O'Hara (No.4) family genealogy
Of Crebilly, County Antrim
Armorial Bearings: Same as those of "O'Hara," of O'Hara Brook, co. Antrim; namely—Arms: Vert on a pale radiant or., a lion ramp. sa. Crest: A demi lion ramp. pean, holding betw. his paws a chaplet of oak leaves vert, acorned ppr.
RORY-BALLACH of Dundromart, co. Antrim, Esq., who is No. 119 on the "O'Hara" No. 3 (of the Route) pedigree had:
120. John (or Shane) O'Hara.
121. Cathall [1] (Cahall or Charles) O'Hara (d. 1639), of the Route and of "Craigbilly" (or Crebilly), co. Antrim: son of John. This Cathal m. Margaret, dau. of "Dool Oge" MacDuffy, co. Antrim, and had two sons and five daughters. One of the daughters, Grace, m. Arthur O'Neill of Shane's Castle; another daughter, Sheela, m. Phelim Dubh O'Neill: both of these two husbands were brothers of Sir Henry O'Neill, and sons of Shane, son of Brian O'Neill. The two sons were—1. Cormack, 2. Sorley.
I. Cormac, of whom presently.
II. Sorley (or "Surrell"), who m. Mary, dau. of John, son of Brian O'Neill (? sister of his brothers-in-law), and had three sons:—1. Owen, 2. Hugh, 3. Ceallach, of whom hereafter.
122. Cormack: elder son of Cathal; m. Margaret, dau. of Thomas Walsh of Curnemony (? Carnmony), and had:
123. Teige, who was living in 1689. This Teige m. and had four sons:
I. John, who m. Miss Rowe, and d.s.p.; left estates to the Rowes, who sold their claim to Oliver and Henry O'Hara, on behalf of their nephew Henry, son of their second brother Charles.
II. Charles: second son of Teige; of whom presently.
III. Oliver, who d. s. p., left personal estate to his nephew Bernard O'Neill of Leminary, who was ultimately sold out.
IV. Henry, of Claggin, who m. Margaret Jameison, and had two sons, 1. Henry, 2. Oliver:
I. Henry: the elder son of Henry of Claggin; m., first, Charity Chichester; and, secondly, Anne Magennis, and had two sons—1. Alexander, 2. Henry:
I. Alexander m. Emma Jones, and had Henry:
I. Henry m. Letitia Jones, and had Henry-Jones O'Hara:
I. Henry-Jones O'Hara, d. s. p. at Torquay. His remains were removed to the family vault in the graveyard of Kells Abbey, co. Antrim; where a monument [3] was in 1854 erected to his memory. This branch is now extinct.
II. Henry: second son of Henry: no issue recorded.
II. Oliver: second son of Henry, of Claggin; married Honoria McManus, and had—1. Hester, 2. John, 3. Henry, 4. Rawdon:
I. Hester, the last of her branch, died in advanced age, after 1854; it was this Hester who erected the monument above mentioned (see Note "Monument," infra.)
II. John, a lieutenant in the 68th regiment of the line, d. s. p. in the West Indies.
III. Henry, an adjutant in the East India Co.'s Service, d. s. p. in the East Indies.
IV. Rawdon: the fourth child of Oliver; also an adjutant in the East India Co.'s Service, fell at Kolwaga. This branch of the family is also extinct.
124. Charles: second son of Teige, m. and had:
125. Henry: whom. Mrs. Hamilton (widow of —— Hamilton, of Portglenone), daughter of Right Rev. Dr. Hutchinson, Bishop of Down and Connor. That lady had by her first marriage a son, Charles Hamilton; to Henry O'Hara she bore Henry-Hutchinson O'Hara, who is No. 126 on this pedigree.
126. Henry-Hutchinson O'Hara: son of Henry; succeeded his father circa, 1745, and d. s. p.; leaving by his Will (dated A.D. 1759) the Crebilly and other estates to Charles Hamilton's son, John Hamilton (i.e. son of Charles Hamilton of Portglenone), thus passing by the O'Haras of Claggin, the descendants of his (Henry-Hutchinson O'Hara's) grand-uncle Henry, and the other collateral branches, even leaving the remainder to O'Hara, of O'Hara-Brook, whose family name was Tate (see O'Laverty's Down and Connor, Vol. III., p. 427). Said John Hamilton (b. circa 1755 or 1757) then added "O'Hara" to his name. He m. a young French Catholic lady, Madeleine Collet. The marriage ceremony was performed by the Rev. Hugh O'Devlin, P.P., of Ballymena, in the year 1787; but as under the Penal Laws this marriage was illegal—"O'Hara" being a Protestant—they were re-married in Dumfries, Scotland, according to Scotch law. The issue by this marriage was two sons who died without issue. John Hamilton "O'Hara" repudiated this wife, and, in A.D. 1791, married Miss Jackson, dau. of Eight Hon. R. Jackson, niece of Lord O'Neill, and sister-in-law of the Right Rev. Dr. Alexander, Protestant Bishop of Down and Connor. This second wife of John Hamilton "O'Hara," d. in 1802 without issue. In 1819, said Hamilton "O'Hara" m. Miss Duffin, dau. of Mr. Duffin, one of his tenants; she bore him two children—l. Henry-Hutchinson-Hamilton "O'Hara," 2. Mary-Hamilton "O'Hara."
John-Hamilton "O'Hara" d. in 1822. After his death, his eldest son by the first wife—his only wife in fact—sought, on the strength of the Scotch marriage, to eject by law the son by the last marriage. The case was tried in Carrickfergus on the 26th July, 1825. He was not successful: the representative of Henry Hutchinson Hamilton "O'Hara" obtained the verdict, and he came into possession, when, in 1840, or thereabouts, he became of age; he d. s. p., and his sister (Mrs. Genl. Wardlaw), was in 1885 in possession of Crebilly Manor and Estates.
Commencing with Sorley (or "Surrell"), the second son of Cathal O'Hara, who is No. 121 on this family genealogy, the following is the pedigree:
122. Sorley: second son of Cathal, m. Mary, dau. of John, son of Brian O'Neill, and had three sons—1. Owen, 2. Hugh, 3. Ceallach.
123. Owen m. and had Teige.
124. Teige m. and had Brian.
125. Brian m. and had Brian (or Bernard).
126. Bernard, b. circa 1765. In consequence of the troublous times connected with the Irish Insurrection of 1798, with which he was accused of being identified, this Bernard retired to Scotland; he afterwards returned to Ireland, and settled at Saintfield, co. Down, where he d. in 1845; he is buried at Kilcairn, near Saintfield. He was twice m.; no issue by the second marriage. His children by the first marriage were—1. Patrick, 2. John, 3. Mary, 4. Bridget:
I. Patrick (b. 1793), of whom presently.
II. John.
III. Mary, who m. Mr. Hamilton.
IV. Bridget, who married Mr. MacMullen.
127. Patrick O'Hara (b. 1793): son of Bernard; was twice m., first, to Margaret McGenniss, and had:—1. Mary, living in 1885; 2. Margaret, d. 20th July, 1830; 3. Another Margaret, who died in infancy, 12th August, 1830; 4. Catherine, died 20th Oct., 1831; 5. Patrick, died 14th July, 1831; 6. Bernard, d. 13th Sept., 1832; 7. John, died 30th Aug., 1838; 8. Helen, b. at Paisley, Scotland, in 1836, d. at Montreal, Canada, in 1852. Patrick O'Hara, m., secondly, at St. Merrin's Church, Paisley, Scotland, by Rev. John Carolan, to Mary McGee, daughter of Richard McGee and Margary McBride, his wife (both of the co. Donegal), and had:
I. Catherine, d. in infancy.
II. Patrick, b. 1846, d. 1847.
III. William-Jerrold, of whom presently.
IV. Jane, b. 1850, d. 1854.
V. John-Paul, b. 29th June, 1852, living in 1885; m. Mary Wall, and had:—1. Florence-Mary-May, d.; 2. Catherine, 3. Annie, 4. Helen-Agnes; 5. John-Paul, d. 1884.
128. William-Jerrold O'Hara, of Montreal, Canada; son of Patrick; b. 14th April, 1848, at Montreal, and living in 1887; m., 2nd Oct., 1877, Annie-Elizabeth, third daughter of Arthur McFaul, Esq., of Prescott, Ontario, Canada (formerly of the co. Antrim, Ireland), and had:
I. Grace-Eveleen-Annie-Marie, living in 1885.
This William-Jerrold O'Hara is the present representative of the ancient family of O'Hara of the Route and Craigbilly, co. Antrim.
Notes
[1] Cathal: During the reigns of the Stewart Kings of England, there were frequent investigations into property tenures. These investigations are termed Inquisitiones. The originals of these are preserved in the Record Office, Dublin. A calendar of such as referred to Ulster was published by the Record Commissioners; the publication was called Inquisitiones Ultoniae. One of these Inquisitions taken in Carrickfergus, on the 15th August, 1640, of which the following is a translation from the original Latin, finds that:
"Cahall O'Hara was seized in fee of the manor, castle, town, and land of Crebilly, Gannanaghmagherky, Ballykeele, Tannagoe, Ballynemarlagh, Ballynelessan, Ballycrankill, Ballytullagh. Ballydonevaddin, Ballydirban, Crossneslerny, Grannagh, Slate, Tullaghgarley, Ballyoffey, Ballygregagh, Bally . . . Kildoney, and a water mill, Aghecleach, Semnenerne, Grenagh, Killgad, Tawnaghbrack, parcels of the manor of Crebilly, and two fairs at the town of Crebilly foresaid.—
"In Ballymicknilly 120 acres, Ballynegathel 120 acres, Moyawer 60 acres . . . 60 acres, Clontefenan 60 acres, Ballyviely 60 acres, in Loghgile otherwise Tullelosse and Dromheilen 30 acres, and Leganlie and Corkee 30 acres, all which last mentioned premises lie in the Tuagh (district) of Loghgyle within the barony of Dunluce. Being so seized, said Cahall, on the 20th of October, in the 8th year of the present reign by his deed granted the premises to Arthur . . . Gilladuffe O'Cahan, of Donesevericke (Dunseverick), John Oge Stewart, of Glenarm, and James McGorry McHenry, of Lochan, and their heirs, for a certain use mentioned in said deed. Foresaid Cahall O'Hara by another deed bearing date 11th August, 1638, demised to Cahall O'Hara, of Slate, his executors and assigns the office of Seneschal of Court Leet and Court Baron of foresaid manor, along with the rents of a fair and market, for the term of 99 years, as by deed appears, the tenor of which follows in the original.
"Charles the present King, by his letters patent bearing date 1st of December, in the 9th year of his reign, granted to foresaid Cahall to alienate the premises mentioned in the original.
"Foresaid Cahall by his deed dated 27th August, 1623, to Donal Boy O'Hara, of Loghgyle, his executors and assigns, one-half of the townland called by the name of Quarter .... &c., for a term of 41 years, as by the said deed, the tenor of which follows in the original appears.
"Foresaid Cahall O'Hara, by another deed, dated 3rd February, 1831, demised to Patrick McDonogh Boy O'Hara, his executors and assigns, parcels of the foresaid as by his deed the tenor of which follows in the original appears.
"Foresaid Cahall O'Hara, by his deed bearing date 14th April, 1638, granted to Teige O'Hara, his executors and assigns, the said townlands of Ballytullygarley, Ballycrankill, Ballynelessane, Ballylissecossane, Ballytulleghenesane. Ballecarnenck . . . . . . Ballybregagh, and . . . . , as by his deed, the tenor of which follows in the original, appears.
"Foresaid Cahall O'Hara died on the 22nd of March, 1639, Teige O'Hara is his great-grandson and heir, and foresaid Teige then was of full age and married. Foresaid are held of the King by Knights' service."
In reference to this Inquisition the reader will observe that the spelling of the townlands is very quaint, having been written by English law clerks, who did not know how to spell the Irish words. The mark .... indicates where in the original Inquisition the word or words are illegible. The first set of townlands mentioned are in the Crebilly manor, and most of the present names which those townlands bear occur in Laverty's, Vol. III., of Down and Conor.
The second set of townlands are in the manor of Loughguile which was sold under the provisions of an Act of Parliament early in last century to a Mr. McCartney, ancestor of Lord McCartney, who was ambassador to China. The modern names of the townlands in the Loughguile estate are Ballynagashel, Ballyveeley, Clontyfinnan, Moyaver, Corkey, Loughguile, Ballybradden and Tully.
Acres in the Inquisition is most misleading, as it is only a sort of approximation of extent; frequently what is entered in an Inquisition as 30 acres, will really be 200 acres.
"Carrickfergus, 15th August, 1640, Teige O'Hara, of Crebilly, was seized in fee of he townland of Clontyfenane, the half townland of Balleville, Ballauraddan, otherwise Renlec, and Tullymaccavill, in the barony of Dunluce, containing 60 messuages, 60 tofts, 60 gardens, 600 acres of arable land, 600 acres of pasture, 120 acres of meadow, 300 acres of moor, 300 acres of marsh, and 300 acres of underwood. So being seized raised a fine in the 15th year of the present reign, to Cahall O'Hara, of Slatte, and Tyrell O'Hara, of Townebrack (Tawnabrack), and their heirs in perpetuity. Foresaid are held of the King by Knights' service."
This Inquisition refers to the Loughguile estate, and refers evidently to a trust deed.
[2] Monument: The following is a copy of an inscription on a monument in the graveyard of Kells Abbey, co. Antrim:—
"This monument is erected in the year of our Lord 1854, by Hester O'Hara, daughter of Oliver O'Hara, and his wife. Honoria McManus, the only lineal survivor of the ancient family of O'Hara, of the Route and Crebilly. Her ancestors have been interred in this vault for several generations; and previously at Loughguile, near where the ancient residence stood. Among these ancestors have been her grandfather, Henry O'Hara, of Claggin, youngest son of Teige O'Hara, of the Route and Crebilly, and heir presumptive of his nephew, Henry Hutchinson O'Hara, of Crebilly. Her grandmother, Margaret Jameison; their son, Henry O'Hara, his first wife, Charity Chichester, and his widow, Ann Magennis, their son, Oliver O'Hara, his widow, Honoria McManus, also Mary O'Hara, alias O'Neill, widow of their grandson, Henry O'Hara, buried in Wexford, their grandson, Alexander O'Hara, and his wife, Emma Jones, their great-grandson, Henry O'Hara, and his widow, Letitia Jones, and Henry Jones O'Hara, son of said Henry and Letitia, who died at Torquay, and whose remains were removed hither for interment.
"John, Henry, and Rawdon O'Hara were grandsons of Henry O'Hara, of Claggin, and brothers to Hester O'Hara, who erected this monument. The first of them a lieutenant in the 68th regiment of the line, died in the West Indies; the second, adjutant in the East India service, died in the East Indies; the third an adjutant in the same service fell at Kolwaga. Marcus, great-grandson of the same Henry, fell at the storming of St. Sebastian.
"Verily, verily, I say, &c. .... John, v. 25."
This inscription is a curiosity of literary composition; it seems to have been written by Hester O'Hara when she had arrived at senility.