Benjamin Sullivan, (1720-1767), O’Sullivan Mór, Clerk of the Crown for Co. Cork and Waterford Kinsman to Laurence Sullivan, Chairman East India Company. Barry Crosbie’s book 2012 Cambridge Press says they were brothers and sons to Philip O’Sullivan and Miss Irwin from a trading family with Roscommon and Cork connections. He suggests Benjamin became a Judge in Calcutta, which seems unlikely.
According to Denny Lane, Cork Antiquarian, Benjamin Sullivan styled himself the head of the O’Sullivan Mór, Sept.
https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=7557&action=edit&message=6&postpost=v2
1720-1767 Benjamin Sullivan Attorney, Barrister, 1752 Clerk of the Crown for Counties Cork and Waterford. Thomas Harrison writing clerk to him 1742, Married Bridget Limerick daughter of Dr. Limerick, Rector Kilmoe (Ballydehob), 1742 Father Philip mother Elizabeth Irwin a Presbyterian, Parish of St Paul. Benjamin Sullivan Senior Esq., eminent Attorney died London 1767, May have been Recorder of Cork 1765. Son Sir Benjamin Sullivan, Kt, Judge Supreme Court Madras, the Right Hon John Sullivan of Richings Park, Co. Bucks, Privy Councillor, MP Old Sarum, Sir Richard Joseph Sullivan Captain RN and MP for Seaford Baronet UK 1804. Protest against him being appointed Freeman as he allegedly did not serve 7 years as an apprentice, 1742, Memorial 77771. May be related to Laurence Sullivan speculation the Laurence was an illegitimate elder brother, d so Lawrence may be variation of Lábhrás a name common among the O’Sullivan Beres, Chairman of East India Company. Parliamentary biography gives his address, as Dromeragh. (Dromreagh Durrus?) http://corkgen.org/publicgenealogy/cork/potpourri/corkancestors.com/Deathsmarriages2.htm Oldest son Benamin, 2nd son John,Memorial 1764, 161080, Thomas Llyd Councellor mentioned with John Lloyd Victualler, Cork.
It is possible that the Sullivans originate in the Aughadown area. In 1700 Bishop Dives Downes mentioned area Schull that a Mr. Sullivan, a Protestant is a land owner. The Protestant Sullivans of Dunmanway held lands on the Mizen peninsula at cashelane possibly connected they are related by marriage to the Dunmanway/Clonakilty legal/land owning family of Wright.
Benjamin Sullivan likely attorney related to Limricks of Goleen relation Laurence Sullivan chairman East India company
1. 16 Aug 1754
Lease made between Benjamin Sullivan, City of Corke {sic}, and James Morrison, City of Corke, for two fields estimated to be eleven acres, part of Ballintemple in the South Liberties of the city of Corke. The fields are bounded on the north by the strand adjoining the river, on the south with the high road leading to Blackrock, to the East by Mr. [Bournefield’s] lands, and to the west by other fields owned by said Mr. Benjamin Sullivan. It is for a term of 890 years from 29th September next, for the sum of £25 sterling, to be paid half-yearly on the 25th March and 29th September. Signed and sealed by both parties at the end of the document.
1 skin
https://libguides.ucc.ie/CorkDeeds/itemdescriptions
THE LIMRICK FAMILY STORY
Appendix B – Bridget Limrick and her Sullivan descendants
The following information is mainly sourced from Denny’s Family of Limrick of Schull,
William Betham’s Baronetage of England, Sidney Lee’s Dictionary of National Biographies
and the official History of Parliament.
On 3 January 1742 Bridget Limrick, eldest daughter of Rev. Paul Limrick married
Benjamin Sullivan in Aughadown, Co. Cork.
Benjamin Sullivan was born in the parish of St. Paul in Cork city on 15 June 1720, the
second son of Philip O’Sullivan and Elizabeth Erwin. The O’Sullivans were kinfolk of
Laurence Sullivan, director and chairman of the East India Company who was influential
in the careers of his relatives.
In 1753 Benjamin (who had dropped the O’ prefix) was appointed clerk of the crown for
the counties of Cork and Waterford and clerk of the peace for Waterford. Following the
accession of George III he was reappointed to these offices on 6 February 1761.
Benjamin and Bridget had four sons and five daughters.
• Sir Benjamin Sullivan born 1747 in Cork city. On the death in Madras in 1793 of his
unmarried first cousin Philip O’Sullivan, a captain in the service of the East India
Company, Benjamin inherited the title O’Sullivan Mor (a clan chief of the O’Sullivan
family). Knighted in June 1801, he was a puisne judge of the Supreme Court of
Judicature, Madras. He was married to Elizabeth Dent, daughter of Admiral Sir Digby
Dent. KB. and they had four children. He died in 1810.
• Rt. Hon. John Sullivan born 1747. After a successful career in India lasting 20 years he
returned to England in 1795, where he bought an estate (Richings Park) in
Buckinghamshire. He then entered politics and served three separate constituencies as
an MP (Old Sarum, Aldborough & Ashburton); in 1801 he was appointed Under
Secretary of State for War and Colonies through the influence of his brother-in-law,
George Hobart, 4th Earl of Buckingham. John was married to Lady Henrietta Anne
Barbara Hobart, daughter of George, 3rd Earl of Buckingham. They had five daughters
and one son, (John Augustus Sullivan who was Provost-Marshal of Jamaica from 1825).
• Sir Richard Joseph Sullivan, 1st Baronet of Thames Ditton. Born in 1752 he also spent
his early career in India, returning to England in 1784. He served as MP for New
Romsey 1787-96 and later as MP for Seaford in 1802. On 22 May 1804, following
William Pitt’s return to office, Sullivan was created a baronet. Richard was married to
Mary Lodge in 1778. Their eldest son, Richard, having died in 1789, the title devolved on their second son, Henry (1785–1814), MP for the City of Lincoln (1812–14) and
lieutenant-colonel of the Coldstream Guards. He died in battle at Toulouse on 14 April 1814. Sir Charles Sullivan (1789–1862), his younger brother, succeeded him as third
baronet, entered the navy in February 1801, and eventually became admiral of the blue.
• Henry Boyle Sullivan who died unmarried in 1783.
• Margaret Sullivan, married General Gordon Forbes.
• Elizabeth Sullivan, married Patrick Lawson.
• Sabina Sullivan, married John Otto Bayer of Antigua. She died in 1784.
• Henrietta Sullivan, married (1) Colonel Alexander Maclellan and (2) John Balfour,
• Anne Sullivan, married Lt-Col. George Hallam of White Barns, Herts, in 1781
Benjamin Sullivan died in Knightsbridge, London in 1767. Bridget lived for many more
years and died on 8 July 1802. She is buried in Iver, Buckinghamshire. As this is very close
to Richings Park, it is safe to assume that she was probably living with her son John at the
West Cork History 