Wills, 1615, William Hill, Bristol/Cork other Hills Bandon, 1616 Richard Dowe, Carrigrohane, 1619, Philip Perry, Bandon, 1624, Barbara Neale, Kinsale, 1635, William Wiseman, Bandon, Edward Turner, Ballygoban (Bantry), 1642, John Draper, Ballymodan, Bandon, 1642, Edward Watkins, Bandon, 1651, Thomas Adderly,  Innishannon, 1652, Hugh Pecival, Kinsale, 1673, Ralph Fenwick lands at Carbery, 1676 William Roycroft, Bandon, 1708, Tomas Becher, Sherkin, 1709 John Coughlan Bandon,  1712, Theophilus Lankford, Kinsale, 1715, Rev. Thomas Holmes, Dromfinchin, Bantry, 1718 Anthony Butler (Witness George Wood, Caheragh), probably Drimoleague area, 1719 Cornelius Conner, Bandon,  1722 Roger Houghton, Kinsale, 1724 David Meade, Kinsale, 1726, 1728 Christopher Dowden, Bandon, William Hull, Lemcon, Schull, 1737 Daniel Conner, Bandon, 1738 Henry Jones, Drounbeg, East Carbery, 1739, Jonathan Tanner, Bandon, 1743, 1743, Henry Baldwin, Mossgrove, John Fair, Kinsale, 1765, Edward Herrick, Shippool, 1775 James Chaney, Barryroe.  1778 Lord Baron James Tracton, Kinsale.  1779, Joseph Dowden, Bandon, 1782, Mrs. Jane Busteed, Bandon, 1786, Samuel Jervois, Cork. 1789, David Mellefont, Grafton St., Dublin (Mellefonts appear in Convert Rolls, Donemark, Bantry and Dunmanway), 1799 Morgan Deasy, Doctor of Physic, Clonakilty, 1801 Richard Roycroft, Clonee, Durrus.

 

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Some Cork Wills (1528-1859), destroyed in 1922 copied by William Henry Welply of Balineen, West Cork.

 

Some Cork Wills (1528-1859), destroyed in 1922 copied by William Henry Welply of Balineen, West Cork.

 

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http://www.irishmanuscripts.ie/digital/Registry%20Of%20Deeds%20Abstracts%20Of%20Wills%20Vol%201%201708-45/pageflip.html.

 

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Dowe, may be same family as in Bantry and Carigmanus, Goleen.

 

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From Welply Collection Roycroft (Bandon Roycrofts probably ancestors of Schull/Durrus/Bantry Roycrofts):

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Some Durrus/Bantry Deeds:

 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AAa_hTrtStGp4LT3SrBIiUmgpvOqlvRo6Vg1V5Tw4Ts/edit.

 

 

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Mellefonts appear in Convert Rolls, Donemark, Bantry and Dunmanway.

 

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1846.  Subscribers to Projected Railway (Probably to Skibbereen), Francis Roycroft, Accountant, €2,500, John Shannon, Accountant, £2,500, Thomas Attridge, £3,250, Dealer all Ballydehob, Daniel Donovan, M.D., Skibbereen, £2,500.

The mechanics to build  railway was by depositing a draft Act of Parliament adn then having it passed.  The background papers woud have financial projections, maps and listing of subscribers who if the project was approved would be called on to invest.  If approved the Company would have powers of Compulsory Purchase.

The list give an indication of the scale of wealth in West Cork contrary to common belief.

The large west Co.Cork town of Skibbereen was first served by rail when the Illen Valley Railway constructed a line from Drimoleague to here in July 1877. The Cork Bandon & South Coast Railway took over the IVR and extended the line south from Skibbereen to reach Baltimore in May 1893, and after which the route was effectively worked as branch from the main line at Drimoleague. In September 1886, the Schull & Skibbereen Tramway built a 3ft gauge line west from here to connect with Schull. The S&ST was the first to close in January 1947, with the Baltimore branch closing along with the rest of the west Cork lines in March 1961.

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https://books.google.ie/books?id=WnNbAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA104&lpg=PA104&dq=John+King+Forrest+surgeon+cork&source=bl&ots=PB5Ls-N_pO&sig=ySQ0wTkx1dHZsrA3OOikzT3NxyI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiOw-umx57bAhUPKlAKHXYrDMwQ6AEIPTAE#v=snippet&q=skibbereen&f=false

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1822, 1840, 1859

Dr. Daniel Donovan Senior MD

Doctor, Dispensary Officer 1840. Magistrate, Donovan Daniel, sen, North street

Skibbereen 1847 distress meeting. Seeking equality of endowment in Catholic education 1859. Born at Ross of ‘island’ branch who formerly owned Ross town. Son Henry Solicitor died 1873. 1810, 1831, 1840, 1846 Dr. Thomas Burke 1824, Surgeon, HP, Blackrock-road (NGC). Possible The Square, 1810 Thomas Burke Half Pay Surgeon married Margaret McCarthy, (1784-1831), posssibly through her he acquired lands at Caheragh, she was likely of the Muclaghs (Clann Tighe Roe Scartaigh) and the lands from McCarthy Gurtnascreena. “May be from Caheragh the person that poet JJ Callanan stayed with for around 2 years when he wrote Gougan Barra and Lamesnt to Morty Oge. memorial to Father Walsh PP leaving Bantry. Attending Great Meeting re Poor Law in 1840, Bantry, gave a speech promoting reeclamation of waste, mine development, employment rather than charity. 1846 distress meeting Bantry. Railway subscriber, 1846, £2,500.

1822 subscribed Durrus Church Building Funds as Dr. O’Donovan, Glenlough. Famine Diary of Doctor O’Donovan, Dispensary Doctor, Skibbereen, West Cork, Bodies Buried Coffinless in the Dead of Night in Dunmanus Weighed Down By Stones, to Prevent Starving Dogs From Getting At The Bodies, The Funeral Cry No Longer heard.

Daniel O’Donovan MD has land in Knockeens, Glanroon in Griffiths. He was married to a sister of Rickard Deasy of the Clonakilty brewing family, MP and Attorney General for Ireland and later Judge.

1840 testimonial to Captain Lyttelton Lyster Esq. Union Hall, Rosscarbery, Subscriber Lewis Topographical Praised on leaving Union Hall 1840 for managing dispensary Loan Funds established by the Countess of Kingston, and given plate by Richard Townsend JP, Point House, Major Allen, Stoneville, Richard Townsend Junior, Clontaff, JP, Philip Somerville, Union Hall, Rev. Edward P. Thompson, Henry Townsend JP, Castletownsend, Thomas Somerville JP, Drishane, Rev James E. Somerville, DD, Union Hall, Richard Adams, Glandore Lodge, John Fitzhenry Townsend, J.R. Barry, JP, Glandore House, Lionel J Fleming, New Court, Father James Mulcahy, Myross, William Baldwin, Baltnathona

Probably the same a Magistrate:

Dr. Daniel O’Donovan 1818, Norton Cottage, Skibbereen, listed 1838, son Richard Esq. O’Donovan Cove, and Jane d Alexander O’Donovan, Squince.  Fond of dogs. Brother of Timothy and Richard O’Donovan J.P. and uncle of Richard O’Donovan J.P.. Daniel O’Donovan MD has land in Knockeens, Glanroon in Griffiths.  Rented Ahakista Cottage from Charles Evanson. On the 14th August 1846, at Lee View, Cork, the residence of the Lady’s father William Harrington, Druggist, Daniel O’Donovan, M.D., J.P. Ahakista, Agnes, eldest daughter of William.  Subscriber at Woodview, Lewis Topographical Dictionary of Ireland  1837. 1850 his boat involved in rescue of Mountaineer at Dunmanus Bay at O’Donovan’s Point.  Buried in Harrington tomb...

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Shannons, Durrus probably same line:

1804, rent charge granted by Richard Blair, Esq., Blair’s Cove of £17 for 5 years over Cannanaacaha part of Coolculaghta to John Shannon, Gent., Brahalish, Richard Shannon, Gent., Brahalish, tenanted by John Stanley and his undertenants, witness Robert Shannon, Capanaloha, farmer.

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Battle of Deshure, Kilmurray, Whiteboys and Macroom Rifle bridge.  Abortive Raid on Benjamin Swete, Landlord and Tithe Collector, later 5 Hung at Gallows at Deshure.  Swete Magistrates.

https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/wp-admin/edit.php?s=whiteboys&post_status=all&post_type=post&action=-1&m=0&cat=0&paged=1&action2=-1

 

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John Swete Esq., 1791, Brookfield, Bandon.  Member Hanover Association meeting Cork 1791 re Whiteboys.  1821 request to Chief Secretary with Rev. Arminger Sealy, James R Barry, Thomas Walker that military be sent to Timoleague re Captain Rock disturbances. Listed  1831, Timoleague 1821, listed 1838, son of Benjamin of Pleasantfields who married his cousin Joyce Swete she had also been married to Jonas Travers.  Gave evidence, re Kilbrogan Parish 1835 to enquiry to Poor Law Commission.  Lived at with wife Martha d 1839, Ballinacurra near Kinsale for a period later with family in Floraville (Mill House) listed 1838 Agent for Earl of Bandon active member Bandon Corporation. Letter from John Swete, Provost of Bandon, to Leveson Gower, concerning a procession of Orangemen there on 1 July 1829 [see also CSO/RP/OR/1829/691]. . Stovin states that a detachment of cavalry has been ordered to march from Ballincollig to Bandon, and to remain there until 14 July 1829. Regarded as kind hearted Agent. 1835 Subscriber Lewis Topographical Dictionary of Ireland  1837. Died 1839 buried Swete family vault Timoleague. Founder member Brunswick Club 1828, supporter Catholic Emancipation.

John Swete, Pre 1824, Bridge St., Bandon.   Subscriber of 1766 ‘The History of the Irish Rebellion’, Cork, 1766, 2 copies.

Samuel Sweet, 1716.  1721 Execution granted Edmund Griffin, by Richard Davies and Samuel Sweete against Popish inhabitants, Thomas Kerby, Ballynatagart and John Walsh  of Ballymuck for £41.

Samuel Swete, 1794, Kilglass, Macroom.  Member Hanover Association meeting Cork 1791 re Whiteboys, 1824, Macroom.

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Map of Bantry District Reputedly 1588, Analysis 1958, by Bantry Historian Paddy O’Keeffe.

 

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Gkz1qwm1fWJlMEbF3

 

Courtesy Cork Historical and Archaeological Society.

Townlands of Kilcrohane, West Cork.

 

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2VCAeakOmzFjwJSx1

Kilcrohane Townlands

Townlands of West Cork, with acerages, extracted from 1845 map prepared for proposed Dungarvan, Lismore, Fermoy, Mallow, Killarney Railway.

Listing of Townlands in Barony of Carbery, West Cork, Carew Papers 1599, Coppinger Grant 1615, McCarthy Reagh Inquisition 1636, Coppinger Will 1665, Archaic Spellings i.e. Lissynyeghtraagh, Lisheenaacreagh (Lisín Iochreacht, Lower Little Fort)

History Townlands and Place Names of Cape Clear (Oileán Cleire), 1918

Aughadown, Skibbereen, West Cork, Townlands, Castles, Churches

Durrus:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qr2IvZp2f3ort8IL-50C6pqG7KVPtayXIRgGjVSg3fA/edit

Some Genealogical Data from Townlands of Ahagouna, Clashadoo, Coomkeen from 1783, Durrus District, West Cork

 

 

Deeds, Rent Charges, Durrus, Bantry, from early 18th Century.

This is only scratching the surface but gives an indication of the information contained in property deeds. Often leases for example are for three lives so the tenant, his youngest son and another young child often related.  Also locations townland given.

A feature which will surprise many is the emergence in the late 18th and early 19th century of local substantial Protestant and Catholic tenant farmer and merchants who lend to local landlord families who are often virtually penniless.  This is probably connected with the boom of the Napoleonic Wars.  Some of these families are alos contactors on the roads and bridges to the Grand Jury.

Many of the property transactions of the White/Bantry estate are in the Boole Library of UCC or in the National Archives in Dublin.

The Kenmare Estate extends as far as Newtown in Bantry and many transactions are contained in its records which are available online free at the Irish Manuscripts Commission website under digital editions.

Many of the smaller local estates were sold in the 1850s under the Landed Estates Courts. They were later acquired by the Irish Land Commission. This was one of the world’s largest mass legal property transfers. They have 8 million records of these and other estates in a warehouse in Portlaoise.  At present there is no public access to these records. Among these records are a lot of pre 1707 land records (when the Registry of Deeds was established).

The Bandon Estate recovered the Durrus lands from the Evansons c1850 and detailed records of the estate are at the Cork Archives but not catalogued in detail.

A lot of the deeds referred to here have been transcribed by volunteers at the Registry of Deeds Project.  One of the main workers in this area is Ron Price of Belfast.  He is a descendant of the marriage of Michael Sullivan/O’Sullivan (Hurrig) and Mary Vickery of Whiddy Island in 1777.  This is the Tedagh branch of the O’Sullivans

(McLysaght Analecta Hibernia, No. 14, 1944, Transcriptions, Conor Papers, Manch, Kinsale Corporation from 1594.)

 

Deeds, Rent Charges, Durrus, Bantry, from early 18th Century.

 

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Summer White House of President William Howard Taft, Beverly, Massachusetts (owned by Robert Dawson Evans, son of Captain John Evans of Brahalish, Durrus, West Cork).

 

Courtesy Peter Murphy

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Durrus  Townlands, Brahalish to left:

 

 

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Frank Croston 1852-1921, Probably born Reenaccapall. Parish of Kilcrohane, West Cork, Major Real Estate Developer of High Quality Commercial and Residential Property, Rochester, New York, Republican Party Activist. Varian Brush Making Family Possible Origin, Rooska, Bantry.

 

Frank Croston 1852-1921, Probably born Reenaccapall. Parish of Kilcrohane, West Cork, Major Real Estate Developer of High Quality Commercial and Residential Property, Rochester, New York, Republican Party Activist. Varian Brush Making Family Possible Origin, Rooska, Bantry.

 

Sean Hurley, Durrus, West Cork, China and Dublin, First Irishman to have a Chinese Passport and early founder of Aer Lingus

 

Victorian Social Mobility. James Skuse, from Clashadoo, Durrus, West Cork to Schoolmaster, Businessmen, Resident Blackrock Castle, Ship Owner Cork, Died 1913 Estate £18,137, Blackrock, Cork.

 

Jack Dukelow (1866-1953), Rossmore, Durrus, West Cork, linking O’Sullivan Bere to Past and Present Governor of Louisiana and former US Senator for Louisiana.

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Robert D. Evans, owner and former occupant of the estate at Beverly on which president Taft and family are passing the summer, died at 10:30 last evening at the Massachusetts Homeopathic Hospital, as a result of complications involving an internal trouble, supplemented by two broken ribs, due to a fall from his horse last Thursday. Mrs. Evans and her sister Miss A. W. Hunt were present when he breathed his last.
Mr. Evans did not realize the seriousness of his condition till three days after his fall from his horse. On Sunday, the doctors decided that an operation for colotomy was necessary, and he was taken to the hospital, where the operation was performed immediately upon his arrival. The operation took 45 minutes. The patient recovered satisfactorily from the anesthetic, but the doctors thought both Monday and Tuesday that the chances were against his recovery.
President Taft was unaware that Mr. Evans, his landlord, was ill until he arrived at Beverly, Sunday, and he was greatly surprised, and upon hearing that the patient was in the hospital, he at once sent his aide, Capt. Butt, to convey his sympathy to Mrs. Evans, and to tell her he hoped for a speedy recovery for her husband.
Robert D. Evans, millionaire, captain of industry, art connoisseur and owner of Stetson Cottage at Beverly, which President Taft is now occupying, was born about 60 years ago in St. John N. B. When very young, however he came with his family to Boston, where he has lived ever since.
Entering business at the bottom rung of the ladder, a clerk of the Eagle Rubber Company, he learned the business when it was in its infancy, and in a few years started out for himself in the firm of Clapp, Evans & Co.
His first ventures meeting with great success he took a leading part in the organization of the American Rubber Company and became its largest stockholder. When that Corporation in turn was absorbed by the United States Rubber Company he was made the latter company’s president, and to him is due much of its great and constant success.
Meanwhile, as if the confines of one great industry were too limited for his powers, he became interested in mining, and in 1899, having amassed a large fortune, he reorganized the United States Smelting, Refining and Mining Company, and became its president. And only a few months ago he made a spectacular retirement from his position in the company, after a long fight with its controlling management, selling 100,000 shares of its stock for the lump sum of.
Shortly after entering into these mining ventures he turned his attention also to gold dredging, the great possibilities of which he saw and became one of the principles in the [Y]uba Dredging Company, the largest concern of its kind in the world.
Two years ago he was unanimously elected trustee of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, a fitting tribute to his own great interest in art of every kind. In his beautiful home at the corner of Commonwealth Ave. and Gloucester St. is one of the finest private art collections in Boston.
The house is filled with works of masters of various schools with particular prominence given to Sir Joshua Reynolds, Romney, Nattier, Sir Thomas Lawrence and other painters of beautiful women. A gem of his collection is the splendid painting made about 1637 by Van Dyke of Beatrice de Cusance, Princess de Cante-Croix, Duchess of Lorraine, a portrait made familiar by many reproductions.
The drawing room of the house contains many masterpieces of the more modern schools, notably the famous “Carthage” of Turner, in which it is said the artist wish to be buried considering it his masterpiece. Another Turner, two Corots, three Mauves, and others of the Barbizon school by Daubigny and Millet, hanging alongside works of Alma Tadema, Constable, Diaz, Cazin, Innes and many other illustrious artists.
The halls, hung with rare tapestries, contains still other pictures, among them a fine Perugino, secured recently from Italy, and a painting by Puvis de Chavannes made before he began mural decoration.
In addition to his Boston home Mr. Evans owns large estates in Beverly, and it was as his tenant that President Taft came to occupy the Stetson Cottage for the summer.
THE BOSTON DAILY GLOBE, July 7, 1909

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