This is the start of a wills collection. A number of people have offered pre 1922 copies of family wills or probate documentation all such are welcome and will be added to the collection as time permits.

Details of Wills:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LFV4XMiRfvmnNTLE0xHkWPsoBuCLoLpsY_wUT9yyd6s/edit

1750, Henry Baldwin, Senior, Garreanaghoory or Mossgrove.

1696, Herbert Baldwin, Currinordy, Co. Cork.

1688, James Baldwin, Polloricke, Kilmurray, cousin Lieutenant Maskeline Alcock, Coolfada, Bandon.

1709, John Baldwin, Bandon, Gleasour.

1806, John Baldwin, Aughadown.

1677, Walter Baldwin, Polloricke, Kilmurray.

1677, Walter Baldwin, Mossgrove.

1708, Colonel Thomas Becher, Sherkin Island. Formerly M.P. Baltimore, Lands in Schull, Old Court.

1760, Edith Biggs, nee Bousfield, widow of Abraham, to buried with parents at Aughadown. Extensive genealogy.

1770, Isaac Biggs, Bandon.

1775, Rebecca Biggs, Bandon.

1699,  Charles Bird Bandon.

1669, John Browne, Bandon.

1683, Thoms Burrowes,  Kinsale.

1782, Jane Busteed, widow, Bandon.

Crowley Wills, 1743, proved 1751, Daniel Crowley, Timoleague and HMS Elizabeth, brother Denis, 1749 Demetrius Crowley, Cadiz, Spain advised to go to Cork for health, son Peter, Schedule of Assets, 1786, Thomas Crowley, Priest of Coolnagurrane, Parish of Abbeystrewry has interest in lease of Coolnagarrane leaves to nieces Joanna and Mary Crowley or in default their brother Timothy Crowley, Shopkeeper, Skibbereen, to be interred in Caheragh. 1795 proved 1796, Timothy O’Crowley, Skibbereen, children, Thomas, Daniel, Timothy, Cornelius, Catherine, Mary, to be buried in the family tomb in Caheragh.

1639, Edward Davenant, Whiddy Island

1736, Rev. Richard Davies Bantry

1831, William Barry Drinder, Kilgobbin, Ballinspittle.

1795, Doherty, Kilmeen

1785, Alexander Donovan, Squince, Myross, Skibbereen.  

1630, Daniel Donovan, Esquire, Castledonovan

1729, Christopher Dowden, linen weaver, Bandon

1847, George Dowden, Bandon

1785, Joseph Dowden, Bandon

1832, Joseph Dowden, Bandon

1846, Mary widow of Thomas Dowden, Bridge St., Bandon

1680, Anstace Downy possibly Kilcrohane Wills

1722, Morish Downey Bantry

1759, James Downing, Castletownbere and ship ‘Portland’

1635, George Eleveke, Kilmocomoge, (Bantry), Probate bond

1750, John Fair, Kinsale, butcher on H.M. ship Dorsetshire.

1678, Ralph Fenwick, had lands in Carbery.

1803, Edward Gillman, Belrose, Upton, to be buried Kennigh.

1809, Thomas Gillman, Belrose, Upton.

1859, Will of James Gillman, Oakmount, Kilmeen, Dunmanway, lands at Edincurra, Lisnabrinny, Dereen, Kildiermore, Dunmanway, Barony of East Carbery, Monies owed to Milner and  Beamish Family. Gilman Magistrates.

1677.  Will Robert Honnor, wife Elizabeth, daughter Katherine a Minor, sister Elizabeth Salmon her husband Robert, Lands at Knocksponey, Crohane, Liselane, Witnesses: Francis Beamish Junior, Charles Carthy.

1728 Hugh/Hue Hutchinson, Esq. Blackrock (Site of present Bantry House).

1783, Boyle Jagoe, Bandon Road, Cork.

1636, Richard King, Parish of Kineigh.

1686, Grizzel Luffkin, Farrenvane, Bandon

1710, John Luffkin, Raheen, Knockavaly, Innishannon.    

1724, Roger Luffkin, Knocknaheilan, Co. Cork lands at Killanea and Farrenthomas nephew Richard Clear, Bandon.

1776, Alexander Martin, Bandon.

1720, Thomas Mills, Clerke, Ballymodan, Bandon

1752, Cyprian Murrough, Bantry

1679, Abell Nash, Gaggin, Bandon

1675, Edward Nash, Bandon

1652, Elizabeth Nash, Bandon

1725, John Nash, Bandon

1746, John Nash, Brinny

Lieutenant General  Richard O’Donovan

1823, Richard O’Donovan, O’Donovan’s Cove, Gaming Certificate. He died at O’Donovan’s Cove on the 9th November 1825.  His executor was Rickard Deasy, Clonakilty presumably of the Brewing Family. 

1843, Timothy O’Donovan, Ardahill, Kilcrohane.

1851, Mary Orr, Innishannon widow of William Orr.

1842, Sara Orr, late Sydney, Australia widow of James Orr.

1842, William Orr, Innishannon

1774, Thomas Patrickson, Grange, including lands at Dunmanway.

1771, Robert Peirce, Kinsale

1686, Lady Catherine Percivall (Nee Southwell), Kinsale

1682, Mary Percivall, Bandon widow of Persevall, son William Law Student, Middle Temple, London.

1673, Matthias Persevall, Burgess of Bandon

1772, Frances Phair, Enniscorthy and lands at Dunmanway

1757, Onesipherus Phair, Templeshannon, Enniscorthy  and lands at Dunmanway

1724. James Roycroft, mill owner, Bandon.

1741. James Roycroft modern version of Roycroft, merchant, Bandon.

1801, Richard Roycroft, Clonee, Durrus

1759, Rose Roycroft, widow, Bandon

1676, William Roycroft, Bandon

1741, William Roycroft, merchant, Bandon

1757, Rev. Nicholas Skolfield, Clerke, Dunmanway

1654, Laurence Spenser, Bandon and Youghal.

1769, William Spratt, Bandon

Will of Ellinor Swanton Widow, City of Cork, Written June 20, 1798.  Probated June 12, 1806 in Brooklyn, New York

1840, Will of Robert Swanton, United Irishman, Counsellor at Law, City of New York, Judge Maritime Court, New York, Born between 1759 and 1764 in County Cork, Ireland.  Died on February 15, 1840.

1740, Jonathan Tanner, Senior, merchant, Bandon

1776, Jonathan Tanner, Bandon

1711, Katherine Tanner, Ballynamuck, Cork?, son Jonathan, Bandon

1785, Mary Tanner, Annesville, widow of Jonathan Bandon?

4th November 1633 Edward Turner, Balligobane, (Bantry), Merchant.  

1720 Elizabeth Becher (Turner)

1690, Edward Turner, Bandon.

Died 12th April 1668 George Walters, Whiddy Island and probably London

1678, Elizabeth Warner, Bandon.

1748, Mary Warner, widow, now of Cork to be buried at Lislee (Courtmacsherry) by husband.

1681?, Randal Warner, money from Barbados, Overseer, Nathaniel Cleere, Priest Bandon.

1725, Randal Warner, Lissacrineen, to be buried under communion table, Lislee, wth wife and son.  Overseers, Captain Lionel Beecher, Samuel Jervois, Richard Hungerford, Junior.

1697, William Warner, Bandon, overseer friend  Colonel Thomas Beecher.

1715, Abraham Watkins, Cork, property in Bandon.

1642, Edward Watkins, Ballymodan, Gent., house in Bristol.

1687, John Watkins, Bndonbridge, lands in Galway.

1697, Margaret Watkins, Bandonbridge, widow of Captain John Watkins

1733, Will Richard White, Whiddy and Bantry, his Grandaughter Margaret Holmes Will 1732.

1750 John Young Young’s Point probably Rearour, Bantry.

Conflict

1715, Abraham Watkins, Cork, property in Bandon, ‘to my daughter Mary £100 but is she marries the fiddler Darby Carthy not a penny’

Clothing

1749 Demetrius Crowley, Cadiz, Spanish merchant attire

Jewelry

1686, Lady Catherine Percivall (Nee Southwell), Kinsale, and paintings

Non marital beneficiaries.

1840, Will of Robert Swanton, United Irishman, Counsellor at Law, City of New York, relations

1733, Will Richard White, Whiddy and Bantry

1626. Abstract of Chancery Roll, O’Driscoll Lands in Barony of Carbery, McCarthy of Kilbrittain some Genealogies recited.

Colermore may be Collimore, Schull. BallymcCrawen the general area around Baltimore.

From a surviving Chancery roll. Original may be inspected at the National Archives.

Historical definition of Townland as the area that could be ploughed by a Seisreach (A Six-Horse team) in Forty Eight Days.  This is from Pádraig Ó Loingsigh history of the parish of Caherdaniel.

Ancient Land Divisions:

Thomas Larcom, the first director of the Ordnance Survey of Ireland, made a study of the ancient land divisions of Ireland and summarised the traditional hierarchy of land divisions thus:^[9][12]   10 acres – 1 Gneeve; 2 Gneeves – 1 Sessiagh; 3 Sessiaghs – 1 Tate or Ballyboe; 2 Ballyboes – 1 Ploughland, Seisreagh or Carrow; 4 Ploughlands – 1 Ballybetagh, or Townland; 30 Ballybetaghs – Triocha Céad or Barony.

1831, Sir Richard Griffith Report on Bridges he Built on Roads from Skibbereen to Crookhaven and Skibbereen to Bantry, Span, Cost, Location.

Richard Griffith 1784-1878, engineer and geologist, was dispatched to the Munster counties affected by the Whiteboy insurrection of 1821 and the agricultural depression after the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1822, to conduct a survey.  His immediate concern was to improve the arterial routes. He bemoaned the huge time wasted with the then inadequate or non roads. In building bridges, he insisted on going to bed rock unlike the Grand Jury bridges which were easily washed away in floods.  He later constructed the road from Skibbereen to Crookhaven, employing at a peak 3,000 labourers. He also built the road from Ballydehob to Bantry, completed in 1826. Like his fellow engineers, Alexander Nimmo in Connaught and William Bald he placed his expertise at the service of the Irish people.

In 4000 BC the Babylonians had wheeled vehicles. As Richard Griffith observed they were unknown on the Mizen peninsula until his road to Crookhaven was completed. This is consistent with the accounts of various travellers in the 18th century.

Sir Richard Griffith Report on Roads Skibbereen, Crookhaven and Bantry 1831.

The lands involved here are former O’Sullivan territory forfeit to the English Crown for ‘Rebellion’.

Given the Davenport family involvement in the Bantry Bay fisheries the interest here probably fisheries.

Killovinogue abuting Bantry Bay, in Durrus West District. Kiloveenoge (Irish: Cill Ui Mhionoig, meaning ‘Minogue’s church’, or Cill Oighe Mhineog meaning ‘church of the virgin Mineog’). Child burial ground, on the east side is a former Protestant Church built 1860, the west side is the site of an old church and burial grounds. Some distance from where Mike Hegarty’s shop was located is a grave of sailors who were shipwrecked, marked with thorn bushes, possibly from c 1850. Lot 496 Philip O’Sullivan 1.5 ploughlands, 335 acres arable and pasture. Richard Earslman, 6 irish. 1650 patent to Christopher Davenport, mentioning Sheery? Donovan “1670 William Ball 296 acres, north side of Killovinogue. 1805, 1809 Stephen Hutchinson selling various lots of Hutchinson estate address Killovinogue. 1807 Extract from deed: Stephen Hutchinson, Clonee, heir and eldest son of Hugh, Clonee, died 1804, landlords of Clonee to Eugene O’Sullivan, farmer, Beach, Bantry for a rent of £77 lands part of Kilvenogue lately tenanted by Denis Hurley, Timothy, Hurley and partners, bounded on west by Gortlassa and the old road leading to the sea on the south by Clashadoo, on the east by George Bakers (Rooska) holding and to the north by Frakeal? and in the possession of Eugene O’Sullivan for the lives of Daniel son of Eugene aged about 21, George Vickery son of James Vickery about 10, Richard Roycroft Junior, son of Richard Roycroft, Senior, of Rooska, aged about 20, witness Rev. Daniel McCarthy, Bantry (former Parish Priest of Durrus likely clerk to Lord Bantry), John? O’Sullivan, Gent, formerly of Ballinale now (1807) of Carrigbui (Durrus) ” 1808 Extract from deed: Stephen Hutchinson, Kilvonogue, heir and eldest son of Hugh, Clonee, died 1804, landlords of Clonee to Michael Donovan, shopkeeper, Bantry, of lands at Kilvenogue lately in occupation of Michael Sullivan and Owen Sullivan and their undertenants, rent charge for sum of £78. 1854, Landed Estate Sale of Arthur Hutchinson decd, intestate with no known heirs listing of tenants. Earlier leases 1808 from Stephen Hutchinson quoted. 1809. Stephen Hutchinson ofˇKillveenoge, seised of Aughagoheen, Parish of Durrus in consideration of £700 from William Syms of Enaghoghter, (Crookhaven) grants a 10 year rent charge of £50 a year, witness Michael Sullivan, Gent., Killoveenoge 1860s Fitzpatrick, Fitzpatrick may be Patrick Perse Fitzpatrick, Bongor, Sussex. Margaret Sullivan large house and farm Reps Arthur Hutchinson Sale 1854 Landed Estates Court of Estate of late Arthur Hutchinson died intestate and without heirs. Lead mine working. Margaret Fitzpatrick, 1898 Du Cane Goodman. 1906 Vested in Tenants

1639 Edward Davenant Whiddy Island Will dated Whiddy 29th December 1636. He was brother of Bishop of John Davenant of Salisbury, active in Bantry Fishery since 1608 when he leased Whiddy Island from Sir Owen O’Sullivan’s widow. To son Edward D.D. New Sarum, Wilts His father-in-law was Simms, London. One daughter married John Palmer of Whiddy, another son John of Whiddy married Ann Boyle both drowned crossing to Whiddy 1641. William may have been another son. Paddy O’Keeffe papers, Cork Archives He was born London 1586 son of John, Cambridge 1584. Brothers Cambridge graduation: John 1587, William 1590, George 1602.

1649 Patent to Christopher Davenport of Lands at Kilveenogue, Parish of Durrus, Bantry, Resident Sheehy? Donovan.

Davenports active in fishing Bantry since early 17th century.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UEKniEy_sDA9W4ZKBUkMaQwstperaa0bbqmF7f1QhBM/edit

1766, Marriage License Bond, Simon White Esq. of Bantry and Frances Eyre of Macroom.

As the bride came from Macroom in the Diocese of Cloyne the licence bond emanated from the Bishop’s Registry in Cloyne.

In 18th century, Ireland because of the Penal Laws, only marriages performed by the State Church, the Church of Ireland were legal. Those of Catholics, Methodists and Presbyterians while accepted as the century moved on had no legal validity. As late as the 1820s a Father Kelleher then in Kinsale was prosecuted for performing a ‘mixed marriage’. In fairness to the local mostly Protestant Magistrates they petitioned to have the charge dropped.

From this White/Eyre marriage came in the 1820s the mining royalties of Allihies Copper Mines amounting to about £2,500 year about a quarter of the entire rent roll of the Bantry Estate.

The extended White family had mixed fortunes with marriages. A marriage to a Miss Dillon was set aside because it was performed by a ‘Popish Priest’. In the 19th century the ette was nailed out by the dowry of 30,000 of Miss O’Briens of Dromoland Castle a descendant of Brian Boru on the marriage to the Earl of Berehaven. Later in the 19th the marriage to Miss Guinness proved remunerative but Lord Ardilaun of the Gunnnes family was unimpressed by the Whites financial management.

https://durrushistory.com/2015/09/29/marriage-license-bonds-of-1679-and-1698-from-dioceses-of-cork-ross-and-cloyne-mid-18th-century-marriage-litigation-arising-from-marriage-of-two-protestants-white-of-bantry-an-miss-dillon-bantry/

The extended White Family had mixed fortunes with marriages.

https://durrushistory.com/2019/05/17/1804-justice-of-the-peace-magistrate-guide-papist-warrants-including-committal-of-a-popish-priest-for-marrying-contrary-to-law/

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L2fYFCXTZUfNtL_ZkaXrzpyNOh9Vx85twFehA2fbWA0/edit

Crowley Wills, 1743, proved 1751, Daniel Crowley, Timoleague and HMS Elizabeth, brother Denis, 1749 Demetrius (James) Crowley, Cadiz, Spain advised to go to Cork for health, son Peter, Schedule of Assets, 1786, Thomas Crowley, Priest of Coolnagurrane, Parish of Abbeystrewry has interest in lease of Coolnagarrane leaves to nieces Joanna and Mary Crowley or in default their brother Timothy Crowley, Shopkeeper, Skibbereen, to be interred in Caheragh. 1795 proved 1796, Timothy O’Crowley, Skibbereen, children, Thomas, Daniel, Timothy, Cornelius, Catherine, Mary, to be buried in the family tomb in Caheragh.

1795 proved 1796, Timothy O’Crowley, Skibbereen, children, Thomas, 

Daniel, 

Timothy, 

Cornelius, may be a hatter in numerous deeds.

Catherine, 

Mary, to be buried in the family tomb in Caheragh.

These are in a bundle in the National Archive and were transcribed at the old Public Records Office pre 1922. Possibly for legal title purposes.  Three of those seem to be people of substance. The likelihood is all were related.

The Caheragh Crowleys may be related to the Crowleys of Ballyourane, Caheragh who in the tithe applotments c 1830 were one of the largest tenant farmers in West Cork.  They may be of the same line as apothecaries Jerry and James Crowley (‘Dr’ Jerry one of the founders of Phoenix Society), North St., Skibbereen of whom James married Rachel Evans of Lissangle around 1805.

IN the old Caheragh graveyard there are many  of the old Catholic gentry families O’Donovan of Ballaghadown, Caheragh and O’Donovan’s Cove, Durrus, O’Regan’s, Barrett’s Colomane.

Transcripts of Wills, to be updated

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cc77WnR1D5HHMDDL3m8V_QWRLLDa2QCGHTjXnQ7UZ9I/edit

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GlirN3tSRijg8tkisLQPKvuYH9teupxRuVuRRgbWlzY/edit

Some of the pleadings of the Chancery Courts in Dublin survived the destruction of the Public Records in 1922. They are In English, many if not all were abstracted by

KENNETH NICHOLLS

Areas of Interest

• Irish history, especially social, legal and institutional, – late medieval and Early Modern (including religious history).
• Scottish History (pre-modern).
• General European legal and institutional history.
• Pre-modern Asian history.
• Ecological history.
• Cryptozoology

They are in the National Archives.

There are only a limited number relating to West Cork as the British King’s writ did not generally run until after the Plantation of Bandon in the 1590s.

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