McCormacks (Michael or Phillip)

[nellienolan]

I am seeking information about Michael McCormack, born in Gorticashel in approx 1855. His parents were John & Anne (McSwiggan). He left Ireland (no shipping records) when, perhaps, 19yo, and arrived in Victoria (Aust), worked for a while in Portland on the railway construction, then went to Rochester, where his Uncle Phillip McCormack was resident. There, he was married to Sarah O'Connor from Tarnagulla, had a son, was widowed, married again, to Mary Jane Foley from Cappoquin in Co Waterford, and had another 8 children, of whom 6 survived. He ran a Hotel (The Commercial) in Rochester until he died in 1907. So... lots of Australian information, but precious little in Ireland. Did he have siblings?? Was he related to any (and which?) of the McCormack or McSwiggan families who show up in the GV or the Censuses of Tyrone in 1901/11?? Desparately seeking clues!! 

[aghadowey]

Going through older posts and noticed this one had not received a reply. By now you might have been able to find more information but if you haven't done so the following might be of interest.

PRONI Will extracts (www.proni.gov.uk)-
Administration of the estate of John M'Cormick late of Gorticastle Upper County Tyrone Farmer who died 28 December 1896 granted at Londonderry to John M'Cormick of Gorticastle Upper Farmer the Son. (Administration means there was no Will and no paperwork survives)
Probate of the Will of Mary McCormick late of Gorticastle County Tyrone Spinster who died 7 December 1921 granted at Londonderry to Cecilia Keenan Married Woman Michael McCormick and Edward Kirk Farmers Effects £303
McCormick Peter of Gorticastle county Tyrone farmer died 10 March 1933 Probate Londonderry 7 April to Michael McCormick farmer. Effects £328.

The Revision books which follow on from the printed Griffith's Valuation are now online on PRONI site (link above) which means you can trace the tenents/owners of a property until c1930.

[nellienolan]

Thank you for that.  Have previously seen the Will extract re John who died in 1896, but don't know if he is "ours" as we have no record him having a son named John.   Mary who died in 1921, and left her farm to Cecilia Keenan, is a story I am familiar with, but they are not directly within our family; likewise Peter & Michael McCormick.  All these people are probably part of the wider family, but the relationship is unknown.  Since I posted the message of 2011, we have discovered that our grandfather, Michael, had a brother Patrick who went to the USA, and a brother & sister, Philip (aka Felix) and Alice, who both remained single & stayed in Tyrone. If there was also a John...?? That would provide evidence for the movement of the "Estate" following the death in Dec 1896 - our great grandfather John's wife, Anne, was listed as a widow in the 1901 census, living with Philip & Alice.  I have looked online at the Revision books, which show many amendments of ownership of land in Gorticashel Upper, but I have not yet been able to "translate" all that information as it relates to my people.
Any further thoughts are very welcome.
Nellie Nolan

[aghadowey]

Had a look at Will Extracts again and found 2 more-
"McCormack otherwise McCormick Alice of Gorticashel Upper Omagh county Tyrone spinster died 14 May 1910 Administration Londonderry 28 August to Cecillia Keenan married woman. Effects £20."
"McCormack Patrick of Gorticashel county Tyrone farmer died 6 July 1923 Probate Londonderry 13 May to Michael McCormack farmer. Effects £294."

Also looked at the Revision Books- they can be confusing, especially if you haven't worked with them before. Will try to explain it (as I read it). All Gorticashel Upper-
4) 1867/1881 Patrick Kirke & John McCormack (Jack) also 26 Land
    1882/1896 John Kirke & John McCormack (Jack) changed to Philip Patrick [McCormack] in 1883 then Felix [McCormack] in 1886
    1897/1911 John Kirke & Felix McCormack
    1912/1923 John Kirke to Edward [Kirke] in 1916 & Felix McCormack to Edward J. Hagan in 1924

11) 1867/1881 Henry McCormack to Mary [McCormack] to Patrick [McCormack] in 1872?
     1882/1896 Patrick McCormack
     1897/1911 (11 + 12) Patrick McCormack
     1912/1923 (11 + 12a) Patrick McCormack

14) 1867/1881 Peter McCormack, added John McAleer 1872?
     1882/1896 Peter McCormack & John McAleer and Michael McCormack, 1897/1911 & 1912/1923 same

15) 1867/1881 Michael McCormack, added John McCormack (Jack) 1872?
     1882/1896 John McCormack (Jack) to Patrick [McCormack] 1883, to Philip McCormack 1886, to Felix McCormack 1891
     1897/1911 Michl McCormack & Felix McCormack
     1912/1923 Michl McCormack & Felix McCormack (1924? Felix's share to John Hagary? then to Edward Hagary?)

20) 1867/1881 John McCormack (same name until 1923)

26) 1867/1881 John McCormack (Jack), 1882/1896 John McCormack, 1897/1911 Felix McCormack
     1912/1923 Felix McCormack to Edward J. Hagan 1924?

[aghadowey]

27) & 29)
     1867/1881 Patrick McCormack
     1882/1896 Patrick McCormack, to Michael [McCormack] 1883
     1897/1911 Michael McCormack, to Mary [McCormack] 1911
     1912/1923 Mary McCormack, to Patrick Keenan 1920

Misc-
3) 1897/1911 Patrick McCormack, 1912/1923 same
9) 1912/1923 Patrick McCormick
21) 1897/1911 Michl McAlare, to Jno McCormick 1901

You probably know about this topic on another forum-
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/CoTyroneIreland/2010-11/1290110492

[nellienolan]

Thanks you again for all your help.
To the last comment first: Chris Owen is my sister & our search is a shared one, including independent visits to Ireland.
Re the Wills:
The one for Alice is exciting, because I haven't picked it up before - she may have been only discovered to be one of the family after I last looked at the Wills. The rest will need the usual guesswork as to who is whom, within the typical family where the same names are recycled! Alice certainly died between 1901 & 1911, but the beneficiary is a little surprising.  You are right to say the Revision Books can be confusing, but can provide some gems. The hunt goes on.

[aghadowey]

The Will extract does not list beneficeries- the name(s) listed are who applied for probate (in the case of a Will) or for administration (in the case of no Will).

[nellienolan]

Amendment to last post.  Should have rechecked my facts! the Alice who was my great-Aunt was still alive for the Census of 1911, so the one whose Will you located is a different person. Sorry to mislead - back to the Wills for a thorough look!