I just reviewed the following book, hoping to find some useful info, however, like so many pubs, it only includes the names of landlords and not tenants. While supposedly a 'statistical survey,' there is narry a statistic in it, except for his estimate of the population of the county in 1802. As for suggested improvements, the author makes no specific ones, except for suggesting that farming might be better done, if it followed the practice of England. In any case, I thought I'd pass on a few tidbits which might be of interest to some of you. -as it at least gives a clue of what estate records one might want to reserach, and the book is written about 20 years before an 1820s wave of Protestant exodus. The spelling is as contained in the text. Keep in mind, that the author, as an Englishman in Ireland, has a certain bias. . . Gwen Barry, Nova Scotia Source : James McParlan, M.D., Statistical Survey of the County of Leitrim with Observations on the Means of Improvement Drawn up for the Consideration and by Order of the Dublin Society, Dublin, Graisberry and Campbell, 1802. Sundry notes : - Co. Leitrim, on average is 13-15 miles in breadth. (p. 7) (Didn't give mileage for length) - Mohill barony consists of large tracts of dark, rich soil. (p. 9) - The county was surveyed in 1683 by Sir William Petty. (p. 108) - The size of farms, in general was very small, and "be they ever so small, almost always in common, among a number of tenantry; from twenty to forty and fifty acres. . . of which considerable tracts often belong to those small farms. . .Some few of the landlords begin to subdivide the farms, and deal them out in separate portions to the tenants. "Must and do bear a proportion to the above description of the farms themselves; they are long and narrow, and but too often agree with an ancient, and perhaps, not inaccurate account, written in verse, and called, Western Isle, or Gillo's Feast. It describing Gillo's house, it was said, "At one of th' ends he kept his cows, At th' other end he kept his spouse; On bed of straw, without least grumble, Nay, with delight, did often tumble; Without partition, or a skreen, Or spreading curtain, drawn between, Without concern, exposed they lay, Because it was their country's way; And, when occasion did require, In midst of house a mighty fire, Of black dried earth, and swinging blocks, Was made, enough to roast an ox, Frm whence arose such clouds of smoak, As either you or me would choak; But when the scorching fire burn'd clear, This rolling smoke did disappear. . ." "In fact, this account is too often, to this day, not undescriptive of many of the poor cabins -but truth also requires to declare, that those hovels are getting fewer by degrees; chimneys, partitions, and separate cow-houses, and sometimes a bit of a barn, form the whole extent of the offices." (p. 43-44). "Leases are generally made for 3 lives, or thirty-one years; very few for any longer time, and sometimes but for one life . . ." p. 45. Only 2 farmers in the county had oxen. The rest plow by hand with a hoe. Those who have 4-5 head of cattle, sells them off to buy a horse in spring to harrow and basket out his manure, then sells the horse in the fall, in order to buy a few cattle. (p. 47) The author in his ramblings, talks of Sir William Blackstone, who in his calculations is ever strictly accurate in all his assertions, every one must have, in the tenth collateral degree, 262,144 relations - and at forty degrees upwards of one million ancestors. (This must be based on a certain number of children in every generation -degree) On that basis, the author estimates the population of Co. Leitrim in 1802 to have been 76,630. Based on the number of families in each parish from the books of each individual clergyman, and multiplied by each family by 5 to get his total. (pp. 61-62) (At that rate then, there were 15,326 families, or households in Co. Leitrim in 1802.) The general food was potatoes and oaten bread, with butter and eggs, with great feastings of pork, beef, and mutton at Christmas and Easter. (p. 63) The clothing was remarkably neat, clean, and strong, including a coat of frize, breeches of cordoruy, a fancy waistcoat, hat, shoes, shirt and stocking. (p. 63) Without exception, every father in the county sends his children to a neighbouring school, where they learn to "scrawl a little writing, to read as they are taught, and some of the rules of arithmetic." Some make considerable proficiency in those branches, and turn out smart peddlars, shopkeepers, and dealers. There are some of them now in Dublin, who have realized considerable properties. (p. 68) "Living persons, who saw it, told me, that about one hundred years ago, almost the whole county was a continued undivided forest. From Drumshambo, I used to hear them say, to Drumkerrin, a distance of nine or ten miles, one could travel the whole way, from tree to tree, by the branches. All those must have been burned for fuel of every fort, as the bogs, even at this day, are only begun to be nibbled at, about the edges, for turf." About 30 years ago a spirit of reviving, and renovating the face of the country began, and a registry was kept of the numbers of trees planted. The list included the following : (p. 72-73) Mrs. O'Donnell, Larkfield, 1770, 72,591 trees planted Henry Seily, Esq., Grouse-lodge, 1770, 40,940 Wm. Bailly, Esq., Cavan, 1770, 1,300 Pierce Sympson, Esq., Drumsna, 1774, 10,200 F. Johnston, Esq., Gortomone, 1776, 700 Robert Grogan, ----, 1777, 184 Patrick Cullen, Esq., Skreen, 1777, 1,203 Patrick Cullen, 1780, 1,920 Patrick Cullen, 1781, 6,436 Patrick Cullen, 1791, 1,929 Thomas Law, -, 1795, 978 Con. O'Donnell, Esq., Larkfield, 1797, 1,990 Mary Shanly, -, 1798, 113 James Elliot, -, -, 4,700 trees planted Dromahaire Castle was not built by the O'Rorkes, as stated by Grose, Vol. 2, p. 55, for we find that in 1626, the Duke of Buckingham made a grant to his brother, Sir Edward Villiers, of 6,500 acres of arable land, and 5,114 of wood and bog in the barony of Dromahaire, which had before been granted to the Duke, 5th Jan. 1626. The land was conveyed, by patent, to Sir William Villiers, on the resignation of Robert, Earl of Nithsdale, and his brother James Maxwell, 5 Spet 1628, to hold in capite for the service of one knight's fee, etc etc, the premises being erected into the manor of Dromahare. (p. 87-88) Jamestown Castle, on the banks of the Shannon, was built by Sir Charles Coote in 1623, to whom this town and large estates in Leitrim were granted. It was in the year 1645 taken by the Earl of Carlingford. In 1689, the Enniskilleners took Jamestown under command of Colonel Lloyd, however, the Irish took it back, and the English garrison under Sarsfiled abandoned Jamestown and retreated to Sligo. (p. 90) Castle Longfield : (built by the O'Rorkes) Major Martin Armstrong took possession after the battle of Cavan. He had 2 daughters, one of whom married Mr. Johnston of Ahacashel's ancestor. (p. 90) Castlefore : Between Fenah and Cascargan (Cashcarrigan?) It was built by Colonel Coote towards the middle of the 17th century. (Was destroyed in the rebellion of 1641) LIST OF NOBLEMEN AND GENTLEMEN WHO HAVE LARGE PROPERTIES IN CO. LEITRIM, BUT HAVE NO PLACE OF RESIDENCE THEREIN IN 1802 (Absentee landlords) (p. 110) no locations given. . . Lord Bessborough Lord Clements Lady de Clifford Mr. Clements Mr. Crofton Lord Granard Minor St. George Mr. William Rowley Minor Keon Lord Leitrim Mr. Madden Mr. Carleton (Counsellor) Mr. Tottenham Mr. Wynne Mr. White Rt. Hon. Theophilus Jones Rt. Hon. David Latouche and brothers On page 69, the author also mentioned absentee landlord, Lord & Lady Southwell RESIDENT GENTLEMEN OF PROPERTY - 1802 (p. 111) Lewis Algro at Glanboy Mr. O'Brien at Drumrahan Mr. O'Beirne at Jamestown Robert O'Brien at - Bryan Conyngham at Porte Duke Crofton at Mohill John Carter & brothers at Dromlease Rev. Cullen at Skreeny Mr. Crofton at Lurgan Major Dickson at Woodville John Gore at Woodford Richard Irwin at Drumsalla Counsellor Johnston at Oakfield Robert Johnston at Headaford Robert Johnston at Abacashel Andrew Johnston at Addugold Francis Johnston & brothers at Gortomone John Johnston at Friar's town Mr. Keon at Keonbrook Edward Lawder at Cloverhill Johnston Moreton at ---- Mr. Percy at Garradise Mr. Reynolds at Lettersyan Mr. Simpson at Drumsna Mr. Shanly at Willyfiled On p. 69, he also mentioned resident landlords, Mr. Nesbett, and Mr. Peyton. END