My ancestors - Blennerhassett - Contents

Rev. John Blennerhassett

Rev. John Blennerhassett.
See full size. See other copy.
See back, where it is correctly labelled.
Portrait inherited by the Fuller family.

Rev. John Blennerhassett,
"Parson Jack", born 1732-1733. He was NOT born Jan 1733.
Descendant of Edward III.
He was educ TCD, entered as "pensioner" 27 May 1752. BA Spring 1757.
See entry in [TCD Alumni].
He was ordained a priest 16 Aug 1758, Limerick.

Rector of Ventry:
He was Rector of Ventry, Dingle Peninsula, Co.Kerry, sometime in 1758 to 1765 period.
His appointment to Ventry is probably how he met his wife. Her father was English and travelled with the army. He had died by 1757. Her mother's family was from Dingle, and that was probably where Louisa was living when Rev. John was Rector of nearby Ventry.

Rector of Tralee, 1765 to (probably death 1804):
He was Rector of Tralee parish, Co.Kerry, for nearly 40 years. Appointed 2 Feb 1765.
The church was St.John's church, Tralee.
He would have lived in Tralee Rectory.
He mar 2 Feb 1765 (same day as appointment) to Louisa Goddard [born est c.1742, descendant of Edward III].
He was Chaplain to the "Kerry Legion" corps of the Kerry Volunteers. This was headed by Col. Arthur Blennerhassett in 1779-1782.
See him listed in Munster Volunteer Registry, 1782, p.48.
Louisa was alive in 1785, when [Will of Rev. John Goddard] leaves an inheritance to "the daughter of my late brother Thomas Goddard".
Notes of Rev. Thomas Enraght Lindsay say Rev. John was known to friends as "Port Wine Jack".

Rev. John dies, 1804:
Some sources say he was Rector of Tralee until 1803, but presumably they are making the error that he died 1803. [Ardfert and Aghadoe Clergy] says he was Rector until 1805 but he died 1804.
Conclusion: He was probably Rector of Tralee from 1765 to his death 1804.
He died Wed 28 Mar 1804, Tralee [death notice], NOT 1803.
See death notice in Limerick Chronicle, Wed 4 Apr 1804, front page, [LCL] microfilm, from report from Tralee dated Fri 30 Mar 1804.
Rev. John and Louisa had issue:

Edward Blennerhassett, born 1765.
He is mentioned in Will of Col. John Blennerhassett, dated 1774.
He is mentioned as age 10 in [Deed, 1775].
Thomas is listed as second son in [Deed, 1793].
John is listed as third son in [Deed, 1794].
Edward died pre-1800.
Tree in [Ms 20621] says he died without issue.
[Deed, 1800] describes Thomas and John as "two eldest sons".
Rev. Conway Blennerhassett's will 1805 describes Thomas as eldest son.
Capt. Thomas Blennerhassett,
of Tralee and of Cork,
Captain in the Kerry Militia.
Thomas is listed as second son in [Deed, 1793].
John Blennerhassett,
"the Evergreen",
attorney, solicitor, land agent.
Listed as third son in [Deed, 1794].
Elizabeth Blennerhassett,
born 1772,
bapt 17 May 1772, Tralee [Tralee Protestant par records] (or possibly 16 May).
On one page of the Tralee par records she has a baptism entry for 17 May.
On the next page she has a duplicate baptism entry for 16 May.
Tralee par records book was later copied and the two baptism entries noted.
Listed as eldest dau at mar.
She mar 1791 to Capt. Edward Fuller and had issue.
Louisa Blennerhassett,
bapt 30 Jan 1774, Tralee [Tralee Protestant par records].
Listed as Louisa Blennerhassett of Cork, spinster, in [Marriage settlement, 19 Nov 1794].
She would be staying with her sister Elizabeth in Cork.
She mar 20 Nov 1794, St.Anne's, Shandon, Cork, to Rev. Thomas Cole.
Conway Blennerhassett,
bapt 10 Dec 1775, Tralee [Tralee Protestant par records].
He was educ TCD. He entered as "pensioner" 10 Jan 1793.
See entry in [TCD Alumni].
He is probably Conway Blennerhassett of Tralee who witnessed [Deed, 1794] about marriage of his brother John.
He died without issue.
Capt. Goddard Blennerhassett,
bapt 29 Sept 1778, Tralee [Tralee Protestant par records], NOT 1779,
Royal Navy officer.
Catherine Blennerhassett, twin,
born Rossbeigh, Co.Kerry,
bapt 9 June 1780, Tralee [Tralee Protestant par records].
She might be the "niece, Catherine Blennerhassett" mentioned in Rev. Conway Blennerhassett's will 1805.
She mar 8 May 1806, Ardfert church, Co.Kerry [see Cork Morning Chronicle, 16 May 1806]
to Thomas Finn and had issue.
Letitia Blennerhassett, twin,
born Rossbeigh, Co.Kerry,
[Marriage settlement 1799] lists her as youngest dau,
bapt 10 June 1780, Tralee [Tralee Protestant par records].

Signature of Rev. John Blennerhassett on his daughter's marriage settlement, 1799.

Signature of Rev. John Blennerhassett in Tralee parish records, 1799:

[Deed, 1801] witnessed by Rev. John Blennerhassett (upper signature) and his son John Blennerhassett, "The Evergreen" (lower signature).
See full size.

The old Ventry church, Co.Kerry

The old church at Ventry, Dingle Peninsula, Co.Kerry.
Rev. John Blennerhassett was Rector at Ventry in the 1758 to 1765 period, before his marriage.
The old Ventry church was in Ventry townland, on the coast, looking out over Ventry Harbour.
A new church was built in 1839 in a quite different place, in Cloghane townland to the NE. See 1829 to 1842 map.

The ruin of the old Ventry church, in Ventry townland.
From 1829 to 1842 map.

The site on 1887 to 1913 map.

There is a graveyard at the site today.
It is hard to tell, but the site of the vanished church may possibly be this indented cleared area in the graveyard.
Photo 2016. See larger and full size.
See other shot and other shot.
See street view.

Family trees

Complete entry for Rev. John Blennerhassett on pp.593A - 593B of [Foster's Royal Descents, vol.4, 1886].

The 8 great-grandparents of Letitia Blennerhassett.
From [Fuller, 1910].

Complete entry for Rev. John Blennerhassett in [Burkes Irish, 1976].

Baptisms

Baptism of Elizabeth Blennerhassett, 1772 [Tralee Protestant par records].
There is a duplicate entry with date 16 May on the next page.

Baptism of Louisa Blennerhassett, 1774 [Tralee Protestant par records].

Baptism of Conway Blennerhassett, 1775 [Tralee Protestant par records].

Baptism of Goddard Blennerhassett, 1778 [Tralee Protestant par records].
Signed by his father.

Baptism of twins Catherine and Letitia Blennerhassett, 1780 [Tralee Protestant par records].
See my own photo. And full size.

Unidentified

Unfortunately, I have lost where this odd reference came from:

John Blennerhassett,
mar Mary ---- and had issue:
1. Goddard Blennerhassett,
  bapt 6th June 1775, "All Saints, Tralee" [Admiralty Passing Certificates, NA.UK].

References

Blennerhassett of Killorglin, etc. by Bill Jehan
Rev. John Blennerhassett in [Ardfert and Aghadoe Clergy]
Ancestry of Rev. John Blennerhassett and Louisa Goddard, [Fuller, Omniana].
Deed, 18 Feb 1795, witnessed 30 Mar 1797, registered 3 Apr 1797. Rev. John Blennerhassett of Tralee to Darby Scanlon. [LR] book 512, pp.24-25, no.329433.
Deed, dated 23 Dec 1800, registered 22 Jan 1807, Rev. John Blennerhassett to Blennerhassett, [LR] book 584, p.364, no.397784.

Sources yet to be fully consulted

Notes on Deed of 13 Sept 1775 involving Rev. John Blennerhassett. Property at Dunmanaheen. Original lease 29 Apr 1714. See p.2 of [D950/1/9].
Deed, 22 Aug 1793 (somewhat illegible, maybe should be 1794), registered 25 Aug 1794 (definitely). Rev. John Blennerhassett of Tralee to his son Thomas Blennerhassett of Tralee. [LR] book 486, p.317, no.308532.
Notes on Bill of 2 June 1803. Thomas Blennerhassett of Cork (son of Rev. John), and his brother John, and Fitzmaurice and others. See p.1 of [D950/1/9].
Court case versus Judge Day:
- [O'Carroll, 2004, p.211] discusses a long-running legal case between Rev. John Blennerhassett's sons and Judge Robert Day.
- There are some April 1815 newspaper cuttings about this in 12 W 13 (39) in [RIA].
- The RIA catalogue said 12 W 13 (40) and 12 W 13 (34) were linked to this, but they are not.

The "John Hurly Blennerhassett" error:
- A number of trees on Ancestry.com call Rev. John Blennerhassett "John Hurly Blennerhassett".
- This seems to be nonsense. It must have started with some confusion with John Hurly Blennerhassett who was born 1812.