Forsyth/McNutt/Cowan Donegal Ireland – Timeline
Remember yesterday, dream about tomorrow, but live for today
(Forsyth references are in black, McNutt and variants are in green, and others are in blue)
1606-1611 – Plantation of Ulster history of the Hamilton and Montgomery settlement of the 10,000 Scottish in the Donegal/Letterkenny area.
John McNaught 1610-1673 m Florence Gordon 1630-
1630 – Muster Roll of Donegal – no listing for Forsyth or McNutt in Freeholders Records
1654 – Civil Survey of Donegal – Nil
Alexander McNitt 1656-1743 b Laggan, Donegal married Sarah 1658-1746 – son Barnard – 1720 emigration to USA via Scotland – died in Palmer, Hampden, Massachusetts USA in 1743
Alexander Mc Nitt listed on Hearth Money Roll in 1665 Culylee in Roymocky Parish, Raphoe (4 miles north-east of Letterkenny)
1660- Poll Tax – nil
1665 – Hearth Money Roll (Tax imposed by Charles 2 in 1662)– Raphoe – for Robert Forsyth – Kindurk; James F – Mongavelen; Gawen F – Raphoe
- – Will for James Forsythe in Newton Conynghan, Raphoe
After 1750 – Tom McNutt of Donegal married Jeannie McFate
1768 – Will for John McNutt in Fusoghmore
- – Money Hearth Roll – Leck Parish – 1766 Protestant Householders
Robert Forsythe- Drumore and John McNutt – Fersalmore
1768 – death of John McNutt, Fasoghmore
1772 – Hanna McNutt born and died spinster aged 62 on 23 May 1835 in Londonderry (Derry)
The history of Derry (or Londonderry if Loyalists)is a fractured one……the photos below show some of the walled city and the remnants of the troubles and the contemporary life
1774– Will for Robert McNutt – Creevy
1775 – 25 Dec – death of James Forsaythe, Habistown, Raphoe, Donegal
1781 – Will for William McNutt – Fasetmore ; and Robert Forsaythe, Raphoe
1794 –96 possible birth date for John Forsyth(e) – born 1796 in Ireland and died Film# 101588 Vol 2 Page 113…Digital GS #4200220 image #00098, 1867 – not confirmed to date
1796 – Flax Growers Bounty List – Donegal – Spinning Wheel Premium Entitlements List – County Donegal- James Forsyth – Rye; Jane Forsyth – Taughboyne
- McNutt, Archibald – Conwal McNutt, John – Templemore
- McNutt, Patrick – Kilmacrenan McNutt, William – Fahan Upper
- McNutt, Robert – Tully McNutt, Francis – Tully
- McNutt, James – Templemore McNutt, Samuel – Fahan Upper
- McNutt, James – Tully McNutt, Thomas – Inch
- McNutt, John – Fahan Upper McNutt, Walter – Fahan Upper
1796 – Andrew McNutt (d 1884) born to William McNutt and Catherine Culbert – (who died 15 Dec 1853) – could this be Catherine’s parents and Andrew her brother? Andrew married Susan Richardson.
1807 – Catherine ( Mary) McNutt- born in Dunfanaghy to Thomas McNutt and Elizabeth Wilson (Census of Donegal – 1841)?
*1807 – probable year of birth for our Catherine McNutt – perhaps daughter of Barnard (Marnard/Maynard) McNutt……? Or William McNutt and Catherine Culbert (see above)born Clondavaddog, Coff?
1807 – birth of Catherine Forsyth married George Robb and died 1882
14 Sep 1813 (bap) – born Rebecca Forsythe- Crossroads Presbyterian Meeting House
6 Jun 1815 – born Joseph Forsythe- Crossroads Presbyterian Meeting House (see photo of Meeting House in Raphoe above)
1815 – b Thomas McNutt and died about 1892 – perhaps a brother to Catherine???
1822 – Convoy Presbyterian Congregation March 1822 Records
– Cloughrah townland – Widow Cowan, nee Crawford, Children: James, Elizabeth (extinct)
– Aughygalt townland – Charles Cowan, wife nee Elizabeth Cowan: Children James (30), Catherine, John, Elizabeth, Mary (18); William Cowan, wife, nee Mary Cowan. Children: Catherine (23), Elizabeth, Jane, Susan, James, Jacob (headstone below) and Samuel Cowan, wife nee Margaret Wilson. Children: John (16), Charles, Eliza, Robert, James, Samuel
– Little Aughygalt – Robert Fairman, wife nee Agnus Ash. Children: John (21), Elizabeth, Robert, Jane, Judith (extinct)
– Maghrynappin – John Ash, wife nee Nancy Campbell. Child Matty (8 months)
– Artikelly – William Fairman, wife nee Peggy Brown. Children: Nancy (5), Jane, Margaret (away)
– Hill-Head – Widow Ash nee Fairman. Children: Thos(21), Eliza, Judith, Richard, Jane
– Castletorris – John Williamson, wife nee Easter Cowan (perhaps Esther). Children: Nancy (20), Matthew, Rebecca, Eliza,Robert
– Bann – Twigg and Ash with 2 children (extinct); William Boal, wife nee Martha Cowan, and a cousin Nancy Cowan (extinct)
– Tullydonnell- Widow McNaught nee Lee. Children: Alex (22), Sally, Kitty, Johnston (extinct)
– Milltown of Convoy- James Ewen, wife nee Matty Morrow. Children: James (18), Bess, Robert, Jane, Margaret, Martha
– Convoy – John Toppins, wife nee Mary Fairman. Children: John (23), William (20), Robert (18); William Fairman, wife nee Mary Doak. Child: Eliza (extinct)
– Cloughgore – Robert Ash, wife nee Mary Ash
1824 Pigot’s Directory – Donegal Towns – Nil
Griffith’s Valuation – Donegal 1825 and 1848-1864 as well…same listings
Forsyth, James, Carricknamart, Raymoghy
Forsyth, John, Moneyhaughly, Raymoghy
Forsyth, Samuel, Moneyhaughly, Raymoghy
Forsyth, Stewart, Moneyhaughly, Raymoghy
Forsythe, Catherine, Ardaganny, Leck
Forsythe, James, Lettermakenny, Stranorlar
Forsythe, James, Monreagh, Taughboyne
Forsythe, Samuel, Glenoughty, Leck
Forsythe, William, Town of Creeslough, Clondahorky
*1828 – possible marriage year for John and Catherine – Letterkenny church records yet to be checked
- – birth of Samuel – first son – Letterkenny
Church photos – Letterkenny and brochure re Catholic and Church Of Ireland
1831 – birth of John – second son – Ardiganny
1834 – Tithe Applotment books 1823-1837
–John Forside (Forsythe) – Ardaganny (see land photos above)
- McNight (McNutt?) – Ardaganny
- Jo Given – Milltown
- Thomas Morrow – Milltown
- Cowan – James, Conwal; John, Ramelton; James, Drimedart Upper; James, Moneymore; John, Cloughfin; Samuel, Cross Taughboyne; William, Castrues, Taughboyne; James, Gortree, T; James, Gortree, T; John, Tonagh, T
1834 – b ? William John Forsythe and d 1912 Londonderry
1835 – Birth of James – third son – Ardiganny
1841 – birth of Robert Henry – fourth son – Ardiganny
1843 – Benjamin Forsyth listed as Blacksmith at Raphoe (see Raphoe photos above)
1845 – birth of William – fifth son- Donegal
3 Dec 1845 – James Forsythe – father James – Monreagh
1847 – birth of Francis ( Frank) – sixth son – Donegal
1848-1849 – William Smith O’Brien Petition – nil Forsyth – all counties
1848 – 26 Jun – Margaret Forsyth, age 26 – transported to Australia for larceny for 7 years
1853 – marriage of a John Forsyth (labourer) Cavan and Eleanor Sharkey of Swilly
1848 -1864 – Griffiths Valuation of Ireleand
- James F – Carriocknamart, Raymoghy
- John F – Moneyhaughly, Raymoghy
- Samuel – Moneyhaghly, Raymoghy
- Stewart – “
- Catherine – Ardaganny, Leck (this indicates that perhaps John was already dead by 1864 and Catherine was now the land lease?)
- James F – Monreagh, Taughboyne
- Samuel – Glenoughty, Leck
- William – T/Creeslough, Clondahorky
1857 Griffith’s Valuation (see above)- Forsythe, Catherine – Ardaganny – Forsythe, Samuel – Glenaughty – suggesting this might be Samuel born 1829
1859 – Marriage – John Forsyth – aged 41 – Bachelor farmer Moneyhaughly, Raynoghy father – John Forsyth farmer, married Sarah Meehan, 32 spinster, from Tirharon, Raymoghy –father Neal Meehan, farmer –(see death notices below for 1876) – marriage Witnessed by William Graham and Biddy Harkin
1860 – 1867 death of John Forsyth, husband of Catherine McNutt – perhaps Film#101588 Vol 2 Page 113..Digital GS# 4200220 image #00098, 1876…..though Catherine’s death certificate in 1867 cites her as a widow….???????
1866 – an Ellen Forsyth married James Nesbitt
1867 – Convoy Presbyterian Church – Financial Report – Pew Holders and Stipend Payers
- Cowan – John, Mrs, James, William
- Richard Toppins
1867 – Death of Catherine Forsyth, widow cited on Death Certificate by son Samuel
*record
1867 – Landowners – Francis McNutt, Ballyconnelly, Ray/Rye Ramelton owned 77 acres; Henry McNutt, Carnamuggagh, Lower, Letterkenny owned 26 acres
1868 d 1947 Letterkenny – a John Forsyth
1869 – m John Forsyth, Letterkenny, Vol 12, p163, GS Film 101251
1876 – Freeholders Records – Donegal – for Henry McNutt – Carnamuggagh, Letterkenny – 26 acres and Francis Mc Nutt – Ballyconnelly, Ray (Rye) Ramelton, owned 77 acres; James F – Moneyhaughly
1876 – 2 Aug – death of a John Forsyth, husband of Sarah Meehan (witness), Moneyhaughly, Parish Manorcunningham
1876 – 5 Aug -Death of a John Forsyth, aged 80, Moneyhaughly, Parish Manorcunningham – father-in-law of Sarah Meehan (witness) – died 3 days after her husband – some disease perhaps or famine?
1878 – Killing of Lord Leitrim – Juryman – Anthony McNutt
1879 – Sir Thomas Douglas Forsythe…had a daughter Jessie Alice Forsythe
1894 – 6 Oct – Death of Catherine McNutt, age 58, spinster, Carnamuggah, Letterkenny
1897 – 13 Apr – marriage of Catherine McNutt, domestic servant, from Rectory Fahan, spinster, (father John McNutt – school master) to Robert Kidd, (father William Kidd) Ticket Collector on Steamer, bachelor, from Balinahone, Londonderry, Donegal- witnessed by Robert McNutt and James Kidd
1921 – only one of the McNaught/McNutt line – of George McNutt – could be found living in the Laggan section of Donegal, however the Linen and Woollen Industry lives on with the McNutt line in Downings.