James Kickham, of Knockelly Castle
The death of James Kickham, of Knockelly Castle, in 1823.
From Freemans Journal,
April 11, 1823.
James Kickham,
Protestant,
of
Knockelly Castle,
near
Fethard, Co.Tipperary.
Definitely brother of
our Charles Kickham (born 1752).
Granduncle of the Fenian.
He was the first Kickham in Knockelly Castle.
He rented it from
the
Barton family of Grove.
He served as a Protestant yeoman in the
1798 rebellion
(i.e. volunteer militia
opposing the rebels).
[Heffernan, 1958]
tells a story where Kickham "maltreated" one of the much disliked
(by both sides)
Hessian mercenaries
(his allies),
and got away with it, claiming he thought he was a rebel.
The Hessian mercenaries were
German mercenaries
imported by the English to help put down the rising.
They had a reputation for brutality.
One James Kickham or two?
[Cusack]
says the above James is identical with the following James.
(He says the following James is grand-uncle of the Fenian.)
[Heffernan, 1958]
however
says James of Knockelly Castle is 1st cousin of the Fenian's father.
So this suggests the above James is father of the below James.
James Kickham,
Protestant,
of
Knockelly Castle.
[Cusack]
says he was agent to
the
Barton family of Grove.
It says he "kept a private pack of hounds" (would be at Knockelly Castle).
He
mar c. early 1800 to
Ellen Purcell.
She was of
Fortwilliam House
(or Fort William, or Caherclogh House),
Caherclogh,
N of Clonmel, Co.Tipperary
(see
map).
She was Catholic, of old
Norman Irish Catholic family.
Children all Catholic.
The
Kickhams of Mullinahone
were regular visitors to Knockelly
Castle.
James dies, 1823:
James Kickham, of Knockelly Castle,
died on Wed 2 April 1823 of a fall from his horse.
See
item
in Freemans Journal, Friday,
April 11, 1823.
[Cusack]
says he
"died, prior to 1834, when, resting his feet on the chimney-piece and tilting his chair, he fell backward and broke his neck".
It seems that story is wrong.
James and Ellen
had issue:
- (dau) Kickham,
mar --- Green.
-
Catherine Kickham,
or Catharine, born 1808.
She mar pre-1836 to Patrick Heffernan and had issue.
She took over Knockelly Castle
from her brothers.
- Michael Kickham,
of Knockelly Castle.
Later of Ballinard (unidentified, a few possibilities).
He mar Biddy O'Brien [of Coolquill, Crohane par, Co.Tipperary].
They had issue:
- (dau) Kickham, mar --- Keating and had issue:
- Ciss Keating, no issue.
- Babs Keating, no issue.
- Tom Keating, no issue.
-
Thomas Kickham, Tom,
of Knockelly Castle.
"Mary and Thomas Kickham" are listed
at
Knockelly Castle in
[Tithe Survey, 1833].
Could be his wife. Or could it be a sister?
Thomas is
listed
at Knockelly
in
Co.Tipperary voters 1838 and 1839.
He had enough property to have a vote.
He
mar --- Sheehan [of "Tansrath" (unidentified)].
No issue.
This might be the mar of Thomas Kickham and Margaret Sheehan,
22 Feb 1839, Powerstown RC church, Co.Tipperary.
Mar wit by Thomas Crehan and Bridget Sheehan.
See transcript.
But cannot see entry in original.
- Ellen Kickham,
of Knockelly,
born 1812.
She
had children bapt in 1834 to 1856.
She
mar c.1832
to Richard Crean
[born 1788 or 1790,
neighbour at Knockelly] and had issue.
[Cusack] says they mar c.1832.
- Mary Kickham.
She is "Mary" according to notes written on [Cusack tree]
but see discussion below.
She
mar John Hurley and had issue.
Kickham who married Hurley:
Kathleen Crean,
daughter of Ellen Kickham above,
married a
James Hurley, son of John Hurley.
[Cusack]
says they were 1st cousins,
that James Hurley's mother was a Kickham, sister of Ellen Kickham.
Notes written on copy of [Cusack tree]
by unknown Hurley descendant
name James Hurley's father as John Hurley
(which is true)
and his mother as "Mary Kickham".
However, we found the following couple in
Youghal, Co.Cork,
who, assuming the reading of the surname "Kickham" is right,
look like James' parents.
Youghal, Co.Cork, is quite a distance from Fethard, Co.Tipperary, but assuming the Crean tree is right
that it was a 1st cousin marriage,
"Nanno Kickham" must be the mother.
The other issue is we would have two sisters as late mothers in their 40s, but that is possible.
We think the above should be:
Nanno Kickham,
or Nano.
One
Ancestry tree
says "Honora".
She was
probably born post-1815.
She had children bapt 1853 to 1857.
She
mar pre-1853 to John Hurley and had issue.
Knockelly Castle on
1829 to 1842 map.
"Mary and Thomas Kickham"
at
Knockelly Castle
in Knockkelly townland in
[Tithe Survey, 1833].
Mary might be Thomas' wife.
From here.
Fortwilliam House (Purcell house)
on
1887 to 1913 map.
See modern satellite view
and street view
of W entrance.
Before they purchased Grove, Barton were seated in Co.Fermanagh.
In 1752,
Barton purchased Grove House, Strike Upper townland, Coolmundry par,
SE of
Fethard, Co.Tipperary.
Barton purchased
Knockelly Castle,
NE of Fethard.
James Kickham
rented Knockelly Castle
from Barton.
James Kickham of Knockelly
was agent to the Barton estate.
The Barton seat, Grove House,
SE of Fethard, Co.Tipperary.
From
1887 to 1913 map.
See modern
satellite view.
