[1] Thomas POWELL (?-1841) was an “agriculturalist” who was hired by William QUINN to put in drainage on lands at Lough Ross in the townland of Tullyard (lands that QUINN had inherited from an aunt who died in 1840). POWELL received a threatening letter days before his murder. It was likely connected with the fact that QUINN, the landlord, was displacing some tenants. QUINN alleged that he was giving them alternate and comparable land, but this is likely a generous estimate of what was on offer. For the small cottiers, such acts by landlords were to them literally a matter of life and death. Moved off their farms, they would die. As a consequence, Thomas POWELL was murdered January 2, 1841. SOURCE: Seanchas Ard Mhacha. Vol. 10 No. 2 pp380-416. Agrarian Disturbances around Crossmaglen, 1835-1855. Part III. Kevin McMahon and Thomas McKeown. (NOTE: This series of articles is well worth reading!).

[2] Balls Mill is just south of the R177, about 7km north-west of Dundalk. It is also just slightly north of a clutch of townlands where many of the COULTERs were known to reside (Cavananore, Shortstone, Annaghavackey and so on). It is on Ballsmill Road (on some maps – otherwise Glassdrumman Rd on other maps) and is in the Parish of Glassdrumman  SEE: http://www.devlin-family.com/timelineglassdrummond.htm 

Ballsmill (Baile na gCléireach) Armagh. Ballinaglera 1838. ‘Ball's mill’. Thomas Ball was granted land here in the 17th cent. The Irish name means ‘townland of the clerics’. SOURCE: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O40-Ballsmill.html

[3] William HILL (1770-1852) of Balls Mill in the County of Armagh gent. Initially, I had thought that his wife was Esther COULTER, and that she was probably the Esther COULTER, daughter of John COULTER and Jane BARTLEY.Recently, I found a new clue in the 1873 will of Launcelot COULTER, who names a sister, Esther COULTER. She seems to be a much better fit. The fact that she was a COULTER comes from an 1842 Deed: otherwise COULTER of Balls Mill aforesaid the wife of the said William HILL.

·         He had a son: SOURCE: PRONI Will Abstracts: The Will (with one Codicil) of John William Hill late of Ballsmill County Armagh Farmer deceased who died 2 May 1875 at same place was proved at Armagh by the oath of Esther Hill of Ballsmill Widow the sole Executrix. NOTE: The Esther HILL may have been the mother of John WILLIAM - or he may have also married an Esther.

·         In 1832, a William HILL had a freehold at Ednasbarrow from Charles EASTWOOD aand was resident at Ballsmill.

·         In 1823, a William HILL held a freehold at Tullydonnell and was resident at Ballsmill.

·         William HILL is in the 1828 Tithe records.

·         NOTE: An Edward HILL leased out considerable lands in the townland of Mounthill in the Parish of Creggan.

·         In 1824, a William HILL held a freehold at Tullydonnell for the lives of William and Edward HILL and was resident at Ballsmill.