McCannan Family of County Monaghan

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McCannan Family of County Monaghan

McPhillips – Smyth Genealogy

Mary Smyth, wife of Michael McPhillips

Recently you have seen stories and pictures about our late 19^th to mid 20^th century ancestors.  We have spent several years connecting the dots to our family tree.  Information from one of Mick McPhillips’ descendants enabled us to connect various Smyth families living in and around Bear Creek, Wisconsin.

Michael “Mick” McPhillips married Mary Smyth in County Monaghan, Ireland.  The McPhillips family moved from Ireland to Wisconsin in 1868.  This family did not blindly pick Bear Creek for their home.  Mary (Smyth) McPhillips had two brothers living in Bear Creek by this time – Patrick and Peter Smyth.  The following was copied from official marriage documents filed in Richland County, Wisconsin, between Patrick Smyth and Catherine Davey.  This document shows Patrick’s parents as William Smyth and Mary McCannan.  Patrick’s first wife, Margaret Greenan, died some years before his second marriage in 1889 to Catherine Davey.

From old records we know Mary (Smyth) McPhillips and her daughter, Susan (McPhillips) Smith, were born in Corravilla townland, Aghabog Civil Parish, County Monaghan, Ireland.  Early 19^th century tithe records show a William Smyth family lived in Corravilla townland, Aghabog Civil Parish, County Monaghan.  “Irish” John Smith’s mother, Catharine (Greenan) Rooney, is buried beside Patrick and Margaret (Greenan) Smyth.  One variation of our family tree can be displayed as follows:

The Richland County (Wisconsin) Clerk at times took liberty with name spellings.  For Greenan we saw it spelled ‘Geenan’ and ‘German’.  For McPhillips we saw it spelled ‘Phillips’.   The same problem occurs with Irish records too.  Many 19^th century Irish Catholics were illiterate and did not know how to spell their names.  Tax agents spelled their surnames based on how they understood it pronounced.  Even Irish Townland spellings were not standardized until late 19^th century, and many variations on their spellings exist.

We do find the surname, McCannon, listed in County Monaghan records several times but do not find McCannan listed.  McCannan appears to derive from an older name, McKinnon (or McKennon).  Other variations of McKinnon include McKenna, McCanna, and McKean.  McKenna and McCanna are common surnames found in Aghabog Civil Parish where our ancestors lived. 

McKennon or McKinnon Surname 

The original Gaelic form of this surname was Mac Cionaoith.  This family was first found in County Monaghan at Truagh where they were known as the Lords of Truagh.

Hearth Money Rolls –1663 and 1665

The Hearth Money Roll was a tax levied against the number of hearths (fireplaces or chimneys) found in each house.  This list showed who owed a 2 shilling tax by name and parish.  Many Irish genealogists consider this tax as an Irish census substitute.  We find the following variations of ‘McKinnin’ and ‘McKennon’ in these rolls.

Earlier we see Donnell McCannan and Nice McCannan written in the 1609 Pardon List; however, this list consists chiefly of men living in County Donegal.

Map of County Monaghan

Monaghan is approximately 1,204 square kilometers in area.  In comparison, Brule County, South Dakota, is 2,121 square kilometers.  Below is a map showing County Monaghan subdivided by Civil Parishes.  Irish Counties are subdivided by Baronies and then by Civil Parishes.  Three parishes should interest our family – Aghabog, Ematris and Kilmore.  Aghabog Parish (1) is home to the Smyth family.  Ematris (11) and Kilmore (16) parishes would have been within walking distance from their homes.

Tithe Applotment Records – 1823 to 1837

The Composition Act of 1823 specified that tithes must be paid to the Established Church, the Church of Ireland, by most landholders regardless whether they belonged to this church.  Obviously, this was deeply resented by Catholics and other Protestants not affiliated with the Church of Ireland.  This tax burden was most burdensome to the poor since many land parcels were exempt, and these ‘exempt’ parcels were owned by the landlords.  Except for a few fragments, no Irish census records exist for this time period.

“Irish” John Smith was born in East Rossnaglogh townland.  Susan McPhillips was born in a neighboring townland called Corravilla.  Tonough townland is north and adjacent to both East Rossnaglogh and Corravilla.

Townlands can be as small as an acre; however, in this part of Ireland townlands varied from 40 to 60 acres in size.

Aghabog Civil Parish – 1823 to 1837

The following map of Aghabog shows where the McKenna and McCanna families lived relative to where “Irish” John Smith and Susan McPhillips were born.  John was born in Rossnaglogh East townland, which is highlighted in ‘blue’.  McKenna surnames were found in the following townlands:  Crover (38), Curduff (34), Drumbaragh (46), and Gennagh (43).  McCanna surnames were found in Liscumisky (4).  Both McKenna and McCanna surnames were located in Tonough townland (14).  Latnamard Townland (16) is where St. Mary’s Catholic Church is located.  Yellow shows ‘McKenna’ and Green shows ‘McCanna’.  Corravilla (9) townland is highlighted in “red” below.  Corravilla is where our ancestors Susan (McPhillips) Smith and her mother, Mary Smyth, were born.

Ematris Civil Parish – 1823 to 1837

South and adjacent to East Rossnaglogh and Corravilla townlands we find Faltagh Townland.  Faltagh is fully contained in Aghabog Parish.  Just south of Faltagh, in Ematris Civil Parish, is Lissevene (Lisnaveane in later spelling) townland.

Lissnaveane (5) we see Cannon surnames.  Cronmoyle (1), Drumloughlin (21) and Maharnaharn (16) contained Keenan surnames.  Drumgarkin (58) we find a McKennon surname.  Purple highlights location where Cannon surnames found.  Green highlights where Keenan surnames found.  Yellow highlights where McKennon surnames found.  The townland highlighted in blue is Rossnaglogh East in neighboring Aghabog Civil Parish.  This is where “Irish” John Smith was born.  Corravilla (9) townland is highlighted in “red” below.  Corravilla is where our ancestors Susan (McPhillips) Smith and her mother, Mary Smyth, were born 

Kilmore Civil Parish – 1823 to 1837

Portions of Kilmore Parish are east and north of Aghabog Parish.  Some Catholics in this Civil Parish would have attended the same church as our ancestors, St. Mary’s in Latnamard townland.  Latnamard is in Aghabog Civil Parish.  Catholic Parishes are not the same thing as Civil Parishes.

Cromeague (1), which is highlighted in Yellow, was home to Keenan surnames.  Coreaghan (28) and Gortnana (26), which are highlighted in Green, were homes to McKenna families. In mid-19^th century Kilmore Parish we find a McCannon surname; however, this surname is not found in these earlier tithe records.  In mid-19^th century Kilmore Parish we find a John McCannon who lived in Aghnalough townland (highlighted in purple).  Highlighted in ‘blue’ is Rossnalgogh East townland, which is found in neighboring Aghabog Civil Parish.  This is where “Irish” John Smith was born.  Just east of this Townland is Corravilla (highlighted in ‘red’) where Susan McPhillips was born.)

Griffith Valuation Survey – 1848 to 1864

Kilmore Civil Parish 

This survey was used to determine the amount of tax each person should pay towards the support of the poor within their poor law union. This involved determining the value of privately held lands and buildings in rural as well as urban areas. The resulting survey was arranged by barony and civil parish with an index to the townlands appearing in each volume.

There were two ‘McCannon’ entries found in the Griffith Valuation Survey for County Monaghan.  Only one entry appears close to where our ancestors lived.  The following entry shows John McCannon rented land in Aghnalough Townland, Kilmore Parish.  Aghnalough is located about a mile east of Latnamard.  Latnamard is where St. Mary’s Catholic Church is located, and the church our Smyth and McPhillips ancestors would have attended.  Aghnalough is also close to where our ancestor, Susan McPhillips, was born.

The following map shows approximately where John McCannon rented property in Aghnalough Townland. 

Griffith Valuation Survey – 1848 to 1864

Ematris Civil Parish

There appear to be several ‘Cannon’ families living in Lisnaveane Townland in Ematris Civil Parish.  Lisnaveane was just one townland south of East Rossnaglogh and Corravilla townlands.  The latter townlands are where John Smith and Susan McPhillips were born.

The following map shows approximately where the Cannon men rented land in Lisnaveane townland. 

Other Griffith Survey Results – 1848 to 1864

Aghabog, Ematris and Kilmore Civil Parishes

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January 2009