William's tenancy

William McElhagga in Maxwell's Walls

John (Junior) farmed plots 26 & 27 in Maxwell's Walls. His near neighbour with plots 28 & 29 was his uncle William, his father Henry's (probably younger) brother. He too was in the Tithe Applotment Book for 1837. It was William who we think had a large family of nine, six boys and three girls, two of whom we have already met in the Griffith's Valuation Continuation Books for Connor, namely George and John W(ilson).

William was farming on plot 28: Acre 1, Rood 1, Perches 35, for a rent of 15/- (land) and £1.10.0 (buildings); and on plot 29: A25, R2, P10 for a rent of £11.10.0 (land). Clearly with buildings only on plot 28, he must have lived in the house there - see the map above. His total area was A27, R0, P5 for an annual rent of £13.15.0. In March 1863 the name of William McElhagga was crossed out and that of Margaret McElhagga inserted. I have assumed for some time that as their third daughter was Margaret, in 'naming pattern' style, so his wife's name must have been Margaret, her full Maiden name (from that given to their second son Nathaniel Owens) being Margaret Owens. By the same token it is possible that Margaret's mother was Nancy Betty and that William's mother was Jane, though 'Jane' isn't necessarily supported by the naming pattern of the children of William's 'siblings'. At least we can now be certain that William's wife was Margaret! 

As I pointed out when writing about 'John W.', in Book B of the Continuation volumes, under 'Maps 28 and 29', in 1880 the name of Margaret McElhagga was crossed out and that of John W. McElhagga inserted, with House, Offices and Land, a total of A27, R0, P5, for a rent of £12.5.0 for the land and £1.10.0 for the buildings, a total of £13.15.0. Likewise under map 29a in 1880 the name of Mary McMullen appears with the name of Margaret McElhagga as the Immediate Lessor delelted and John W. McElhagga inserted. Clearly Margaret had sub-let to Mary, a sub-letting that John took over. From the above we may assume that Margaret died in 1880.