The Weaver Line

Copy of an Unsigned undated manuscript almost certainly written by Hans Weaver the first immigrant to America. (from JCW research)

" In the region of King James VI (James 1 of England, 1603- 1626) that monarch made large grants of land in Ireland to his English nobility, land confiscated after the rebellion of the great Irish chieftain Tyrone, the last remnant of the Irish King of Ulster."

"Among the grants was one of the Earl of Creneriesel (Clanbrassel?) in Killyleigh, of a large amount of lands. In the course of time the Earl and Leey with their family and dependents made a visit to Killyleigh to examine their estate. Whilst there his footman courted the Lady's nurse, Mary K. Kidmore, and married her. His name was Edward or Edwin Weaver. The Earl, not liking the wild woods about Killyleigh, determined to return to England. It appears that the nurse was a favorite of the lady, for before she left for England she bestowed her the townland of Ballytrim and Ballygassen, and was said she destroyed the deed of the townlands lest any of the heirs of Clanbrisel family might hereafter dispossess her of the same, as there never could a deed be found of the two townlands. In the course of time the nurse had a child, but unfortunately for her offspring her husband Weaver died, the court appointed on Howe as guardian to the child and took an oath obligatory to do the child justice. But it appears that women in them days was similar to them of the present time. She wanted a man and married the guardian of her child and cheated and embezzled the whole away except 30 or 40 acres in the western of Ballytrim in the rounds.

Howe was cheated himself, for he rented the lands and the possessors, finding that Howe had no title to show, quit paying rent, when a lawsuit was the consequence then Howe was defeated and the offspring of those who stood the suit and defeated Howe still possess it at the present day. About 150 years ago, one of the heirs of the Clanbrisels made an attempt to force the people of those lowlands to pay him rent, but was foiled. The Weavers at that time made a verbal bargain with one of the heirs (poor fools). Stephenson who proposed to them if they would promise to pay him 6 shillings per annum he would guarantee from all of the other heirs. The Weavers acquiesced and paid the stimulated rent since that time about 150 years ago until about 40 years ago Lord Dufforin noticed them to raise the rent or quit the property. It was a shock unexpected, as they believed the former bargain was good. I went and took council on it. But as we had paid Stevenson rent at first, it gave him possession of the land as no verbal bargain could then be probed. What could be done then to cheat the cheaters of my just inheritance, the following sequel will show.

(No sequel was found. What Hans did, or how he tried to do it, may have had something to do with his coming to America.) Support for the above was found in the Hamilton Manuscripts, written before 1703. Edward W. probable came to Ireland about 1645. His name is on a Ballytrim rent roll of loss. " The rent agreement to Robert Weaver from James Stevenson on June 21, 1734 for 21 years was Lb. 7 7s 6d per annum, at 6 s/Cunningham acre. In 1813, James Blackwood, Lord Dufferin,

noticed them to raise the rent or quit the property. In a trial in 1822 against Henry Weaver, Robert Heron et al, testimony by Hans O'Prsy, who married a sister of Hans Weaver tells how he was employed by the Weavers, including Hans W. then in America, to forge an agreement to continue their lease at Stevenson's rate, dated 1774, over the names John Blackwood (lessor) and John Weaver."