Friday 30 April 2021

Who is Joseph Sproule of Castletown?

I have been intrigued by Joseph Sproule of Castletown for a long time. It's not just that he is one of those isolated Sproules that you can't fit in - there are loads of those. It's because he is obviously connected to a Sproule family that he can't really belong to. I'll explain.

I have just two pieces of information on this Joseph Sproule. One is a nice record of his death in the Strabane Morning Post in 1832:

“After a lingering illness, on Thursday last, Mr Joseph Sproule, of Castletown, deservedly regretted by his numerous acquaintance.”

May 15, 1832 p. 291 Strabane Morning Post

A newspaper entry at that time tells us that Joseph is a man of some means. I know the townland of Castletown, it is on the outskirts of Strabane, and there were a few Sproules living there at one time or another in the 1700s and early 1800s. For example, Jane, the widow of Robert Sproule the Nabob, lived there until her death in 1828. She was the daughter of John Sproull the Apothecary, and a couple of his other daughters also lived in Castletown at different times. But there was no Joseph Sproule in that family. 

Castletown, Co. Tyrone, from Townlands.ie
It is the second record for this Joseph of Castletown that is quite strange. It is from a newspaper of June 16, 1829 where Freeholders are listed, and there is our Joseph Sproull of Castletown, and he is registering a freehold in ‘Grannan’.

From Strabane Morning Post June 16, 1829


Now this is odd for two reasons. Firstly, we know the 'Grennan' Sproules very well, thanks to John Inch and Jack Elder. There is no Joseph anywhere in the Grennan Sproule families - none that we know of anyway.

Secondly, the Grennan land was leased, not freehold. It was leased by Cornet Andrew Spreull, and he left his Grennan land to his three sons, Andrew, James and Charles. Prior to 1853, there was very little freehold land in Grennan.

So this unknown Joseph Sproule of Castletown does not appear to be a Grennan Sproule, and yet he owns one of the only two pieces of freehold land in Grennan in 1829. Who is he?

Maybe we can get a clue by looking at that Grennan freehold land. Usually, this works well – follow the land.  In 1829 we see that one piece of freehold is owned by Charles Sproule of Grennan. Now if we look in Griffiths Valuation, we find that Charles of Grennan still owns that freehold land and it is 54 acres.   This helps us locate the only other bit of freehold land prior to 1853. It is a small 12 acre plot within that family of Grennan Sproules that Jack Elder in his family trees called ‘Another Grennan’ family. We  have pretty good records of this family in the late 1700s early 1800s – and there is no Joseph here.

I tried several times over the years to trace this Joseph Sproule of Castletown, without any luck.  But then in my recent trawl through the Sproule Deeds there was the answer, and, as is so often the case, the answer lay in the land. It was not the Grennan land that revealed the answer, it was the Castletown land.

It was in a deed dated 11 Oct 1832.  One Robert Sproule of Clover Hill, farmer, was selling the lease of a farm and land in Castletown in the parish of Urney, consisting of 70 acres. The deed tells us that this Castletown land was lately in the possession of Joseph Sproule, now deceased. Now we know a Joseph Sproule who was recently deceased in 1832,  it is our Joseph Sproule of Castletown who died in 10 May1832.

So now Robert Sproule of Clover Hill is selling the Castletown land that was formerly Joseph Sproule’s land, and now Joseph Sproule is dead.  Robert Sproule of Clover Hill is the eldest son of Joseph Sproule of Clover Hill, who is the eldest son of John ‘Jack Roe’ of Curraghamulkin. There is only one Joseph Sproule in the family of Robert of Clover Hill that this could possibly be. Robert Sproule is selling his father’s land in Castletown, the land of Joseph Sproule of Clover Hill, a Curraghamulkin Sproule. So now we know, Joseph Sproule of Castletown and Joseph Sproule of Clover Hill are one and the same.

This was quite normal in those days. It was the custom within these Plantation families that the father retires at some point, and he moves to a retirement house. A lot of these Sproule families did this. So Joseph Sproule of Clover Hill retired to Castletown. He would not have been farming the land, I’m sure. A sub-tenant would do that, or perhaps a family member.  Joseph was living out his retirement whilst his son Robert of Clover Hill, who later became Robert Sproule of Kirlish, took over his inheritance.

Joseph Sproule of Clover Hill was our Joseph Sproule who died on 10 May 1832,  

After a lingering illness,…deservedly regretted by his numerous acquaintance.”

And why did Joseph Sproule, a Curraghamulkin Sproule, own that wee bit of Grennan freehold? Well we know, of course, that Cornet Andrew Spreull, who acquired the Grennan land, was the great grandfather of this Joseph of Clover Hill. However, Cornet Andrew left Grennan to other sons, not this family. Why did Joseph of Clover Hill own Grennan land, and why is it freehold? Actually, I have no idea. 


Deed where the Castletown land is sold 

11 Oct 1832 between Robert Sproule of Clover Hill farmer on the one part and Major John Semple of Strabane on the other part whereby Robert Sproule for the consideration there mentioned did make over to John Semple the farm land in Castletown lately in the possession of Joseph Sproule deceased containing 70 acres of land in the parish of Urney during the residue and remainder of the 21 years remaining on the lease witnessed by Samuel Colhoun of Strabane and Robert Mease of Strabane

Deed no. 888 424 587924 Registry of Deeds, Familysearch.org, Transcribed by Kate Tammemagi


Sunday 18 April 2021

Joseph Sproule takes over 733 acres of Curraghamulkin 1731 Deed

Joseph Sproule, the 5th son of Cornet Andrew Spreull, took over the Curraghamulkin land in 1731. This land was acquired by his father, Cornet Andrew, in a deed date 10 Mar 1719 between Thomas Edwards of Castlegore,  the father of Hugh, and Cornet Andrew Spreull. That 1719 deed also included the Grennan land that went to 3 other sons of Cornet Andrew.

94  533   67557 10 Nov 1731 Hugh Edwards of Castlegore and Joseph Spruell of Curraghamulkin Registry of Deeds, Familysearch.org,  transcribed by Jamie Reid and Kate Tammemagi 

Indented deed 10 Nov 1731 between Hugh Edwards of Castlegore in Co Tyrone Esq. on the one part and and Joseph Spruell of Carachamulkin in the Manor of Hastings and said County,  farmer of the other part.  By which said indented deed the said Hugh Edwards in consideration of the yearly rent of ten pounds sterl. payable half yearly together with twelve pence each pound recievers fees and other dutys in the said deed contained did grant bargain and farm let to Joseph Spruell all that and those the one third of the town of Carachamulkin containing by estimation in the whole seven hundred and seventy three acres be the same more or less as the same was then in possession of the said Joseph Spruell, to have and to hold the said demised garm and premises unto the said Joseph Spruell his heirs execs admins and assigns for and during the natural lives of the said Joseph Spruell and Oliver Spruell brother of the said  Joseph Spruell and the longest liver of them commencing 1st November then instant and in said deed there is a clause that if they the said Joseph Spruell and Oliver Spruell shall die before the term of twenty five to be computed from the first day of November 1731 then and in such case the said Hugh Edwards obliged himself his heirs & assigns to grant unto the executors admins or assigns of the said Joseph Spruell aa new lease of the said demised premises for such part of the said term of twenty five years as should then at the death of the said person remain unexpired.

Deed witnessed by Henry Lecky of Cavan in Co. Donegal Esq. and by George Murray of Castlegore af’sd gent. Signed, Joseph Spruell.Mem witnessed by sd George Murray and by George Gordon of Strabane in co. Tyrone mercht. Sworn by George Murray at Strabane, 22 Oct. 1739.

John Sproull the Apothecary / Thomas Verner Deeds

 Deed 1 

237 521 154134 Verner to Sproule 4 & 5 of June 1764, Registry of Deeds, Familysearch.org, transcribed by Jaime Reid

A memorial of indented deeds of lease and release bearing date respectively the 4 & 5 of June 1764 between Thomas Verner of the city of Dublin esq of the one part and John Sproull of Strabane in the co of Tyrone Apothecary of the other part. Whereby the said Thomas Verner for the considerin therin mentioned doth grant bargain etc undto the said John Sproull & his heirs one full moity or equal half undivided of and in all that and those the town & lands of Dooish otherwise Dowish otherwise Dowess Coolavanagh commonly known by their subdenomination of Upper and Lower Dowish with the Mountain of Dowish, Upper and Lower Lisnaboyaghan & lots of Cool names situated lying in the Barony of Omagh & Co of Tyrone (I think freehold)

Witnessed by Richard Cowan and Thomas Gibson both of the city of Dublin Gents and this Memorial is signed and sealed by the said Thomas Verner and witnessed by the said Richard Cowan and Thomas Gibson

Deed 2 

297 585 196250 Verner to Sproull 5 May 1773,  Registry of Deeds, Familysearch.org, transcribed by Jaime Reid

A memorial of deed poll or declaration of trust 5 May 1773 reciting that by indented deed of lease and release bearing the dates 4 and 5 June 1764 between Thomas Verner of city of Dublin Esq. John Sproule of Strabane in co. Tyrone Esq. Thomas Verner did grant, bargain and sell unto John Sproull for £1,300 one full moiety or equal half undivided of the towns and lands of Dooish, Coolavanagh, Lisnaboyaghan, Coolmacormick, Coolmacbryan and Coolemore in Barony of Omagh and co. Tyrone, and the said John Sproule by said deed poll or declaration of trust acknowledges that the said lands so purchased and conveyed were purchased by him in trust and for the proper use and benefit of Andrew Sproule of Grenan in the co. Tyrone gent. his heirs and assigns and that one moiety or full half of the said consideration money of £1,300 was paid by said Andrew Sproule, and said deed poll signed and executed by said John Sproule and witnessed Richard Cowan of Lifford in co. Donegal Esq. and Thomas Cowan of the city of Dublin atty at law. Mem signed by said John Sproule and witnessed by sd Thomas Cowan and Thomas Bond of Ballykellagnan in co. Tyrone aforesaid gent.



Deed 3 

John Sproull the Apocethary, Andrew Sproule of Grennan 15th and 16th April 1774, Registry of Deeds, Familysearch.org, transcribed by Jaime Reid

Indented deed of lease and release 15th and 16th April 1774 btw 1) John Sproull of Strabane in co. Tyrone Esq. and 2) Andrew Sproull of Grennan in sd co. gent. John Sproull did grant bargain sell alien enfeoff remise release and confirm unto 2 the townlands poles and tates of land of the west half or division of Duwish o’wise Dowish, Dowess, now in tenure and occupation of Andrew Sproull and his undertenants bounded on the North by lands of Lackagh and part of Glenroan Glebe lands on the NE by Donaree on the SE by the east half or division of the sd lands of Dowish now in poss’n of sd John Sproull and his undertenants on the SW by Grennan on the W by Brishatallon in co. Fermanagh and on the NW by Glebe lands of Glenroan afsd, and situate in the parish of Longfield barony of Omagh and co. of Tyrone and containing 484 acres 1 rood 36 perches. To Andrew Sproull and his heirs and assigns forever yielding paying and performing unto the Rt. Hon. Olivia countess of Ross the sum of six pounds twelve shillings and five pence one moiety or full half of the chief rent receivers fees and duty out of the whole of lands of Dowish granted by Hugh Carmichael Esq. Counsellor at Law in sd deed of release named to sd John Sproull and also performing a full half of the services reserved and payable to the said Olivia countess of Ross and also paying the sum of three pounds nine pence yearly to the Edw. Murray dec’d (in sd deed of release also named during the continuance of the lease made to William Nethery of a part of the lands of Lisnaboyaghan in the co. Tyrone and in sd deed of release several other clauses and conv’t and the same is signed sealed executed by the sd John Sproull & Andrew Sproull and witnessed by Thomas Cowan and Hugh Auchinleck of the city of Dublin atty’s. Mem signed and sealed by sd Andrew Sproull and witnessed by sd Thomas Cowan and Hugh Auchinleck, 22 April 1774.


For an explanation of these deeds, see Part 2 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin, Pieces of the Jigsaw


Friday 16 April 2021

Part 6 – the Father of Elizabeth Edwards, 2nd wife of John Sproule of Curraghmulkin

John Inch has told us that Elizabeth, 2nd wife of John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin, was Elizabeth Edwards, niece of Hugh Edwards of Castlegore.  So, Elizabeth is a daughter of one of Hugh’s brothers.

Which Edwards brother is father to Elizabeth has to be a ‘best guess’ at this moment, until further research at PRONI can be done. However, there is a very good option for our ‘best guess’ sitting right there on the Edwards family tree.



This is a lovely tree of the Edwards Family which I am lucky to have been sent by an Edwards family historian. It was created by Bishop John Grainger and it is dated July 12 1881.

In it we see that Hugh Edwards of Castlegore, who died on 24 Oct 1737, had 3 brothers who survived to adulthood. These are the three possible fathers of Elizabeth:

In it we see that Hugh Edwards of Castlegore, who died on 24 Oct 1737, had 3 brothers who survived to adulthood. These are the three possible fathers of Elizabeth:

1.       Edward Edwards, 2nd son, married one of the Hamiltons Abercorn line,  and his family are named here, none are called Elizabeth

2.       Cairns Edwards – had no family

3.       Thomas Edwards married Elizabeth Thwaites, daughter of William Thwaites – they had 2 daughters, one whom was Elizabeth, with no record of what happened to her

This leaves only two possibilities for Elizabeth wife of John of Curraghamulkin:

1.        Our Elizabeth could be a daughter of Edward Edwards or Carins Edwards that no-one knew about or, and this is of course much more likely -

2.       She is Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Edwards and Elizabeth Thwaites.

This is as yet unconfirmed, but it actually fits really well.


Part 1 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin - The Context

Part 2 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin, Pieces of the Jigsaw

Part 3 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin, the Record of his Death

Part 4 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin – and the Second Wife

Part 5 John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin – the Second Wife

The Children of John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin and his Two Wives

Wednesday 14 April 2021

Part 5 John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin – the Second Wife

 I found this little piece in a Volume called ‘Notes and Queries’, a strange volume of random notes on different families published in 1895. It actually brought a tear to my eye when I saw it, for there was my fellow Sproule researcher, Jack Elder, doing exactly what I am trying to do now, over 120 years later. He was asking a question of the Edwards and LaVie family historian to try to find the answer to the riddle of the wife of John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin. Jack Elder couldn’t let this go, but he didn’t get the answer that would help him. Unbeknownst to him, the question that Elder had asked in this little note gave me, one of his successors,  the key to unlock the answer.

The wife of John Sproule of Curraghamulkin was known to the Edwards family historians. She was Martha Sproule of Golan, the daughter of Robert Sproule of Golan and Martha Edwards of Kilcroagh. The Edwards family were the landowning family in the area. Martha was first cousin of Hugh Edwards of Castlegore, a Castle a mile to the south west of Castlederg. In around 1668, their ancestor, another Hugh Edwards, had purchased the whole of the ‘Manor of Hastings’, a large estate all round Castlederg. They were an affluent family living in their Castle, until the family crashed and burned round about this time at the end of the 1700s.

The Edwards family historians knew that Martha Sproule of Golan who married John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin, was the 2nd cousin of Hugh Edwards of Castlegore. That was a fact. And yet Jack Elder in this ‘Notes and Queries’ note, was asking them to explain something that John Inch had written. The Edwards Historian answer in this ‘Notes and Queries’ volume was that John Inch was wrong.

Now I know it, and Jack Elder definitely knew it. When it came to family history, John Inch was always right! (Or nearly always!) John Inch was born in 1795 in Ederny Bridge, Fermanagh and he was an avid Sproule family historian from a young age. He collected family histories in Ireland before he left for New Brunswick in Canada in 1820, and over there, he gathered even more Sproule information from the established Sproule settlers there.

His precious 40 precious pages of Sproule information and family trees were seen by Jack Elder at the end of the 1800s. It was on these that Jack Elder based all his early Sproule trees.

Elder knew, what I now know, that John Inch was very, very rarely wrong. All the research backs up exactly what he wrote in those 40 pages.

And yet there was a note of John Inch’s that puzzled Jack Elder greatly. It was about Elizabeth, his grandmother who had married John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin. Elder knew that John Inch grew up knowing his grandmother in Ireland, he talked to her, and he recorded what she said. Surely he couldn’t be wrong?

Elder tells us in this ‘Notes and Queries’ volume that what John Inch wrote was:

“Of this family was Lady Ross, named Elizabeth Edwards, who owned Castlegore estate in her own right. This family of Edwardses and our ancestors of the Sproule family must have been related, for I have heard my grandmother, Elizabeth Sproule (wife of John Sproule of Glenvale, Co Tyrone), say that she and lady Ross were first cousins”

P. 289 Notes and Queries, https://archive.org/details/s8notesqueries07londuoft/page/290/mode/2up

John Inch was saying that his grandmother was 1st cousin to Lady Ross, who is Olivia Edwards of Castlegore. She was 1st cousin – not 2nd cousin.

But now we know that the person who was 2nd cousin to Lady Ross, Olivia Edwards, was  Martha Sproule of Golan, who was the first wife of John of Curraghamulkin.

And we know that John Inch was talking about a completely different person. She was Elizabeth, 2nd wife of John Sproule of Curraghamulkin.

John Inch is telling us that his grandmother Elizabeth is another Edwards, and that she is, in fact, 1st cousin to Olivia Edwards of Castlegore. 

Elizabeth, 2nd wife and widow of John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin, is Elizabeth Edwards, the daughter of a brother of Hugh Edwards of Castlegore.


Part 1 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin, The Context

Part 2 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin, Pieces of the Jigsaw.

Part 3 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin, the Record of his Death

Part 4 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin – and the Second Wife


Tuesday 13 April 2021

Part 4 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin – and the Second Wife

 The family of John ‘Jack Roe’ of Curraghamulkin had always contained puzzles. There were too many children, spread out over too many years. Then there was the oddity in this family that the younger male children were  more affluent than the older, which was most unusual in any family.

Jack Elder, that famous Sproule researcher, was also intrigued by John Sproule and his family. Elder put on page 1 of his Sproule tree that the wife of John of Curraghamulkin was either Martha or Elizabeth. He had two versions:

1.       According to John Sproule of Kirlish, her great grandson, her name was  Martha and she was the daughter of Robert Sproule of Golan and Martha Edwards of Kilcroagh.  

2.       However John Inch, her grandson, said her name was Elizabeth.


 

Now, if add to this discussion our new information that Martha Sproule of Golan died at some stage, then then we know that BOTH of these versions were, indeed, quite correct.

John Sproule of Kirlish is the son of Robert of Kirlish who is the son of the first-born of John Sproule of Curraghamulkin, who is Joseph Sproule of Clover hill. Joseph, as the eldest son, was the son of Martha Sproule of Golan. So the great grandmother of John Sproule of Kirlish was, indeed, Martha, wife of John Sproule of Curraghamulkin.

John Inch, on the other hand, was the son of Ann Sproule of Curraghamulkin and Leonard Inch. Ann Sproule was about the 6th child of John of Curraghamulkin. Her mother was clearly the 2nd wife, who was named Elizabeth. So John Inch’s grandmother  was indeed Elizabeth, wife of John Sproule of Curraghamulkin.

We know that the change in wives was somewhere between these two in the family, Joseph, the first child, and Ann, the 6th.

If we need any more evidence at this point, we actually have definite proof!

For there it is, in a deed dated 1819. Elizabeth, widow of John Sproule of Cornear, is transferring part of the Ardvarny land to her son, Edward Sproule of Glenvale. Elizabeth is the widow of John Sproule of Cornear / Curraghamulkin.

 “A memorial of a deed of assignment bearing the 4 Sep 1819 date and made between Elizabeth Sproule of Cornear widow of John Sproule deceased of said place and Edward Sproule of Glenvale in said county on the other part. Whereby the said Elizabeth Sproule in consideration of the sum of £99 sterling in to her  hand paid by the said Edward Sproule granted bargained sold assigned transferred and made over onto the said Edward Sproule in his actual possession all that and those that part of the lands of Ardvarny then in possession of the said Elizabeth Sproule and devised to her by the last will and testament of John Sproule sen late of Cornear deceased,  and any other or parcel of lands at Ardvarny… “

841 269 564269 –Registry of Deeds, Familysearch.org Transcription by Kate Tammemagi

But there's more. Not only did John Inch tell us his grandmother's name was Elizabeth, but he also told us WHO this Elizabeth was!


 Part 1 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin

Part 2 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Pieces of the Jigsaw

Part 3 - John ‘Jack Roe’ - the Record of his Death

Part 3 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin, the Record of his Death

 I have to explain before going any further that the name John Sproule of Curraghamulkin is not in the deeds. Well actually, it is in one deed that I found in PRONI, only there it is mis-transcribed as ‘Cornamulkin’.

As we know, people long ago here in Donegal and Tyrone were named for the place that they lived. This could be a townland, or an area within a townland or a house name. So John Sproule lived in Curraghamulkin at one time, and he was then called John Sproule of Curraghamulkin. Then he moved to Glenvale, where Edward Sproule his son later lived, this is also in Curraghamulkin. So he was known at some point as John Sproule of Glenvale.

 Then he moved to a place called Cornear, or Corrynear or Coranear. It was in this place that John Sproule died. So John Sproule of Curraghamulkin ended his life with the name John Sproule of Cornear. This is the name he goes by in the deeds.

So in a deed dated 25 Aug 1812 concerning the land of Ardnvarny in Fermanagh, we find him named as John Sproule of Cornear. The Ardvarny land gave rise to many deeds, and I will go in to these later. For now we know that John Sproule of Cornear is the man we know as John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin. The witness on this deed is, by the way, Henry Sproule of Cornear, who had the Cornear land after his father, John, died.  Henry is listed as a freeholder in Cornear.

Cornear, I have discovered, is an area in the townland of Cornavarrow, deep in Curraghamulkin Sproule country. We now know that John Sproule lived there, and  and this also gives us his date of death. There is a record of a will for  John Sproule of Cornear who died in 1814. This is our John Sproule of Curraghamulkin and Cornear. 

There is a listing for this will but the will itself does not exist.

 

Deed with John Sproule of ‘Cornamulkin’ is - Repository :  Public Record Office for Northern Ireland PRONI Reference :     D674/19. This deed concerns the Ardvarny land in Fermanagh.

Deed with John Sproule of Cornear - 654 131 449901 Nehmiah Edwards, Edward Sproule of Glenvale and John Sproule of Cornear, Registry of Deeds, Familysearch.org. This deed also concerns Ardvarny.

Death of John Sproule of Cornear 1814 - Ireland, Diocesan and Prerogative Wills & Administrations Indexes, 1595-1858 https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/3460908

Cornavarrow townland - https://www.townlands.ie/tyrone/west-omagh/longfield-east/drumquin/cornavarrow/


Part 1 John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin - The Context

Part 2 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin, Pieces of the Jigsaw.

Part 4 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin – and the Second Wife


Monday 12 April 2021

John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin, Part 1 - The Context

 John ‘Jack Roe’ Sprouleof Curraghamulkin is the name that Jack Elder put on his tree for this man. He was the son of Joseph Sproule of Curraghamulkin, who was the 5th son of Cornet Andrew Spreull.

How do we know this?

Well, we have a deed dated March 10 1719 in which Cornet Andrew Spreull acquires large pieces of land in Dromore, County Tyrone, and also in Curraghamulkin. This deed also tells us that Cornet Andrew has 6 sons, and that the 5th son is Joseph.

On Nov 10 1731, a deed confirms that the Curraghamulkin land is now owned by son Joseph Sproule. We do not know if Cornet Andrew is now dead, and that is why his sons are acquiring the land at this time. In those days it was the custom for a land owner to retire, and to hand the land over to his heirs. So Cornet Andrew might be dead in 1731, or he might not.

We do know at this point that Joseph has the Curraghamulkin land, over 700 acres, and that his son John Sproule went on to inherit this.

The name of this man is interesting – John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin, as Elder tells us. That is not the name that I found in the deeds.

More on this later.


Part 2 - John ‘Jack Roe’ Sproule of Curraghamulkin, Pieces of the Jigsaw