Some Deeds, Marriage Settlements, Family Arrangements from c 1620 Bantry, Durrus, Schull area West Cork some of the names, Daly, Dukelow, Evanson, Jago, O’Connor, O’Sullivan, McCarthy, Swanton, Trenwith,Varian, Vickery, Warner.

The broad mass of the population rarely appear in deeds in tis period although fr example in the Rent Rolls of the Bantry Estate there are references to cottiers.  Many of the families represented would be of the class sometimes describes at the time as ‘Yeomen’, large farms for the area nut in comparison to South or East Cork quite modest.

A work in progress as time allows:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Au-UGjP43dORmzGc0v37jNZGXVHRBsSfDQl_2aLuD5c/edit

1886, Commissioners for Taking Oaths and Affidavits for Colony of Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland, United States, New York and California and Bengal, Madras, Bombay,’The American legacy’ and Emigrant’s Remittances.

Given the huge emigration from the Island of Ireland fro the early 18th century a substantial part of the practice of Attorneys/Solicitors in particular in country towns until the mid 1950s consisted of emigrant related probate.   Those who died abroad often left money to relatives in Ireland  or died intestate.  It is common to see old newspaper ads looking for relations for American, Canadian and Australian Law Firms. The Irish law firms had to provide the necessary authentication. Sometimes the process operated in reverse where a lone elderly parent died in Ireland with the family living abroad.

There was a post service on Christmas Day until the 1950s.  In Durrus Village the postman tried to the Catholics catch those leaving from mass and the Protestants leaving from service.  The hope would be that the letter from America would have a few dollars.

Sometimes in the late 19th century looking at Probate Records you come across grants to people whose circumstances such as a small farmer would not normally put them into that bracket.  However it was common for US based children to send monies categorised in the National Acconts as ‘Emigrant Remittances’.

Barristers of the Munster Circuit, 1886,  including ‘Peter the Packer’ later Lord O’Brien of Kilfenora, 2nd Serjeant.

http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/history/protection.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_O%27Brien,_1st_Baron_O%27Brien

The second frame is a list of prosecutors.

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Ardogeena,+Co.+Cork/@51.6122037,-9.5242018,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x48459fb8f9c0f5c7:0x7554b4a819007bca

Tenants:

Tithe Aplottments 1820s:

http://www.corkgen.org/publicgenealogy/cork/titheapplot/durrus/tithe.html

Griffith:

The Duke of Devonshire commenced an action in 1854 in the Encumbered Estates Court to confirm that lands to be disposed of by Nathaniel Evanson did not include minerals.

The land was originally sold by the Duke’s predecessor on title, Edward Boyle and his wife Mary by way of lease for 500 years from the 21st May 1626.  The property including 3 ploughlands at Drumreagh, Dromelower and Ardgenane in Durrus including Murreagh was acquired by the Earl of Burlington and Cork and Sir William Heathcote who disposed of it to Richard Tonson in 1738 included as part of the Manorial rights to the Lord of the Manor of  Ballydehob including the Durrus lands.  In 1765 the Durrus lands were demised to Richard Tonson Evanson and renewed by Lord Baron Riversdale to Nathaniel Evanson in 1811,

The Duke succeeded in his claim.  The papers are in the National Library, Lismore papers 1854 List Ms43, 964.

Leasehold Deed 4th September 1765, three Ploughlands at Murreagh, Ardogna, Dromreagh between Richard Tonson, Dunkettle, Cork and Richard Evanson, life interest to his wife Elizabeth (nee Shaw father woollen draper Cork?) son Nathaniel late Murreagh, all Evansons Four Mile Water, not clear if there are two Nathaniels one a party the other a witness.

The property devolves from William Hull/Boyle though the Tonson illegitimate line probably originally either a mortgage or forfeit O’Mahony holding.  The main house 2015 is still occupied.  Mrs Beamish a successor lived there during the Famine and was noted for her benevolence and relief work.

Registry of Deeds 246 102 157389

The Duke of Devonshire commenced an action in 1854 in the Encumbered Estates Court to confirm that lands to be disposed of by Nathaniel Evanson did not include minerals.

The land was originally sold by the Duke’s predecessor on title, Edward Boyle and his wife Mary by way of lease for 500 years from the 21st May 1626.  The property including 3 ploughlands at Drumreagh, Dromelower and Ardgenane in Durrus including Murreagh was acquired by the Earl of Burlington and Cork and Sir William Heathcote who disposed of it to Richard Tonson in 1738 included as part of the Manorial rights to the Lord of the Manor of  Ballydehob including the Durrus lands.  In 1765 the Durrus lands were demised to Richard Tonson Evanson and renewed by Lord Baron Riversdale to Nathaniel Evanson in 1811,

The Duke succeeded in his claim.  The papers are in the National Library, Lismore papers 1854 List Ms43, 964.

Leasehold Deed 4th September 1765, three Ploughlands at Murreagh, Ardogna, Dromreagh between Richard Tonson, Dunkettle, Cork and Richard Evanson, life interest to his wife Elizabeth (nee Shaw father woollen draper Cork?) son Nathaniel late Murreagh, all Evansons Four Mile Water, not clear if there are two Nathaniels one a party the other a witness.

The property devolves from William Hull/Boyle though the Tonson illegitimate line probably originally either a mortgage or forfeit O’Mahony holding.  The main house 2015 is still occupied.  Mrs Beamish a successor lived there during the Famine and was noted for her benevolence and relief work.

Registry of Deeds 246 102 157389

Thomas Swanton (1812-1861), Crianlarich, Ballydehob, among his correspondents, James H.Dodd D.D. Trinity College, Seán O’Daluig, Anglesea St., Dublin,Editor of Poets and Poetry of Munster, John Windle Cork, Richard Mac Adam Belfast A Scholarly Citizen, John O’Donovan L.L.D. Translator of the Annal of the Four Masters, Rev. James Freke (Rector Durrus), Mrs Josephine Wright, Moreigh Cottage Dunbeacon/Durrus), Timothy O’Donovan. O’Donovan’s cove, Durrus, John Collins, (son of Seán Ó Coileáin (the Silver Tongue of Carbery) File, Dr. Goyder, Ipswich, Suffolk, I. Pittman, Shorthand Inventor. The article also deals letter from Rev Charles Bushe, Rector, Castlehaven to Dublin Castle 1847, seeking assistance to promote fisheries on the Cork Coast.

Courtesy, Barry Bradfield.

Thomas Swanton of Sparrograda.

Thomas Swanton was a very interesting character. He appears to have moved to Sparrograda, after the family inherited it from Judge Robert Swanton in 1840. He gave up these lands at the end of the famine and moved to Skibbereen. He was an antiquarian and Irish scholar. He  appears to have married late in life. The only marriage which can fit is the marriage of  William Swanton to Jane Sullivan in 1835. This marriage is somewhat backed up by the dates of birth of his daughters.   A Jane Swanton death is listed in the Skibbereen District it looks like Jane Sullivan Swanton.

I have not viewed the original to confirm.

Name: Jane Swanton

Event Type: Death

Event Date: 1875

Event Place: Skibbereen, Ireland

Registration Quarter and Year:1875

Registration District: Skibbereen

Age: 61

Birth Year (Estimated): 1814

Thomas gave up ownership of Sparrograda in the early 1850’s and went to live in  Skibbereen.   There is no record of the death of Thomas in either Civil or Church burial  records. Thomas appears to have had no sons. One of his daughters was still alive in 1940 (She gave a copy of his papers to Peadar Ó h-Arnacháin)  and living in Skibbereen.  These are the known daughters of Thomas Swanton.

12

1) Maria (1840-1852) details from her grave in Skibbereen.

2) Ellen (1838-1856) details from her grave in Skibbereen.

3) Annie (1839-1857) details from her grave in Skibbereen.

4) Jane (1839-1927) details from Skibbereen Eagle.

5) Hannah (1851-1941) details from Skibbereen Eagle.

6) Frances (1855-1916) per death cert and census.

1901 Census. The Swanton’s lived in house 21 Cork Road Skibbereen.

From this we know that Thomas was alive in 1855 when his youngest daughter was born and

that he most likely died before 1864 and the introduction of Civil Registration for deaths.

There is mention of him in Skibbereen in 1860.

Welply’s Wills

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Cloonee,+Co.+Cork/@51.6397685,-9.5003781,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x484575544508be9f:0x03e00f77fb6f9148

Copy of Will of Richard Roycroft  (Obliterated in the Destruction of the Public Record Office, Dublin, 1922 but copied by William Henry Welply) of Clouney (Clonee, Bog Road), Parish of Durrus, agd 9th May 1801, Proved 1st August 1801, Son-in-law, George Swanton, Grandson Richard Lavers (Levis), granddaughter,  Avis Notter, son Thomas Roycroft deceased, daughter Grace O’Sullivan.   Executors George Swanton, Richard Lavers (Levis). Witnesses:  Robert Lavers. Charles Dalton, John Vickery.

The Swantons referred to probably came from ‘over the hill’ from Gortnagrough, Ballydehob.  The Notters were originally German Protestants who settled in Crookhaven c 1630.  There were various Vickery families in the vicinity one across the Durrus River in Ballycomane others in neighbouring townlands.  Various Sullivan families were around, intermarried with the Vickeries.  There are a number of references to Roycroft families in the Bantry Estate Rent books for neighbouring townlands.

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Skibbereen,+Co.+Cork/@51.55507,-9.3036724,13z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x4845a5b8ee671cad:0x28dab316351c3ffb

From Irish Manuscript Commission Registry of Deeds

Will 3

Will of Thomas Becher,  Property Magnate, Sherkin Island,  Co Cork, Esq.,  21 August 1705.  Proved 11th March 1708.

11 March 1708.  Brothers in Law, Henry Turner, Richard Turner and John Roberts, Trustees and Executors. Wife Elizabeth Becher. Sons Edward and Michael Becher both married. His Henry John and Lionell Becher daughter Susan Becher.   Kinsman Francis Becher Tallough (Tallow),  Co Waterford Clerk.    Legacy to Parish of Ballymodan (Bandon)

Ardtentane, Cahiroleckeny, Ratooragh, Gortloen, Banratonacane, Kiltomane, Mauladinny and Coomfarna in parish of Schull.   Ballyrisode, Dunkilly,  Callirisoughtra,  Baltenoughtra, Kilbean, Lynane, Cahir, Quorisk,  Co Cork. Baneaknockakane and Quolaigh,  Parish of Schull, Co. Cork. Old Court, Kilfenan, Glaunaroura. Leasehold lands of Aghadowne, Kilkilleene, Callitrumore, Callitrumbegg, Drumnacahara, Lysheenoughra, Kilmoonagh, Cluddagh, Smorane, Quoecurine, Rinedolane, Gortnaclough, Skibbereene alias New-Stapletown, Coronra, All in Co Cork.

Witness: Dive Downes (Son-in-Law)

Lord Bishop of Cork and Ross.    Robert Conrad, Kinsale, Co. Cork, Esq.   Benjamin Weekes, Cork, Notary Public, James Russell servant to Bishop of Cork.

Memorial witnessed by John Connell P.G.P. Skyaner

1 456, 356.                                                                            John Roberts seal

His son in law Dives Downes toured West Cork c 1700 and is widely quoted in Maziers Brady’s History of the Dioceses of Cork and Ross:

http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/history/batch2/bradyvol2/

Landed Estates Database:

http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie:8080/LandedEstates/jsp/family-show.jsp?id=2442

From Burkes Peerage:

Evanson Family Members Ordained for the Church of Ireland including Rev. Alleyn of Four Mile Water (Durrus), 1812, West Cork.

Visit to Rev Evanson 1834.

Rides through the County of Cork, Castle Donovan, Dublin Penny Journal 11th November 1834

Evanson Family and Estates, Durrus

Genealogy of Cork Huguenot Madras family post 1750 from Amsterdam to Cork 1735 by letter from India Office 1939, interconnected families Longfield Connor Fort Robert, Evanson Durrus, Travers Butlerstown, Baldwin Curravody, Alleyn, Daniel O’Connell, Catholic Descendants.

Mizen, West Cork and the Evanson, Dukelow and Jeremy (Jeremiah) Coghlan family of Carrigmanus Mizen

Perpetual Commissioners For Taking Acknowledgement Of Deeds By Married Women In Ireland For Co. Cork, 1886.

Abraham Watkins Esq, Cork Extensive Property Owner in Bandon, Will dated 12th July 17  My Daughter Mary Watkins ‘Not to have one penny if she marries Darby Cartie the Fiddler’

https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/5125

Will 176:

The name Abraham Watkins appears in Coolfadda as early as 1626.

http://www.bandon-genealogy.com/bandon_rent_roll_1720.htm

The Irish Manuscript Commission have digitalised some of their old publications.  This is from a series on Memorials in the Registry of  Deeds.  These survived the destruction of 1922.

http://www.irishmanuscripts.ie/servlet/Controller?action=digitisation_backlist