RACHEL ANN MACGILLIGAN MCALLISTER

Rachel Ann, Patrick and Rachel's second child, married a farmer named Aron McAllister. They had two children, Michael and Shanna. Unfortunately, when the famine struck, they were unable to pay the rent on their farm and it was repossessed by the English landlord's agent. Most English absentee landlords were more than happy to get rid of the Irish peasants living on their land. When Ireland had been taken over by the English, the English landlords had not minded the Irish peasants living on the land that grain could not be grown on. However, as the textile industry grew in England there was greater demand for wool. Sheep could easily be grazed on much of the land that was occupied by the Irish peasants, so many landlords looked upon the famine as an opportunity to ride themselves of unwanted Irish peasants. The McAllisters did their best to survive as potato gleaners, but in the end all four starved to death.

For the full story of Rachel Ann MacGilligan McAllister, written by ESU student Anthony Hartman, follow this link.