Holmes of County Londonderry

Date: 1615 [unknown]
Location: County Londonderry, Ireland
Surname/tag: Holmes, Homes, Holm, Holms, Hume

This is part of the Irish Holmes Families and Holmes Name Study projects.

Early Holmes References in County Londonderry

15 Jun 1615 - Gabriell Homes is recorded in the Londonderry Port Book on as captain of a “small boat of Scotland” from Londonderry to Scotland. ^[1]

1630 Muster Roll of Coleriane includes Thomas Holmes and John Holmes
1630 muster roll for Londonderry includes Richard Home, sword only, only ^[2]

1643 - Thos Holmes on roll of Derry Garrison: Capt Henry Osborne foote company mustered at L’derry 18 Aug 1643 ^[3]

17 May 1650 - Nathaniel Holmes, on 17 May 1650 is listed in the Sales of Bishop’s Lands for purchase of a parcell of the garden belonging to London House ^[4]

Derry Cathedral Vital Records^[5]

• Elizabeth Holmes, dtr Rowland was bapt. at Derry Cathedral 11 Jan 1649
  
• Robert, the son of Thomas Homes born and bap 7 Mar 1654
  
• Jennet Holmes of Tawboyne m. John Akin of Killea 8 Apr 1654 in Derry Cathedral, witnessed by John Holmes and James Smyth
  
• Mrs Elizabeth () Holmes, widow, buried her son Robert, 14 Feb 1655 in Derry Cathedral.
  
• Thomas Holmes, glover, was buried in Derry Cathedral 2 Dec 1655.
  
• The marriage of John Jenkings and Elizabeth Holmes was solemnized (Luke Ash, Thomas Kuming [Cuming] and others being present this last of July 1656.
  
• John Holmes, s. John Holmes, Captain Bridges soulder [soldier], was bapt. 17 May 1673 in Derry Cathedral.

1663 Hearth Money Roll

• Ninian Holmes in Tolomeog [Tullaghmurry], Ballyaghran parish
• Hugh Holmes in Ballywillin parish
• George Holmes in Killyvally [Killevally], Destertoghill parish
• Alexander Holmes in Ballyagan, Destertoghill^[6]

There are wills of Andrew Mowatt, of Maghera (1686), and of James Shields, of Churchtown, Aghadowey (1686). The goods of John Cargill, of Bally-naze. " Aghadowey, were administered by his son, John, in 1685, and the same duty was performed in the same year for Robert Bamford, of Bovagh, Aghadowey. by his widow, Margaret. A similar document attests a similar service rendered to Matthew Haslett, Drum-gaily, Dunboe. in 1684. There' are like records of John Holmes, of Killyvalley, Garvagh (1686)^[7]

James Holmes, sailor of Coleraine, had a licence granted in 1686 for marriage with Margaret Kerr of Derry. ^[8]

29 Jul 1689 - John Humes signed the petition to King William from the Governors, Officers, Clergy, Gentlemen and garrison of Londonderry^[9]

26 Sep 1693 - According to his diary, "Mr. William Homes (1663-1746) [the diarist] and Katheren Craghead were marryed Sept 26th 1693 by the Revd. Mr. Craghead of Londonderry in his own house about 8 at night in the presence of Mr. Thomas Craghead, Mr. James Hamilton, John Wilson, James Smith and his spouse, and those of Mr. Cragheads own family. It was a Tuesday." Katherine Craighead’s father was the Rev. Robert Craighead (abt.1633-1711), prebyterian minister at Donoughmore 1658-88 and Londonderry from 1690 - 1711^[10]

16 Apr 1696 - Lease from John O'Neil Esq. of Edenduffcarrick, Co. Antrim and Hugh McCollum, Gentleman, of Dunluce, Co. Antrim to John Cochran and Abraham Holmes, both yeomen, of Ballygollagh, Co. Londonderry, of the quarterland of Ballygollagh, [Ballygelagh] for 14 years. Yearly rent £9 ^[11]

Holmes Profiles in County Londonderry

William Homes (1663-1746) of Strabane (married Londonderry) > Martha's Vineyard
Abraham Holmes (1683-1753) of Aghadowey > Londonderry, NH
Nathaniel Holmes (1690-) of Coleraine > NH > Carlisle, PA

Sources

1. ↑ The Ulster Port Books, R.J. Hunter, 2020, p.50
2. ↑ Mervine, William M. “The Men of Londonderry in 1630 and 1663.” The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 38, no. 3 (1914): 355–72.
3. ↑ PRONI T/808/15169-15176: T Groves - Muster rolls
4. ↑ Collectanea Topograhica & Genealogica, London, 1834, V.1, p.290
5. ↑ Derry Cathedral Vital Records, 16421703 (Soc.Gen.Library, London)
6. ↑ The county of Londonderry in three centuries, with notices of the Ironmongers' estate, Kernohan, J.W., 1921, p.82
7. ↑ The county of Londonderry in three centuries, with notices of the Ironmongers' estate, Kernohan, J.W., 1921, p.52
8. ↑ The county of Londonderry in three centuries, with notices of the Ironmongers' estate, Kernohan, J.W., 1921, p.52
9. ↑ Witherow, T., & Mitchell, D. (1994). Extracts from “Derry and Enniskillen, in the Year 1689.” North Irish Roots, 5(1), 30–33
10. ↑ Digital Copy of the Diary of Rev. William Homes at Congregational Library and Archives [1] : accessed 24 Jun 2018
11. ↑ PRONI D2977/3A/6/20/1