The Silver Bowl: 1718 JOHNSTON-OLIVER

1718 June 11

DEED: 38-403-24787

JOHNSTON to OLIVER

NOTE: I have this deed.

I have a lot to learn when it comes to decoding leases and being able to make educated inferences from them. It would appear that William OLIVER was already residing at Lislooney prior to the lease. This lease poses questions for which I have no answers.

Why was the first indenture signed by William OLIVER dated 1718 but the memorial signed five years later in 1723?
Why was it for such a small section of Lislooney – one acre only, but nailed down for 99 years. Did it give access to a road?
The lease of 1824 mentions an annuity owned by Benjamin OLIVER, father of James for 46+ acres in Lislooney – was this one acre merely adding to a previously existing lease?

Some interesting conjectures can be made about who this William OLIVER may be, but we are still short of a slam dunk.

· He may be the father of David OLIVER (1725-1806) of Ballyrea (and therefore also likely the father of a William OLIVER (b. abt 1730-d.1816) connected to Ballyrea, Farmacaffley & Ennislare), Joseph OLIVER (1727- Bet 1789-1796) of Ballynahonebeg, Benjamin OLIVER (d. 1770) of Ballynahonebeg & Elizabeth OLIVER (b. 1729).

· If these things are true, then he was likely born in the 1690s.

· This then puts him in the same territory and time as the William OLIVER of Mullinture, Co. Armagh which also leads me to suspect a connection to the OLIVERs of Co. Tyrone.

· Interestingly, a RootsWeb tree of the SPEER family has their William OLIVER born in Latakeel, near Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, Ulster. The source they used was: Irish Pedigree. John O’Hart. Not all the facts in this tree ring true. For example, Elizabeth VANCE née OLIVER is alleged to have been born in 1700 and to have died in 1800. Without documentation to validate them, deaths at age 100 are usually suspect in my books – but she would otherwise make a neat fit to the Elizabeth OLIVER b. 1728.

· page 11 of Irish Ancestry of Henry (William) OLIVER mentions a William OLIVER born about 1670 possibly at SherranmcAghully (AKA Farmacaffley), Parish of Eglish, Co. Armagh or Tattykeel, Parish of Kildress, Co. Tyrone and hypothesises that he was a son of Andrew OLIVER of Tattykeel and therefore the brother of an Eliza OLIVER who married John VANCE (page 10). This last fact ties in with the suggestion in the SPEER family tree. They may have referenced the same source.

Memorial of an Indenture made the Eleventh day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighteen between George Johnston [1] of Ballynametagh [2] in the County of Ardmagh [3] Gent of the one part and to William Oliver [4] of Lislooney [5] in the said county ffarmer of the Other Part Witnesseth That the said George Johnston for and in consideration of the rents and covenants therein mentioned doth Demise sett and to farm let unto the said William Oliver his Ex^ns Admin^ns and Assigns one acre of land English Measure Lyeing and being in the townland of Lisooney Joyning to the townland of Anagh [6] & Bordering on the East Side of the Highway Leading from Tynan to Keady [?]ing the Barrony of Tureany [7] and county aforesaid to have and to hold the said unto him the s^d William Oliver his heirs Admin^ns and Assigns from the first day of May [?]ding the date of the s^d Lease for & During the full Term and space of ninety nine years from thence fully to be Completed and Ended Yielding & Paying therefore and thereout yearly and every year for the same the sum of five shillings as by the s^d Indenture of Lease Containing severall other Clauses and Covenants [Relation?] being thereunto had may more fully and at Large appear which s^d indenture was Signed Sealed & Perfected by the s^d George Johnston in the presence of William Scott [8] and Francis Scott [9] both of Killalea [10] in the County of Ardmagh Gent who are subscribing Wittnesses thereto and this memorial was also perfected by the s^d William Oliver in the presence of Ffrancis Scott of Killalea Gent and John Scott [11] of Ardmagh who are subscribing witnesses hereto In witness whereof the s^d William Oliver hath hereunto Sett his hand and Seale this tenth day of September one thousand seven hundred twenty three 1723

Signed Sealed and Perfected William Oliver

in the presence of

Francis Scott

John Scott

[Coun?] Ardmagh

At a [Goull?] Quarter session of the year hold at Ardmagh in and for the s^d county the 16^th day of October 1723

Ffrancis Scott of Killalea in the County of Ardmore for to some this day before us in open Court and made oath that he is a subscribing wittness to the Lease in the above Memorial mentioned of which the above is a memorial & saw the above named Geo Johnson

Sign Seal and [?] the same & is also a subscribing wittness to the above memorial and saw the above named William Oliver Sign Seale and [?] the same note

Capt [?] note in support [?]

[?] [?] ocbry 1723

John Hamilton [12]

J.A. Manson [13]

[1] George JOHNSTON. Given the occurrence of this name in later leases connected with OLIVERs and Laragh, this name is interesting.

[2] The contemporary spelling is “Ballynameta” also known as Wood Park, situated in the Parish of Tynan, Co. Armagh. It is just to the east of Lislooney – separated only by the townland of Dillay.

[3] Contemporary spelling: “County Armagh”

[4] William OLIVER. See notes in box above the deed

[5] Lislooney, Parish of Tynan, Co. Armagh. In the early 1800s, a century after this Deed, a Benjamin OLIVER was registered as a freeholder at Lislooney and other records show the family there after this time.

[6] Contemporary spelling: Enagh. This townland is on the western border of Lislooney. There is another Enagh in the Parish of Lisnadill – just to confound us, the OLIVERs had leases in both!

[7] Contemporary spelling: Tiranny

[8] William SCOTT. It is of interest that LDS has a record of a William SCOTT who married an Isabella OLIVER in the Presbyterian Church of Drumbo, County Down in 1720. Worth Checking out! A William SCOTT was also one of the Derry fighters in 1689 from Co. Monaghan.

[9] Francis SCOTT

[10] Kilylea, Parish of Tynan, Co. Armagh

[11] John SCOTT

[12] John HAMILTON. Given the later Jane HAMILTON - Joseph OLIVER marriage, this is interesting.

[13] J.A. MANSON