The Silver bowl: 1764 December 11

1764 Dec 11 Belfast Newsletter

The question is: Which Thomas COULTER might this be?

The sale is ten years after the death of Thomas COULTER (1658-1754), husband of Anne MAFFETT. He would have been 96 when he died, so it is unlikely that it was anything to do with him or his generation of COULTERs. He did have a son, Thomas COULTER (1709-1769), who was associated with Carnbeg, Co. Louth.
The reference in the Coulter Freeholder Records in PRONI: T/808/14936 is unfortunately spare. All is gives is the name of Thomas Coulter, then under residence, it indicates: Dundalk (Dorsey). This makes me suspect that Thomas COULTER lived in Dundalk (or nearby) and also had this holding in Dorsey.
In Creggan Church Records, COULTERs resided at DORSEY starting at least in the early 1800s until the early 1900s. The records are incomplete or non-existant in the 1700s.
In 1776 in Creggan, the JOHNSTONs lived at both Dorsey & Roxborough. There were no COULTERs resident at Dorsey at that time recorded in this record.

To be let for 21 years, or to lives from the first day of May next, in the Barony of the Fews, that part of Darcy[1] lately held by Mr. Thomas Coulter[2], containing about seventy acres, 15 of which were lately limed, where on there is a dwelling house and good offices; and to be set at the same time, for 21 years, about 60 acres of land joining Roxborough[3]. Proposals to be received by Mr. Graham Johnston [4]of Roxborough, and Mr. John Johnston[5] of Archer[6]. There are servants on each farm that will show them.

N. B. The tenant to be allowed liberty to plough as soon as he thinks proper.

[1] Darsey aka Dorsey, a townland in the Parish of Creggan, Co. Armagh.

[2] Thomas COULTER

[3] Roxborough is in the Parish of Newtownhamilton, and is recently more commonly known as Dorsey (Cavan O’Hanlon).It is on the northern border of the Dorsy townland in Creggan Parsish.

[4] Graham JOHNSTON of Roxborough. He was probably the Graham JOHNSTON who was a brother of John JOHNSTON beneath, both of whom were sons of John JOHNSTON who died in 1759 (Will is posted).

[5] John JOHNSTON (1729-1816) of Urker. He was also associated with Woodvale in Ballsmills. See: Johnston family tree included on Woodvale Page.

[6] Archer is actually the townland of Urcher, Parish of Creggan and long time home of both JACKSONs and JOHNSTONs.