The Hogan Family

(Crest No. 236. Plate 9.)

THE Hogans trace their descent from Milesius, King of Spain, through the line of Heber, third son of that monarch. They belong to the Dal Cais tribe, in which the blood of both Heber and Heremon is united. The founder of the family was Cormac Cas, son of Olliol Ollum, King of Munster, A. D. 177.

The ancient name was Oghdha, and signifies “Sincere.” The O’Hogans were Chiefs of Crioch Kian, about Lower Ormond, in the vicinity of Ballyhogan, in the present County of Tipperary. The family was seated at Ardcrony, about four miles to the north of Nenagh, in that county. A considerable portion of O’Hogan’s Castle is still to be seen at Ardcrony. The name was also known in Clare and other contiguous counties.

The O’Hogans espoused the cause of King James the Second during the Revolution in Ireland, and supplied many brave officers to the Jacobite forces. Many of the name were among the officers of the Regiments of Dorrington, Mountcashel, Bagnall, Grace, and Clare’s Dragoons. But the most remarkable, if not the greatest, military representative of the O’Hogan sept was the famous Captain of guerrillas, or rapparees, known as “The Galloping O’Hogan.”

In the war between Spain and Portugal, in 1712, Major-General Hogan, a member of this old Tipperary sept, covered himself with glory, and by his resolute resistance compelled the Spaniards to bring the war to a close. The Marquis de Bay, with twenty thousand men, having laid siege to Campo Mayor, in Portugal, it was successfully defended by Major-General Hogan with about a thousand Portuguese. Although the place was in anything but a condition of defense, Hogan, through his skill and gallantry, compelled the enemy to raise the siege, after suffering a loss of three thousand men. Hogan’s loss in killed and wounded was less than four hundred.

John Hogan, the celebrated sculptor, was born in Waterford, but was brought up and educated in Cork. From 1824 to 1848 he resided in Rome, and was the first Irishman who was ever honored by election as a member of the Society of the Virtuosi of the Pantheon. His works evince genius of the highest order. Thorwaldsen, on seeing “The Drunken Fawn,” one of Hogan’s earlier works, exclaimed: “Ah! you are a real sculptor; you have accomplished a miracle.” His statues of O’Connell, Bishop Doyle, and Drummond are among the finest productions of the sculptor’s art.

This name is to-day very numerous in Ireland, in the United States, and the British Colonies. An Irishman of this name, with two of his countrymen, Butler and McLellan, was among the first pioneers of Kentucky, and one of the first white men who penetrated and explored the country beyond the Ohio.

In North Carolina General James Hogan, one of the most active men in that State in the Revolutionary cause, entered the service in 1776 as paymaster, was the same month made Major, and in 1799 was appointed Brigadier-General. He rendered good service, though from the nature of the operations required his duties were often more onerous than brilliant.