The Sinclairs of Co Londonderry

Sinclairs are mentioned in several localities near Draperstown in Co Londonderry. The earliest were Robert Sinkler (-1710) of ‘Monnyshin’ and Robert Sinklar, a farmer (-1740) of ‘Monishinare’, which is the townland of Moneyshanere close to Tobermore, northeast of Draperstown, in the parish of Kilcronaghan. The next references are to Sinclairs in Sixtowns, which is a locality southwest of Draperstown, about 4 miles distance. Between Sixtowns and Draperstown is the townland of Cavanreagh in the parish of Ballynascreen. Official references are generally made to the townland of Cavanreagh, but quite often family references are made to ‘Sixtowns, Draperstown’, which is not a townland – just the local area. In the circumstances, the assumption has to be made that unless another townland is mentioned, the family references are being made to Cavanreagh.

John Sinclair (c.1770-1843) and his son Robert had a house and offices valued in Cavanreagh in 1836. The same year, A. Sinclair had a house in the townland of Tamnymullan in the parish of Maghera, but was no longer listed in 1864, and another John Sinclair had a house and office at 6 Highland Row, Coleraine, in 1832 and 1836 and again was not listed in 1864. Robert Sinclair, whose father was John Sinclair of Cavanreagh, was a surgeon and died suddenly on 10 October 1838 in his 39th year in the townland of Townhill in Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh, leaving his wife and one small child (Josias). Robert was son-in-law to Oswald Sturdy, Postmaster of Irvinestown, whose death in his 52nd year was recorded in the Londonderry Sentinel on 5 July 1834. Robert had a house and office he rented at £8 ‘late currency’ in the best part of the town for business in 1836.

According to Griffiths (1864), Anne Sinclair, Robert’s wife, held 60a 2r 5p of land rated at £18 and a house and offices rated at £3, and a share of ‘mountain’ land rated at £2 8s. Her brother-in-law John Sinclair held 13a 1r 35p of land rated at £11 15s. and a house and offices rated at £3 10s., as well as ‘mountain’ land rated at £2 12s.

Robert and Anne’s son Josias Sinclair was still a farmer in Cavanreagh at the 1901 census, but his grandson James Buchannan Sinclair and his family moved to the townland of Drumleek South in Co Monaghan, where he had his own farm by the 1911 census.

My thanks to Patricia Smith for the descendants of William Jackson Sinclair, Snr (1841-1915), Rev. James Sinclair’s nephew Robert Sinclair’s first son.

Back to other Irish Sinclair families

Cavanreagh, parish of Ballynascreen, barony of Loughinsholin, Co Londonderry