emeritis1 tithes

Complete Tithe Records - 1830

Irish John Smith Children, William's 65th Birthday, 1947

Ematris Civil Parish

County Monaghan

Smith Family Genealogy

Introduction

Ireland began collecting census records in the early part of the nineteenth century. Unfortunately for us most of the nineteenth century records were destroyed or burned in a fire. Genealogists use other records such as Tithe Applotment records and Griffith Valuation surveys as census substitutes. Irish John Smith and his family lived in Ematris’s neighbor to the north and west, Aghabog Civil Parish. Irish John’s family lived in Rossnaglogh East townland. South of an adjacent to Rossnaglogh is Faltagh townland. Faltagh is located in Aghabog Civil Parish. South of Faltagh is Lissnaveane townland, which is located in Ematris Civil Parish.

There was no standardization for spelling surnames or locations. The spelling you see is as it appeared in the tithe lists. In the lists below you will see the term ‘Denomination’ as one of the column headers. In this case, ‘Denomination’ refers to ‘Townland’.

Ematris Civil Parish

(Description from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837)

EMATRIS, a parish, in the barony of DARTRY, county of MONAGHAN, and province of ULSTER, 3 miles (N. E. by E.) from Cootehill (Co. Cavan), on the roads to Clones and Monaghan town; containing 7541 inhabitants; and comprising, according to the Ordnance surveys 12,297¾ statute acres, of which 590½ are under water, and 10,793 are applotted under the tithe act, an value at £8985 per annum.

The soil is a rich shallow loam, on deep still clay, very difficult of cultivation: there is some bog, and about 400 acres of underwood. The weaving of linen to a small extent is combined with agriculture.

Petty sessions are held on alternate Wednesdays at Rock Corry, Dawson Grove, the noble mansion of Lord Cremorne, stands in a demesne of more than 1000 acres, embellished with lakes adorned with islands, on which grows the finest timber; some of these islands embrace remarkable views, particularly that of Bellamont forest: in one of the woods is a temple containing a beautiful group of marble statuary to the memory of Lady Ann Dawson : on arising ground in the demesne and close to the public roads is a handsome column, erected by public subscription, to the memory of Richard Dawson, Esq., who represented the county of Monaghan in five successive parliaments. The other seats are Freame Mount, the residence of R. Mayne, Esq.; Glenburnie Park, of C. Stewart Corry, Esq. ; Tanagh, of Capt. C. Dawson; Dromore Lodge, of Lieut. Dawson, R. N. ; New Park, of Dacre Hamilton, Esq. ; and Cremorne Cottage, of the Rev. N. Devereux.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Clogher, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £365. The church, picturesquely situated in the demesne of Dawson Grove, is a handsome building with a tower, and was recently repaired by a grant of £100 from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.

The Roman Catholic parish is co-extensive with that of the established Church; there is a chapel at Edergole, and another at Coravockan, a neat slated building.

There is a place of worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Seceding Synod, of the second class, and three for Wesleyan Methodists.

The parish school is aided by an annual donation from the rector, and first from Lady Cremorne, with grass for a cow and a house rent-free; in this school about 60 children are instructed. There are seven other public schools, one of which is an infants' school with a sewing school attached, under the patronage of Mrs. Devereux. There are also three hedge schools, in which are about 120 boys and 50 girls; and four Sunday schools.

A Clothing Society, for supplying the poor with blankets, &c., is aided by Lady Cremorne, T. C. S. Corry, Esq., and the rector; and a lending library is supported by general subscription. Near Freame Mount is a very large rath occupying an acre of land, and commanding a number of Toghers, or bog passes, flanked by two smaller ones.

What is the Tithe Applotment?

While the Irish census began in 1810, most records were lost in a fire. The Tithe Applotment records from 1823-1837 are therefore extremely important.

The Composition Act of 1823 specified that tithes due to the Established Church (Church of Ireland), which before had been payable in kind should now be paid in money. As a result, it was necessary to carry out a valuation of the entire country, civil parish by civil parish, to determine how much would be payable by each landholder. This continued for 15 years before ending in 1838. No one was exempt and the tithe was required payable by Catholics and Protestants alike. As the British took control of Ireland the Church of Ireland began to push in on the Catholic Church which had held sway in Ireland for centuries. The Church of Ireland wanted landholders to pay tithes to the church, and worked on this applotment in order to ensure that everyone paid.

A book still exists for almost every civil parish in Ireland. It lists the land in that parish, how it is broken down, who is on each plot of land, and the amount of money owed. Anyone who leased land had to pay the tithe. Catholics and non-Anglicans hated the tithe; however, many paid it to maintain their leasehold.

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Source: FHL BRITISH Film 256608

Records

Irish Land Commission

Applotment Book

Parish of Ematris

Diocese of Clogher

County of Monaghan

Book

1830

F O Messerve

Calculated in British Currency