My ancestors - Cashel - Contents

Stephen Cashel (or Cashell)

We suspect that our ancestor George Cashel was not a Cashel by blood, but was adopted by this family.
There is evidence for this, but this is not proved.

Did this family adopt George Cashel?

There is evidence that neither parent of George Cashel was called "Cashel":

Theory of O'Connell descent explains the theory that George Cashel is son of a Blennerhassett father and a mother from the O'Connell/Tuohy family, who would not be a Cashel.
The suspicion as to how he got his name is that George Cashel was adopted.
An adopted family would explain why George Cashel's descendants do not DNA match any Cashel in the world - which otherwise is hard to explain.

The Stephen Cashel (or Cashell) family is the prime suspect for the adoptive family:

They are in Tralee, which is where the O'Connell theory expects the adoptive family to be.
This family has a son George Cashel (or Cashell), baptised Catholic in 1808.

Names linking forward:

The adoptive mother is "Agnes" Noonan, which would explain George Cashel's attachment to the name "Agnes" for his daughters. His daughter Agnes died and then he named his second daughter Agnes. This makes sense if Agnes Noonan was his adoptive mother.
The adoptive father is "Stephen", which would explain George Cashel's unexplained middle initial "S."
George Cashel gave one of his children the middle name "Henry" in 1844. This could be after Ellen Tuohy's husband Henry Blennerhassett (died 1816). Maybe Ellen and Henry helped take care of the infant George. Maybe they were the grandmother and step-grandfather of George.

Names linking back:

"Nelly Hassett" sponsors the baptism of the child of Stephen Cashel and Agnes Noonan in 1815. This could be Ellen Tuohy, now Mrs. Ellen Blennerhassett, linked to our O'Connell family. She may in fact be the grandmother of George Cashel.
Though an alternative is that Agnes Noonan may be daughter of Eugene Noonan and Catherine Hasset (who may be of the Blennerhassett family). And then "Nelly Hassett" is Agnes Noonan's aunt or 1st cousin.

Blennerhassett of Ballyseedy:

This Cashel/Noonan family held property on the Blennerhassett estate of Ballyseedy (Elmgrove). They would have had interactions with Arthur Blennerhassett of Ballyseedy.
He may be "A. Blennerhasset, J.P." who approved George Cashel joining the County Constabulary in 1828.

Miscellaneous:

There is a "Catherine Lawlor" sponsoring the baptisms. One document thought Thomas O'Connell, MD had a daughter who married Lalor.
The Stephen Cashel Deed of Oct 1816 was witnessed by James Connor of Tralee. This could be our James Connor, closely linked to our O'Connell family. Though as a lawyer he would probably witness many deeds in Tralee.
Probably irrelevant: There is a "Letitia" Noonan in the Noonan family in a legal case. This may explain how my family remembered the name Letitia. Though perhaps a better explanation is the Rowland and Letitia stained glass window.
It is interesting that George Cashel's brother-in-law William Kickham adopted a child in the 1850s.

One odd thing is that none of this family ever turn up later in George's life. Though he did move far away from Kerry and Cork.

Stephen Cashel,
or Cashell.
He was a linen draper, of Tralee.
He mar 1803 to Agnes Noonan [or Nunan, of Tralee].
Stephen and Agnes are party to a case at the Exchequer Court of Equity, 4 June 1804.
Children bapt Catholic.
Children bapt in Tralee 1805 to 1811.
Daughter bapt 1815 at Passage West, near Cork city. They are listed as living there.
But Deed of Oct 1816 lists him again as of Tralee. It shows the family had property near Tralee and also in Cork city, which explains the moving about.
It refers to property at:

"Killikill". Formerly held by the late Eugene Nunan. This may be Killeacle, near Ardfert, Co.Kerry.
Unidentified properties in the South Liberties of Cork city.
Clashedmond, part of the Elmgrove (Ballyseedy) estate, Ballyseedy par, near Tralee. Formerly held by the late Eugene Nunan from William Blennerhassett of Elmgrove (Ballyseedy).

Stephen dies early:
He apparently died 1816-1819, since he is not party to the 1819 case.
Agnes is party to a case at the Exchequer Court of Equity, 27 Apr 1819.
Agnes mar 2ndly, post-1819, to Daniel Callaghan.
Stephen and Agnes had issue:

Catherine Cashell,
bapt 10 November 1805 [Tralee RC par records], sp Catherine Lawlor.
Would be after grandmother.
At mar 1834 she is Catherine Cashell, living Ballinorig, near Tralee. (There are 3 townlands together with versions of Ballinorig in Ratass par, NE side of Tralee. Not to be confused with "Ballynorig" in Kilmoyly par, near Causeway, a long way N of Tralee.)
She mar 19 October 1834 to Thomas O'Callaghan [or Callaghan].
The 1849 legal case confirms this is her.
They mar at Tralee RC church. See entry from here. Mar wit by Thomas O'Brosnahan and Maurice O'Collins.
At dau's bapt 1845 they are living Curragraigue, Annagh par, near Tralee. (Curragraigue is a long, thin townland that includes most of Blennerville.)
They had issue:
1. Catherine O'Callaghan,
  bapt 20 May 1845, Tralee RC church, sp Daniel Wren and Joanna Cashill.
Stephen Cashell,
bapt 10 January 1807 [Tralee RC par records], sp Patrick Jeefers.
George Cashell,
bapt 24 July 1808 [Tralee RC par records], sp Daniel O'Sullivan and Catherine Lawlor.
He may be adopted issue and may be identical with our George Cashel.
If this is our George Cashel, it seems he was back living in Co.Kerry when he joined the police in 1828.
Francis Cashell,
bapt 22 July 1811 [Tralee RC par records], sp Daniel Sullivan and Jane Howard.
Jane Cashell,
bapt 30 Dec 1815 [Passage West, Co.Cork, RC par records], sp Nelly Hassett.
She must be "Joanna Cashill" who sp bapt of her niece in 1845.
She would be "Jenny Cashel" mentioned in the legal case as alive in 1847, and apparently unmarried.

1849 legal case says Agnes had two daughters and a son. (Some could also be from 2nd marriage.)
One dau married Thomas Callaghan, which we found above.
Another daughter married --- Wren. We have not identified him. Could be Daniel Wren (see bapt of Catherine O'Callaghan in 1845) except we have not identified the marriage or wife.
The known son stayed in Tralee, so is clearly not our George Cashel.
The case says Agnes had to support 3 orphans belonging to her daughter.

Extract from 1849 legal case.
Shows Agnes Noonan married Cashell and then married Daniel Callaghan.

Extract from 1849 legal case.
Shows Agnes Noonan's children.

1804 case

Stephen Cashell and his wife Agnes Noonan appear among the list of Defendants in two cases at the Exchequer Court of Equity, both dated 4 June 1804.
From here in Exchequer Court of Equity Bill Books.
See full size, which has other notes.
Also has a Letitia Noonan among the Defendants, and her mother Catherine Noonan. This may be sister and mother of Agnes Noonan.
Also refers to Blennerhassett. Think this may be the solicitor.

1819 case

"Agnes Cashel" in an apparent dispute with her mother "Catherine Nunan, widow", Exchequer Court of Equity, 27 Apr 1819.
Who would "George Cashel" be? Her son George is only age 11.
From here in Exchequer Court of Equity Bill Books.

Baptisms of children

Baptism of Catherine Cashell, 10 November 1805.
From here (go to p.73).

Baptism of Stephen Cashell, 10 January 1807.
From here.

Baptism of George Cashell, 24 July 1808, Tralee.
From here.

The full line of the above.
From here.

Baptism of Francis Cashell, 22 July 1811.
From here.

Baptism of Jane Cashell, 30 Dec 1815, Passage West, Co.Cork, sp Nelly Hassett.
From here.

References

Deed of 26 Oct 1816. Stephen Cashel of Tralee (also spelled Cashell) and Catherine Nunan of Tralee, widow. Registered 11 Nov 1816. [LR] 708 89 484824.
- This switches with no introduction to talking about "the said Catherine Chute". This seems to be a mistake since later it talks about "the said Catherine Nunan".
- It talks about property held by the late Eugene Nunan. It then references property demised to "Eugene Sullivan". This also may be a mistake, for Eugene Nunan.
- Witnessed by James Connor of Tralee (could be this James).

Searches for "Stephen Cashel" sometimes turn up Stephen Sandes, Bishop of Cashel.