Oakman ^of Ireland

Clements Mount is situated to the northeast of Glenavy Village, in the Townland of Ballydonaghy, Parish of Camlin. For many generations, Clements Mount was the property of an old family named Clements. It only came into the Oakman family in the early 1800s.

In 1826, Walter Oakman held the lease for this property of more than 130 acres. Walter's father was William Oakman of Pigeontown. His mother was one of the daughters of William Clements. An extract from the Will of William Clements (PRONI T/700/49) mentions his son-in-law William Oakman. As this is only an extract from William Clements' Will, it is not possible to know of any bequests old William made to his son-in-law, but it is probable that William Oakman inherited Clements Mount and passed the farm to his son, Walter.

The PRONI Will extracts found in T/700 are from the old note books of Mr Stewart Kennedy and date from about the year 1500 through to 1858. The copies of Oakman extracts obtained from PRONI do not include mention of property, but do include any names mentioned in the original Wills. This has proven to be an informative source for a few of the Oakman families from the Glenavy area.

Sadly, Walter Oakman died in 1828. Glenavy Parish Church records show Walter was buried in that graveyard, though no headstone has been found.

I have yet to prove the following, but I believe Walter married Catherine (possibly Boyle) and had at least 3 sons — William, Walter and Clement. Catherine later married a Mr Davison and had at least two daughters by that marriage — Catherine and Jane. In 1849, Catherine Davison and her son William Oakman, along with her daughters Catherine and Jane Davison, emigrated to America and settled in New York City. Walter and Clement Oakman were already there ... read more »»

No Will has been found yet to tell us what happened with Walter's estate after his death, but it is known, from the Will of Mr Dolway Bell, Surgeon of "Bellgrove", Glenavy, that Walter's younger brother, Benjamin Oakman, was living at Clements Mount in 1855. Dolway Bell named Benjamin as one of his executors.

Benjamin had married Jane Bullock, daughter of William Bullock, farmer of Ballydonaghy, in October 1849. Benjamin and Jane do not appear to have had any children.

The Griffith's Valuation lists Benjamin Oakman as leasing house, offices and about 133 acres of land from the Marquis of Hertford. By 1883, when Benjamin was well into his 70s, Clements Mount was in the hands of Robert Potts. Perhaps Benjamin had become too old to continue with the farming. His wife, Jane Bullock, died in 1889 in Woodstock Road, Belfast. Benjamin died at his brother's home (Pigeontown in 1891. Glenavy Parish Church burial records show he was buried in the graveyard, but no headstone has been found to show exactly where he was buried.

Robert Potts died in 1888 and his son Robert junior took over the property after his father's death.