May 1917

Seagoe iparisb /Ifcagasíne.
M A Y , 1917.

Th& E a ste r Vestry»

)HE Easter Vestry was held on Thursday,
April 12th, at 8 p m. The Rector
presided. A portion of Scripture,
Ephes VI. was read by the Rev. T.
H. Scanlon. The Minutes of the last

Easter Vestry were read by the Hon.
Sec., Mr. W. R. Atkinson. The Rector

his opening statement referred to the
general condition of the Parish during the
eventful year which had closed. A reference

was made to the sad losses sustained by the
Parish in the death on the field of Battle of so many
of its bravest and best sons The Annual Elections
were then proceeded with. The Rector nominated
as his Churchwarden, Mr. David Murray, and in
doing so spoke of the good work which for many
years Mr. Murray had done in many departments of
Parish life. The election of Peoples’ Churchwarden
followed. On the motion of Mr. James Twinem,
seconded by Mr. J. Sands, Mr. Alan Bell, R.M.
was unanimously elected The members of the Vestry
were loud in their praise of Mr. Bell, who has won
the regard and esteem of all the Parishoners since he
came to reside in.the Parish a few years ago. The
following were elected Members of the Select Vestry.
The names are in alphabetical order.

1.— W. R. Atkinson,
2.—Lt. Col. Blacker, D.S.O.
3.— G. Calvert.
4.—T. Dawson.
5.—J. G. Gracey.
6.—T E. Maginnis.
7 —T. Martin.
8.—J. Monro.
9.—R. Price.10.—J. Sands.

11.—J. H. Stevenson.
12.—J. Twinem.

Sidesmen were elected as follows—J. Sands, R.
Price, T. Martin, J. Twinem, D. Rock, W. J. Cox, W. J. Caddell.

Mr. W. R. Atkinson was re-elected Hon, Sec. and
Treasurer, and a very hearty expression of thanks
was given to him for the great services he has
rendered to the Parish during many years. The
meeting was brought to a close by the Chairman pronouncing the Benediction.

Death o f M r s » Holm es.
We record with sincere regret the death of Mrs.

Holmes, of Newstone. She passed away on Thurs­
day, April 5th, after a very brief illness. On the
Sunday previous to her death she was present at
morning prayer in the Parish Church. The inter­
ment took place on Saturday, 7th April, at Dromis-
kin, Co. Louth. Mrs. Holmes was deeply interested
in the parish of Seagoe, and she will be much
missed from our Parish Church. We tender our
sympathy to her bereaved relatives.

Death o f M rs . IWiositgomBry,
Death has taken from our midst during the past

month one who was very highly esteemed and re­
spected amongst us - Mrs. Sara Montgomery, wife of
Mr. T. J. Montgomery, who has for many years been
a member of the Select Vestry of Seagoe, and has
also filled the office of churchwarden. Mrs Mont­
gomery had been in weak health for some time,
she had never recovered the shock sustained in the
lamented death of her son, Lieutenant R T. Mont­
gomery, in France, on July 1st of last year. Hopes
had been entertained that she might have rallied
from her illness, but after a few days of extreme
weakness she passed to her eternal rest. Her funeral
on Saturday, April 21st, was the occasion of a
wonderful display of sympathy on the part of the
people of Portadown. Although it was market day,
business was practically suspended during the pas­
sage of the funeral procession through the town.
Shops were closed and blinds drawn all along the
route. The service in the Church and at the grave
was taken by the Rector, assisted by the Rev, G.
Bloomer and the Rev. T. H. Scanlon. The Rector
gave a short address. We desire to express our deep
sympathy with Mr. T. J. Montgomery and his
family in the loss they have sustained.

Nature Notes ,
Our summer migrants have all arrived up to

scheduled time. The severity of the weather has
scarcely retarded their time of arrival. Again the
honour of first observation goes to the quick-witted
and sharp eyed observers at the southern end of the
parish. The S w allow was first seen by Mr. Thos.
W alker, of Levaghery, on Friday, April 20th,



SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.
This seems to have been the earliest observation
made in Ireland, to judge by the notifications in the public press.

The Cuckoo was first heard on Sunday, April
22nd, by Mr. John Lutton of Edenderry. Two of
our Seagoe school children, Maude Coulter and
Hannah Rainey, also heard it.

The Corncrake was first heard on Tuesday, April
24th, at Seagoe, but so many heard it then that we
cannot specify who was the first.

The first white Butterfly was seen on Monday, April 28rd, at Seagoe.
An anonymous postcard was received from Rock-

corry, Co. Monaghan, signed “ Reader of Magazine,”
in which the writer says—“ Saw swallow 26th April,
heard Cuckoo 29th April, 1917.” Although the
observation was later than in Seagoe, we are much
obliged to our correspondent for writing.

PARISH R EG ISTER FQR
APRIL, 1917.

Baptismm
G u y—7th April, 1917, David William, son of

David and Hannah Maria Guy, of Upper
Heagoe.

Sponsor*—Isabella Clifford. Hannah Maria Guy.
P R IV A T E B A P T IS M .

M aginnis—13th April, 1917, Thomas Edward, son
of Thomas Edward and (the late) Mary
Adelaide Letitia Maginnis, of Breagh.

B aptism s (M arch).
[As the names of the sponsors at the Baptisms in

March were accidentally omitted in our last issue,
we reprint the entries this month.]
The following were Baptized in Seagoe Parish

Church on 3rd March, 1917 :—
H oy—Violet, daughter of Thomas James and

Francis Hoy, of Lylo.
Sponsors—Jane Anna Webb, Francis Hoy.

Porter—William Victor, son of Richard and ;
Elizabeth Alice Porter, of Lower Seagoe.

Sponsors— Susan Jane Strain, Elizabeth Alice Porter.
M cM urray—Margaret, daughter of George and

Martha McMurray, of Lylo.
Sponsors—Martha Thompson, M artha McMurray.

M a rr ia g e s •
Neill and L ivin gston —7th April, 1917, William

Neill, of Ballymacrandle, to Mary Rachel
Livingstone, of Lisnamintry, Parish of
Knocknamuckley.

Shanks and D aw son—19th April, 1917, James
Shanks, of Kernan, to Margaret Dawson, of
Portadown.

B u ria ls-
H olm es—April 7th, 1917, Jemima M. H. Holmes, of

Newstone, Edenderry.
Crossley—April 7th, 1917, Elizabeth Crossley, of

Edenderry, aged 15 years.
M ontgom ery—April 21st, 1917, Sara Montgomery,

wife' of T. J. Montgomery, of Portadown.
Ruddell—April 22nd, 1917, Elizabeth Ruddell, of

Lurgan, aged 58 years.
Steenson—May 1st, 1917, Mary Jane Steenson, of

Killicomaine, aged 70 years.

Sad news, as yet unofficial, reached the parish on
Wednesday, 2nd inst,, to tbe effect that Lance-
Corporal Herbert Murray, of the Canadians, a brother
of Mr. David Murray, Rector’s Churchwarden, had
been dangerously wounded in the previous week and
had succumbed to his wounds in No. 6 Casualty
Hospital, France, on Wednesday, April 25th.
Herbert Murray was beloved by all who knew him.
His quiet, steady pursuit of what he felt to be his
duty was the predominating influence of his life. He had been wonderfully preserved in all the
severe fighting in which he took part. Letters re­
ceived from him dated April 21st and 28rd spoke of
the unceasing conflict raging around him. Two of
his chums fell in the fighting at Vimy Ridge. Until
the news of his death has received official confirmation
we refrain from saying all that we might say about
him. He has added another name to the lengthening
list of those from the parish of Seagoe who in this
titanic struggle of right against wrong counted not
their lives dear unto them, and voluntarily sur­
rendered all, even life itself, that the cause of truth
and righteousness might prevail. Our readers will
join with us in the expression of deep and sincere
sympathy with Mrs. Murray and her family.

The S ch o o l Debt»
A meeting was held in Seagoe School on Tuesday,

April 17th, to consider what plans could be arranged
for paying off the balance of the debt which was in­
curred in the building of an additional class room in
the School. There was a good attendance. In the
unavoidable absence of the Rector, the chair was
taken by the Rev. T. H. Scanlon. I t was finally de­
cided that an appeal should be made to the parish­
ioners for direct subscriptions to cover the debt. A
subscription list was opened in the room, and a sum
of £20 was immediately subscribed. Further sums
have since been received, and collectors have been
appointed to take up districts in the parish. In our
next issue we hope to print a list of the sums sub­
scribed.



8EAG0 E PARISH MAGAZINE.
Old Seagoe Notes.

The Mineral Resources of Seagoe Parish,
1837.— The following interesting letter appeared in
the “ Ulster T im es” of Thursday, July 6th, 1837.
I t has reference to the Limestone Quarries at
Kilvergan, at the place commonly called the “ Low
Mills.” Archdeacon Saurin in order to provide work
for the people in a period of great distress, opened
the Quarries in the year 1836. For some reason the
venture proved a failure, and the Archdeacon suffered
heavy pecuniary losses amounting it is said to a sum
of Jt4,000 The distress among the people at the
time was caused by the great depression in the Linen
Trade. A member of Parliament stated at the time,
that it was not possible for Handloom Weavers to
earn more than three shillings a week. The writer
of the letter was J. St. Pierre Foley, Mining Engineer
and Lecturer on Chemistry, Dublin. I t is dated June
28th, 1837, just 4 days after Queen Victoria ascended
the Throne. The heading of the letter is “ Limestone
Quarries near Lough Neagh.”

Letter of J. S t, Pierre Foley on K ilvergan,
•837 .—Sir,—-Having been called on by the Vener­
able the Archdeacon of Dromore to explore the glebe-
lands of the Archdeaconry, and having found that
district exceedingly interesting and valuable, permit
me, as I am sure that you consider that whatever
tends to the benefit of our country even in a minute
manner is deserving the attention of the Public
Journalist, to place before your numerous respectable
readers, through your columns a few extracts from
my general report on the mineralological nature of
that part of Ireland.

The subject of the present letter is centrally
situated beiween Portadown and Lurgan, within one
mile of Lough Neagh. I t is chiefly composed of
white limestone, in which is embedded marble of a
very beautiful description, over which lie beds of a
brown and blue clay, and grey and white marie.
Nodules of various sizes of flint and silicious petri­
factions of shells, nuts, fishes, etc., lie in the marie
and upper stratum of the limestone, the whole
dipping northward at an angle of 60 degrees. Basaltic
rocks or whinstone strata and some dykes surround
the limestone and marble beds, and in some places
shoot in like wedges, lying in and over the limestone,
and producing branch beds and fugitive strata. On
the North of the main quarry now opened the basalt
is rapidly decomposing and passing into blue and
brown clay, while on the East, South and West it is
of the most compact kind forming large blocks of an
oblong parallelopiped shape. The limestone is pure
dry carbonate of lime, containing by analysis in every
100 parts 44 carbonic acid and 5fi lime. In making
lime every 22 tons of stone require 2fth tons of coal,
a less quantity than usual producing 130 barrels of
pure lime, which sells at 1/1 the barrels at the Kiln.

The limestone sells at the quarry, to the surround­
ing farmers who have kilns of their own, at from 2/-
to 2/4.the ton.

W hite Marble and Lithographic S to n es.—At the depth of seven feet from the surface blocks of
beautiful white marble, which take an exceedingly
delicate polish that renders it admirably adapted fcr
statues, columns, chimney-pieces, architectural,
ornaments, tables, etc., etc., are now taken up. The
colour in descent assumes a bluish tinge and its
structure becomes more compact and regular. On
examining this marble and comparing it with the
German and English for lithographic purposes, it
has been found preferable to either, it gives the most
delicate lines and shapes with the most pleasing effect.

In opening and preparing this quarry for work the
Archdeacon was wholly influenced by a desire of
giving employment to the labouring classes. He has
expended a considerable sum for that purpose, and
has succeeded. The poorer weavers who, from a
comparative state of comfort, have been sorely
distressed since the depression in the linen market
are receiving employment in this work, and although
they cannot be paid as much wages as they were
formerly able to earn they are placed above want and are content.

This rich and abundant mineral might remain
neglected and perhaps undiscovered, like many other
valuable mines in Ireland, were it not for the anxious
desire of this gentleman to assist in calling the
resources of his country into action and in alleviating
the distresses that are at present so prevalent. Other
gentlemen in that neighbourhourhood are acting
similarly, and peace, happiness, and good order, the
effects of active and useful employment, do there in consequence prevail.

Marble and L im estone Quarries worth £270,000.—It is found on calculation that there are
in this quarry 6,912,000 solid feet of limestone and
marble that can be easily worked—every solid foot
weighs 140 pounds—so that this quantity is
equivalent to 462,000 tons. This would, on burning,
produce 2,496,000 barrels of lime, the sale of which
at the usual price would amount to £135,000, an
enormous sum, the produce of one small portion of
our mineral wealth. If the value of its marble and
lithographic blocks be taken into account it would
amount probably to as much more.

The petrifying property of the waters of Lough
Neagh are, though well known, deserving of
attention. On the gradual decay of wood or animal
matter when confined and slowly decomposing
silicious particles that are in solution—though how
they are retained there is not so easily explained —
take their place, and thus in process of time an
apparent transmutation takes place and the whole is
converted as it were into stone, sometimes into a
species of calcedony, but chiefly into flint,

I am, with respect, etc.,
J. S t . P ie r r e F o l e y ,

Mining Engineer and Lecturer on Chemistry,
Dublin, No. 2 Jervis St.,

June 28, 1837.



SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.
The W oolsey Fam ily of Portadow n.— [The Rev. J. B. Leslie, M.A., a former curate of St. Mark’s,

Portadown, gives the following interesting particulars
regarding the Woolsey Family, of Portadown and
Seagoe, in his history of the Parish of Kilsarran, Co.
Louth, of which he is at present Rector. The name
of Woolsey both as a Christian name and surname is
so frequently found in this neighbourhood that any
particulars regarding the original Woolsey family are of special interest.]

The Rev. J. B. Leslie writes on p. 67 of his His­
tory—The pedigree of the Woolsey family will be
found in Burke’s landed gentry, which also has full
particulars regarding their relatives the Thornhills,
The family has been honourably associated with the
Parish of Kilsaran for nearly a century and a half.
The family claims some connection with the cele­
brated Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, and the arms
which they uee are similar to his, but I have been
unable to find any facts to show this connection.
The first Woolsey will proved in Ireland is that of
Benjamin Woolsey or Wollesy of Portadown who
died in 1690 and who had a son, John Woolsey,
and whose son-in-law, Thomas Thornbury, is also mentioned.

[Owing to lack of space we are compelled to hold
over the remainder of this note until our next issue.]

Je w s Society .
Sermons on behalf of the Jews Society will (D.V.)

be preached in Seagoe Church on Sunday, May 13,
by the Rev. J. H. Adeney, B.A., Camb. Mr. Adeney
has had a wide experience of work among the Jews
abroad and at home. He was for several years a
curate in a Jewish District in London. For more
than a year he worked among the Jews in Berlin,
and for 4 years he worked in Jerusalem. Since 1900
he has laboured in Bucharest (Roumania) and the Danubian Principalities.

O ffertories fo r A p r il.
Sunday—Mornings, £7 18 9Evenings, 2 3 0Week Days 1 18 0

£11 14 9
The following special collections are included in

the above total—Sunday Schools (Easter Day),
£4 5s 8d, Jews Society (Good Friday), i l Is 6d.

The E a ste r S e rv ic e s .
The services held each evening in the Church

during Holy Week were well attended, and those
present were enabled by the sequence of the ad­
dresses to realise the events in the closing days of our
Lord’s life on earth. The offerings on Good Friday
for the Jews Society were liberal. The Church was
decorated for the Easter Festival, and although
flowers were scarce, there were sufficient to brighten
the Church and to remind us of Nature’s Resurrec­
tion to newness of life. The special collections at Easter were for the Parish Sunday Schools.

B an d o f H o p e .
A Band of Hope meeting was held in Edenderry

Hall on Friday, March 80th, at 8 p.m. There was a
crowded attendance, and the programme proved very
interesting. Items were given by a large number of
our young Edenderry Total Abstainers. The
Dialogues were well done and cauaed much amuse­
ment, but each had a useful moral in thè story. A
large number of new members joined, and their
pledge cards will be given to them in the Parochial
Hall on a Sunday during this month.

I T E M S .The stereotype plates from which all copies of the
Irish Book of Common Prayer were printed, were
destroyed by the fire which broke out in Sackville
Street, Dublin, during the Rebellion of last year.
The plates were stored on the premises of Alex. Thom & Sons, King’s Printers.

* * *

The cost of half-tone blocks for photographic
reproduction has almost doubled within the past few
weeks, and we regret that just at present it is im­
possible to publish the photographs of our outgoing
Churchwardens, Messrs. R. Price and J. Sands.

* * *

The annual festival of the Lurgan Choral Union
takes place in Gilford Parish Church on Saturday,
May 26th, at 4 p.m. Seagoe choir is taking part in it-

* * *

It is yet uncertain whether we can have our
Sunday School Excursion this year. In our next
issue we will be able to make an announcement.* * *

During the summer months (from May 1st), the
Sunday Evening Services at Carbet, will be held only
on the second and fourth Sundays of each Month.

* * *

The Daylight Saving introduced on Easter Day,,
has brought us summer evenings in early spring.* * *

We have this year escaped both March dust and April Showers. * * *
Prizes were distributed in Hacknahay Sunday School last Sunday.* * *
The Rev. W. T. Grey and Mrs. Grey have arrived in

England from Japan. Mr. Grey was ill after the
voyage, and was for some time in a Nursing Home at
Maidstone, Kent, but is now, we are glad to say*
quite recovered. We hope soon to see him in Seagoe.* * *

The Misses Dawson have not yet been able to re­
turn to South America. Owing to the presence of
submarines on the South American route, the autho­
rities will not allow passengers to embark.* * *

The extra hours of daylight are a great boon to the
“ plotters” in the Parish. Everyone seems to be cultivating a plot.


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