Tamlaght O’Crilly & Kilrea, Co. Derry

Introduction

A William Lee is listed on the 1740 Kilrea protestant householders, though at this stage it is impossible to say whether or not later families are descended from him.

All further records of Lees families from the Kilrea and Tamlaght O’Crilly area connect back to two separate families. One from the townland of Gortmacrane, the other from the townland of Killymuck Glebe. It may be that these two families are related, though as of yet that remains unproven.

Lees from Gortmacrane, Tamlaght O’Crilly

Oliver Lees and Elizabeth McLaughlin from Tamlaght O’Crilly to Edinburgh
On 1 Jan 1816 an Oliver Lees joined lodge Nº122 Tamlaght O’Crilly, Kilrea, of the Grand Lodge of Ireland as a Master Mason alongside Henry Hamilton, Charles Quinn, and Dennis McCottar. They were the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th members to join the lodge, and the final ones to do so before it was disbanded on 7 Jul 1825 (the first members joining on 3 Aug 1809).

It’s important to realize that at the time, masonic lodges did not have the strictly Protestant association they do now. As professional genealogist Dwight Radford says: ” Prior to the Papal Bulls being published in Ireland in 1826 condemning the Freemasons, lodges were mixed Catholic and Protestant. “

This masonry record is the earliest primary source of a Lees individual in the parish of Tamlaght O’Crilly.

On 16 July 1816 there was a riot during a Vestry meeting in the parish church of Tamlaght O’Crilly because of an unpopular decision to move the site of the old church. Many witnesses appeared before the Magherafelt Petty Sessions on 17 Jan 1817 to give their account of what occurred. Among the witnesses, is an Oliver Lees, though there is no additional information on him other than his name and the fact that he was at the Vestry on that day. The original Petty Session records to not appear have survived, but transcriptions of this particular case can be found in the Anti-Jacobin Review.

The two above records almost certainly refer to the Oliver Lees who married Elizabeth Laughlin and emigrated to Dalkeith near Edinburgh in the 1820s. Multiple triangulated DNA matches connect descendants of this couple to the Gortmacrane family of William Lees and Margaret McGrath described further below.

David Lees of Gortmacrane
On the 1831 Londonderry Census, taken 30 May 1831, a David Leese is listed in Gortmacrane townland as head of a household of 3 males and 7 females, all Presbyterians.

Gortmacrane was an overwhelming Roman Catholic townland. Of 489 people living in the townland in 1831, 52 belonged to the Church of Ireland, 385 were Roman Catholic, and 52 Presbyterian.

I have yet to find any other record of David.

Alice Lees of Gortmacrane
After the 1833 tithe applotment record, the next reference to Lees I have so far located in Gortmacrane is 14 years later, in 1847. In that year, an Alice Lees, Gortmacrane, received relief at Ballymoney and is recorded in the Outdoor Relief Register of the Ballymoney Poor Law Union records. I have not yet succeeded in finding any other record of Alice. I have only seen the indexed entry, so it will be worth looking at the original record in case there is additional information.

William Lees & Margaret McGrath of Gortmacrane

Two years later on 5 Nov 1833, a William Lees in Gortmacrane is listed in the Tithe Applotment Book for the parish of Tamlaght O’Crilly as holding 4″3″33 acres. This William was almost certainly the spouse of Margaret McGrath, which is supported by both documentary and DNA evidence (see further down).

William Lees is variously recorded as a Farmer, Labourer and Butcher, according to his widow’s death record and children’s marriage and death records.

The earliest possibly record I have of Margaret McGrath is the 1847 record of a Margaret Lees, Glebe [Killygullib] who received relief from the Ballymoney Poor Law Union. This could also have been another relative with the same name though.

On 6 May 1852, a Wid[ow] Leese, G[ortma]crane appeared as a witness to the baptism of Margret Gribin, baptized 6 May 1852, daughter of Jas Gribin & Margret Scullion, G[ortma]crane. This is likely Margaret McGrath, indicating that William Lees was likely deceased by that time.

Margaret is also a witness to the 1873 birth of Martha and Thomas‘ son Patrick McMullen.

Son-in-law Thomas McMullen was the informant of the death of Margaret Lees (nee McGrath) on 21 Oct 1879. She is recorded as being a 80 year old Widow of a Labourer in Killygullib townland. 

Offspring
I have succeeding in tracing 5 children born to William Lees and Margaret McGrath, though they almost certainly had more. Their offspring are:

• Catherine Jane Lees was born c1833 Ireland. She emigrated to Dundee, Scotland where she married Patrick Flood on 10 Jul 1857 at St Andrew’s Catholic Church, Dundee. The couple had two known children before Catherine died 19 Sep 1861 Dundee.
• Thomas Lees was born c1833. He married Ellen Mary Keenan on 16 Nov 1857 at Drumagarner Catholic Chapel, Kilrea. The couple had four known children. He is likely the Thomas Lees “of Kilrea” who died 24 Jun 1893 at the Derry Asylum.
• Mary Ann Lees was born c1836 Co. Londonderry, Ireland. She emigrated to Dundee, Scotland where she married Edward Moore on 12 Oct 1857 according to forms of the United Presbyterian Church. The couple had 10 known children. After his death, Mary Anne remarried Alexander D. Cathcart on 2 Jun 1897 according to the forms of the Baptist Church. She died 25 Jan 1912 in Dundee.
• Gordon Lees was born c1840. He married Mary Patterson on 19 Apr 1861 at Draperstown Presbyterian Meeting House, Ballynascreen. The couple had at least 6 children and lived in the townland of Lislea, Kilrea. Gordon died 18 Apr 1896 Lislea.
• Martha Lees, also known as Matilda Lees, was born c1841 Co. Londonderry, Ireland. She married Thomas McMullan on 30 Apr 1862 at Drumagarner Catholic Chapel, Kilrea. The family had 9 known children and lived in the townlands of Drumagarner, Killygullib and Drumean. Martha died 1 Oct 1903 Drumean.

See further down for more on these families.

A matter of Faith
The Gortmacrane Lees family were all listed as Presbyterians on the 1831 census, but one generation later, three of William Lees‘ and Margaret McGrath‘s children appear as Catholic, and two as Presbyterian. Could it be that some of the family converted to Catholicism at some stage?

It is my theory that William Lees and Margaret McGrath may have had a mixed-faith marriage. McGrath is an Irish surname fairly common in Kilrea and the far majority of families with that name were Catholic. Lees on the other hand is a mostly Presbyterian surname, at least in Northern Ireland.

History Island says; To discourage Protestants from marrying Catholics, a statute of George II (19 Geo. 2. c. 13.) [from 1745] declared the Irish Catholic marriage ceremony invalid for a Protestant, though valid for a Catholic. Consequently, in Ireland most Catholic/Protestant couples had a public ceremony performed by a Church of Ireland minister according to the rites of that church, then a renewal of marriage vows before a Catholic priest.

Tamlaght O’Crilly Church of Ireland records unfortunately do not survive before the 1870s. Gortmacrane was officially part of Tamlaght O’Crilly Parish, but Kilrea would been closer if the family lived in the middle or northern part of the townland. I did not locate any Lees marriages in the early Kilrea Church of Ireland records however.

Where they lived

Gortmacrane consisted mostly of church lands which were leased to a landowner by the See of Derry, and sublet to various smaller tenants.

I have not yet been able to identify where exactly the Lees family lived in the townlands of Gortmacrane or Drumagarner. Although William Lees appears as a tenant in Gortmacrane the 1833 tithe applotment books, by the time of the Griffith’s valuation some 25 years later, there is no Lees tenant listed.

There are no maps associated with the tithe applotment books, however, as we know the acreage of the plot of land William Lees held in 1833, we can compare that to Griffith’s Valuation. 

To do so, we need to use mathematics, as the tithe applotment books are in Irish acres, and Griffith’s in statute (or English) acres. William‘s 4″3″33 Irish acre holding is 4,95625 when written with decimals. To get the value in statute acres we then convert that number by 196/121 which gives us 8,02831, or between 8″0″4 and 8″0″5 statute acres.

Unfortunately I can find no plot of land that matches that acreage exactly. The closest I found is a 8″0″30 acre piece of land held by a James Kane on Griffith’s valuation (ref #49, Gortmacrane), and leased from Andrew Orr. But I cannot be sure that the land held by James Kane in 1859 was the same as that held by William Lees in 1833. Whether or not that was the case, most of the land in Gortmacrane was owned by Andrew Orr, so it is definitely worth trying to trace the family through any possible surving Orr papers. There are Orr family Estate accounts held at the Public Records Office Northern Ireland, references D3010/3/1-62. Perhaps something can be found there.

Thomas Lees (c1833-1893) and Ellen Keenan
The earliest record I have of Thomas is from 9 Jul 1854 in the parish registers of Drumagarner Catholic Chapel, when Thos Lees appears alongside Mary Ann Gribin as a sponsor to the baptism of Joseph McAlister, son of Joseph & Margaret McAlister, G[ortma]crane.

Tom Lees & Nelly Keenan, Gortmacrane, appear as sponsors to the baptism of Ann Dimand on 14 Jun 1857, dau. of James & Biddy Dimand, Gortmacrane. Nelly is almost certainly Thomas‘ future wife Ellen.

On 16 Nov 1857, Thomas Leese of Gortmacrane married Ellen Keenan at Drumagarner Catholic Chapel, Kilrea, with Pat[ric]k Cassady and Missis Ja[me]s Dimand G[ortma]crane appearing as witnesses. Ellen‘s parents are listed as William and Margaret Keenan, and Thomas‘ mother is listed as Margaret Lees. No father’s name is listed for Thomas.

The couple had the following children;

• William Leese, born Gortmacrane, baptized 12 Dec 1858 Drumagarner Catholic Chapel, Kilrea.
• Henry Leese, born Gortmacrane, baptized 7 Apr 1861 Drumagarner Catholic Chapel, Kilrea.
• Thomas Lees, born Gortmacrane, baptized 6 Oct 1863 Drumagarner Catholic Chapel, Kilrea.
• Mary Lees, born 11 May 1867 Gortmacrane, registered Ballymoney.

There is a Thomas Lees of Kilrea, age 60, who died on 24 Jun 1893 at Derry Asylum of „Melancholia and Exhaustion“. This appears to be him. There are surviving patient records for Derry Hospital held at PRONI which should be consulted to confirm this.

Son William‘s military service record lists his next-of-kin as „Father, Thomas [Lees], Newcastle“. It is unknown whether this refers to the Newcastle in County Down, or to one of the English towns of that same name. In any case, I have not found any record of an Irish Thomas Lees in Newcastle, England or Newcastle, Co. Down.

Ellen Keenan moved to Lanark, Scotland where she died.

There is a wealth of information contained in the service record of William Lees which I have attempted to summarise here below. See also https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBM/WO97/3282/210660

On April 4^th 1900, he enlisted to join the Royal Reserve Regiment at home and was found fit to serve. In the record he is listed as being born in the Parish of Kilrae in the County of Derry, his age is given as 41 years, and was a Customs Officer by trade. It mentions he had served with the Scottish Riffles for 19 years. His height was 5 feet 10 1/8 inches (around 178cm) and weight 156lbs (around 71kg). His complexion was „fresh“, and he had hazel coloured eyes and black hair. His Religion is listed as Roman Catholic.

He served for the one year and was discharged 3 Apr 1901 on completion.

On 16 Feb 1877 William enlisted to join the 60^th Brigade Rifles at Ballymena aged 18 years old. He served for that regiment for over 4 years before transferring to the Scottish Rifles on 1 Jul 1881. On 10 Jun 1882 he was promoted to Corporal, and on by 1888 he had been promoted to Sergeant, and was further promoted to Colour Sergeant in 1890. On 13 Oct 1890 he was discharged at his own request after 18 years of service and was eligible for a pension.

• 17 Feb 1877 to 10 Jan 1878 Served at home
• 11 Jan 1878 to 18 Oct 1879 served in South Africa
• 19 Oct 1879 to 27 Mar 1883 served in India
• 28 May 1883 to 13 Oct 1896 served at home

It is mentioned that he received 2 Good Conduct Badges and was awarded South African clasps for 1877, 1878 and 1879.

His next of kin is listed as „Father, Thomas, Newcastle“ and is crossed out, and „Wife, with regiment“ written instead. It mentions that he is married to Annie McGee at St. Joseph’s Church, Glasgow on 7 Jan 1886. Her address is given as 46 Macintosh St, Dennistown, Glasgow

He had a certificate for a third of secondary school, 2nd class 16 Jan 1886. And his character is listed as very good.

During the beginning of his service it seems he was stationed for a time at Omagh, County Tyrone, but after joining the Scottish Rifles it seems that for most of his time at home he was stationed at Hamilton in Lanarkshire. He was in hospital a few times for illness, the worst being a 42 day stay for an ulcer. The final page also lists further diseases he suffered while abroad.

At his initial attestation he was 67 inches and 158.5lbs, vaccinated in infancy, brown hair

Martha or Matilda Lees (c1841-1903) and Thomas McMullan

As a matter of habit, I usually make a habit of also searching for Ulster Irish families on Scottish and English censuses, as there was a lot of cross migration. I don’t always find anything obvious, but in this case I was in luck, and I was immediately fairly confident that I had found Martha aka Matilda on the 1861 census in Dundee.

Matilda often appears under the name Martha, so she must have used both names to same extend. Perhaps one was more of a pet name, and the other used more for official purposes.

On 30 Apr 1862 Matilda Leese married Thomas McMullen also at Drumagarner Catholic Chapel, Kilrea. Matilda‘s mother is referred to as Widow Lees. Neither of Thomas’ parents is listed. Pat[ric]k Quin and Rose Quin, Mon[e]ysallin acted as witnesses.

Martha/Matilda Lees and Thomas McMullen had the following children, all born within the District of Kilrea;

• Hugh Kennedy McMullen baptized 28 Dec 1862 Drumagarner Catholic Chapel, Kilrea, with the family living in Killygullib at the time [spelled Hugh Kenedy McMullan]
• William McMullen born 4 Oct 1864 Killygullib according the the statutory birth records. However this is also a baptism record taking place in August. This is not unusual and is probably due to the parents not registering the birth on time and lying about the date of birth to avoid a late fine. In 1891 William McMillan is possibly the one nearby sister Catherine Henderson at Hopehill, Barony, Kelvin, Lanark, Scotland, with wife Isabella and children; William b. abt 1883; Agnes b. abt 1885; Susan b. abt 1890, all in Glasgow. This may be the WIlliam McIntyre McMillan who married Isabella Stewar McBrayne 1881 Kelvin, Glasgow.
• Thomas Tristram McMullen, born 15 May 1866 Drumagarner. Cannot find anything for him after this date.
• Catherine Jane McMullen, born 16 Oct 1867 Drumnagarner, married Joseph Henderson 4 Jun 1886 in Drumagarner Catholic Chapel. Later lived in Glasgow then emigrated to Judson, New Jersey according to an Ancestry Family Tree. Children; William b. abt 1887; Mary b. abt 1889; Joseph b. abt 1891; Catherine b. abt 1893; William b. abt 1896; Jeannie b. abt 1898; Thomas b. Abt 1899 all born in Glasgow.
• Sarah McMullen, born 5 Aug 1869 Drumagarner.
• Margaret McMullen, born 5 Mar 1871 Drumagarner
• Patrick McMullen, born 5 Jun 1873 Drumagarner, a Marg[ar]et Lees was the informant to the birth, presumably the child’s grandmother. Presumably this Patrick died young as a namesake was born to the couple 8 years later.
• Matilda McMullen, born 25 Nov 1876 Drumagarner.
• Patrick McMullan, born 27 Mar 1881 Killygullib. This Patrick is likely the one who married a Sarah Duffin in 1910.

The informant of the birth of Matilda McMullen in 1876 was a Sarah Gribben in Gortmacrane, presumably the Sarah McReonalds in Gortmacrane who married Joseph Gribben 1872.

Martha Lees appears on the 1901 census with husband Thomas McMullen in house 32 of Drumean townland, Kilrea. Daughter Matilda is in house 24 a few doors down, a General Domestic Servant in the household of James McGuigan, Catholic Parish Priest. Also in the household is a John McCormack, an Irish speaking Farm Servant whom Matilda married on 4 Jun 1911 with witnesses William John Rainey and Margaret Donagh.

Matilda could read but not write, whereas her parents could neither read not write.

Martha Lees died in Drumane on 1 Oct 1903, her husband being the informant and Thomas McMullen died in 4 Mar 1908 with daughter Matilda as the informant. The couple have a gravestone to their memory in Drumagarner churchyard.

Gordon Lees from Lislea, Kilrea

There is also a Gordon Lees in Kilrea parish who was likely another child of William Lees and Margaret McGrath. This theory appears to have been proven by DNA matches between descendants.

Gordon Lees (also variously spelt Leese) married Mary Patterson 19 Apr 1861 at Draperstown Presbyterian Meeting House, Ballynascreen. Gordon is listed as 21 years of age, a Bachelor living in Lislea townland, Kilrea, the son of William Leese, Farmer. Mary is listed as 21 years of age, a Spinster living in Magherland?, the daughter of John Patterson, Farmer.

Gordon is uncommon as a first name so it may be that it was a surname somewhere in the family prior to surviving records.

I cannot find any reference to a place by the name of Magherland. The marriage took place in Draperstown South-East of Maghera town, so perhaps it refers to a rural part of the Parish of Maghera.

I have located the following children to the couple, though due to the large gaps between some of the births I would assume there were more. By determining what church they attended and consulting the appropriate baptismal registers, additional children may be found.

• John Lees born about 1857 based on his age on the 1911 census where he appears unmarried age 44. He died 22 Apr 1852 at Waveney Hospital, Ballymena.
• William Leese born 29 Mar 1865 Lislea. I cannot locate any trace of this son after his birth.
• Mary Anne Lees born 26 May 1868 Lislea, appears unmarried on the 1911 census.
• Isabella Lees born 6 Oct 1870, married Samuel Gibson 1 Jul 1897 at Maghera Presbyterian Church. The couple had 6 known children.
• Sarah Lees born 12 Apr 1879 Lislea. Cannot find a definite trace of her afterwards. She is possibly the Jinnet Lees in Lislea on the 1901 census.
• Jeanette Rodgers Dickie Lees born about 1880, married Matthew Barkley 24 Mar 1909 at Maghera Presbyterian Church. The couple had at least 3 children.

Gordon is referenced in a number of newspaper articles 1859-1890s, mostly relating to the sale of farm animals. He appears to have been a successful farm animal breeder and salesman, a career which son John followed after him.

Those articles of biggest genealogical interest are;

• A dispute between neighbouring families Gordon and Leese due to ill-feeling regarding right of way on the road, with various accusations and counter accusations mentioning John Leese, Mary Leese (mother), Mary Anne Leese (sister) and Bella Leese (sister).

• The accusations included “using threats of violence, and making use of filthy language and gestures” and other claims. The cases were all dismissed by the judge.

• Mr. D. MacLaughlin, solicitor, Coleraine appeared for the Leeses, and the Gordons were represented by Mr. Boyle.

Coleraine Chronicle 12 December 1896: KILREA PETTY SESSIONS, „Field Days“ at Lislea

This Lees family lived on the Mercers’ Company estate from as early as July 1859 when Griffith’s valuation was taken. According to the valuation revision books, the family acquired the land in 1910 through the Land Purchase Act (L.A.P). Records should survive of that transaction which will hopefully detail the rental history of the family on that piece of land and when they first took out the lease.

• MC/1/54/3/14 Diary of a Deputation to Ireland, 1847 Copy of the Diary of a Deputation from the Mercers’ Company of London, Contents: 1. Diary 2. Report 3. Census 4. Census (Red bound book consisting of 226 pages) held in the Mercers’ Company Archive in London
• D1118/1/2/1 Map of Mercers’ Company estate. [Large volume] 1855 PRONI
• D1118/1/1/13 Box of Irish Land Commission papers relating … 1903-1910
• D1118/1/1/14 Leases, properties in Kilrea, Lislea, etc. 1891-1901
• FIN/23/12/ Land Purchase Records and Deeds [no date or further info]
• LR1/561/1 boxes 561 to 567 cover Mercers Company Land Purchase act records

Lees from Killymuck Glebe, Tamlaght O’Crilly

There is a record of a Mary A. Lease born 17 Dec 1810 at Killymuck, Londonderry, Ireland on the Family Search IGI. There is no additional information to this indexed. The source is listed as film number 184104 which contains Endowments for the dead: Vol. U 28 Oct 1909 (includes heir index). The original records are held at the Salt Lake City Family History Library. As the record is submitted, it is difficult to know its accuracy, but a consultation of the microfilm might provide more information. If the reference does prove correct, then it would be one of the oldest sources of Lees from the parish of Tamlaght O’Crilly.

On the 1831 Londonderry Census, taken 30 May 1831, a Nancy Leese is listed in Killymuck townland House No. 65 as head of a household of 2 females, both Presbyterians. In the neighbouring House No. 66 is the household of a David Leese, with 4 males and 4 females, all Presbyterians.

Two years later, in the 1833 Tithe Applotment records for Tamlaght O’Crilly, appears David Lees, Killymuck Glebe, with a 7″0″15 acre holding for which he paid a £0″10″3 & 1/2 tithe.

Fourteen years later in 1847, Anne Lees, Killymuck, received outdoor relief from the Ballymoney Poor Law Union. This may have been the same person as the Nancy on the 1831 census as those names were usually used interchangeably. We cannot know for sure though.

James Lees & Janet Clyde
This couple married around 1840 and have five children’s baptisms recorded at the Churchtown Presbyterian Church which is located in the village of Tamlaght, Tamlaght O’Crilly. I have identified a further four children from other sources, meaning nine children in all, though they may have had more.

1. David Lees, b. c1840 Co. Londonderry, Ireland, m. Margaret McCaughey 13 Jul 1861 Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, d. 26 Feb 1875 Bristol, Rhode Island, USA.
2. Samuel Lees, b. c1843 Killymuck, Tamlaght O’Crilly, Co. Londonderry, Ireland, c. 23 Mar 1843, m. 1st Mary Ann McCaughey 11 Feb 1869 Tamlaght O’Crilly, Co. Londonderry, Ireland, m. 2nd Eliza Jane Torrens 12 Dec 1884 Finvoy, Co. Londonderry, Ireland, d. 17 Oct 1886 Eden, Tamlaght O’Crilly, Co. Londonderry, Ireland.
3. Mary Lees, b. c1845 Killymuck, Tamlaght O’Crilly, Co. Londonderry, Ireland, c. 23 Mar 1845, m. 1st James Holmes 4 May 1867 Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, m. 2nd George Holmes 31 Oct 1877 Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, d. 1882 in Bristol, Rhode Island, USA.
4. Sarah Lees, b. c1850 Co. Londonderry, Ireland, m. William Nelson 3 Apr 1874 Tamlaght O’Crilly, Co. Londonderry, Ireland.
5. Anne Lees, b. 3 Feb 1850, m. Hugh McShane 14 Jan 1876 Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, d. 4 Nov 1924 Bristol, Rhode Island, USA.
6. Eliza Lees, b. c1852 Co. Londonderry, Ireland, m. James Ritchie 29 Nov 1877 Aughadowey, Co. Londonderry, Ireland, d. 3 Jul 1916 in Cashel, Articlave, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, Ireland.
7. Robert Lees, b. Jun 1855 Killymuck, Tamlaght O’Crilly, Co. Londonderry, Ireland, c. 22 Nov 1855.
8. John Lees, b. c1860 Co. Londonderry, Ireland, m. Mary Jane Morrell 11 Apr 1883 Tamlaght O’Crilly, Co. Londonderry, Ireland, d. 11 Feb 1943.
9. Nancy Lees, b. c1861 Killymuck, Tamlaght O’Crilly, Co. Londonderry, Ireland, c. 20 Feb 1862.

See below for more on each of these siblings and their families.

David LEES (c.1840-1875) m. Margaret MCCAUGHEY
David Lees was born c1840. He emigrated to Rhode Island, USA and married Margaret McCaughey, daughter of Hugh & Margaret McCaughey on 13 Jul 1861 Bristol, Rhode Island and had at least 5 children. David died on 26 Feb 1875 in Bristol, Rhode Island.

Samuel LEES (c.1843-1886) m. Mary Ann MCCAUGHEY & Eliza Jane TORRENS
Samuel Lees was born c1843 and baptized 23 Mar 1843. He first married Mary Ann McCaughey, daughter of Robert McCaughey on 11 Feb 1869 at Churchtown Presbyterian, Tamlaght O’Crilly and also emigrated to Rhode Island, USA. After Mary Ann died on 31 Aug 1883 (no known issue), Samuel returned to Ireland and married for a second time to Eliza Jane Torrens, daughter of Alexander Torrens and Mary Watson on 12 Dec 1884 at Finvoy Presbyterian. The couple had 2 children before Samuel died on 17 Oct 1886.

Mary LEES (c.1845-1882) m. James HOLMES & George HOLMES
Mary Lees was born c1845 and bapized 23 Mar 1845 at Churchtown Presbyterian. She emigrated to Rhode Island, USA and first married James Holmes, son of Hugh Holmes and Susanna Wade there on 4 May 1867 Bristol, Rhode Island and had 3 known children. After her husband’s death, she remarried George Holmes on 31 Oct 1877. Her two husbands may have been brothers. Mary died in 1882 in Bristol, Rhode Island.

Sarah LEES (c.1850-????) m. William NELSON
Sarah Lees was born c1850. She had an illegitimately born daughter Margaret McCaughy born 22 Dec 1868 with Archibald McCaughy. Sarah married William Nelson, son of Samuel Nelson, on 3 Apr 1874 at Churchtown Presbyterian, Tamlaght O’Crilly. The couple had at least 7 children. Sometime before 1901 the family emigrated to Glasgow, Scotland. I do not know when she died.

Anne LEES (1850-1924) m. Hugh MCSHANE
Anne Lees was born 3 Feb 1850 according to the US census. She emigrated to Rhode Island, USA, and married Hugh McShane, son of Hugh McShane and Mary Kelse on 14 Jan 1876 at the First Congregational Church, Bristol, Rhode Island. The couple had 3 known children. Anne also known as Annie died 4 Nov 1924 in Bristol.

Eliza LEES (c.1852-1916) m. James RITCHIE
Eliza Lees was born c1852. She is likely the Betty Lees who had an illegitimately born daughter Nancy Moore with George Moore. Eliza later married James Ritchie, a Widower, son of Joseph Ritchie, on 29 Nov 1877 at Ringsend Presbyterian, Aughadowey. The couple had at least 4 children, possibly more. Eliza died 3 Jul 1916 in Cashel, Articlave, Coleraine.

Robert LEES (1855-????)
Robert Lees was born circa Jun 1855 and baptized 22 Nov 1855 Churchtown Presbyterian. I have found no definite trace of him after this, but he may be the Irish Robert Lees who married Elizabeth McDermott or Dermott on 25 March 1884 at the Philadelphia Presbyterian Monthly Meeting in the USA. She was born 1859 Philadelphia, to Thomas McDermott and Eliza Graham, natives of Ireland. This Robert died before 1900. Elizabeth died 1925. The couple had two known children.

John LEES (c.1860-1943) m. Mary Jane Morrell
John Lees was born c1860. He married Mary Jane Morrell, daughter of Alexander Morrell on 11 Apr 1883 at Boveedy Presbyterian, Tamlaght O’Crilly. The couple had two known children. John Lees inherited the Killymuck property from his father James. He died 11 Feb 1943.

Nancy LEES (c.1861-????)
Nancy Lees was born c1861 and baptized 20 Feb 1862. I have found no trace of her after this date.

Margaret McCaughey alias Lees (1868-1849)
Maggie Lees or Margaret McCaughy was born 22 Dec 1868 Killymuck to Archibald McCaughy, Labourer, and Sarah Lees. A William MacKeown of Kilrea was present at birth.

Margaret emigrated to Pennsylvania in the USA where she married Thomas Scott 4 Jun 1902. She passed away on 3 Apr 1949 in Philadelphia. Margaret‘s date of birth is variously listed as 19 Dec 1871 or 19 Dec 1875 in American records. Her parents are given as James Leese & Jane Clyde, who were in fact her grandparents.

I found a record of one child born to the couple, Margaret Jane Scott, b. 18 Oct 1907, c. 20 Apr 1908 Fifth Reformed Presbyterian, Philadelphia

Nancy Moore alias Anne Lees (1874 – after 1940)
Nancy also known as Anne or Annie was born out of wedlock on 10 Aug 1874 to George Moore and Eliza or Betty Lees, in Killymuck. The names Nancy and Anne were used interchangeably at the time.

The next record I have of Nancy is from an article published in the Coleraine Chronicle on 9 Jul 1887;

ALLEGED ASSAULT
Nancy Lees, Killymuck townland, summoned James O’Rorke, of same place, for assaulting her on a recent date.
Mr. MacLaughlin appeared for complainant.
Nancy Lees, examined, said she lived with her aunt at Killymuck, and the defendant lived next door. O’Rorke assaulted her opposite her own door by giving her a push.
The defendant said he only put the complainant off the ditch where she had been breaking down his fences.
Mary Jane Lees, examined, said she observed defendant catch hold of complainant by the shoulder and throw her against the hedge.
The Bench dismissed the case.
O’Rorke had a cross-case against the Lees’s for threatening language, which was also dismissed.

The Mary Jane mentioned in the article will be Mary Jane Morrell who Married John Leese in 1883.

Nancy emigrated to the USA and appears in American records as Annie Lees. She married Thomas Quinn on 7 May 1903 at 33rd Street Baptist Church, Manhattan, and listed her grandparents James Lees and Janet Clyde as her parents instead of her biological parents.

Husband Thomas Quinn was the son of Thomas C. Quinn and Margaret Carmichael who married 6 Jul 1871 in Churchtown Presbyterian Church, Tamlaght O’Crilly, with son Thomas jnr. being born 15 March 1874 and the family residing in Killgullib at the time. Thomas snr‘s father was also a Thomas Quinn, so perhaps that is the Thomas Quinn living a few households next to David Leese on both the 1831 census and Killymuck Tithe Applotment records.

The church the couple attended, 33rd Street Baptist Church, has been the Glad Tidings Tabernacle since 1914 according to a book by David Dunlap.

I have located the following children to the couple;
– Annie May Quinn, born 20 Dec 1903, died 26 Jun 1904 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
– Jennie Clyde Quinn, born 15 Sep 1905 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
– Thomas C. Quinn, born abt 1907, died 1985 same place.
– Robert James Quinn, born 13 Aug 1909 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, died 30 Jun 1911 same place.
– Elizabeth Gillespie Quinn, born 11 Feb 1913 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States and died 23 Jul 1913 same place.

All seem to be buried at the North Cedar Hill Cemetary.

Thomas Quinn snr appears variouly as a Coalyard worker (1910), Foreman (1920), Warehouseman (1940).

On the 1940 census living next door in the same house as Thomas Quinn and Anne Lees is an Elizabeth Gillespie, Widow, born Northern Ireland circa 1865 according to census age, and a William Clyde, Widower, her brother, born Northern Ireland circa 1869 . They seem likely to be related. William and Elizabeth Clyde also appear next door in other censuses and seem to have been neighbours for decades.