Ballyminimore, Glenavy

Ballyminimore Townland has been the home of the Oakman family from as early as 1669. The Widow Oakeman is listed in the 1669 Hearth Money Roll for Ballymoney / Ballyminimore. The Hearth Tax was introduced in 1662 whereby a levy of two shillings a year was to be paid for every “hearth, fire place or stove in Ireland”.

On this page are all the details I have found regarding Oakmans of Ballyminimore.

1745 – Walter Oakman, Linendraper, was granted a lease of 146 acres in Ballyminimore, previously in the possession of the late Fortesque Doherty.  This property included Weir House and Oakman Hill.  A Memorial Deed (#87093) states this lease was to be held for the lives of Walter, his son Walter and daughters Jane and Isabella.  Much of this property remained in the Oakman family until the late 1820s.

1745 – Walter’s brother William Oakman, Linendraper, was granted a lease for 212 acres, 6 roods and 3 perches in the same townland previously in the possession of the late Fortesque Doherty.  This is the property named “Darraghmore”, which remained in the Oakman family until the late 1890s. The Memorial Deed (#87084) states this lease was to be held for the lives of William Oakman, his son John Oakman, nephew Walter Oakman (son of Walter Oakman) and John Thompson (son of William Thompson, Tanner of Antrim).

Walter Oakman, Linendraper, died about 1755.  An extract of his Will does not mention his wife which may mean she had predeceased him.  The Will mentions his brother William Oakman and Nicholas Hare of Moira as well as the following children:

• John Oakman m. Jane Whitla
• Mary Oakman m. Smythe
• Elizabeth Oakman m. McMean (?)
• Walter Oakman
• Nicholas Oakman
• Robert Oakman
• Catherine Oakman
• Jean/Jane Oakman
• Isabella Oakman

Researching Nicholas Hare I have discovered a family and business link with the Hare and Oakman families.  I strongly believe the above Walter Oakman had married into the Hare family.

1769 – Robert Oakman, Linendraper, died in Cork City.  An extract of his Will confirms the names of his siblings and provides us with the married surnames of his sisters.  Robert also mentions Walter Oakman, son of his brother John, as well as two cousins – John Oakman and Richard Hare, the younger, of Cork.  Richard Hare, the younger, was the nephew of the Nicholas Hare mentioned above.  For this reason I believe Walter Oakman, abovementioned, was married to a sister of Nicholas Hare of Moira.  Robert’s siblings mentioned in his Will included:

• John Oakman m. Jane Whitla
• Mary Oakman m. Smythe or Smith
• Elizabeth Oakman m. Wright
• Walter Oakman
• Nicholas Oakman
• Robert Oakman
• Catherine Oakman m. Fulton
• Jean/Jane Oakman (not mentioned – possibly deceased)
• Isabella Oakman

1769 – John Oakman, farmer of Aughnamullen, Killead Parish, transferred his interest in property in Ballyminimore as follows: to his brother Nicholas Oakman, a Linendraper, “Darby’s farm with the mill and bleach green“, and to his brother Walter Oakman, a Linendraper, “Herdman’s Farm” consisting of 70 acres. These properties had been inherited by John, Nicholas and Walter from their father, Walter Oakman.

Walter Oakman (jnr) (son of John Oakman and Jane Whitla) died in 1773 (Index to Hibernian Chronicle 1769-1775 – 12 Sept 1773, page 582, column 2). Unfortunately his Will no longer exists but from the Will extract of his father-in-law we now know he was married to Agnes Ramage of Mullans, Finvoy, County Antrim (Betham Genealogical Abstracts).  In this Will abstract, Walter Oakman is listed as the husband of Agnes and son-in-law of William Rama[d]ge of Mullans.

June 1776 – John and Nicholas Oakman are listed as Freeholders in Ballyminimore (PRONI D/1364/L/1). Freeholders were men who either owned their land outright or who held it in a lease for the duration of their life, or the lives of other people named in the lease.

About 1780 – Agnes (Nancy) Oakman of “Weir House” married David McClure of Budore.

About 1785 – Jane Oakman, of “Hopevale”, daughter of John Oakman and Jane (nee Whitla), married William McClure (brother of the above David McClure) of Budore.

About 1790, Elizabeth Oakman married David McClure (a cousin of the above David McClure).  Elizabeth was a daughter of Walter Oakman and Agnes Ramage.

About 1793 – John Oakman died.  Unfortunately his Will no longer exists, but we learn about his family from an extract his wife Jane’s Will.  Jane died about 1802.  John and Jane were married sometime between 1750-1760.  Their family consisted of the following:

• Walter Oakman m Agnes Ramage bef 1771 and died 1773
• John Oakman died 1802
• Jane Oakman m. abt 1785 to William McClure
• Mary Oakman m. 1792 to Allen McDonnel
• William Oakman – might be William Oakman of Pigeontown
• George Oakman m. 1801 to Jane Close and later to Margaret McVeigh
• another child – Elenor – died in 1777

John and Jane’s eldest son, Walter Oakman, had died in 1773 and therefore not mentioned in his mother’s Will.

1808 – Nicholas Oakman, “near Glenavy” died at the age of 77 years.

1811 – George Oakman, son of John Oakman and Jane Whitla, died at Glenavy.  George was married to Margaret McVeigh and they have a very young child – John Oakman.  George bequeathed a property/farm in Ballymacmary to his son John which was kept in trust until John became an adult.  On reaching adulthood, John sold the farm and emigrated to America.

Rev Cupple’s map of 1814  (A Statistical Account or Parochial Survey of Ireland) shows two properties in Ballyminymore owned by the Messrs Oakman – these appear to be “Weir House” and “Darraghmore”.

By 1818, there was a Walter Oakman at “Darraghmore”.  He died in 1836.

1824 saw the death of old Walter Oakman (son of Walter who died 1755).  He was 93 years old.

The Tithe Applotment Books (circa 1826) show the following in Ballyminimore:

• Walter Oakman – 103 acres, 1 rood, 8 perches – Darraghmore
• Widow Oakman – 57 acres, 1 rood, 14 perches – Weir House including half Oakman Hill
• William Oakman – 43 acres, 2 rood, 22 perches – next door to Hopevale and includes half Oakman Hill (later listed as “Herd’s house, office & land”)
• George Oakman – 47 acres, 0 rood, 14 perches – Hopevale

Weir House

#2 on Griffith’s Valuation Map – approx 57 acres

1745 – Walter Oakman (died 1755)
1826 – Widow Oakman
1833 – Walter Sloan
1835 – Jane Smyth / English (daughter of William Oakman of Pigeontown)
1862 – John Johnston
1869 – John Johnston
1881 – John Johnston
1894 – John Johnston

Hopevale

#4 on Griffith’s Valuation Map – 47 acres

1745 – Walter Oakman (died 1755)
1826 – William Oakman
1833 – George McClure
1869 – Samuel Johnston
1881 – Reps of Samuel Johnston
1894 – Reps of Samuel Johnston

Herd’s House, Office and Land

#3 on Griffith’s Valuation Map – approx 43 acres

1745 – Walter Oakman (died 1755)
1833 – Daniel McVeigh
1862 – Margaret McVeigh
1869 – Samuel Johnston
1881 – Reps of Samuel Johnston
1894 – Samuel Johnston
1912 – Reps of Samuel Johnston

Darraghmore

#10a on Griffith’s Valuation Map – approx 103 acres

1745 – William Oakman (died circa 1760)
1826 – Walter Oakman
1833 – Walter Oakman (died 1836)
1862 – Nicholas Oakman
1869 – Nicholas Oakman
1881 – Nicholas Oakman
1894 – Reps of Nicholas Oakman (Christina Oakman Hume)