City/County Londonderry
Millican, Milligan, Millikan, Milliken, Millikin, Mullican, Mulliken, Mullikin etc.


Documents, Records and Families

Co. Londonderry, part II



Parishes of Kilcronghan and Ballynascreen


In his book, the Rev. Ridlon mentions at least three families who are known to come from in or the near the town of Tobermore, which lies north-west of the town of Castledawson near the banks of the river Moyola [see hereafter]. These families all appear to have been Presbyterians and members of Tobermore Presbyterian Church. The town of Tobermore lies in the townland of Calmore and parish of Kilcronaghan. The earliest baptismal register for Presbyterian Church of Tobermore only date from 1860, however, the Kilcronaghan Church of Ireland has early baptismal (1790- ), marriage (1748- )and burials (1828- ) records.


Millikens of Gortamney


The Tithe Applotment book of 1828 reveals the name of James Millikin, who held a lease for 86 acres 1 rood and 12 perches of land in Gortamney in the parish of Kilcronaghan. He is said to have been the brother of Andrew Milliken of Straw in the parish of Bovevagh, whose daughter, Jane, married one of James' sons. At the taking of Griffith's valuation in 1859, his eldest son, John, occupied a farm holding of 18 acres and 3 roods, comprising a house, out-buildings and land rented from Robert Henry.

1. John Milliken, b. c.1797 and died at Gortamney, January 2, 1879, aged 82 years, a farmer. He married his cousin Jane Milliken daughter of Andrew Milliken of Straw. She died March 24, 1886, at Gortamney, aged 82 years, a widow. By this marriage they had five children: Andrew, Sarah, Mattie, Nancy and Mary.
2. Hunter Milliken, b. in Gortamney second son, married Miss Dickie and had six children.
3. James Milliken b. in Gortamney and emigrated to Pittsburgh
4. Mattie Milliken, b. in Gortamney
5. Nancy Milliken, b. c.1819 in Gortamney, married John Neely (aged 41) of Clogfin and son of John Neely of Clogfin on May 17, 1849.
6. Betsey Milliken b. in Gortamney
7. Samuel Milliken b. in Gortamney


Milligans of Tobermore


[1] Robert Milliken of Mercer County, Pennsylvania (Ridlon, p. 426) is to have emigrated from the parish of Kilcronaghan in 1801, where he was member of Tobermore Presbyterian Church. He married secondly Mary Semple in Mercer County, and had four children:

1. James Milliken b. c.1811 and died in 1894 aged 83 years.
2. Mary Milliken died at the age of 21-22 years unmarried.
3. Robert Milliken died at the age of 28 years unmarried.
4. John Milliken b. July 21, 1816 and died March 1, 1872. He married first, Margaret McKay and secondly Caroline Hewitt.

[2] James Milliken or Milligan (Ridlon p. 784) was a carpenter and lived in Tobermore where his wife Mary was also born. He is said to have died in 1875 and his wife in 1868.

1. Mary Ann Milligan b. in Tobermore: was seamstress and married Floyd Benison, a farmer of the parish of Ballynascreen on August 25, 1853.
2. Isabella Milligan b. in Tobermore and never married.
3. Elizabeth Milligan b. in Tobermore.
4. Sarah Milligan b. in Tobermore.
5. Matilda Milligan b. in Tobermore; emigrated with her sister Barbara to New York, America, in 1868.
6. Barbara Milligan b. in Tobermore; emigrated to New York in 1868.
7. Robert Milligan b. in Tobermore; d. unmarried in 1873.
8. James Milligan b. in Tobermore; was a carpenter in Tobermore and married Catherine Watters of Culmore on January 25, 1853.


Other Millikins/Millicans
from the Parish of Kilcronghan and Ballynascreen


Quite a number of people have contacted me regarding one particular family of Millicans also mentioned in Ridlon's book and who are said to have been natives of Co. Londonderry. Two brothers, William and John (Ridlon wrongly calls him, Andrew, as a brother of William) are said to have emigrated to New Brunswick in Canada about 1823.

[1] William MILLICAN, born c.1762 in County Londonderry, Ireland; died January 30, 1842, in Millican Settlement, St. John County, New Brunswick, Canada. He and his family are recorded in the Biographical Notes of the Rev. G. T. Ridlon�s book on the Milliken, Milligans, Millicans and Mullikins of North America (p. 794). He married first, Rebecca, surname unknown, and with his wife and children emigrated to Canada in 1823. The name of his second wife is not given.

  1. Andrew M. MILLICAN, born September 12, 1795, in County Londonderry, Ireland; died (Ridon has October, but corrected to) November 6, 1894, Hardingville, St. John County, New Brunswick, Canada, aged 99 years. He married Elizabeth Lynch (born in Derry in 1826) October 2, 1847 in St. John. He was at one time a shoemaker at Barnsville . Andrew and Elizabeth had:

    1. William James MILLICAN, born January 1, 1849; died Tacoma Washington; married Rebecca Sara Floyd.
    2. Rebecca MILLICAN, born 1851, married William Mullin, March 17, 1876.
    3. Agnes MILLICAN, born 1853; died September 2, 1865, Barnesville, New Brunswick.
    4. Andrew John MILLICAN, born July 1, 1854, Barnesville, New Brunswick; died March 29, 1930, Arlington, Massachusetts; married Helen Jane Lawson, November 11, 1880 in Barnesville, daughter of James Lawson and Margaret Hastings. He and his wife had three children:

      1. Etta Lawson MILLICAN, born December 18, 1882, Moncton, New Brunswick; died June 16, 1969, Arlington, Massachusetts.
      2. Andrew McLeod MILLICAN, born January 8, 1885, Moncton, New Brunswick; died March 27, 1956, Arlington, Massachusetts.
      3. Frederick James MILLICAN, born January 6, 1887; died October 30, 1967, California; married Minnie Muffles.

    5. Robert Hall MILLICAN, born February 26, 1857, Barnesville, New Brunswick; died November 27, 1921, Burlington, Massachusetts. He married Margaret Lawson January 9, 1884, in Barnesville, daughter of James Lawson and Margaret Hastings. He had six children:

      1. Hattie Hastings MILLICAN, born April 27, 1886, St. John, New Brunswick; March 24, 1950, Peacham, Vermont.
      2. James Andrew MILLICAN, born September 21, 1888, St. John, New Brunswick; died September 3, 1961, Winchester, Massachusetts.
      3. Leonard Lawson MILLICAN, born November 24, 1891, St. John, New Brunswick; died July 29, 1918, France after being wounded in WWI.
      4. Robert MILLICAN, born 1895, St John, New Brunswick.
      5. John Hall MILLICAN, born November 24, 1902, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

    6. Elizabeth MILLICAN, born 1859; died December 1885, Barnesville, New Brunswick. She married John F. McCracken January 21, 1885 and had a son called Hugh McCracken, born 1885 and died the same year as his mother.
    7. Martha MILLICAN, born 1861; married E. W. Steeves.

  2. James MILLICAN, born about 1799, County Londonderry; died October 11, 1859, St. John, New Brunswick; married Elizabeth Reid, September 22, 1822 (she was born in 1791, died November 7, 1875). He was a carpenter and died without leaving a family.

  3. William MILLICAN, born before 1814, County Londonderry. He was a cabinet maker by trade and was killed by a train of cars at Westfield, New Brunswick. He married 1st, Jane Tennard, October 7, 1835, and 2nd, Jane Williams, October 20, 1849. Children by Jane Tennard:

    1. Rebecca MILLICAN, born c.1840.
    2. William MILLICAN, born 1842.
    3. Mary Jane MILLICAN, born April 1838; died November 1, 1843.
    4. David James MILLICAN, born May 1841; died January 27, 1844.
    5. Andrew MILLICAN, born July 2, 1843; died July 28, 1843.

  4. John James MILLICAN, born November 12, 1814, County Londonderry; died June 15, 1882, at Fredericton, New Brunswick, aged 67 years; married (Nancy corrected to) Ann Kerr of Westfield, New Brunwick on April 8, 1841. He was a carpenter and spent his life between Westfield and St. John. He moved to Fredericton, New Brunswick, in 1881, where he died the following year. His wife died in Halifax, N. S. In 1900. They had eight children:

    1. John James MILLICAN, born June 30, 1843, Barnesville, New Brunswick; died about 1898, Campletown, New Brunswick.
    2. William Andrew MILLICAN, born February 1845.
    3. David Thomas MILLICAN, born May 31, 1847.
    4. Elizabeth Ann MILLICAN, born June 22, 1850.
    5. Rebecca Jane MILLICAN, born January 8, 1852.
    6. Amelia Henrietta MILLICAN, born December 17, 1854; died April 8, 1857.
    7. Joseph Samuel MILLICAN, born November 27, 1857.
    8. Mary Emilie MILLICAN, born April 20, 1860.

  5. Elizabeth MILLICAN, born after 1814, County Londonderry. Married to Robert Blake and lived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1897. She had six children.

  6. Jane MILLICAN, born about 1819, County Londonderry; died January 6, 1894, Barnesville, New Brunswick. She married John Curry January 25, 1840 in Barnesville, New Brunswick, and had one son, James Andrew Curry, born c.1844.

[2] John MILLICAN, born c.1770 in County Londonderry, Ireland; died October 23, 1838, in Barnesville, New Brunswick, Canada. He married Martha, surname unknown, about 1800 in County Londonderry and with his wife and children emigrated to Canada about 1823:

  1. Andrew MILLICAN, born c.1800, in County Londonderry, Ireland; died January 1, 1845, Barnesville, New Brunswick, Canada. He married Mary Ann Watson about 1839 in Barnesville.

    1. John MILLICAN, born November 22, 1839, Barnesville, New Brunswick.
    2. Jane MILLICAN, born 1841, married William Hayter, July 12, 1859.
    3. Samuel MILLICAN, born 1844, married Annie (surname unknown), about 1867, and died June 18, 1906. He had three known children:

      1. Samuel F. MILLICAN, born 1867.
      2. Annie MILLICAN, born 1874.
      3. James Lewis MILLICAN, born 1877; died 1950, Minto, New Brunswick.

    4. James MILLICAN, born 1844, Barnesville, New Brunswick; married Melissa Blanch McLean on March 16, 1865, daughter of John McLean and Sarah Currie. He died October 15, 1915 in Barnsville, New Brunswick. He and his wife had nine children:

      1. Maude MILLICAN, born 1867.
      2. Fred Samuel MILLICAN, born 1868.
      3. James Randolph MILLICAN, born 1869.
      4. Sophia Blanche MILLICAN, born July 4, 1870.
      5. Addie MILLICAN, born 1871.
      6. Etta Lucinah MILLICAN, born 1875.
      7. Walter Horace MILLICAN, born March 18, 1876.
      8. Frank Allen MILLICAN, born 1883.
      9. Alanzo Gordon MILLICAN, born May 6,1888, St John, New Brunswick.

  2. Sunsan Eliza MILLICAN, married Alexander Campbell on November 28, 1835.

  3. Jane MILLICAN, born c.1823. Nothing more known.

In her research into the early history of Millicans, Mary Schifferdecker of Huntsville in Canada, a descendant of William Millican, informs:

  1. William Millican (c1762 - 1842) - In his obituary it stated that he had become a Baptist in 1812 under the influence of Rev. Robert Carson. At that time he would have still been in Co. Londonderry.

  2. I recently contacted the Irish Baptist Historical Society, and Dr. Joshua Thompson's response stated that a Rev. Alexander Carson was the minister of Tubbermore Baptist Church which was formed c 1809 in Kilcronoghan Parish, Co. Londonderry.

The reference to William Millican being a member of Tobermore Baptist Church is an important clue to establishing his place of origin in Co. Londonderry, and as already observed, we know at least three other families emigrated from the Tobermore area. With the frequent reference to the Christian names of William, Andrew and John, I have always wondered if perhaps William and his brother John were the sons of Andrew Milikin of Mulnavoo (see the 1825 Tithe Applotment), as both men named their eldest sons Andrew.

Protestant Householders - 1740
Ballynascreen - And Miliken & Wm. Miliken

Religious Survey - 1766
Ballynascreen - Samuel Milliken, Andrew Milliken, William Milliken & James Milliken

Tithe Applotment Book - 1825
Ballynascreen - John Millikin of Carnamoney, Andrew Milikin of Mulnavoo, James (Roe) Milikin of Mulnavoo & James Milikin of Mulnavoo.

By comparing the 1740 & 1766 Religious Surveys and the 1825 Tithe Applotment book, it becomes abundantly evident the Christian names of William and Andrew have long been used by the Ms who lived in this area. Furthermore, although the townland of Mulnavoo lies in the parish Ballynascreen, next to the parish of Kilcronaghan, geographically it lies only a few miles west of Tobermore in the district of Draperstown. I should perhaps point out that many of the families living in this part of Co. Londonderry later changed their name to Milligan. I am fairly certain James Milliken of Gortamney came originally from the Mulnavoo area as he had a brother also called Andrew, who lived in the districts of Dungiven and Limivady across the Sperrin Mountains, where around family known to these pages also lived, namely, the Millikins of Drumraighland and Bovevagh.


Millikins of Straw


According to the Rev. Ridlon (see p. 785), the head of this old family can be traced to Andrew Millikin of Straw in the parish of Bovevagh and district of Limivady. He evidently acquired a farm at Straw sometime prior to 1827, but had during the latter part of the eighteenth century leased a farm in the townland of Tamnymore, which lies in the parish of Errigal and district of Coleraine. He is known to have married Miss Wallace and had issue five children:

1. Richard Milliken b. c.1791 in Tamnymore and died on Feb. 15, 1867 at Straw, a farmer. He married Ann daughter of Gavin Wallace of Crockindollagh in the parish of Errigal on February 18, 1853. They were married by the Rev. Kennedy in the Covenanting Presbyterian Church at Broadlane in Newtown Limavady. In 1859, Richard occupied a farm extending to 30 acres, 30 perches, containing a house, out-buildings and land rented from John Semple.
2. Margaret Milliken, m. John Wallace of Crockindollagh.
3. Jane Milliken b. abt. 1804; m. her cousin John Milliken of Gortanmany.
4. Martha Milliken, never married.
5. Molly Milliken, never married.

Now that it is possible to narrow the history of the Millicans of New Brunswick to the district of Tobermore, though, I think it is more likely to be the townland of Mulnavoo in the parish of Ballynascreen, someone may wish to commission a search of the registers detailed above for Kilcronaghan Church of Ireland.



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