? I think not. I am sticking with the version
believed by the first Sproules, it was his father
James of Cowden who was the ancestor of all Tyrone Sproules. James Spreull the Younger was not alone when
he came to Ireland. He had at least two, possibly three, travel companions!
References:
1 Ulster Ancestry, Money Rolls of Donegal
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