Mary Lynn in Ballyvannaught 1800s

Pete,

In those days farmers tended to marry locally. I looked at the 1831 tithes and there was just one Linn farming in the area – John in Twenty Acres. Perhaps related to Mary? (It’s about 500 yards from Twenty Acres to the border with Ballyvennaght).

http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/antrim/tithe-applotments/culfeightrin-parish.php

Having said that I don’t see the Kane/O’Kane family in Ballyvennaght or the Watertop part of it in 1831, so can’t say whether they were in the area then.

The 1803 agricultural census has 4 Lynns in Culfeightrin. Archibald & Michael in Ballyreagh, John in Craigafad & Dennis in Drumahitt. John Kane in Balindam, was the only Kane/O’Kane/O’Cahan.

Culfeightrin RC records only start in 1825 so you won’t find a baptism for Mary Lynn, assuming that’s where she was baptised. I suspect you may struggle to find out much more about the Lynn family. Perhaps you might make a link via DNA testing if you know of anyone else from the 2 families.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will follow up, although it looks challenging.

I am sure of the family's location. The farm is still in the family. I have visited it, on Ballyvanaught Rd. Alex died in 1888 and the farm passed to his eldest son John Kane. It is now worked by a manager, not the owner. The property had belonged to Casements until title passed to John Kane around 1900. I have met descendants personally and through DNA matches. No one knows details about Mary Lynn.

Pete,

I wasn’t doubting that there was a family farm in Ballyvennaght in the late 1800s. (I can see Alexander there in Griffiths Valuation in 1861). What I am saying is that there’s no O’Kane farm there in 1831. The family might have been in the townland as labourers (who aren’t listed in the tithes) but they do not appear to have been farming. So they must have acquired the farm some time between 1831 and 1861.

According to the Valuation revision records, the family look to have bought the freehold from the Casement family in 1929 under the Land Act (ie with a Government mortgage).

I am not surprised to hear the family today can’t help with the Lynn connection. Unless especially interested in genealogy, most families in Ireland would only be able to go back about 3 generations, so to around the late 1800s. After that it all gets a bit vague. Mary will be very difficult to trace.

Alexander may have occupied the Watertop property after 1861.

Sorry, I posted before seeing your reply. Thanks for 1861 Griffith's reference.

The Valuation Revision records for Ballyvennaght show Alexander as tenant of plot 21 till 1889 when he is replaced by John who remains the occupant till 1929 (when those records end).

2 abstracts from the PRONI wills site:

Kane John of Watertop county Antrim farmer died 6 May 1926 Probate Belfast 24 June to Hugh McCarry and Daniel McCarry farmers. Effects £76.

Kane, James of Ballyvennaght Ballyvoy Ballycastle county Antrim farmer died 15 December 1959 Administration Belfast 1 September to Annie Kane the widow. Effects £2886 4s. 7d.

What does “probate to Hugh & Daniel McCarry” mean?

It means they were the executors of the estate. Presumably he nominated them as executors in his will.  If you want to read the will itself or see the rest of the probate file, it’s in PRONI. It’s not on-line. You can either go in person and view it free, or pay PRONI or a researcher to copy it.

In the case of James who died in 1959, he died intestate (Administration), and so his estate will have been dealt with under the laws of intestacy. His widow was appointed the executor by the Probate Court. Again the file will be in PRONI.

I understand. Thanks for clarifying the executor role. McCarrys were not family, so I might research their relationship.
 

James and Ann's eldest son ran the farm after James died. Ann died in the 1980s. The son died in 2004. A tenant manages the farm for the heirs now.
 

Most people appoint executors they trust to administer their estate properly and honestly. (The executor(s) also have to be willing to do it of course). Often 2 are/were appointed to cover the possibility that one might have died by the time they were needed. If both are still alive, probate files often contain a waiver document signed by one executor, leaving the task to the other.

Executors can be a relative but equally it’s often just a friend or neighbour that you know well. So no guarantee the McCarrys are relatives. Might just be long established neighbours. John Kane evidently trusted them, you can infer that anyway.

I may have found a death record for Alexander's widow. Mary Kane, widow of a farmer, died 4JAN1893 at Watertop, age 80, witnessed by son John. All those facts fit. No hints as to her parents/family/maiden name.

P.S.: There were McGarrys living near John Kane - likely the executors.

Sadly Irish death certificates don’t normally contain maiden names or parents names. As I mentioned previously, I think you’ll struggle to find much about Mary’s ancestry. The records just don’t go back far enough.

Thank you for your help.