JOHN MAGILL, of Gill Hall, County Down, bequeathed, about 1676, all his estates in County Down to (the son of Lieutenant William Johnston) his grandson,
JOHN JOHNSTON (ante 1639-1701), of Gill Hall, who assumed, in consequence, the surname and arms of MAGILL, and was created a baronet in 1680, designated of Gill Hall, County Down.
Sir John, MP for Hillsborough, 1692-3, Downpatrick, 1695-9, married firstly, in 1677, Elizabeth Mary, daughter of William Hawkins; and secondly, in 1683, Arabella Susannah, daughter of Hugh Hamilton, 1st Viscount Glenawly.
Sir John died without surviving issue in 1701, when the baronetcy expired.
The estates, however, devolved, in accordance with the will of the original testator, John Magill, upon Sir John's nephew and heir,
ROBERT HAWKINS (1704-45), of Gill Hall, MP for County Down, 1724-7-45 (grandson of his sister Mary, who assumed the additional surname of MAGILL), who espoused firstly, in 1728, Rachael, eldest daughter of Clotworthy, 3rd Viscount Massereene and widow of Randal, 4th Earl of Antrim, and had an only son, JOHN (1729-36).
Mr Hawkins-Magill wedded secondly, in 1742, the Lady Ann Bligh, daughter of John, 1st Earl of Darnley, and had issue an only daughter and heiress,
THEODOSIA HAWKINS-MAGILL (1743-1817), who married, in 1765, John, 1st Earl of Clanwilliam.
In the 1650s, during Cromwellian land confiscation and the subsequent plantation era following the Irish rebellion of 1641, Captain John Magill acquired land in the Tullylish area and founded Gilford, the name of the village being derived from Magill’s Ford.
Mr Hawkins-Magill wedded secondly, in 1742, the Lady Ann Bligh, daughter of John, 1st Earl of Darnley, and had issue an only daughter and heiress,
THEODOSIA HAWKINS-MAGILL (1743-1817), who married, in 1765, John, 1st Earl of Clanwilliam.
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| Theodosia Countess of Clanwilliam (Image: Ulster Museum) |
In the 1650s, during Cromwellian land confiscation and the subsequent plantation era following the Irish rebellion of 1641, Captain John Magill acquired land in the Tullylish area and founded Gilford, the name of the village being derived from Magill’s Ford.
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| Gill Hall |
Gilford dates from the mid-17th century when the Magill family, after whom it was called, acquired the land.
The Magills were of Scottish origin.
Before the Rebellion of 1641 Captain Magill, whose name appears in the list of officers of the Cromwellian Army, obtained half the townland of Ballynagarrick from Art Og Maginnis for £150.
At the end of the war Captain Magill acquired an extensive estate at Gilford, comprising the townlands of Loughans, Drumarin, Drummillar, Mullabrack, Ballymacanallen and half of Ballynagarrick.
Furthermore, he owned land in Donacloney and Dromore; and it was here, in his Gill Hall estate, that the family seal was placed.
Robin Knowles once unearthed a manuscript at a library in Northern Ireland concerning Sir John Magill,
Robin Knowles once unearthed a manuscript at a library in Northern Ireland concerning Sir John Magill,
In 1674, Magill held a grand pheasant shoot on his estate which had been stocked with nine hundred birds obtained by natural hatch and from eggs hatched under broody hens. He invited sixty-four guns - a nobleman and a commoner from each of the Kingdom of Ireland's thirty-two counties - to shoot and they bagged three hundred pheasants in a day.First published in February, 2011
10 comments :
1674 seems very early for an organised shoot?
I would have thought it more likely to be 1774. Interesting to know the source of the statement. Pedantic, I know, but i'm interested in this stuff!
Ever willing to oblige:
http://www.thefield.co.uk/features/433314/The_history_of_the_pheasant.html
:o)
I appreciate your summary of this family line. I am searching for our Magill family and have been confused by the bits and pieces told about Capt Magill and Sir John Magill and Hawkins Magill and the land that they held. Your summary is the first I've read that put all those townlands in the hands of one family. thank you for sharing!
Tim
My family name is Magill and I can trace my relatives to the Tullylish area from around the 1800's up to the mid 1900's. Given the descendancy from Sir John Magill can we assume that other members of the Magill clan also settled in the area and populated the Magill name throughout Ireland. Can you point me to any research material on this subject. Continue the good work on a must visit every day blog. Peter
Capt John MaGill is my ancestor. His daughter was my last MaGill ancestor, she became a Johnston at marriage.
It was good to read what he was up to and see the pictures.
I'm a Magill living in Northern Ireland. My father William paschal magill married a lady called Marjorie Mcgill don't k ow if this helps or confuseslol
My branch of the Magill family also came from Scotland....but the first known one in Ireland is a Robert Magill (1758-abt 1824). He was born in Clonmel, married a Catherine Benner from Tralee, and was a member of the 30th Mayo Militia. His widow and children immigrated to Canada in the early 1800's. I am trying to tie them back further than Robert....and possibly to their Scottish origins. I can see that some Magills were landed/rich, but Robert seems to have been of a "lower station". Any assistance would be appreciated.
I am a Magill. Last of five and spend hours searching for my Magill line. My great Grandfather was Hugh Stuart Magill b 1830 in Ireland. Protestant. His parents James Magill b 1784 in Downe Co Ire. His wife Elizabeth Stuart/Stewart b. 1792/93 in Scotland. James and Elizabeth came to America in May 1844 and went directly to Whitestown / New York Mills in Oneida Co. NY. With t he with children. James did not show a middle name. However many of his children have middle names that could help me find his parents or related family. His first child was William Alexander Magill b. 1818 m/ Elizabeth Barnes in Whitestown
His second John Magill. Another son was David BOYD Magill who married and later died in Whitestown.
The son HUGH STUART Magill b. 1830 in Ireland married Charlotte Amelia Richmond and they had my great grandfather Hugh Stewart Magill b about 1854 and they then moved to Sangamon Co. Illinois. This man’s son Hugh Stewart Jr much later visited Dromore and Gillford in the 1940’s. He had the book As a a The Crow Flies
His older brother Charles Franklin Magill was my grandfather
Can anyone recognize this Magill connection and help fill in some answers? Scotty in PA
I have seen your name for years as I have been researching the Magill name which has been back to a James Magill 1785 who moved with wife Elizabeth Stuart Magill in 1844 to Whitesboro, OneidaCo. New York. Turns out the owners of the mills there in town of New York Mills, the Wolcott and Wetmore families both have Magills in their families who moved there from Middletown, Middlesex CT.
My James Magill b. 1785 is buried in the New York Mills cemitary. His wife Elizabeth Stuart Magill is there too. On of their sons who was born in Ireland and died in NY Mills is named David Boyd Magill. Another son William Alexander Magill married a Briggs who was niece of a Wetmore.
A son Hugh Stuart Magill born in 1830 in Ireland moved on to Illinois. Was a friend of Lincoln in Springfield I’ll. Please get in touch with me.
Charles F. McGill is my ancestor, born from Benjamin F. McGill, whose the son of John McGill, whose the son of Hugh McGill (1749-1835) that immigrated from county Down in 1766 to Cornwall area New York.
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