Who Lived Here?
William Oakman (bef 1773 - 1843) and unknown Clements
The Tithe Applotment Books show William Oakman of Ballyvollen paying tithes on just over 69 acres of land as well as a 9 acre share in another piece of land with John Watters (or Walters) and William Ingram.
William Oakman had married, prior to 1794, a daughter of William Clements of Clements Mount. An extract from the Will of William Clements mentions his son-in-law, William Oakman, but gives us no clue as to the name of the daughter who had married William Oakman.
When William Oakman died in 1843 the property passed to his son John Oakman.
William Oakman had 10 children:
William Oakman (abt 1794 - 1867)
William married and settled on a 14 acre farm in Ballydonaghy Townland, very close to Clements Mount (PRONI MIC/1/44A/1). He died there in 1867. The following death notice appeared in the Belfast Newsletter on 2 Nov 1867 and is reproduced here with permission of the Belfast Newsletter :
DEATHS, Oakman - October 28, at Ballydonaghy,
Crumlin, Mr. Wm. Oakman, aged 73 years.
Jane Oakman (abt 1796 - ?)
Jane was born at Pigeontown abt 1796. This may be the Jane who married William English and emigrated to Canada. This has yet to be proven. Read more about Jane Oakman and William English.
Alice Oakman (abt 1797 - ?)
Alice Oakman was born at Pigeontown abt 1797. She married John Walker in April 1828 and remained in the Glenavy area.
Walter Oakman (abt 1799 - 1828)
Walter was born at Pigeontown abt 1799. He died at Clements Mount in 1828. We do not know for certain, but it appears Walter's father may have inherited this property on the death of William Clements (circa 1810) and passed it on to his son to manage and occupy. Read more about Walter Oakman of Clements Mount.
George Oakman (abt 1801 - ?)
George was born at Pigeontown abt 1801. This may be the George Oakman who married Dorothy Falloon and emigrated to Canada. This is not yet proven - but family lore passed down through the family in Canada tells of two brothers emigrating to Canada; George remaining there while the other brother headed off to America to be a farmer. This would fit with Robert Oakman who settled in Louisianna and Mississippi and became a cotton farmer. Research to prove this link is ongoing.
Sarah Oakman (abt 1804 - ?)
Sarah was born at Pigeontown abt 1804. She married Mathew McCoy in abt 1835 and had a daughter - Dorothea McCoy. Sadly, Sarah and Mathew both died young. Dorothea was taken in and cared for by her mother's family. In later life she lived in the home of her cousin, William Robert Oakman, at Oakhill.
John Oakman (abt 1806 - 1893)
John was born at Pigeontown abt 1806. In the early 1840s he married Elizabeth Glenn. John and Elizabeth had four known children:
- John Glenn Oakman - born June 1841 and died in January 1893.
- Shusanna Oakman - born April 1844 and died May 1845.
- Elizabeth Bell Oakman - born Feb 1846 and married Hugh Fraser at Moira Presbyterian Church on 23 April 1885. Witnesses were William John Fraser and Frances Jane Oakman.
- William Robert Oakman - born March 1848 and died before 1859.
John inherited the Pigeontown property after the death of his father in 1843. The Griffith's Valuation shows John was leasing over 85 acres from the Marquis of Hertford. Three houses on this property were being leased to Francis Coburn, Stafford Crossan and John McNeece.
John's wife, Elizabeth, died in 1849. The following death notice was published in the Belfast Newsletter on 13 Feb 1849 and is reproduced here with permission of the Belfast Newsletter:
DEATHS - On the 7th inst., at Pigeontown, Glenavy, Elizabeth, the beloved
wife of Mr John Oakman. She was an affectionate wife, and a most exemplary
Christian mother; her memory will be long and carefully cherished by all
who had the pleasure of her acquaintance.
Ten years later, in 1859, John married Harriet Crossin. He and Harriet had two children —
- William Robert Oakman - born Nov 1865 and married Edith Maude Wilson. William inherited Pigeontown but sold it soon afterwards to purchase Oakhill. He died in 1942. Read more about William Robert and his family at Oakhill.
- Frances Jane Oakman - born aft 1859 and died 1921 at Oakhill. She is buried in the Glenavy Parish Church graveyard. Frances never married.
Harriet died in 1883 and John in 1893. They are buried together in the Glenavy Parish Church graveyard. John's only surviving son, William Robert Oakman, inherited Pigeontown. William sold it in the late 1890s and purchased Oakhill. See the For Sale notice below.
Benjamin Oakman (abt 1808 - 1891)
Benjamin took over the Clements Mount property sometime after his brother, Walter, had died (1828). He married Jane Bullock in 1849. They do not appear to have had any children. Benjamin died in August 1891. The following death notice was published in the Belfast Newsletter on 29 Aug 1891 and is reproduced here with permission of the Belfast Newsletter:
DEATHS - OAKMAN - August 27, at Pigeotown, Glenavy,
Benjamin Oakman, aged 83 years.
Susanna Oakman (abt 1810 - 1838)
Susanna was born at Pigeontwon abt 1810. She married James Shubridge abt 1833 and had a son, David, and a daughter (name unknown). Sadly, Susanna died when the children were young. The following death noticed appeared in the Belfast Newsletter on 18 May 1838 and is reproduced here with permission of the Belfast Newsletter:
DIED - On the 12th inst., in the 28th year of her age, Susannah,
wife of Mr. James Shubridge, victualler, of this town. She bore a
protracted illness with resignation to the Divine will, and departed
this life with the humble but steadfast hope of a glorious immortality.
Susanna's daughter went to live with her uncle Robert Oakman in America while young David remained with his uncle William Oakman at Ballydonaghy. By December 1858, young David, had also "gone to America". We find him in the 1860 US Census living in Concordia, Louisianna, very close to where his sister and uncle Robert were living.
Robert Oakman (abt 1813 - 1875)
Robert was born at Pigeontown abt 1813. He emigrated to America where he owned and managed cotton plantations in Louisianna and Mississippi. Read more about Robert Oakman and his life in America.
Robert died in Mississippi in 1875. The following death notice was published in the Belfast Newsletter on 20 Feb 1875 and is reproduced here with permission of the Belfast Newsletter:
OAKMAN - Jan 22, at The Glen, near Natches, Misa., U.S.,
Mr. Robert Oakman, formerly of Pigeontown, Co. Antrim.
