My ancestors - Blennerhassett - Contents

Col. John Blennerhassett, MP

Ballyseedy on p.163 of [Smith, 1756].
This shows John Blennerhassett at Old Ballyseedy and his younger brother William Blennerhassett at Elmgrove.

Col. John Blennerhassett, MP,
"The Great Colonel John", of Ballyseedy,
born 1691 or 1692.
See wikipedia.
His father died 1709.
He inherited Ballyseedy Castle 1709 (age 17 or 18).
MP from 1709 to 1775:
He was MP at various periods from 1709 (age 17 or 18 yrs) to his death in 1775 (age 83 or 84 yrs).
MP for Co.Kerry 1709 to 1713.
He mar 1713 to Jane Denny.
MP for Tralee 1713-1715.
MP for Co.Kerry 1715-1727.

It has been said that he built the new Elm Grove (later Ballyseedy House) in 1721. But he did not live there. He lived in the old Ballyseedy Castle, and his younger brother William lived at Elm Grove.
Possibly he built it for his brother, who he was perhaps like a father to. His brother was only age 4 when their father died and John (age 17 or 18) inherited the estate. In 1721 his brother was age 16 and John was age 29 or 30.

MP for Tralee 1727-1760.
He built Blennerville Bridge 1751.
He is listed as living in Ballyseedy (separate to Elmgrove) in [Smith, 1756].
He commanded a regiment of foot of the Kerry militia temp 1756. See [Ó Snodaigh, 1971].

MP for Co.Kerry 1761-1775. "Father of the Irish House of Commons".
Before 1774 he left Ballyseedy Castle and moved to Oak Park, Killeen, Tralee (the home after 1758 of his granddaughter Letitia Bateman, formerly Denny). It seems Ballyseedy was abandoned and fell into ruin.
See letter by his daughter-in-law Jane Giradot, July 1774. This describes him as age 82 (born 1692). It indicates that he is living at Oak Park.
His will dated 19 Nov 1774. At his will he is described as of "Oak Park, Co.Kerry, formerly of Ballyseedy".
He died May 1775, age 83 or 84 yrs, at Oak Park.
See death notices in [Hibernian Chronicle, Mon 22 May 1775] and [Dublin Hibernian Journal, Wed 31 May 1775].
Will proved 27 June 1776.
See entry in [Boyd's Family Units].
Col. John and Jane had issue:

John Blennerhassett,
born 1715 [Collins papers, 10].
See wikipedia.
MP for Co.Kerry 1751-1761.
He mar 2ndly, 1753, to Frances Herbert of Muckross.
MP for Co.Kerry 1762-1763.
His will dated 7 May 1763. "John Blennerhassett of Tralee". Wife Frances.
He died May-June 1763 (before his father).
Will proved 8 June 1763.
His will was burnt in 1922. But notes survive on p.9 and p.10 of [D950/1/9].
He had issue by 2nd wife:
1. Frances Blennerhassett,
  mar 1784 to Rev. Jemmett Browne, of Riverstown, Co.Cork,
  had issue:
  1. Rev. John Browne, born 1795,
    had issue:
    1. Edward Francis Jemmett Browne, born 1835.
      Researched family tree, including Blennerhassett.
      His research is now in the Kynnersley-Browne papers in Shropshire Archives.
Arthur Blennerhassett,
of Ballyseedy, born 1719.
See wikipedia.
MP for Tralee 1743 to 1761.
He mar Jane Giradot.
See letter by Jane, from Oak Park, July 1774, published in The Gentleman's Magazine, July-Dec 1816, vol.LXXXVI, part II, p.598.
Arthur inherited Ballyseedy 1775. This would be the old Ballyseedy Castle and estate.
The old Ballyseedy Castle fell into ruin.
He moved to England.
He lived in Bath as an absentee landlord.
[O'Carroll, 2009, p.72] says he was NOT MP for Co.Kerry 1776 to 1783, that was his brother-in-law Arthur Blennerhassett.
MP for Tralee 1794-1797.
He died Bath, 1799, age 80 yrs.
Will pr 1799 [PCC], [NAI].
Agnes Blennerhassett, born 1722,
mar Sir Thomas Denny and had issue.
Arabella Blennerhassett, born 1726,
mar 1stly to Richard Ponsonby,
mar 2ndly to her 1st cousin Col. Arthur Blennerhassett and had issue.
Letitia Blennerhassett,
born Ballyseedy, 28 Feb 1728.
Did not marry. Lived Tralee.
She is Letitia Blennerhassett of Tralee, spinster, who is party to [Deed, 1 May 1801]. The other party is Rev. Edward Day, the younger, of Beaufort, Co.Kerry. Lease of property in Tralee town. The property is leased for the life of, among others, Frances Browne (her niece).
Her will dated 27 May 1801.
Died unmarried. Her will says "spinster" [NAI] T/17747.
Mary Blennerhassett, born 1729.
She mar Lancelot Crosbie and had issue:
1. Col. John Gustavus Crosbie.
  See wikipedia.
  He killed Sir Barry Denny, 2nd Baronet in a duel 1794.
  He mar 1796 to Catherine Mary Blennerhassett.
  He died 1797.

What appears to be a mention of the elderly "Miss Letitia Blennerhassett" at a dinner in Farnham House, Co.Cavan, in 1801.
From Diary of Justice Robert Day, 25 July 1801. See [O'Carroll, 2004, p.53].
It looks like "Mrs" but there is no candidate for "Mrs. Letitia Blennerhassett" in 1801.
I think it is "Miss" and it is the elderly unmarried Letitia of Ballyseedy above.
The other candidate would be the young unmarried Letitia Blennerhassett of Riddlestown, Co.Limerick.
But it must be Letitia of Ballyseedy because:

It says "a Kerry Colony". There are various Co.Kerry people there.
Also at the dinner is "Lady Anne FitzGerald". She must be Anne Fitzmaurice (died 1808), widow of Maurice Fitzgerald, Knight of Kerry.
Also there is "Miss Herbert", probably a relation of Letitia of Ballyseedy's sister-in-law Frances Herbert of Muckross.
Letitia of Ballyseedy had recently (May 1801) been party to a deed with Rev. Edward Day, the younger, nephew of Judge Robert Day.
Letitia of Co.Limerick is not of Kerry, and was only a teenager (age c.16) in 1801.

References

Deed, 1 May 1801. Registered 1801. [LR] book 533, p.255, no.353785. Letitia Blennerhassett of Tralee, spinster.
Browne:
- BROWNE of Riverstown on p.78 of [Burkes Irish, 1912]
- KYNNERSLEY-BROWNE in [Burkes LG, 1952]

Sources yet to be consulted

Will of Col. John Blennerhassett, dated 19 Nov 1774.
- Copy in Kynnersley-Browne papers, deposit 823, box 18, bundle 4.
- See transcript by Bill Jehan. And notes on The Ballyseedy Entail.
- See summary of will in Kerry Evening Post, 19 Oct 1892. He lists many relations, even distant ones.
D. 26671-26692 in [Rowan Papers]. "Leases by Arthur and Jane Blennerhassett of lands in the barony of Trughanacmy, Co. Kerry, mainly in the seignory of Castleisland, 1782-1803."
Deed, 2 May 1776. Registered 1776. [LR] 308 611 208085. Letitia Blennerhassett of Ballyseedy, spinster, and others.
Col. John Blennerhassett of Ballyseedy mentioned in The Kerry magazine, vol 1 no 5, 1 May 1854, p.74.