My wife's ancestors - Butler - Contents

James Butler, of Waterville House

James Butler listed at Waterville in [Leet's Directory, 1814].

James Butler, born 1780.
Lived Waterville House, Co.Kerry.
His father died 1808.
He inherited Waterville.
He is listed at Waterville in [Leet's Directory, 1814].
[O'Connell letters in 1816] about his forthcoming marriage make it clear that he is a bachelor and had no previous marriage. So if he had any older children they would have to be natural children.

He mar 1817 [him age 37, her age 17] to Agnes Day [born 1800, descendant of Edward III].
He owned the Skellig Islands and he preserved the early Christian site there. He sold them to the government in 1820.

Agnes dies, 1829:
She died in Cork, "after a tedious illness", Tue 14 July 1829, age 29.
See item in Kerry Evening Post, Saturday, July 18, 1829.
"James Butler, of Waterville" is in a list of Kerry jurors in Tralee Mercury, July 27, 1831.
James is in the List of Justices of the Peace, 1844. Says he presides at Waterville petty sessions. Living Waterville.

James dies, 1863:
He died 19 June 1863, Waterville House.
See admin 4 Mar 1865. From here.
James and Agnes had issue:

James Butler,
born 1820,
of Waterville House, Co.Kerry.

The historian Mary Agnes Hickson was a relation through Day of Agnes Day.
Above is an extract of an article by Hickson on 14 July 1897 where she talks about fake pedigrees.
She recalls a relative who spent time with "Mrs. Butler" of Waterville (who would be Agnes Day).
Tells the story of the wife of a poor cottier who claimed descent from Guy, Earl of Warwick (died 1315).

O'Connell letters of 1816 about forthcoming James Butler marriage

Letters of 3 Sept 1816 and 20 Sept 1816 between Daniel O'Connell and his wife, referencing the forthcoming marriage of James Butler and Agnes Day. It seems O'Connell was working on the marriage settlement and James Butler wanted no more delays.
From pp.117-118 (letters 664 and 665 and 667) of [Correspondence of Daniel O'Connell, vol 2].

James Butler and Agnes Day married in 1817.
The Yielding sisters mentioned here are Butler's 2nd cousins, the daus of Theophilus Yielding.

Sources yet to be consulted

Marriage settlement of Day and Butler, dated 6 Feb 1817.