Hillmount at Toberhead - Ancestral McCool Homestead

Perhaps around 1670, my 8th-great grandfather, John McCoole Sr, purchased a small farm in Toberhead townland, in the civil parish of Maghera, in the barony of Loughinsholin, in the county of Londonderry, province of Ulster, (now Northern) Ireland. Referred to as Hillmount, it's surrounded on almost three sides by the Moyola River, about halfway between the cities of Derry and Belfast.

Charles McCool was kind enough to put together an aerial view of the McCool farm on Google maps After opening it, I recommend zooming out slowly to see more of the surrounding area. The photos below are also courtesy of Charles.

Inheritance

Toberhead was always left to the eldest son. We know that at least four generations of the McCool family lived there: John, his son Archibald, his grandson John, and his great-grandson Archibald. The property stayed in the McCool family for generations, passed from father to eldest son, and is currently owned by the McMaster family.

Most of the younger brothers in each generation emigrated to America, as did some of the sisters.

Location

The McCoole homestead is located halfway between Belfast and the city of Londonderry - about 35 miles (56 km) from each. Although it's situated in County Londonderry, it's only a few miles west of the County Antrim border, nestled above the Moyola River.

Although we don't know the area of Scotland where our McCool ancestors originated, Scotland is only a handful of miles from County Antrim.

Photos

Two buildings stand on the property. The two story building is believed to include the original farmhouse built around 1670 (and expanded at a later date). The second building was built in 1735, probably for a grandson of John. There are two different views of the second home below, along with its cornerstone.