Holmes of County Tyrone

Date: 1623 [unknown]
Location: County Tyrone, Ireland
Surname/tag: Holmes, Homes, Holms, Holme, Hume

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

Early Holmes References in Strabane

There have been Holmes in County Donegal since as early as 1623 when Gabriel Holmes the elder of Strabane is mentioned in the will of Archibald Campbell. ^[1] This is likely the same Gabriel Holmes of Strabane found in the summonister rolls in 1625,1626 and 1629 ^[2]

1631 Strabane Muster Roll ^[3]
Home, John, sword and snaphance
Homes, Gabraell, younger, sword and snaphance
Homes, George, sword and snaphance
Homes, John, no armes
Humes, John, sword only

15 September 1654: Sir George Hamilton to Patrick Hamilton. Fee farm grant of premises in Strabane, at an annual rent of £1 English and specifying suit of court and mill; the document also mentions, among the 'divers good causes' for granting the lease, '... the replanting of the said town of Strabane burnt in the late rebellion, the remedy of some pretended defects in former grants ...', etc; a list of the following tenants of adjoining lands is given: William Ewart, Andrew Beard, Richard Bellew; William Craford, William Calver, Allane Cuthbert the elder (tanner), John Hamilton the elder, Patrick Hamilton the elder (deceased), Robert Leech, William Craig and John Holmes (carpenter). ^[4]

The 1665 Hearth Roll includes Gabriel Holmes (2 hearths), Widow Holms (1 hearth), (the relict of John Holmes, carpenter),^[5] and William Holms (1hearth). ^[6]

A Declaration of the nuncupative Will of Gabriell Homes and Agnes Homes his wife being then both sicke of body but of sound and perfect memory delivered the 6th day of June 1669. They Recommend yr soules to Almightie God and their bodys to be buried in Comely sort, And as to theirs worldly estate they declared joyntly first they ordered that Agnes her cloathes be devided between her two daughters Geiles the wife of Patricke Fflemminge and Margaret the wife of John Moore in manner followinge viz; her eldest daughter Geiles to gett her plaids and all other her woollen cloathes except only her best Gowne and petticoat to goe to her daughter Margaret and for her Lynnen belonginge to her bodye to be equally divided betweene her said Twoe daughters Secondly they declared that their sonne William Homes should have and enjoy their two freehold tenements situate in Strabane……alsoe they devised unto him Two peeces of new Lynnen Conteyneinge twenty six ells Two Red Ruggs three pair of small linen sheets halfe a dozen Table napkins one-third of all the pewter vessels in the house……… All residue to be equally divided between their said daughters……... Thirdly they declared that there was about sixtie pounds of outstandinge debts and ordered that what charges was expended in recoveringe and gettinge the same should be taken of ye Totall sum and what remained to be equally divided betweene The brother and Two sisters………. Fourthly the said William Homes having charge of his father’s Keys and knowing there was Concealled money he hath declared since his ffathers death that only he left to his Two daughters ffifty shillings Le peece which money the said William Homes doth yet delaye and refuses to make payment thereof.^[7]

George Home died Mar 9, 1672 and was buried Patrick Street Old Graveyard, Strabane, Co. Tyrone ^[8]

Thomas Holmes was in possession of ½ tenement in 1688. ^[9]

The Rev William Homes (1663-1746), Presbyterian minister was ordained here on 21 Dec 1692. ^[10]

Admin of the estate of John Humes, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, gent was granted to Edward Rice, prin cred. on 22 May 1691^[11]

Will dated 26 Dec 1693 of Thomas Wilson of Strabane, merchant, bequeaths to wife Agnes Wilson als Stewart the house and lands called Burnes tenement for life and then to son John Wilson. Also named are sons Thomas and Francis. Son John Wilson to be administrator and friends Mr. John Crawford and Mr. William Homes to be overseers. Witnessed by John Crawford and William Homes. ^[12]

Thomas Brown filed a claim for property in Strabane for an estate in fee farm through deed dated May 10, 1696 which was witnessed by William Holmes, etc. ^[13]

Thomas Holmes in 1700 filed a claim for an estate in fee for a house in Strabane. The property was transferred by deed dated April 30, 1676 to John Moore who mortgaged to the claimant’s father. By deed dated April 10, 1677. Witnesses, John Buntine, etc. and devised to claimant by his will noncupative. ^[13]

Will of James Hamilton of Strabane, merchant dated 29 Apr 1703, pd. 28 Dec 1703 names wife Elizabeth, son James Hamilton and his wife Hannah Moore, daughters Catharine, Marjory, Margarett and Lillias, granddaughter Elizabeth Wilson, son-in-law Thomas Wilson. William Homes to be overseer. ^{[14][15] [16] [17]}

Sources

1. ↑ Original Derry will 12 May 1623 prob(ated) 20 May 1623 - Archibald Campbell of the p(arish) of Camus in Derry Dio(cese) & county of Tyrone, laborer made in presence of his neighbors viz: James Sharp Clk; William Fairer, watchmaker; Andrew Orr, weaver; James Dick, card painter; Patrick Hogshead, tailor. Like b(urie)d in Strabane burial place. Debtors: Robert Algeo of Leckpatrick; James Read ibid; Gabriel Maxwell of Raphoe, Gent; James Wilson of Taughboyne, husbandman; Gabriel Holmes the elder of Strabane, tailor; William Somervill of above merchant;John (Blank) of Lecpatrick; Legacies to friends etc [1]:
2. ↑ File:Smith, Summonister Rolls (Per Mr Groves), Crossle genealogical abstracts, National Archives of Ireland, retrieved through Findmypast.com on 1 Feb 2023
3. ↑ Barony of Strabane, Tyrone Muster Rolls, 1631 [2]
4. ↑ PRONI Reference : D623/B/13/8
5. ↑ Fair River Valley, Jim Bradley, Belfast, 2000, p.73
6. ↑ Hearth Money Roll, Camus Juxta Mourne Parish, including the Town of Strabane, Co. Tyrone undated but c1665/ Extracted from LDS FHL Film #02545098 [3]
7. ↑ PRONI T681/1/387 and T808/7919
8. ↑ 17th-century memorials in west Ulster[4]
9. ↑ Inquisitionum in Officio Rotulorum Cancellariae Hiberniae asservatarum Repertorium, Vol. II, 1-Gul. & Mar[5]
10. ↑ In the Days of the Laggan Presbytery, p.16[6]
11. ↑ Betham Genealogical Abstracts, Series 2, admons.: v. 24 "H" 1668-1725, National Archives of Ireland, retrieved at findmypast.com on 1 Feb 2023
12. ↑ PRONI T1026/6 p.20
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} A List of the Claims as They are Entered with the Trustees At Chichester-House on College-Green Dublin, on Or Before the Tenth of August, 1700, Dublin, 1701, p.349 [7]
14. ↑ Fisher Mss Will Notes A; Ireland. Genealogical Office. Published / Created: (1859), p.154 [8]
15. ↑ Restoration Strabane, 1660-1714, William J Roulston, Dublin, 2007, p. 52 with reference to PRONI D623/B/3/6
16. ↑ National Achives of Ireland,Betham Genalogical Abstracts, Prerogative Wills. (Phillips Mss) v.30, H 1700-1718. retrieved from findmaypast.com on 2 Feb 2023
17. ↑ Rev William Homes of Strabane overseer to 1703 will of James Hamilton, retrieved 23 Nov 1723 [9]