My ancestors - Blennerhassett - Contents

John Blennerhassett of Ballyseedy

The house at Old Ballyseedy.
Photo 2016.

John Blennerhassett,
of Ballyseedy,
born est c.1620.
See Wikipedia.
He served as a Cornet in the Cromwellian army (1649-1653) in the wars of 1641-1653. He was in a regiment of horse.

He mar Elizabeth Denny [born 25 Feb 1636, descendant of Edward I].
Mar settlement 1654. [Rowan, 1846, p.10] says they mar 2 Oct 1654. Her age 18.
High Sheriff of Co.Kerry 1658 and 1663.
MP for Tralee 1661.

His father died 1676.
His will dated 22 Oct 1677.
See abstract of will on pages 18/313 and 18/314 of [Welpy's abstracts].
He died 4 Dec 1677, age est c.57 yrs [McMorran, 2008].
He was possibly bur at Ballycarty church (see his son Arthur).
His will pr 4 Feb 1678 (new style year, regarded at the time as the end of 1677).

Elizabeth's will dated 2 Nov 1689. She asked to be bur in Tralee church.
See abstract of will on page 18/312 of [Welpy's abstracts].
She died 1696, age 60 yrs. She was bur St.John's church, Tralee.
Her will pr 22 May 1696.
John and Elizabeth had issue:

1. Ruth Blennerhassett,
   born est c.1660,
   would be after grandmother.
   She mar 1stly to Capt. Thomas Browne.
   He died 1681.
   She mar 2ndly, post-1681, to her father's 1st cousin Thomas Blennerhassett and had issue.

1. Arthur Blennerhassett,
   of Ballyseedy.
   He died Tralee, 7 Jan 1686.
   See entry in Denny Family Bible.
   He was bur at "Bally Carthy" church.

   
   

2. John Blennerhassett, of Ballyseedy,
   born 1665.

Wills of John Blennerhassett, of Ballyseedy, proved 1677, and his wife Elizabeth, proved 1696.
From [Vicars' index of wills 1536-1810].
These were burnt in 1922.

Extract from elegy to this John's son John Blennerhassett (died 1709) by the Gaelic poet Aodhagán Ó Rathaille.
Ó Rathaille refers to him as "John, son of John, son of John of Ballyseedy".
From page 207 of [Dineen and O'Donoghue, 1911].

Extract from will of Elizabeth Denny.
From p.373 of [Denny, 1908].

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Children

Entry in Denny Family Bible for the death of Arthur Blennerhassett in 1686.
This says that "Bally Carthy" church was then the burial place of the Blennerhassetts.

Ruth Blennerhassett mentioned in the will of her brother John, dated 24 Jan 1709.

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References

• Blennerhassett of Ballyseedy by Bill Jehan.

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Sources yet to be consulted

• Many mentions of John Blennerhassett in Herbert correspondence (letters of Baron Herbert of Chirbury).
  • Blennerhassett was agent for Edward Herbert, 3rd Baron Herbert of Chirbury, who was an absentee landlord in Kerry.