John McCormack : Short Biography

John McCormack was born in Carrowkeel, Elphin, Roscommon circa 1855, named after his father. He was born shortly after the famine came to a close. No records of any of his other siblings have been found so presumably they were older and may have died young or emigrated as soon as they could. They lived on a small two room house on a seven acre farm with a cow house and piggery attached. They shared sixteen acres of bogland with neighbours.

John inherited the farm after his father died sometime between 1858 and 1888. He bought the land from Sir Charles H Coote, the landlord, under the Land Commission Act 1888. 

John married Mary Jane McDermott of Clooneybrennan on 22 March 1888 in Elphin Church, witnessed by her sister Annie McDermott and John Lynch(cousin). 

Children of John and Mary Jane

Thomas 15 Apr 1889   

Julia 28 Apr 1890     Godparents-John and Anne McDermott

John 14 Apr 1891

James 25 Jul 1892     Godparents-Patrick and Mary Lynch

Edward 12 Oct 1893     Godparents-Peter Lynch and Brigid Conlon

Catherine 8 Feb 1895     Godparents-Edward Donaghy and Catherine Lynch

Annie Jane 24 May 1896     Godparents-Charles Cox and Brigid Beirne

John's wife Mary Jane passed away 6 June 1897 after having TB for ten months. She left him with seven young children.

On 13 July 1902, John died. His cause of death is described as decline for one year but this is confusing as if he was aware he was gonig to die, you would presume he would have made arrangements for his children and even possibly a will(most people made wills then and he had enough money to do so). Instead most of the arrangements for his children were made by other adults and the lack of a will caused other problems in the next few years as to the ownership of the land. Decline was sometimes listed then if no one could determine a cause of death.