67. John and Esther's Children, Eight to Ten

8.       Hugh2 O’Neill

Hugh (2^nd), born June 15, 1773

This Hugh O’Neill family is covered in Chapter 2.

9.       George O’Neill

George, born January 6, 1777

According to Jeff O’Neill of Australia, George was born on January 16 instead, but, in any case, “our” George would have a probable marriage range of 1795-1810.

            I found only one entry in “The O’Neill’s of Leinster,” which is the marriage of a George to Ann Bradley in 1799. Our George would have been 22 years old, which is a good match. The only other entries are in 1837 and 1840, which puts our George in the 60-63 age range. [Ann Hendry, 1837, and Elizabeth Shirley, 1840]

            The 1825 Tithe Applotment Books for Carlow show only one George O’Neill, who is in the Townland of Ballaghaderneen, Parish of Fennagh, along with the two Luke O’Neill’s. Probably two brothers farming close together. George has 35 acres. He would be about 48 years old.      

            In the CD index to the 1850 Griffith’s Valuation for County Carlow, two Georges are listed--one George at Clonacur in Dunleckny and again one George in Fennagh. The parish of Fennagh is divided into two parts, one close to Dunleckny and one much further north. The Griffith’s entry does not mention the town.

Both of these are close to the suspected O’Neill area, but the George here would have been about 73 years old. One possibility is that of a father and son.

10.     William O’Neill

William, born July 26, 1778

             The family Bible in Ohio says that William was born “a Wednesday, St. Amos Day, at five o’clock in the morning.”

            Jeff O’Neill in Australia says that William died 15 Apr 1843, but he did not say how he knows that. Jeff also said that William had a daughter Hannah, born in 1808, who married W. Miller. Hannah died on 23 May 1834.

            Hannah’s birth puts William’s marriage date at least 1807 or before. No other of his children are known, nor is his wife’s identity clearly known. On the Carlow Marriages microfilm, LDS# 0100171, appears the marriage of  “Wm. O’Neill of Garrahill and Hannah Handcock of St. Mary’s, spinster,” on June 13, 1803. In light of the daughter’s name, this is undoubtedly the right marriage.

            In his book, “Schools of Kildare and Leighlin,” Rev. Martin Brenan says that William O’Neill had three sons and three daughters. Brenan also says that William conducted a Garihil (sic) Sunday School for “Protestants of the Established Church.” William and his family were “New Lights,” a new term for me.

            The 1825 Tithe Applotment Book has two William’s listed, one in Carrigbeg along with a John O’Neill and a Morgan O’Neill, and one in Garryhill with a second Morgan O’Neill. The Garryhill William has the honorific “Esq.” following his name, indicating some type of elevated status. This may be the elder William, even though he has only 24 acres, versus the Carrigbeg William having 62 acres.The summary page of that book also lists William O’Neill, Esq., with a rental income of 300 pounds, a very high rate for the time. William may have been the family entrepreneur.     

In the CD index to the 1850 Griffith’s Valuation, I found three Williams in County Carlow: One William in Clonacur in Dunleckny, one William in Mt. Pleasant in Fennagh, and one William in Ballaghaderneen in Fennagh. The first two are closest to the O’Neill area. “Our” William would have been about 72 years old. At this stage all three could have been sons or nephews.