The McClintock Family of Seskinore and Newtown
Introduction
The McClintock family of Seskinore formed one of the principal landed families of County Tyrone in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Through their inheritance of the Mullaghmore (Perrymount) estate and the subsequent development of Seskinore, they became closely associated with the history of landownership in the region.
Originally of Scottish origin, the family established themselves in Ireland during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. From their early bases at Trinta in County Donegal and later Newtown in County Louth, they rose through a combination of landholding, service, and advantageous marriage.
Their connection with Seskinore was secured through the marriage of Alexander McClintock to Mary Perry in 1781, bringing the Perry lands of Mullaghmore into the family and laying the foundation for the later Seskinore estate.
Origins: Trinta and Newtown
The earliest generations of the family in Ireland were established at Trinta, County Donegal, before extending their influence to Newtown in County Louth.
Alexander McClintock of Trinta (d. 1670)
Married Agnes Stenson.
Issue:
- John McClintock (1649–1707)
John McClintock (1649–1707)
Married Janet Lowry, daughter of John Lowry of Ahenis and Mary Buchanan.
Issue:
- Alexander McClintock of Drumcar (1692–1775)
- John McClintock of Trinta
Transition to Seskinore: The Perry Marriage
Alexander McClintock of Newtown (b. 1746)
Nephew of Alexander McClintock of Drumcar.
Married in 1781 Mary Perry, daughter of Samuel Perry of Perrymount (Mullaghmore), County Tyrone.
This marriage brought the Mullaghmore estate into the McClintock family and established the basis for their later residence at Seskinore.
Issue:
- Samuel McClintock (1790–1852)
Establishment at Seskinore
Samuel McClintock (1790–1852)
of Newtown and Seskinore
Succeeded to the Seskinore estate in 1845 under the provisions of the will of George Perry.
He served as Justice of the Peace and High Sheriff of County Louth (1843), and had previously held a commission as a Lieutenant in the 18th Royal Irish Regiment.
He married:
- Jane Lane
- Dorothea Knox, daughter of John Knox of Moyne Abbey
Issue:
- George Perry McClintock (1839–1887)
- Samuel John McClintock (d. 1856)
George Perry McClintock (1839–1887)
of Seskinore
Succeeded to the estate and was confirmed in possession under the Chancery decree of 1854 as tenant in tail.
He continued the management and development of the estate during the later nineteenth century.
Significance
The history of the McClintock family illustrates the transfer of the Mullaghmore and Seskinore estates from the Perry family through marriage, and their subsequent development under successive generations.
From their origins at Trinta to their establishment at Seskinore, the family maintained a continuous presence within the Irish landed system, combining inheritance, estate management, and public service.
Their later history became closely intertwined with that of the Eccles family of Ecclesville, further extending their influence within County Tyrone.