Introduction
The Alexander family of Termon, County Tyrone, formed part of the wider network of landed and clerical families connected with the Seskinore estate.
Although not directly involved in the ownership of the estate, their importance lies in their marital connection to the McClintock family and their place within the interconnected social structure of nineteenth-century Tyrone.
The Alexanders of Termon were also kinsmen of the Alexander family, Earls of Caledon, reflecting their position within the broader Anglo-Irish landed and ecclesiastical elite.
Origins of the Family
The Alexander family was established in County Tyrone by the early nineteenth century, with strong clerical and landed associations.
The Rev. Samuel Alexander (1808–1889), Rector of Termonmaguirc (1851–1856), represents the principal figure in the family’s local history. In 1839 he married Charlotte Frances Beresford, daughter of the Rev. Charles Cobbe Beresford and granddaughter of the Rt Hon John de la Poer Beresford.
This connection linked the Alexanders to one of the most prominent ecclesiastical and political families in Ireland.
The Family in Termon
Termon House, Carrickmore, County Tyrone, became the principal seat of the family. Built in 1815 as a glebe house for the Beresford family, it later passed into Alexander ownership following the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland in 1869.
The house, a substantial late-Georgian residence, remained in the family until the late twentieth century.
Members of the family combined clerical, military, and landed roles typical of the Irish gentry.
Principal Line
The principal line of the family includes:
- The Rev. Samuel Alexander (1808–1889), Rector of Termonmaguirc
- Charles Murray Alexander JP (1845–1902), of Termon House and Enagh, Colonel, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
- Charles Adam Murray Alexander MC JP DL (1889–1958), of Termon House and Pomeroy House
This line illustrates the family’s continued presence in Tyrone and their role within local society.
Connection to the Seskinore Estate
The connection between the Alexander family and the Seskinore estate is established through marriage.
Amelia Harriett Alexander, daughter of the Rev. Samuel Alexander, married George Perry McClintock in 1860.
Through this union:
- The Alexander family became directly linked to the McClintock line
- Their descendants formed part of the later Seskinore family structure
- Their lineage contributed to the continuation of the McClintock family
Their son, Colonel John Knox McClintock, became a central figure in the later history of the Seskinore estate.
Significance
The Alexander family is significant for:
- Linking the McClintock family to the Beresford and Caledon networks
- Demonstrating the role of clerical families within the landed system
- Contributing to the lineage of the later Seskinore family
- Illustrating the interconnected nature of Tyrone’s landed society
Although they did not inherit the estate, their role within the family network forms an important part of its history.
See also: