My ancestors - Conway - Contents

Capt. Jenkin Conway

Signature of "Jenkin Conwaye" on letter of 21 Oct 1584 to Sir Francis Walsingham about proposed grant to him of Killorglin.

Capt. Jenkin Conway,
or Jenkyn.
See Wikitree.
He mar Mary Herbert [born est c.1550, poss. descendant of Henry I].
They apparently lived for a time in London.
What must be their children Elizabeth and Jenkin are found baptised 1576 and 1577 at St Margaret's, Westminster, London.
Jenkin came to work for Elizabeth's Secretary of State Sir Francis Walsingham.

Goes to Ireland:
Jenkin was an officer who served in Ireland against the Second Desmond Rebellion (1579-1583).
[Rowan, 23 May 1908] says he came to Ireland in 1583 (the last year of the Rebellion).
See Capt. Jenkin Conway in State Papers (1583 to 1596).
A letter of 8 Mar 1583 seems to show his arrival in Ireland, working for Sir Francis Walsingham. He is called "Walsingham's man".
A letter of 5 Apr 1583 says he has joined Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond, apparently in Co.Tipperary.
The rebellion ended with the killing of the Earl of Desmond on 11 November 1583. His vast estates were forfeit to the crown, and granted to loyal subjects. Thus began the Munster Plantation.

Granted Killorglin:
By 1584 there was talk of Jenkin Conway being granted the Earl of Desmond's property of Killorglin, Co.Kerry.
This was the originally 13th century Killorglin Castle.
Jenkin writes on 21 Oct 1584 to Sir Francis Walsingham about proposed grant to him of Killorglin.
He again writes on 10 July 1585 and says the Lord Deputy Sir John Perrot has granted him "custodiam" of Killorglin.
A letter of 10 Oct 1587 from him survives, written from Killorglin Castle.
Grant to him of Killorglin is said to be dated 1587.
A letter of 7 Jan 1589 (new style year) from him to Sir Edward Denny survives.
In documents of Feb-Mar 1590 (new style year) he is named as a Captain, appointed to bring troops from Wales to serve in Ireland.
A survey of 31 Dec 1592 says Conway "hath of rentable lands the number of 526 acres, rent from Michaelmas 1591".
Grant of Killorglin was said to be confirmed in 1592.
He was also granted the island of Innisfallen in Lough Leane near Killarney.

Nine Years' War, 1593 to 1603:
A company under his command served in the 1595-1596 campaign against the rebel Hugh Roe O'Donnell. This was part of the Nine Years War.
See letters of 1 Aug 1595 and 12 Apr 1596 and 2 June 1596.
He is named as a Captain in documents up to 1596.
The rebellion came to Munster after the Irish victory at Yellow Ford in 1598.
Killorglin Castle was burned in Aug 1600.
The war ended with English victory in 1603.

Death, 1607:
Capt. Jenkin was apparently killed in 1607, "by a shot through the body".
See letters from his son to the Earl of Salisbury, apparently in 1608 to 1612. These say that his father spent 24 years as a commander in Ireland.
We know for sure he died before 1612.
Capt. Jenkin and Mary had issue:

1. Alice Conway,
   eldest dau.
   She mar Edward Roe [or Edmund].
   He was a wealthy burgess of Tralee, Co.Kerry.
   He was appointed on 30 Aug 1613 as one of the overseers of the plan to wall Tralee. The other overseer was his brother-in-law Robert Blennerhassett. The work did not happen in the end. See [Kerry Magazine, 1 Apr 1854] and [Hickson, 13 May 1908].
   They lived at Cloghane (or Clahane) near Tralee. This was a house on the W side of Ballymullen, SE side of Tralee.
   Page 30 of [Rowan, 1846] says Arthur Denny leased Cloghane to Edward Roe on 4 Apr 1619.
   They had issue:
   1. Elizabeth Roe.
      [Hickson, 14 Apr 1897] shows her name was Elizabeth, not Alice.
      She was heiress of Cloghane (or Clahane), near Tralee, Co.Kerry.
      She mar 1632-1638 to James Conway [of Dublin] and had issue.
      See 1632 diary entry about their proposed marriage.
      They were married by 1638. See ["The Conways of Kerry", 1920].
      Ancestors of Conway of Cloghane (or Clahane), Co.Kerry.

   
   

2. Elizabeth Conway.
   She must be bapt at St.Margaret's Church, Westminster, 26 Aug 1576 (see below).
   She mar Robert Blennerhassett and had issue.

   
   

3. Jenkin Conway.
   He must be bapt at St.Margaret's Church, Westminster, 26 Sept 1577 (see below).
   He eventually built a new castle at Killorglin and re-named it Castle Conway.

   
   

A letter of 10 Oct 1587 survives from my ancestor Jenkin Conway of Wales and London, written from Co.Kerry.
He writes to London that he has talked with, among others, Sir Edward Fitton of Cheshire (my wife's ancestor) about the unfolding Munster Plantation.
Conway received property in Co.Kerry, stayed there, and was ancestor of the Blennerhassetts.
Fitton received extensive property in Munster, but his line stayed in England. He is the ancestor of Kitty Hunter.

Original of the previous.
Mentioning Sir Edward Fitton. Signed by Jenkin Conway.

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Baptisms in London, 1576 and 1577

Elizabeth Conway and Jenkin Conway, children of Jenkin Conway, are baptised at St Margaret's, Westminster, London, in 1576 and 1577.
There are other Jenkin Conways. But this must be this family, since we know this Jenkin had children Elizabeth and Jenkin. Also it makes sense for him to be in London if he went to Ireland as "Walsingham's man".

• References:
  • Memorials of St.Margaret's Church, Westminster by Arthur Meredyth Burke, 1914.

• Sources yet to be consulted:
  • Originals at Westminster Archives, London. See street view.

Baptism of Elizabeth Conway, St.Margaret's Church, Westminster, 26 Aug 1576.
From p.35 of [Burke, 1914].

Baptism of Jenkin Conway, St.Margaret's Church, Westminster, 26 Sept 1577.
From p.36 of [Burke, 1914].

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References

• Conway ancestry in "Black Jack's Book". See p.50 of [Hickson, 1872].
  • This has the descent of Capt. Jenkin Conway that we go with here.

• CONWAY on p.52 of [Smith, 1756].
  • This has Conway of Cloghane as closely related to Sir Fulke Conway.
  • It is unclear what descent he proposes for Capt. Jenkin Conway.

• CONWAY in [Blen. Pedigrees]

• CONWAY on pp.205-207 of [Hickson, 1874].
  • This has a pedigree of about 1777. It shows descent of Capt. Jenkin Conway from Edward Conwy of Arrow. It shows descent of Conway of Dublin and Cloghane from Edward's brother John Conwy of Bodrhyddan. Hickson is unsure how accurate this is.
  • It seems that later she decides it is not accurate. In the 1897 debate she says the origin of Conway of Dublin and Cloghane is unknown. And she goes with Black Jack's version for the origin of Capt. Jenkin Conway.

• Conway notes in Kerry Evening Post
  • Notes in 1897 and 1908. Mainly from Mary Agnes Hickson and Anne Margaret Rowan.

• "The Conways of Kerry", by "S.J.M.", Kerry Archaeological Magazine, vol.5 no.22, July 1920. [NLI] Ir 794105 k 1.
  • This is mainly about the origin and descendants of Conway of Cloghane.

• Denny's "Kerry families"

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Sources yet to be consulted

• Conway in [Denny, 1923]
• Conway family tree in [Ms 20621]
• Three Kerry families: O'Mahony, Conway and Spotswood, Samuel Trant McCarthy, Folkestone, 1923. Also here.

• Extensive research on Conway by Rev. Robert Conway Hurly in Hurly papers.