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Ian Pritchard on Irish Relatives

Ian Pritchard provided the following account based on findings from a visit to Ireland. Much of the information was obtained through Theo McMahon of Monaghan.

There is anecdotal evidence that James Pritchard had a brother that came to the Toronto area, but we have no concrete evidence of his siblings or even his parents. The difficulties in fixing relationships is reflected in the Irish searches which have been attempted.

The Pritchard name is not in Irish antiquities, appeared rarely in Monaghan records, and is not common in Ireland today. The Hearthmoney Rolls of 1663 and 1665 for Currin parish do not list the surname Pritchard so it looks as if the family came into the Currin area in the 18th century. Mass migrations into Ireland were not known at that time as in the much earlier Ulster Plantation, so it is interesting to speculate as to why the move occurred.

It is known that Methodist revivals were sweeping through Wales, and that the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, preached from the Fort at Clones (derived from the Irish Cluain Eois) in 1775. There he addressed his largest audience in Ireland. He again preached in Clones in 1778 and 1779. Wesley's Methodist Church there became the centre of one of the six Methodist circuits in Ireland in 1791. Given the strong religious faith of the pioneers in Canada, there might have been a link here that has never been explored.

The Church of Ireland records for Currin commenced in 1810 while the Presbyterian records for Drum start in 1845, thus provide little help. In a "List of Those who Received Spinning Wheels, 1796" a Thomas Pritchard is listed for Currin parish where he was granted one spinning wheel as a premium by the Linen Board for growing one rood or quarter of one acre of flax seed. A wheel was granted for each quarter grown. This is our earliest record.

The earliest land records for Currin civil parish are those contained in the Tithe Applotment Book dated 1827. In this source we find: (1) a James Pritchard was leasing in Briscernagh (properly Briscarnagh) townland in Currin, eleven and a half acres of second quality land; (2) a Joseph Pritchard was leasing 14 acres in the same townland; and (3) a John Stinson was also leasing over 10 acres in the same townland; a possible indication of the later Pritchard-Steenson link. The only other land reference to the surname Pritchard in Currin civil parish is to a Thomas Pritchard who was leasing in Lurganboy townland in 1827 just over 7 acres of land. Lurganboy townland adjoins Briscarnagh to the north.

The Freeholders Register of Currin, 1803-1806 (a rare document in the National Archives), lists the following in Bruskinagh (properly Briscarnagh): Thomas Pritchard and Joseph Pritchard. The eligibility to vote was based on the valuation of a holding being forty shillings; such voters were known as the "forty-shilling freeholders" and when voting their choice of candidate had to be publicly declared. In the Lurganboy townland in this return the surname Pritchard is not recorded.

In an Index to Clogher Wills, 1659-1857 the will of Samuel Pritchard of Briskinagh (sic) was proven in 1796. In Lurganboy the will of Thomas Pritchard was proven in 1839. No unproven wills or intestacies are listed. These original wills all perished in Dublin during the Civil War in 1922.

The Griffith Primary Valuation of land and property dated 1858 still listed the names of a James Pritchard Jr. and a Joseph Pritchard.

The Drum Church of Ireland records two Prichard baptisms for this period as follows: May 20, 1832 - Baptized Thomas son of Joseph Prichard (sic) and Jane Robinson, Drumacrow (properly Drumcrow), parish of Currin; November 9, 1834 - Baptized Eliza daughter of Joseph Prichard and Jane Robinson, Drumacrow (sic), parish of Currin.

Some of the Pritchard family were members of the Church of Ireland and are buried at Scotshouse in Currin parish. These include: PRICHARD, THOMAS of Briscarnagh buried on Saturday, May 25, 1839 aged 60; and others later. The last recorded burial of a Pritchard there was a James Pritchard in 1903.