Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Presented by
MISS P. BERYL EUSTACE
FOREWORD
As Wills are of the first importance in the compiling of pedigrees
a few facts about Irish Wills may help the amateur genealogist.
Between 1536 and 1858 Wills in Ireland consisted of two classes,
Prerogative and Diocesan. Diocesan Wills were those proved in
the Consistorial Court of the Protestant Bishop within whose
Diocese the testator was domiciled, but the Will of any testator who
had effects worth more than ?5 (called bona notabilia) in more than
one Diocese had to be proved in the Prerogative Court of the Arch
bishop of Armagh. Both series of Wills were eventually deposited
in the Record Office, Dublin. In 1895 and 1899 an Index of the
Dublin Diocesan Wills appeared in the Reports of the Deputy Keeper
of the Records1 for those years, while in 1897 Sir Arthur Vicars edited
the Index to thePrerogative Wills of Ireland 1536-1810. The publishing,
by Messrs. Phillimore & Co.f of a series of Indexes of Irish Wills was
proceeding when, in June 1922, all the original Wills with the ex
ception of eleven Prerogative and one Consistorial were destroyed.
To-day the genealogist, having detected an entry in an index of Wills,
has to try to find a copy or an abstract of it made before 1922. The
following are the most useful reference books :
1. The 55th, 56th and 57*A Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Records
in Ireland (Dublin, 1928, 1931, 1936), listing copies of Wills
salved, Wills presented, etc.
2. Reports of the Deputy Keeper of the Records, Government of
Northern Ireland (Belfast, from 1925).
3. Sir Arthur Vicars: Index to the Prerogative Wills of Ireland,
1536-1810. Sir William Betham compiled what he called
" "
his genealogical analysis of all these Wills up to the year
1800. His notebooks are now at the Record Office, Dublin,
while his Will Pedigrees drawn up from these notes fill 31 vols,
at the Genealogical Office. A copy of the series is at the Record
Office, Belfast, but lacks the countless annotations of successive
Officers of Arms which have added greatly to the value of the
volumes at the Genealogical Office,
4. Rev. Wallace Clare : Guide to Copies and Abstracts of Irish Wills,
(1930).
It must also be remembered that Wills made by the principal
residents are often to be found in local histories. Printed family
histories are another source and Irish Wills or abstracts from them
1 to the Twenty-Sixth
Appendix " Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public
Records (Dublin, 1895) : Index to the Act or Grant Books and to Original
Wills of the Diocese of Dublin to the year 1800." Appendix to the Thirtieth
"
Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Records (Dublin, 1899) : Index to the Act or
Grant Books and to Original Wills of the Diocese of Dublin, 1800-1858/*
Phillimore & Co. have printed Calendars of Irish Wills for the following
Dioceses (London, 1909-21): Vol. I: Ossory, 1536-1800; Ferns, 1601-1800;
Leighlin, 1652-1800; Kildare, 1661-1800. Vol. II: Cork and Ross, 1548
1800 ; Cloyne, 1621-1800. Vol. Ill: Cashel and Emly, 1618-1800 ;Waterford
and Lismore, 1645-1800; Killaloe and Kilfenora, 1653-1800; Limerick, 1615
1800; Ardfert and Aghadoe, 1690-1800. Vol IV: Dromore, 1678-1800;
Peculiar of Newry and Mourne, 1727-1858. Vol. V: Derry, 1615-1858;
Raphoc, 1684-1858.
147
148 FOREWORD
can be traced in such varied publications as Notes and Queries, The
Irish Genealogist, Brown's Cases, etc.
Wills of many Irish Members of the Society of Friends are to be
found at the Friends' Meeting House, 6 Eustace Street, Dublin.x A list,
compiled by Edward Phelps, Esq., M.A., of the Wills in the Stewart
Kennedy Notebooks in the Library, Trinity College, is kept at the
Record Office, Dublin and Belfast. Also in Trinity Library are early
Dublin Wills and Inventories.* Details of charitable bequests,
published in the Dublin Gazette from circa 1825 ("To the Commis
sioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests ; and all whom it may
concern ") seldom supply genealogical information, but from these
notices the date of a Will, the names of the executors and the date of
probate can generally be learnt.*
The Irish Manuscripts Commission is helping to locate many other
Wills. Its Inspector includes in his reports, published in Analecta
Hibernica, mention ofWills to be found in private collections of MSS.
in Eire. The Commission is also having abstracts made of the Wills
at the Registry of Deeds, Dublin, for the period 1708-1785. Over two
thousand Wills were registered there, primarily because they concerned
real estate in Ireland. Some, it is true, deal solely with the clauses
about the testator's lands,
" but many others were registered in full.
"
The Will abstracts at the Genealogical Office (formerly Office
of Arms), Dublin Castle, vary in length from a few words to complete
"
copies of Wills (the letters N.F.P. for no further particulars"
indicating the shortest). It will be noted that some of the collections
"
include administrations or admons." Amongst the more useful
collections those of Dublin and Cork Wills compiled by D. O'Callaghan
Fisher deserve special attention. In this collection of Dublin Wills,
additional information not given in the MSS. has been taken from the
Appendix to the 26th Report of theDeputy Keeper of the Records (1895)
and is shewn within square brackets.
This index does not include two of Sir William Betham's valuable
compilations which now form part of the official records of the
Genealogical Office : (1) Betham's Will Pedigree series to 1800 which,
as had been already explained, are listed in Vicars, Index to the Prero
gative Wills of Ireland, 1536-1810, and (2) Betham's Abstracts from
the Prerogative Administrations Intestate. Since this Index was
compiled some unclassified material, which contains, inter alia, will
abstracts, has come to light and will be indexed by the Office in due
course together with some recent acquisitions.
Thanks are due to Mr. T. U. Sadleir, Deputy Ulster King of Arms
to March, 1943, and toDr.E. McLysaght, Chief Herald and Genealogi
cal Officer, for permission to compile this index ; to Dr. A. J. Otway
Ruthven and Mrs. V. E. Clarke for their help in correcting proofs ;
and also to the many genealogists known and unknown, whose
painstaking work in the past forms the basis of this index.
P. BERYL EUSTACE
March,
1948._
xThe following volumes are in the care of the Registrar: Carlow Monthly
Meeting, Book of Wills and Inventories, 1675-1740 ; Edenderry do., 1728-1763 ;
Mountmellick do., 1755-1795; Co. Wexford do., 1680-1760; Dublin do.,
2 vols. 1683-1772.
MSS. 552 (E. 3. 32), in Latin. See H. F. Berry: Register of Wills and
Inventories of the Diocese of Dublin 1457-1483 (Royal Society of Antiquaries
of Ireland, Extra Volume, 1898). In addition to the Latin text-a translation in
English is given in this book, while the Introduction contains useful information
about early Wills.
3
See also p. vii supra.
MSS. EXAMINED FOR WILL ABSTRACTS
ABBREVIATIONS
ABBREVIATIONS
Bateman, John, KiUeen, Co. Kerry, Esq. 1719. F.,F.A. and S.l.
Bates, Alexander, Dublin, merchant 1801. F.A.
Thomas 1805. F.A.
? or Bathe, WiUiam, [St. Patrick's Close],
Dublin, gent. Dated 1640. Dub.
Bateson, Thomas, Organist, of Blessed Trinity,
[Christ Church], Dublin Dated 1629. Dub.
Bath, Bartholomew, [Lawndeston] Dated 1577. Dub.
? Bartholomew, Lawdeston, gent. Dated 1578. Dub.
? Dorothy, KiUincarrig, Co. Wicklow,
widow 1729. Ir.
? Henry, BaUinegeragh, Co. Dublin, gent. 1617. Dub.
? Patrick, Smithfield, Dublin, chirurgeon 1688. Dub.
? Thomas, Church Street, maltster Admon. 1717. Ir.
? Walter, Rogerstown, par. Lusk, farmer
Dated 1598. Dub.
Bathe, Sir Peter, Athcarne, Co. Meath, Bart.
Dated 1685. Ir.
? Richard, Dublin, merchant Dated 1615. Dub.
Richard, Dublin Admon. 1720. Ir.
Bathurst, Henry, gent., Recorder of Cork and
Kinsale 1676. F.A.
? Joseph, Stoneybatter, gent. 1700. Dub.
Bawne, Thomas, [St. Katherine's], Dublin,
skinner Dated 1641. Dub.
Bayley, als. Banks, Elinor, Westpanstown,
Dublin Dated 1672. Dub. and W.
Dublin
? alias Bagaley, John, CorbaUy, Co. Kil
dare 1685. Dub.
? (Bayly), John, Castlemore, Esq. 1698. W. Cork
? John, Castlemore Dated 1716. F.
? (Bayly), John, Castlemore, Co. Cork 1724. W. Cork
? Roger, Dublin, coachman Dated 1676. Dub.
? John, Dublin, carpenter Dated 1699. Dub.
? John, Debsboro, Co. Tipperary 1733. S.l.P.
? Robert, Dublin, yeoman 1702. Dub.
Bayly, Jno., Cork, alderman Dated 1707. Sullivan MSS.
Bayneham, Joseph, Athy, Co. Kildare, maltster,
formerly of Worcestershire
Dated 1634. Dub.
Baynes, Edward, [Dublin], clerk Dated 1670. Dub.
Beachan, Edmund, Dublin, maltster 1667. Dub.
Beaden, Samuel, [St. Thomas' Court], Dublin 1704. Dub.
Beaghan, Edmund, Dublin, maltster Dated 1666. Dub.
? John, Dublin, maltster Dated 1650. Dub.
IN THE GENEALOGICAL OFFICE, DUBLIN 171
Sir Richard,
Bart. 1699. F.2.
Benet [Bennett], Walter, Dublin Dated 1650. Dub.
Benion, Richard, Rathfarnham Dated 1629. Dub.
Benn, Frances, Dublin, widow Dated 1703. Dub.
? WiUiam, Dublin, carpenter Dated 1675, Dub.
Bennett, Anne, Cork, spinster 1806. F.A.
Elizabeth, Cork, widow 1749/50. F.A.
? Elizabeth, Cork, widow of alderman
George B. 1768. F.A.
? Francis, Cork, gent. 1722. F.A.
Brownlow, als.
Chamberlain, Arthur, Brown
lowsderry, Co. Armagh, Esq. 1711. W. Armagh
? Jane, relict of Arthur B., of Lurgan,
Esq. 1721. W.P.
? William, Brownlowsderry, Co Ar
magh, Esq. 1739. W.P.
Brownlowe, als. Chamberlain, John, Nislerath,
Co. Louth 1716. W.P.
? Standish, Esq. 1716. W.P.
? Sir William, Brownlowsderry, Co.
Armagh, Knt. Dated 1660. W.P.
Brownly, Martin, Usher's Quay, Dublin 1803. C.D.B.
Brownrigg, Abraham, Rahenduff, Co. Wexford 1790. Swan. P.
? Henry John, Southampton, late of
L'Orient, France 1847. Swan. P.
? John, York St., Dublin, barrister
at-law 1797. Swan. P.
? Thomas, Lagan, Co. Wexford 1696. F.2.
Bruce, John, Shandon, Co. Cork 1631. F. Cork
? Jonathan, Dean of Kilfinora and R. of
Charleville, Co. Cork Dated 1757. F.2.
Brudnell, Francis, Ballyguile, Co. Limerick,
gent. 1772. FA.
Bruen, Elenor Catherine, York Street, Dublin,
spinster 1798. FA.
? Henry, Dublin, gent. Admon. 1700. F.A.
? Henry, Oak Park, Co. Carlow, Esq. 1796. F.A.
? Moses, Boyle 1757. F.A.
Brunfield or Brounfield, Adam, Dublin, turner 1674. Dub.
Bruninge, Robert, Co. Meath, elk. Dated 1655. Dub.
Brunker, Brabazon, Rockcorry, Co. Monaghan
Dated 1802. Swan. Clogher
? Catherine, Fairfield, Co. Monaghan 1812. Swan. Clogher
? Ralph, Dundalk, Co. Louth Dated 1705. Swan. Drogheda
? Ralph, Cootehill, Co. Cavan 1799. Swan. P.
? Thomas, Dunleer, Co. Louth 1724. Swan. Drogheda
? Thomas, Carlingford 1754. Swan. Drogheda
? Thomas, Belgreen, Co. Cavan 1808. Swan. P.
Brunton, Anne, Dublin, widow 1706. Dub. and W.
Dublin
? Anthony, Thomas Court, Dublin 1690. Dub. and W.
Dublin
? Anthony, Dublin, merchant 1741. Swan. P.
? William, Cabra Lane, Co. Dublin,
yeoman 1707. Dub. and W.
Dublin
190 INDEX OF WILL ABSTRACTS
? Thomas, Rathdown,
[Co. Wicklow,
innkeeper] Dated 1692. Dub.
Burt, John, Castle Street, Dublin, tailor 1689. W.P.
Burton, Rev. Edmund, Dean of KiUala,
Tuam 1817. B.
? Giles, Roper's Rest, Co. Dublin,
skinner 1704. Dub.
? John, victuaUer Dated 1678. Dub.
Bury, John,Shannon Grove, Co. Limerick 1722. B. and F.A.
? John, Dublin, Spanish leather dresser 1664. Dub.
Bushop, Margery, Ludlow, Salop, widow 1682. Dub.
BusseU, Briscoe, Cork Dated 1669. F.
Busteed, Thomas, Jordanstown, Co. Cork 1677. F.
Butler, Amy, Dublin, widow [1565]. Dub.
? Edmond, Kilkenny, Esq. 1785. F.D.
? Edmund, KiUinscar, Co. Kilkenny, gent.
Dated 1635. Dub.
194 INDEX OF WILL ABSTRACTS
M
James, Wexford 1664. W. Ferns
? John, Dublin, gent. 1651. F.2.
? Robert, vicar of Strabannon, Co.
? Frances Arabella,
Bingfield, Co. Cavan,
widow Admon. 1806. Ir.
? Joseph, Bishop of Kilmore 1757. Ir.
? Joseph, Archdeacon of Kilmore 1768. Ir.
Stott, Anne, Hillsboro', Co. Down 1680. S.2. Down
? James, Lisbane, Ballynahill, Co. Down 1839. S.2. Down
? Jonas, Hillsborough, Co. Down 1758. S.2. Down
? Mary Anne, Dromore, Co. Down 1835. S.2. Dromore
? Samuel, Fairview Ave., Co. Dublin 1845. S.2. Dublin
? Thomas, Dromore, Co. Down 1829. S.2. P.
? William, Hillsboro', Co. Down 1821. S.2. Down
? WiUiam, Ashfield, Belfast 1826. S.2. P.
StoweU, William, Dublin, alderman Dated 1700. F.2.
Stoyte, Sir Francis, Dublin 1707. F.
Stratford, Benjamin, Corbally, King's Co. 1771. S.l.P.
99 Lady Hannah, Dublin 1801. C.D.B.
IN THE GENEALOGICAL OFFICE, DUBLIN 329
W.P.