My ancestors - Blennerhassett - Contents

Thomas Blennerhassett, of Ballymacelligott and Listrim

Thomas Blennerhassett,
of Ballymacelligott and Listrim, Co.Kerry,
born est c.1695.
He mar Avice Spring.
He died shortly before 25 Jan 1777.
They had issue:

1. Col. Arthur Blennerhassett,
   of Arabella House, born 1731.
   He mar 1stly, 1764 [her a widow, age 38] to Arabella Blennerhassett [born 1726].
   He built Arabella House (or Arabela House), Arabela townland, Ballymacelligott par, Co.Kerry (some distance to the E of Ballyseedy). Named after his wife. Managed to get the townland named after her too.
   See ARABELLA in [Houses of Kerry].
   MP for Co.Kerry 1776 to 1783.
   That MP was definitely him and NOT his cousin Arthur. See [McMorran, 2008] and [O'Carroll, 2009, p.72].
   He was Colonel 1779-1782 of the "Kerry Legion" regiment (also known as the "Palatine" or Ballymacelligott corps) of the Kerry Volunteers. Chaplain of the regiment was Rev. John Blennerhassett.
   See him listed in Munster Volunteer Registry, 1782, p.48.
   See a medal of the Kerry Legion in [JCHAS] vol 6, 1900, p.217.
   Arabella died 1795.
   He let Arabella House to Rowan.
   He moved to England.
   Inherits Ballyseedy, 1799:
   Col. Arthur inherited Ballyseedy from his cousin Arthur in 1799. This is the old abandoned Ballyseedy Castle and estate. He did not live there.
   He married 2ndly in 1800 at Wells, Somerset.
   He lived at Bath, Somerset. Living there by 1805.
   He would be Col. Arthur Blennerhassett who writes a letter of 24 Oct 1806 from Crescent, Bath, to Maurice Fitzgerald, 18th Knight of Kerry.
   He died Bath, 1810, age 79 yrs.
   Ballyseedy inherited by his cousin Arthur of Elmgrove.

   
   

2. Thomas Blennerhassett,
   born 1736.
   See Wikitree.
   He is said to have mar without his father's consent and been disinherited. This branch would have inherited Ballyseedy otherwise.
   He is believed to be the father of:
   1. Arthur Blennerhassett, of Gortatlea, Co.Kerry, born c.1755.

Thomas Blennerhassett, of Ballymacelligott, and his wife, and his brother John's wife, appear on p.56 of [Hickson, 1874].
This is the chapter on the Danish Silver Robbery of 1731.

A readable summary of Will of Col. John Blennerhassett, 1774.
From Kerry Evening Post, 19 Oct 1892.
For the exact words, see the transcript.

• Col. John was brother of Thomas above. Col. John's will is about who will inherit Ballyseedy.
• The interesting question is whether it indicates a disinherited son of Thomas.
• The language is odd. Col. John goes into the family of his aged brother Thomas. Transcript says in the line of succession will be: "Arthur Blenerhassett only son of the said Thomas Blenerhassett .. and after the decease of the said Arthur without issue male then to all and every other son and sons of my said Brother Thomas in Tail Male successively".
• Does he really expect his aged brother to have more sons? And is this evidence of a disinherited son? Not exactly a smoking gun.
• Thomas died in 1777. Arthur did eventually inherit Ballyseedy.

Arthur Blennerhassett, MP for Co.Kerry 1776 to 1783, appears in this painting of the Irish House of Commons, 1780.
There is a key to this painting among the photos in the Day papers.
See full size. From here.