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 6^th child of John of Curraghamulkin. Her mother was clearly the 2^nd 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