Andersons & James Cowan at Knockroe

Please read in conjunction with Anderson_history

Knockroe was in the DED (District Electoral Division) of Mayo, north of Claremorris. The distance between Wilford & Knockroe is about 40km. The journey was easier after the Newport-Westport railway line was opened.

Home to six members of the extended family:

1) James Cowan b1856 in Co Mayo, exact place not known, son of James Cowan(s) and Jane (nee Anderson) who moved to Ireland with the Andersons in the 1850s. To marry his cousin Mary Anderson in 1898, see below.

James was a farmer, auctioneer and keen huntsman. Arthur’s diary 13 Jan 1914: “[Arthur’s son]John to hunt with S Mayo Hounds (his Uncle J Cowan Master pro tem)..”

Arthur accompanied James to a number of fairs & shows. Looking at Arthur’s notes on the prices James received for his stock and the trophies he won James must have been a very successful farmer.

During the 1914-18 war he farmed fields in Enfield, to the west of Dublin. Arthur’s diary 4 Jan 1916: “Left by first train for Dublin, met J Cowan at Claremorris, stopped at Enfield & walked out to his (J Cowan’s) grass fields & looked at cattle and sheep. Very good land apparently. Onto Dublin and stayed at Edinburgh Hotel”

The excerpt from Hansard at the end of this section on Knockroe gives some indication of the size of his holdings, owned and tenanted.

James married his cousin Mary Anderson who lived at Knockroe in1898 about three weeks after their Aunt Margaret, also living at Knockroe had died.

James was one of six children. There are a few references in Arthur’s diaries to Mr Rutherford (though this should be Rotherford) and Mr Oliver, both James’ brother-in-laws.

James died at “Mosney” his home south of Drogheda, Co Meath in late 1931.

2) Margaret Anderson b 1817 at Lounges Knowe in Upper Coquetdale, Northumberland daughter of Matthew Anderson b 1784 went to Co. Mayo in the 1850s with her father and brothers. This Margaret died aged 78 yrs at Knockroe in 1897.

3) Margaret Anderson (nee Stokoe) who came to Co Mayo in the 1850s with her husband John Anderson.

John had died at Mayo Cottage in 1874.

Arthur Oram’s mother-in-law and mother of six daughters.
Died at Knockroe in 1906.

Margaret can be easily picked out in photographs as she always wore crocheted shawls.

Brees or Brize House
Barnagreggaun, Mayo

Home of Matthew Anderson and his son John Anderson who was married Margaret Stokoe.

Birthplace of the six Anderson girls:
Catherine, Bella, Jane, Mary, Maggie and Annie

This photograph probably taken by Arthur’s son Arthur.

Three of the six daughters of John & Margaret (nee Stokoe) Anderson lived at Knockroe.

4) Mary Anderson b1859 to marry James Cowan in 1898

5) Margaret “Maggie” Anderson b1866 unmarried

Maggie was a favourite aunt with a great sense of humour not only helping her family but their friends and neighbours too.

6) Ann “Annie” Anderson b1863 or 69 unmarried

Annie & Maggie Anderson

Maggie was great friends with Jo Weddell nee Hunter, living with her in Edinburgh. I do not know when Maggie started living in Edinburgh but according to the Oram Family Saga from 1903 Gretta lived with Jo & Maggie while she attended college in Edinburgh . Jo Weddell was the daughter of Tom Hunter, land agent of Newfield, near Wilford, and a friend of John Oram. Mr Hunter had been assassinated on 28 August 1869. Arthur’s diaries mentions many visits of Jo (Mrs Weddell) & her mother, Mrs Hunter. Mrs Helen Hunter died in Edinburgh on 17 November 1903. There are many photographs of Jo, Maggie and her Anderson sisters together later in their lives.

Most of the Oram & Anderson oral history has come via James Oram b1890 and his elder brother Arthur b1885. They left us with the impression that Knockroe was a happy & important place during their young lives. James Cowan was able to show them more understanding than their father Arthur. John b1884 definitely preferred being at Knockroe rather than Wilford and later he lived with James & Mary at Mosney, Co Meath, inheriting the house on James Cowan’s death.

Mary Cowan (nee Anderson) Maggie Anderson, Bella Dick (nee Anderson) & Jo Weddell (nee Hunter)

It is not known who owned / leased Knockroe in the late 1880s but Hansard mentions James Cowan in 1914:

Land Purchase (Ireland).

HC Deb 30 July 1914 vol 65 cc1595-6W1595W
§Mr. DORIS asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners or the Congested Districts Board have decided to give possession to Mr. James Coward of 200 acres of land at Knockadorahy, on the late Clanmorris estate, county Mayo; whether Mr. Cowan was at any time a tenant of such lands or had any legal claim to them; and whether the lands are required for the relief of congestion in the district?
§Mr. BIRRELL Mr. James Cowan surrendered a holding of 137 acres in the townland of Graddogue, which he held as tenant on the Clanmorris estate, county Mayo, acquired by the Estates Commissioners under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, and received an equivalent holding in the townland referred to in the question. Mr. Cowan signed an undertaking for the purchase of the latter holding, and it was vested in him under the Land Purchase Acts in October, 1907. The lands surrendered by Mr. Cowan have been utilised in the provision of a holding for an evicted tenant, and the enlargement of six small holdings.
§Mr. DORIS asked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board intend to distribute among the occupiers of uneconomic holdings in the district the large tracts of land now held as eleven-months’ tenants by Mr. James Cowan and Mr. Richard Sweeney, in Knockroe and Burriell, county Mayo, on the estate purchased from Mrs. Stock; and whether these lands, comprising about 700 acres, are required for the relief of congestion in the district?
§Mr. BIRRELL The question of resuming possession of the lands referred to, comprising about 500 acres, and at present in the occupation of Mr. James Cowan and Mr. Richard Sweeney, on the estate purchased from Mrs. Stock, has not yet been considered by the Congested Districts Board.

Ephraim Anderson at Hollybrook

“Hollybrook” is in Tagheen, the home of Catherine’s Uncle Ephraim Anderson who would have been ‘head’ of the family in 1887. Ephraim was a grazier who rented and/or owned a large area of good land. See web page on Anderson family history.

Some of the Anderson family are buried at nearby Mayo Abbey Church of Ireland Burial Ground

Ephraim Anderson b1819 in Northumberland.
Ephraim died at Hollybrook in 1893.

and his wife:

Mary Anderson (nee Anderson) b1825 in Northumberland.
Mary died at Hollybrook in 1890. Mary was a second cousin
of Ephraim.

John Anderson b1860 in Co Mayo is probably working with his father Ephraim in 1887. At the time of the 1911 census John was living with his wife Clara b c 1862 in Mayo, a childless marriage of 18 years.

Hollybrook is mentioned a few times a year in Arthur’s diaries as well as occasional references to Ephraim’s sons-in-law Messrs Robinson, Rochester & Honeyman.