At Last, More New Testing and Thrust

It seems that this blog is heavily dependent on a need for a great deal of
patience, money for new tests as they occur and a constant and abiding
hope for breaks in test results.  Family Tree DNA has just offered a new
test which they call the Big Y which has the potential for finding up to
10 million SNP's.  I invested a hefty sum for this test on 11-18-2013 to
find out more about how the three McCown/McKowns relate to the
Maguires of Co. Fermanagh.  The results are not expected before Feb.
2014 but what is hoped is that it will produce a closer time line between
us and the rest of the Maguire Sept.  This test will show our very deep
ancestry via Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP's) that show ancestry
before surnames came into common use in Ireland about 950 AD.

The three McCown/McKowns are closely related by markers which show
relatedness since surnames came into common use and specifically how
our SNP P66+ anchors SNP 513 which is shared by all of those related
to the Maguires  ties into this.  Our most recent find from William Roulston
of the Ulster Historical Association is that on 18 June 1611, pardons were
approved for the following men:  Edmond McGuire McOwen, gentleman of
Co. Tyrone, Patrick Grome McEdmond McOwen, Brian Magwire McOwen
and Terrence O'Neile.  At that time, native Irish were required by law to
stay on the land and Edmond petitioned for an amnesty in the event that
these men were forced off of their land at no fault of their own.

The FTDNATip tool which shows when a Most Recent Common Ancestor
lived and that year was 1622 AD.  That is very close to when the men listed
above were granted a pardon in 1611 AD.  At a guess, I would say that
there is an excellent chance that one of the men listed is an ancestor of
mine.

New Thrust in Maguire Genealogy and Y-DNA

As faithful readers (when a blog update becomes available know) this blog has been in
the doldrums since April 9, 2013.  In fact, I was somewhat surprised that it still exists
since it has been idle so long.  But at long last, Brad McGuire has added extra thrust to
this blog and some bright hope for the future.

First, an effort is being started to have a full Y-DNA Genome test performed and a
donor has been found to provide most of the funds to have this test performed.  Because
one of them is also a genetic distance of only four from the baseline of all of the members
of Brad's Airghialla Mag Uidhir (Maguire) FTDNA Group, Brad proposes that he be the
one to provide the Y-DNA sample to be used in this test.

Second, Charles Robert Maguire, can document his genealogy clear back to the brother
of the last ruling ruling prince of Fermanagh in the Junior line of Maguire.  His ancestor was
Lord Thomas Mor Maguire, 1400, brother to Hugh II, 1600.  It is not known to us if
Robert Charles Maguire of South Carolina is still living or not (he was in 2010) but we do
know that he had brothers and two sons. 

It is our hope to have one of this family fully tested to 111 markers and even perhaps to
be tested for the full Y-DNA Genome.  Great hope and expectations abound.

The Rest of the Cormac and Maguire/McCown Story

My source has sent additional information that counters the last issue of this blog.  It seems
that the Eoghain(Owen) was not of the Maguire line but was an early progenitor of the
Ui O'hEoghain (modern Owens, O'Howens families) and none of those are DNA matches with
me.  I was really excited with the potential break through with my deep family history, but
now that I know more about that period, I am not particularly disappointed.  After all, what I
want is what actually applies to my McCown/Maguire connection and so the lack of
dejection.  Actually, it was a ray of hope in a generally grim research.  The O'hEoghains were
a family of church men and therefor would have been a welcome part of my family tree but
apparently they were closer to being of the O'Neill sept than the Maguire sept.  Now that the
decks have been cleared, I am still interested in the McChoens in the Barony of Lurg in
northern County Fermanagh as possibly being of my surname.

Dr. William Roulston of the Ulster Historical Foundation, Belfast, shows interest in them as
well, so that is a bit of encouragement.  I have read that very few Americans of American
descent have been able to locate others in Ireland who descend from the same ancestors but
a couple of them in my Maguire group have a record of their earliest known ancestor and where
he lived in Ireland.  My hope is that maybe some of these families can be found in the same
general area and thus my line might as well.

Explanation of Possible McCown/Maguire Ancestors

Found 2 additional names among the 1641 Depositions taken at Magheraculmoney, Fermanagh.  Names included many Magwyers, a sampling: Rebels Rory, our friend Hugh mcAdeganny, Hugh Boy, Bryan Carragh, Donagh oge, Redmond, and finally, Patrick mc Choen and Cahell mc Choen.  This folio 201v document places 2 McCoens among the Magwyers of Magheraculmoney, which is a parish in the Barony of Lurg, county Fermanagh.

Now to your Mac Eoghain forebears whom you cite in your latest blog:

Father Gallachair in Clogher Record Vol 7, No.2, states that the Ui Eoghain of Fermanagh and Clogher, Tyrone, were Ui Cremthainn of the Airghilla confederation.  Eoghain, or Eoghanan, was fourth in direct descent from Cormac, the brother of Daimhin of Clogher, from whom Feargel of Tamhnach also sprang. Eoghain was a brother of Mag Uidhir, and they were both sons of Cormac.  At this time surnames were not used.  Since Owen and MagUidhir were brothers, they should have the same dna.

 

I received the above information from my very helpful genealogical friends, the Leibells.

It is my hope that this will jumpstart our first connection to County Fermanagh as it names

names and the time (before the general use of surnames).  It is being sent to Dr. William

Roulston of the Ulster Historical Foundation in Belfast to see if it does indeed give us a

way around our current impass.

Spelling Variants of McOwen (McCown) in Ulster

In the Fermanagh Census of 1659, in the parishes of Aghalurcher, Enniskillen and
Magheraculmoney, there were four individuals with the surname of McCoen.  The fair
Coane also found Cucghanagh O'Kohan in the Barony of Lurg, Edmund McCone,
Culmaine, Cluncagh in the 1659 Hearth Money Rolls of Fermanagh and John McCone, of
Coolcran in the 1788 Poll Electors.

Previously, I had also found several with the surname McKown in Aghalurcher and McCown
in  Galloon parishes.  All of this causes me to wonder if our McKown and McCown were
spelled phonetically when they came to Virginia and South Carolina respectively.  The
reason I suspect this spelling problem could have possibly occurred, is that in the 1850
census of Kentucky, my great great grandfather was shown as McCowen, my great grand-
father was shown as McCown and a younger brother was shown as McKeown.  All three
lived in the same tiny village within easy walking distance of each other by the same census
taker on the same day.

I believe that all of these spellings derive from MacEoghain (pronounced "McOwen).  Our
name did come through correctly in the case of William McCown deported from England in
1748 to Port Oxford, VA and Elizabeth McKown was deported on the same voyage to
somewhere in North Carolina.  I have been in contact with a descendant of this William.

Also, in the census of 1790, there is a William McCown in York Co., South Carolina.  An
interesting thing about Jim McKown, Sam McCown and I, William McCown, is that all
three of us have good Y-DNA matches with the Maguire Sept of Fermanagh and uniquely
share Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) P66+ between the three of us.  All three of
us are closely matched at 111 markers through Family Tree DNA proving that we are closely
related going back to about 1662.  SNP's show deep ancestry and markers show ancestry in
the male line going back to about 950 AD.

FTDNA Reverses Itself and a New McCown?

After all of the fanfare about more new matches, I am now back to ground zero because
FTDNA has reversed out all of the new matches at 111 markers.  The good news is that
Rev. Bill McCown sent an email to me wanting to share his family history with me and mine with
his.  His ancestor was born in 1792 in Anderson (formerly Pendleton Co., South Carolina.  He is
now living near there.  My earliest known ancestor was Lawrence McCown, born ca 1790,
somewhere in South Carolina.  I don't believe that we will be able to connect our ancestors
unless he takes the FTDNA Y-DNA test.  I haven't heard back from him and the deadline for
the year end discounts was supposed to be on Dec. 31st.  I heard tonight that FTDNA extended
the grace  period for three more days, but now they are also past.

Some time ago, I also exchanged emails with still another William McCown who is descended
from a Scottish Rebel prisoner deported to Oxford, Maryland in 1748.  On the same ship was a
woman prisoner named Katherine McKown but she debarked in North Carolina.

A number of McCowns settled in South Carolina by 1790, at least one William McCown was
listed in the 1790 census of York Co., South Carolina.  Many others moved down from
Pennsylvania and Virginia and settled in Chester and Union Districts.  Two William McCowns
were shown in the 1790 US census in the Old 96th District of South Carolina.  It is conceivable
that Rev. Bill McCown's ancestor was one of those.