1759 Marriage of Mary Sproule, daughter of James Sproule of Grennan, to Henry Caldwell of Killen

Another early Grennan Marriage, Mary Sproule daughter of James Sproule of Grennan, to Henry Caldwell, son of Charles Caldwell of Killen

250 207 162 215  Registry of Deeds, Familysearch.org  Deed dated 5 Feb 1759 transcribed by Jennifer Miller

A Memorial of a Marriage Article Indented made on the Intermarriage of Henry Caldwell of Killen in the Co of Tyrone Gent with Mary Sproul Daughter of James Sproul of Grennan in the said Co of Tyrone then deceased & made between Oliver Sproul of Goland & Andrew Sproul of Grennan both in the Co of Tyrone Gent Executors of the last Will & testament of the said James Sproul & the said Mary Sproul then Spinster of the one part & Charles Caldwell of Killen aforesaid & the said Henry Caldwell Eldest son & Heir at Law of the said Charles Caldwell of the other part Whereby the said Chas Caldwell in Consideration of the sum of one Hundred pounds Sterling which was to be paid to him Immediately after the Solemnization of the said Marriage did among other things settle & Convey to & for the only use of the said Mary Sproule & her issue lawfully to be begotten Between them then ye part Share or Moiety of the said Town & Lands renewable forever & to him granted by the said Chas Caldwell by Deed of lease & release & the said Settled & granted premises as aforesaid are Situate lying & being in the parish of Termonamongan & Co of Tyrone aforesaid & the said Marriage Article bears date the fifth day of February one thousand seven hundred & fifty nine & contains Several Clauses of warranty & further assurance on the subject of the issue of the said then Intended Marriage & the said Marriage Article was duly Sealed by the parties thereto in the presence of Alexander Read of Knockrow John Caldwell & Audley Caldwell both of the Town of Killen in the said Co Gents & this Memorial was duly executed by the said Audley Caldwell above named in presence of the said Alexander Read & of Edward Sproul of Omagh also in the said Co Gent this Twentyth day of March one thousand Seven Hundred & sixty six --Andrew Sproul Seal--Signed Sealed & Executed in presence of Alexr Read Edward Morris Alexr Morris above named aged thirty years & upwards maketh oath that he saw the Marriage Article whereof the above writing is a Memorial duly executed by the parties thereto as also saw this Memorial duly executed by the above named Andrew Sproul & that he this deponent is a subscribing witness thereto & deposeth that the name Alexander Read Subscribed as witness to the said marriage Article & this Memorial is this deponents own name & proper handwriting --Alexr Read --Sworn before meat Omagh in the Co of Tyrone this 7th day of April 1766 by virtue of a Commission to me directed out of his Majestys high Court of Chancery in Ireland for taking of affidavits in the said County & I know the deponent Edward Morris --Justices present --Francis Crawford Jos Knight

Thanks to Jennifer Miller and Sheena McClure for this deed.

Notes

• James Sproule of Grennan is deceased in 1759. There are probate records of two James Sproules of Grennan at this time - one in 1756 and one in 1759 
• Oliver Sproule of Goland is Oliver of Golan son of Robert of Golan who died very young in 1734. Robert was the eldest son of Thomas of Golan
• A son of Henry Caldwell and Mary Sproule was Charles Caldwell of Killen who married Jane Caldwell of Maghernageeragh. Her brother Mathew Caldwell of Maghernageeragh married Elizabeth Sproule of Grennan in 1790, daughter of Charles Sproule of Upper Grennan and Ann Wallace.

The Family of Cornet Andrew Spreull - Unplaced Family Members

 We have been blessed in the Sproule family with early Sproules who recorded a few of the family histories - I really wish more had been recorded. However, there is still work to be done even in those where the records are good. The family of Cornet Andrew is one of these, and a few of us have been working at adding to the family tree.

In an effort to take this further, we are first identifying other early Sproules who either definitely should be on the family tree of Cornet Andrew, or might possibly be. I am going to continue the list here as they evolve over the next while.

Definite Members of the Family of Cornet Andrew not yet on the Family Tree

 James Sproule Junior of Grennan d.1759, Prerogative Wills (dates are probate dates)

James Sproule, Senior, of Grenan  d. 1759, Prerogative Wills

James Sproule, Grenan                  d.  1775,  Prerogative Wills

Andrew Sproule of Curraghamulkin / Grennan d. 1799 - a definite Grennan Sproule

Charles Sproule of Grennan, son of James Sproule of Grennan, b. 1742 named in deed

John Sproule of Grennan, son of James Sproule of Grennan, b. 1745 named in deed

Robert Sproule of Nova Scotia d. 1802 - a very close relative through Y-DNA 

 

Possible Members of the Family of Cornet Andrew Sproule

Edward Sproule of Omagh witness to the marriage of the daughter of James Sproule of Grennan 1759  

Robert Sproule of the Slab b. 1710 d. 1752, grave beside Robert of Lisleen

Andrew Sproule of Glenarn b.1730 d.1802  - death record.

Andrew Sproule of Aughee d. 1775 Murdered

Joseph Sproule of Maguiresbridge d. 1777  Kilashanbally, Aghalurcher 

 

1747 James Sproule of Grennan leases Dullaghan

This is a very important deed as it gives us some vital information on one of the very early Grennan families. Here in 1747 we have James Sproule of Grennan leasing a farm in Dullaghan, which is a townland next to Grennan in Dromore. 

As was customary in those days the deed names two of James Sproule's children as 'lives'. This was done as a measure of time that the deed would last - until the end of the the live of the longest lived of the people named. In this case we learn the age of the two children Charles was 5 in 1747 and John was 3. So we know that this James Sproule of Grennan had a son Charles born in 1742 and a son John born in 1745.

This Dullaghan land became the subject of a few more deeds later in the 1700s, and was later in the hands of the Blany family of Oughterard & Dullaghan.

1747 James Sproule of Grennan leases Dullaghan farm from Andrew Crawford

148 198 99167 Registry of  Deeds, Familysearch.org, transcribed by James Reid 

Crawford to Sproul, regd 13^th June 1751

Memorial of an article in writing duly executed 11^th June 1747 between Andrew Crawford of Enniskillen gent and James Sproul of Grennan in the parish of Dromore farmer Whereas the said Andrew Crawford for the consideration therein did let and to farm let unto James Sproule the farm of Dullaghan as it was then meared and held by said Crawford and situate in parish of Dromore co. Tyrone to hold unto him the said James Sproul the said farm for and during natural lives of said James Sproul the lessee, Charles Sproul aged then five years and John Sproul aged then three yrs both sons to ye said James Sproul or for and during the space of thirty one years commencing from first day of May then next which was in the year of our Lord 1748 at the yearly rent of thirty five pounds the first five yrs and at the yearly rent of thirty six pounds for the remaining part of the said years or lives the same to be paid by two equal payments in each year (that is to say one every first day of All Saints and every first day of May and so to continue until the expiration of the sd lease). In which sd article in writing the sd Andrew Crawford bound himself in the penalty of fifty pounds to perfect a lease of the sd premises to the sd James Sproul before the commencement aforesaid if required and in which sd article in writing there is a clause of distress and reentry with other usual covenants. Articles in writing duly executed in presence of James Given of Lissnobuchanin in Co. Tyrone gent. and sd article further executed by the sd parties thereto on the 16^th May 1751 in presence of Alexander Crawford of the Co. Fermanagh gent. This memorial executed by sd James Sproul in presence of sd James Given & Edward Morris of Strabane in co. Tyrone this 27^th May 1751. Signed, James Sproul.

• Charles Sproule son of James Sproule of Grennan born 1742 named in this deed
• John Sproule born 1745, son of James Sproule of Grennan, named in this deed

Andrew Sproule of Glenarn – Another Grennan Sproule?

 Glenarn is in Fermanagh, but it is the townland right next to Grennan, the home of the sons of Cornet Andrew Spruell.

It is an obvious place to look for the children of Grennan, and sure enough, we have an obvious Andrew Sproule,  just sitting there waiting to be found. Or so I always thought. However, recently we have had James Reid proving fairly conclusively that Andrew Sproule of Curraghamulkin was, in fact, a Grennan Sproule. This now means that Andrew of Glenarn might be a Grennan Sproule, or he could be a Curraghamulkin Sproule. Either way, I’m fairly certain that he is a grandson of Cornet Andrew Spreull.

Thanks to the transcribers of early records in Fermanagh, we know that Andrew Sproule of Glenarn died there on 20 February 1802 at the age of 70. He was born in 1730, a perfect age for the birth of a possible grandson of  Cornet Andrew Spreull. The name also fits. We would expect to find several Andrew Sproules in the generation of Cornet Andrew’s grandsons.

We also know that this family was a family of some substance, even though they did not own a great deal of land. In the 1788 Poll of Electors for Fermanagh, we find Thomas Sproule of Glenarn. This is quite significant as in order to get a vote, a person had to own freehold land. In 1796, there are two Glenarn gentlemen, Andrew and Thomas, in the Poll of Electors.

I believe that this Andrew Sproule of Glenarn has to be another member of the grandsons of Cornet Andrew generation and he has to be added to our list of ‘unplaced’ Grennan family members.

 

Summary of Glenarn in early times

• 20/2/1802 death of Andrew SPROWLE,  Glenarn, aged 70,  born 1730
• 2/4/1808  death of Charles Sproul Glenarn age 56 born 1752
• 3 people are having children in Glenarn in births recorded in the 1780s - William, Andrew and Thomas
• 1783 Robert Sprowl, marries in Glenarn to a Miss Armstrong
• Thomas Sproule is in the 1788 poll of electors
• Andrew and Thomas have freehold land in Glenarn in 1796
• Early 1800s we have a Thomas married to Rebecca (The early Thomas was married to Mary) having children, but mostly Edward and Mary, they left Ireland.

1788 Poll of Electors—Fermanagh

  SPROULES\1788_Fermanagh_Poll_of_Electors-alphabetical.xls

Thomas Sproule

Glenarn

(Glenarn, Magheraculmoney)

Freehold List, Co. Fermanagh, PRONI Reference :             D1096/92/1

	Name	From	Year registered	Modern name / where it is
143	Andrew Sproule.	Middleglenarn	1796	Glenarn, Maheraculmoney, Fermanagh
143	Thomas Sproule	Middleglenaren	1796	Glenarn, Maheraculmoney, Fermanagh

Tithe Applotment Magheraculmoney Fermanagh PRONI Ref Fin_5_A_214

Sproul, Edward

Magheraculmoney

Glenarn

1828

 BIRTHS RECORDED IN ST. MARYS CHURCH, ARDESS

Transcribed by George Armstrong

15/4/1780            Jane       William Sproule                                          Glenarn

9/2/1782              Lydia      Thomas Sproule               Anne                 Glenarn

18/2/1789            Elizabeth   Andrew Sproule           Anne                  Glenarn

16/12/1804         Sarah     Thomas Sproule               Rebecca              Glenarn

17/1/1808            Thomas   Thomas Sproule            Rebecca              Glenarn

25/12/1809         John      Edward Sproule                Mary                   Glenarn

19/8/1810            Joseph  William Sproul                 Mary                   Glenarn

26/3/1815            Edward Edward Sproul                 Mary                   Glennarin (Glenarn?)

29/1/1822            Anne     Edward Sproule               Mary                   Glenarn

21/8/1828            William Edward Sproule               Mary                   Glenarn

21/8/1828            Isabella John  Sproule                   Elizabeth             Glenarn

25/12/1830         Hannah   Thomas Sproule              Rebecca              Glenarn

17/2/1833            Thomas   Thomas Sproule             Rebecca               Glenarm (Glenarn?)

14/12/1834         Elizabeth  Thomas Sproule             Rebecca               Glenarm (Glenarn?)

Farmer

29/5/1836            Eliza       Charles Sproule              Bessy?                 Glenarin (Glenarn?)

13/1/1837            Alexander   Thomas Sproule          Rebecca              Glenarm (Glenarn?)

14/4/1839            Rebecca   Thomas  Sproule            Rebecca               not listed             Glenarn

 

Marriages Recorded in St. Marys Church, Ardess, Magheraculmoney. 1767-1845 Fermanagh

Transcribed by George Armstrong

1783                       Robert Sprowl, Glenarn                -              Armstrong

1824       12/2/1824            Charles Sproule, Glenarm (Glenarn?), Parish of Magheraculmoney          Eliza Graham, Edenamohill, Parish of Magheraculmoney

 

Burials recorded at St. Marys Church, ArdessFermanagh

Transcribed by George Armstrong     

20/2/1802            Andrew                SPROWLE            Glenarn               70 born 1730

2/4/1808

Charles

Sproul

Glenarn

56

 

Sproules in Fermanagh in the 1700s

In searching for the early Sproules of Grennan, we have located some possibilities that are not as yet on existing, trees. The recent posts gave us an Andrew Sproule of Grennan who died in 1799, and another possibility, Andrew Sproule of Aughee.

Another place to look for these early Grennan Sproules was into Fermanagh. Any family wishing to search for new, productive land and opportunities, would naturally move from Grennan into Fermanagh - and they did! 

Thanks to the wonderful research and transcription being done in Fermanagh, we have a super collection of early records. Most of these are listed on the Irish Genealogy Project Archives, and since new entries go up all the time, it is worth coming back to their site from time to time.

There are Sproules aplenty in these records - too many to sort them all out in a hurry! Some Sproules we are very familiar with and they leap out,  for example the Sproules of Feddans and Crillan who are definitely Grennan families. But there are a couple more that I feel can be added - more in another post. Here we have a collection of some of the Fermanagh early records.

1699 Marriage of John Rutledge and Mary Sproule

29 Apr 1699      RUTLEGE, John            SPROUL, Mary

CLONES PARISH REGISTERS, DIOCESE OF CLOGHER, CLONESMARRIAGES 1694 – 1702 (Clones covers Fermanagh and Monaghan)

Burials recorded at St. Marys Church, Ardess, Fermanagh 

Transcribed by George Armstrong 

Date Buried				Age	Born
6/3/1768	Sarah	Sproule	Ballinant (Ballynant?)
28/3/1780	Sarah	SPROWL	Drumnacrush?? (Drumnacross?)
5/4/1784	William	SPROWL	Crillen (Crillan?)
13/10/1800	Elizabeth	SPROWLE	Par. of Drumkerin (Drumkeeran?)	60	1740
20/2/1802	Andrew	SPROWLE	Glenarn	70	1732
26/4/1805	Charles	Sproul	Killalea (Killylea?)	43	1762
28/10/1807	Robert	Sproule	Ballynant	55	1752
2/4/1808	Charles	Sproul	Glenarn	56	1752
21/4/1815	Elizabeth	Sproul	Drumcahy	85	1730
22/5/1819	John	Sproul	Parish of Templecarn	76	1743

Probate recorded in Irish Prerogative Wills

Joseph Sprouell, Kilnashnabolly, Clogher               1777 

Joseph Sprouell, Maguiresbridge, Fermanagh    1777

These two entries are for the same gentleman. Robyn Ritchie, an excellent researcher, recently found a lovely little entry from the Dublin Journal, 7 July, 1747 which tells us that Joseph was a Pump-maker and that he was living in Maguiresbridge at that time:

Dublin Journal, 7 July, 1747, Irish Newspaper Archive

Marriages recorded in St. Marys Church, Ardess, Magheraculmoney

Transcribed by George Armstrong

1768	26/7/1768	William Bannon	Elizabeth Sproul
1768	4/9/1768	Robert Sproul	Jane Hetherington
1774	16/7/1774	Robert Sproul	Sidney Johnston
1776	13/8/1776	Andrew Nilson	Jain Sprowl
1778	5/5/1778	William Robinson	Isabella Sproul
1779	12/12/1779	Andrew Armstrong	Edith Sprowl
1783	20/01/1783	Irvine Sprowl, Drumnacross	Ann Law, Carn
1783	25?02/1783	Robert Sprowl, Glenarn	-Armstrong, Edenclaw
1783	20/4/1783	John McNeran, Lychan (leaghan)	Mary Sproule, Ballynant
1786	20/02/1786	Joseph Sprowl	Sarah Ginn
1798	21/12/1798	John Mackey	Mary Sproule
1799	23/9/1799	James Johnston	Ann Sproule (Alias Inch)

Births Recorded in St Marys Church Ardess

Transcribed by George Armstrong

https://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/fermanagh/churches/ardess-bap-02.htm

2/8/1767	Anne	John Sproule		Elizabeth		Drumna---??
15/2/1768	Margaret	Robert Sproule		Catherine		Ballinant (Ballynant?)
17/8/1769	Edward	Robert Sproule		Jane		Ballynant
21/2/1770	Rhoda	William	Sproul	Elizabeth		Krillan (Crillan?)
28/4/1770	Sidney (female)	John	Sproul	Elizabeth		Drumnacr---?
21/5/1770	John	William	Sproule	Elinor		Drimnacross (Drumnacross?)
26/12/1771	Cath.	Robert	Sproule	Jane		Ballynant
30/10/1774	Thomas	Robert	Sproule	Sidney		Drum----?
6/12/1774	Robert	Robert	Sproule	Jane		Balinant (Ballynant?
3/5/1777	Mary	Robert	Sproule	Sidney		Drumna--sh
21/11/1778	Elizabeth	Robert	Sproul	not listed		Feddens (Feddans?)
14/1/1780	Elizabeth	Robert	Sproule	Sidney
15/4/1780	Jane	William	Sproule			Glenarn
25/2/1781	Edward	Robert	Sproule	Jane		Ballynant
2/7/1781	Samuel	Robert	Sproule	Elizabeth		Feddans
27/7/1781	Irwine	Robert	Sproule	Sidney		Ballynant
9/2/1782	Lydia	Thomas	Sproule	Anne		Glenarn
18/2/1789	Elizabeth	Andrew	Sproule	Anne		Glenarn
8/1/1799	Catherine	Robert	Sproules	Susy
18/5/1799	Elizabeth	Andrew	Sproule	Elizabeth

 

Previous Posts

• The Sons of Cornet Andrew Spruell
• The Sons of Cornet Andrew – their Ages from the Deeds
• The Missing Sons of Cornet Andrew - Robert of the Slab?
• Who is Andrew Sproule of Grennan?
• The Murder of Andrew Sproule of Aughee 1775

The Murder of Andrew Sproule of Aughee 1775

 Andrew Sproule of Aughee was murdered in 1775. The two men who committed the deed, George Osborne of Dressoge and James Armstrong of Tirwinny in Fermanagh, were found guilty of manslaughter at their trial in Omagh.

We learn this in an intriguing entry in the Londonderry Journal of September 1775 that gives us the result of the trial and also has a little ‘Ad’. This is, seemingly, a paid advertisement by James Sproule, to inform us that the guilty men were ‘ordered to be burned in hand’, and that this was done. Fascinating!

Londonderry

At the Omagh assizes, George Osborn and James Armstrong were found guilty of manslaughter in the death of Andrew Sproule.

Ads: Notice by James Sproul that George Osborne, Drysage, Co Tyrone and James Armstrong, Turawinny, Co Fermanagh, on Sep 6 found guilty of manslaughter of Andrew Sproule, late of Oughie, Co Tyrone, were ordered to be burned in the hand which was done.

Irish Genealogical Abstracts from the Londonderry Journal 1772-1784 Tues 26 Sep 1775 

We know that there are connections between the Sproules in Aughee and the Sproules in Grennan, though we do not know exactly who this murdered Andrew Sproule is. In addition, we know that the Osborne families are also intertwined with the Grennan Sproules. Here, in this little entry from 1775, we have the victim, Andrew Sproule, we have the murderers, one of whom is George Osborne, and we have another Sproule, James Sproule. There are clues here, but as yet no answers.

The Sproules  and the Aughee/ Grennan Connection

In 1740, 35 years before this murder, there was an Andrew Sproule farming the land in Aughee. We know this from a deed in 1740 which confirmed a piece of Aughee land jointly to Andrew Sproule and a John Gilmore. This could be the same Andrew Sproule who was later murdered in 1775,  or it is possible that the murder victim was his son, a second Andrew Sproule of Aughee.  

We also have a James Sproule in this little story from 1775, who has taken the advertisement about the burning of hands. This James has to be a close relative, of course, most likely a father or a brother. We do not know who this James is as yet.

In 1792, 17 years after the murder, we have yet another Andrew Sproule of Aughee, or so it would seem. He appears as a witness to a deed from the Registry of Deeds and his name is given as  ‘Adam’ Sproule of Aughee. We believe this to be a transcription error as there has never been an Adam anywhere in the Sproules. So this Andrew Sproule of Aughee was witnessing a deed for John Sproule of Grennan in 1792.

Three records of Andrew Sproules of Aughee in the 1700s.

Then we leap forward to 1832 when an even more intriguing Aughee event occurs.  Robert Sproule of Aughee gets married to Jane Sproule of Magheracrigan.  Robert of Aughee we know well, as he appears in quite a few deeds, and he became a very affluent man. Now logic should tell us that Robert has to be a son of one of our Andrew Sproules of Aughee. But he is not. In the notice of his wedding which appeared in the Londonderry Sentinel of 9 June 1832, he is referred to as ‘Robert Sproule of Grennan’. This would indicate that Robert is the son of a Grennan Sproule.

Now, did the original line of Aughee Sproules die out, the line with the Andrew Sproules in it? Or is there another possible scenario here. Is it  possible that these Andrews were not a single family at all. Is it possible that they were always Grennan Sproules? Maybe the Aughee house was used as a temporary establishment for different Grennan Sproules. Perhaps it was a house for the young, beginning life together.

The Osbornes in this Story

I am by no means an Osborne researcher, and I would welcome input from those who are. I know a little bit! The murderer of Andrew Sproule of Aughee was George Osborne of Dressoge. Dressoge is not far from Grennan, and is close to Derrynaseer, where there is an Osborne family who were definitely connected to the Grennan Sproules.

The Derrynaseer Osborne family go back to at least the mid 1700s and the dominant name there is Archibald. Archibald Osborne of Derrynaseer Esq. appears in some of the Grennan deeds when he was just a small child, named as a ‘life’, e.g. two deeds both dated 12 March, 1796. Obviously, the Derrynaseer family and the Grennan family were neighbours and were close. Much later than our murder, in the year 1859, George Osborne of Derrynaseer married Mary Jane Sproule, daughter of Dr Wallace Sproule of Drumquin, a Grennan Sproule himself.

There is also a family of Osbornes in Aughee in the 1800s. There was a George Osborne whose probate is recorded for Aughee in 1804. John Osborne is in Aughee in the Tithe Applotment and Archibald in Griffiths, with a small piece of land. I don’t know when these Osbornes arrived in Aughee or where they came from.

The George Osborne in our murder of Andrew Sproule of Aughee was, however, a Dressogue Osborne. Later, in the Tithe Applotment of 1834 we see that there are 4 different Osborne families in Dressoge, so this family was definitely well established in Dressoge for a long time. In 1757 Mary Osborne, daughter of Henry Osborne of Dressoge, married Chadwallader Blayney of Oughterard  - another family with Sproule connections. The Osbornes of Dressoge and Derrynaseer are more than likely connected.

So our murder of poor Andrew Sproule of Aughee in 1775 has given rise to some thoughts on these families. Hopefully, this will get us further in our search.

References:

• 1740 Deed, Andrew Sproule and John Gilmore confirmed on land in Aughee, 28 Dec 1740 , 161 213 108320 Registry of Deeds, Familysearch.org, thanks to James Reid
• 1792 Deed,  John Sproule of Grennan mortgaging to a William Stephenson, this deed is witnessed by Adam (Andrew) Sproule of Aughee, 12 Sep 1792, 455 300 292987 Registry of Deeds, Familysearch.org, thanks to James Reid 
• 1832 Marriage of Robert Sproule of Grennan from Londonderry Sentinel, 9 June 1832. 'Mr Robert Sproule of Grennan to Jane, 3^rd daughter of Mr Andrew Sproule of Magheracrigan.' 
• 1757 Deed Marriage Settlement of John Blayney, son of Chadwallader Blayney of Oughterard and Mary Osborne of Dressoge, daughter of Henry Osburn of Dressoge 220 356 145078 Registry of Deeds, Familysearch.org thanks again to James Reid

Who is Andrew Sproule of Grennan?

Written by James F. Reid, September 2021

 James is a Grennan Sproule himself, and he has been researching this family for many years.

We first encounter a particular Andrew Sproule of Grennan in the early 1770s. This is not to be confused with Cornet Andrew Sproule or his son, Andrew Sproule of Grennan, whom we saw in earlier post would have been at least 21 years of age at the time of the 1731 deed. No, this Andrew Sproule from the 1770s was likely of a younger generation, based on the information on his children.

Andrew Sproule of Grennan in the 1770s Deeds

We see him in a series of deeds in the first half of the 1770s, including deeds relating to the lands of Dooish, Coolavanagh (or Cooel) and related holdings, and deeds relating to the marriage of his children: 

• In December 1771, Oliver Sproule married Elizabeth Elliott and received the lands of Stroancarbadagh from his wife’s grandfather David Wilson, 
• In December 1773, Margaret Sproule married Thomas Elliott, son of John Elliott of Ferney (County Fermanagh). (Please see appendix for further details on these deeds.)

Now, this tells us that those Dooish and Cooel lands were tied up with Andrew Sproule of Grennan by the mid-1770s. It also tells us that his children were of marriageable age in the early 1770s, and that there was some alliance with the Elliott family. If we assume that son Oliver was at least 21 and daughter Margaret was at least 18, that suggests Andrew Sproule of Grennan was himself having children in the early 1750s or earlier.

 Oliver Sproule of Stroancarbadagh

Actually, we know a fair amount about this son Oliver Sproule who was granted the lands of Stroancarbadagh. He would later be known as Oliver Sproule of Brook Hill, a property in the townland of Stroancarbadagh, and we can follow this family through the 1800s. We know from newspaper entries, mainly death records that mention age at death, that he had sons Wilson, Robert, Andrew and Oliver (in that order), and daughters Ann, Rebecca, Elizabeth (also in that order). He died in 1832, based on an entry in the Londonderry Sentinel aged 85, placing his birth in c.1747. That in turn would suggest his father, Andrew Sproule of Grennan, was born in the mid-1720s or earlier.

Andrew Sproule of Curraghamulkin (died in 1799)

I had found some information from Betham’s Abstracts on an “Andrew Sproule of Curraghamulkin” who left a will dated 26^th July 1797 and died in 1799 (will proved 11^th July 1799).

The will mentions Andrew’s wife Anne, son George, daughter Anne Armstrong, sons Charles and Andrew, son Joseph and his wife Elizabeth Sproule o’wise Clarke, son Joseph’s children (James, Andrew, Anne, Sarah, Margaret, Elizabeth), son James, son Oliver and his daughters (Anne, Rebecca, Elizabeth), grandchildren Margaret and Hugh Elliott the children of daughter Margaret, and grandchildren Anne and Mary Thompson. Further information on this will was covered by Kate in a previous post The original was at PRONI, a rare example of a surviving will from the period.

Now, what struck me was three things. First, the name of Elliott. This certainly looked like the same daughter Margaret who had married Thomas Elliott of Ferney in 1773, and was probably deceased by 1797. Second, was the names of Oliver’s daughters – they not only matched the names of the daughters of Oliver Sproule of Brook Hill, they were also in the same order by age! (This would be a 1-in-6 chance if entirely coincidental.) And third, based on the additional information provided by Kate’s transcription (not available in the abstract), the reference to the lands of Cooel.

But, the icing on the cake was a little bit further down the line. For in another previous post on the 1835 will of Andrew Sproule of Magheracrigan, we learn that he was the son of “Andrew Sproule late of Grennan” who left a will dated 27 July 1797 (off by one day, close enough?). Furthermore, other information on Andrew Sproule of Magheracrigan clearly establishes him as the son of Andrew Sproule of Curraghamulkin.

Conclusion, but More Questions

So, Andrew Sproule of Grennan from the 1770s has transformed into Andrew Sproule of Curraghamulkin by 1797! In fact, he was “of Curraghamulkin” by July 1792, when we find him as the grantee in a deed from Henry Irwine of Dublin Esq. (472 / 70 / 296579) concerning the lands of Screen that he later gave to his son Joseph.

Why did he move the few hundred yards from Grennan to its neighboring townland Curraghamulkin? Perhaps his wife or mother had a connection and someone had died between the mid-1770s and July 1792. 

His residence was probably in the northern part of the townland of Curraghamulkin, near the Tappaghan hill and bordering on Dooish townland, based on a description of the Curraghamulkin land in a deed to his son George (presumably a renewal) in 1806, described in another previous post. George Sproule of Curraghamulkin seems to have been the primary resident of sorts by the time of the Tithe Applotment in the 1820s, as his house was listed as the only one in the townland worth more than £5 annually. Not even the house of the family of John “Jack Roe” was listed! So, the family of Andrew Sproule of Curraghamulkin seems to have pulled ahead of their local brethren, but how exactly is not currently known.

 

Appendix: Andrew Sproule of Grennan in Deeds

• Firstly, we see him in a deed from December 1771 (384 / 267 / 254900) in which David Wilson of Stroancarbadagh (parish of Drumragh, county of Tyrone) is granting a quarter of the townland of Stroancarbadagh and a half of the lands of Ednafogery to Oliver Sproule of Grennan, son of Andrew Sproule of Grennan, on the occasion of Oliver’s marriage to Elizabeth Elliott, granddaughter of David Wilson. Andrew Sproule of Grennan also grants his son Oliver the lands of Anaghovy.
• We also see him in a complex trio of deeds from May 1773 (297 / 585 / 196250), November 1773 (298 / 415 / 197889) and April 1774 (300 / 376 / 200249) in which Thomas Verner of Dublin, Esq. and Hugh Carmichael of Dublin, counselor, were separately granting to John Sproule of Strabane Esq. (the apothecary), held in trust for Andrew Sproule of Grennan, the lands of Dooish, Coolavanagh, Lisnaboyaghan, Coolmacormick, Coolmacbryan and Coolemore.
• We see him in a deed from December 1773 (301/83/199121) in which John Elliott of Ferney (parish of Magheracross, county of Fermanagh) is granting his son Thomas Elliott of Ferney, the lands of Ferney, a house and tenements in Ballinamallard and lands of Salloon on the occasion of Thomas’ marriage to Margaret Sproule, daughter of Andrew Sproule of Grennan, who had granted £200 to Thomas.
• And finally we see him (“Andrew Sproule of Grannan gent”) as a witness to a deed and memorial from July 1775 (?) (312/74/207399) in which William Orr, son of William Orr Sen^r of Corr, is marrying Margaret Sproule, daughter of Mr. Charles Sproule of Grennan.
• There is also an Andrew Sproule of Grennan gent. from a 1759 deed (250 / 207 / 162215) who is referenced as an executor, along with Oliver Sproule of Goland gent., of the will of James Sproule of Grennan, deceased. He may or may not be the same individual as the one in the 1770s.