Genealogical Notes on James Byrne, Cromwellian Soldier, and His Descendants

 By Paul J. Burns, Tallahassee, Florida

 Some years ago, I became interested in a Cromwellian officer named James Byrne who received extensive land grants in County Sligo during the second half of the seventeenth century.  I was (and still am) searching for a link between this family and my own ancestors surnamed Burns who, in 1847, migrated from Easky, in the barony of Tireragh, to the United States.  Today, little is remembered of the Byrne family of north Sligo, but surviving records show that it was prominent in that area from the 1650s until the family name disappeared in 1794.  The following notes will outline for other researchers what I have discovered in my readings.

 James Byrne, Cromwellian Officer

In 1653, the Horse Regiment of Colonel Richard Coote (later Baron Collooney) was disbanded in County Sligo where it had fought and been stationed as part of the Cromwellian Army.  The quartermaster of Major John King's (later Lord Kingston) troop was E. J. Byrne.^[1]  In 1659, land seized from supporters of the losing side in the Confederate War was distributed to the discharged soldiers in lieu of back pay due them.  The index to a now missing document shows that an English army officer named James Birne previously had received another land grant as a "49er," a member of the English army who served in Ireland prior to 1649.  This probably was the same person.  There is some evidence that this grant was in Aghamore, barony of Carbury.^[2]

In 1660 and again in 1661, "Iames Beirn, gentleman," was appointed a commissioner for the collection of poll-money taxes in County Sligo.  The commissioners residences were not listed, but many were former officers in Lord Collooney's regiment.^[3]

In 1662, the Hearth Money Poll listed a James Birne as having a house with three hearths in Creevymore, Ahamlish parish, barony of Carbury, Co. Sligo.  The poll also listed a James Brine as having a one-hearth home in Carrownacloghery, Castleconnor parish, barony of Tireragh, in the same county.^[4]  A later examination of the original document showed that "Brine" really was "Birne," and a 1654 Down survey map identified the ancient Carrownacloghery as the modern Ballymoghany townland in Castleconnor parish.^[5]

In 1667, a certificate confirming land grants showed that one James Byrne (in another place spelled Birne), who served under Lord Collooney, possessed 1214 acres in the barony of Tireragh.^[6]

In 1678, Henry Crofton of Moyhill, Henry Crofton of Longford House, and widow Rose O'Hara brought an Exchequer Bill against Richard Lord Coote, Baron of Collooney; Sir Francis Gore; James Birne; and others.^[7]

In 1684, a prerogative will was filed and probated for Jas. Birne of Crevagh, Co. Sligo.^[8]

Later land deeds mentioned that the original James Byrne lived at Mullaghmore in Ahamlish parish.  A Down survey map showed an ancient townland named Crevagh adjoining Creevymore and Mullaghmore, so it appears certain that the various James Birne/Byrne of these three townlands were one and the same.

Histories show that lands distributed to 49ers in Co. Sligo were located in the barony of Carbury.  Since we know that James Byrne received 1214 acres in Tireragh, it seems probable that both the James Birnes named in the 1662 Hearth Money Poll were identical, that James had a one-hearth house in Ballymoghany, but he preferred to live in his larger house in the more civilized barony of Carbury.  The prerogative will for Jas.  Birne of Crevagh is missing, so we do not know what happened to his Tireragh lands.  There is no information on his marriage, nor children other than that his heir also was named James.

There is no hard information on the origins of Quartermaster James Byrne.  That particular spelling implies that he was from the east coast of Ireland, but his troop leader Major John King came from Roscommon where there were many people with surname Beirne.  The first mention of James as "E. J. Byrne" also implies that he may have been Irish.  Middle names were uncommon in those days, and the "E" may have stood for Ensignman, a designation for an Irish officer who served abroad "under the King's ensign." ^[9]

 Second Generation - James Byrne Jr.

I have almost no information on the next generation.  In fact, the only mention of James Jr. was in a 1710 deed concerning a land sale by the third generation Bryan Byrne, which identified Bryan as "the heir of James Birne of Mullaghmore and grandson of James Byrne of the same" (Note changes in surname spelling in the same document).  A century later, Sir William Betham, Ulster King of Arms, listed James Byrne as the second generation of this family, but I suspect his source also was the 1710 deed.  There is no information on James's marriage or on his siblings, if any.^[10]

 Third Generation - Bryan and James Byrne III

In 1823, Patrick Bratt of Sligo, a correspondent of Sir William Betham, interviewed for Betham an elderly man whose father had been servant to Bryan Byrne.  The father had told him that Bryan had a brother named James who had two sons, and they all "left this country" many years ago.^[11]  Betham interpreted "this country" to mean Sligo.  The James who left presumably was the younger son, and  Bryna, who inherited the family lands, presumably was the elder.  Nothing further is known of the James who left, but a descendant will be heard from later in this paper.

Bryan is first mentioned in documents in a 1710 deed which says that Bryan Byrne of Creggs, Co. Sligo, gentleman, heir of James Birne of Mullaghmore and grandson of James Byrne of the same, sold land in the barony of Leyny to John Irwin.  According to another 1710 deed, Piercy Griffith of Ballincarr sold lands in Carbury to Bryan Birne.^[12]  In 1720, Bryan Byrne of Cregg leased Chaffpoole in Leyny to Edmond Soden of Grange.^[13]  In 1736, Bryan Birne of Creggs and his eldest son William deeded Congall and Chaffpoole to Peter Smith in payment of (or guarantee for?) a debt.^[14]  Bryan again appears in 1736 when he made a marriage settlement on his daughter Dorcus, who in 1734 had married Dudley Colles of Collesford, Co. Sligo.^[15]  My last mention of Bryan was in a 1739 deed conveying the lands of  Bryan's late wife to their son Philip, thus showing that William, the elder son, had died.^[16]

Bryan married Barbara, the daughter of William Griffith of Ballincarr, Co. Sligo, and their three known children were William, Philip, and Dorcus.  Bryan must have died during the 1740s, because by 1749 Philip was the master of Creggs.

 Fourth Generation - William, Philip, and Dorcus

William was the eldest son of Bryan and heir to the family estates.  His name first appeared in 1722 in a document concerning a law suit, which indicates he was then of age.^[17]  In 1736, Bryan and William deeded land to Peter Smith.  The son of an old family servant questioned a century later said William joined the army over his father's objections, was a captain of dragoons, and died seven years later in or on route to the East Indies.  His death occurred after the 1736 deed to Peter Smith and prior to 1739, when Bryan deeded his late wife's lands to Philip, and since he was in the army about seven years, he probably joined circa 1730.^[18]  William died without issue, never having married.^[19]

Upon William's death, Philip became heir.  As previously stated, Bryan deeded over to him the lands that had belonged to his mother, Barbara Griffith Byrne, which were Muckilta, Gortaslin, Corrane, Clondiffin, and Castlegarran, in the baronies of Leyny and Carbury. 

A 1749 census of the diocese of Elphin said Philip Birne (also spelled Birn) living at "Cregge", was unmarried, Protestant, and had no children.  Philip lived with four male and four female servants, all of whom were "Papists."^[20]  Philip may have been legally single, but he did have children.  Bratt's elderly servant said Philip had two illegitimate daughters by his first cousin, a Miss Pearse, before he married.^[21]

Philip's first wife was Margaret, the daughter of Edmond Soden of Grange.  Margaret's older sister Catherine was married to Peter Smith, which probably had something to do with the 1736 land deal between Smith and the Byrnes.^[22]  The marriage occurred after the 1749 Elphin census and before 1760 when Philip and Margaret sued to recover Mulkane, Co. Leitrim.^[23]  Margaret must have died before 1766, when Philip married Jane Wynne Soden, the daughter of Colonel John Wynne of Hazelwood and widow of James Soden of Grange.  Betham's notes on the marriage mention the townlands of Chaffpoole and Congall in Leyny, and the townland of Mulcane (probably Mulcaun near Glencar) in Co. Leitrim, but this does not seem to have been a dowry.^[24] Bryan appears to have owned Chaffpoole in 1720, and in 1784 there was a conveyance of Chaffpoole from Philip to George Dodwell,  the son of his sister Dorcus. ^[25]

Philip was politically active.  In 1754, he was high sheriff of Co. Sligo.  In 1784, he was elected provost.  In 1762, he became a burgess of the borough of Sligo and held the post until his death.^[26]  In 1778, Philip Burne committed 5p 13s 9d in support of a reward being offered by Owen Wynne for persons responsible for election irregularities.^[27]

Philip appears to have resided at Creggs most of his life, but about 1785 he moved to Sligo town.  In 1790, Philip gave his wife Jane control of his property in Sligo and Leitrim in exchange for an annuity of 740 pounds "being by reason of old age & bodily infirmity unable to attend to the management of his affairs."  The lands listed were Chaffpoole, Creggs, Creevymore, Knockanegud (Silverhill), the mills of Baronadirg (Barnaderg) and Bunduff, Cloontyprickle (Cloontyprocklis), Blackpark, houses in Sligo town, Mulcane, and a third-part of Drumford on (or and) Dernish Island.^[28]

Much of the information about Philip comes from his will, which was probated in 1794.  Much of his estate was to be held in trust by Owen Wynne for Philip's wife Jane.  Chaffpoole eventually was to go to nephew George Dodwell, the son of Philip's sister Dorcus; and other lands to nephew William O'Birne or his heirs.  Nephew Philip Ormsby received land, and Philip's nieces Elizabeth and Catherine Dodwell were remembered.  These and other names mentioned in the will provide information on the interrelationships between some of Sligo's prominent families.^[29]

Philip had no legitimate issue by either first wife Margaret Soden or second wife Jane Wynne Soden (who had two daughters by her previous marriage to James Soden), and so the Byrne name in this branch of the family died with him.  The family estate was distributed among other surnames.

Philip's burial place is not known, but he may lie with Jane in  St. Johns Church of Ireland in Sligo town where her tombstone reads, "To the memory of M Jane Burne late of Auburne Cottage daughter of Collonel John Wynn late of this county November 1811 aged 72 years.  If thou didst know her as I did thou art well aware that this small space cannot tell thee half her virtues if thou didst not know her do make inquiry and tred the steps she hath trodden it will lead thee into heaven."^[30] The Ordnance Map shows an Auburn House on the N15 just north of Sligo town.

The son of Philip's servant, interviewed by Bratt in 1823 said that Philip had

sisters, but only Dorcus is known.  Perhaps the mothers of William O'Beirne or Philip Ormsby, named as nephews in Philip's will, were his sisters.  Dorcus first married Dudley Colles of Collesford, Co. Sligo.  A 1733 tripartite marriage agreement that resulted from this marriage mentioned the lands of Collesford, Maghrymore, and Castlegall in Co. Sligo; and Ballybranon, Ballybritas, Tumfarny, Carrickginnance, and Rathnoon in Co. Wexford.^[31]  Dorcus's second marriage was to Edward Dodwell of Chaffpoole.  They had two sons and two daughters.  Son George is mentioned in Philip's will as the eventual recipient of his interests in Chaffpoole, and the two daughters--Elizabeth and Catherine--also are mentioned.

William O'Birne, identified as a nephew in Philip's will, probably was the William Beirne of Drumcliffe who in 1762 married the daughter of James Irwin of Streamstown, and the William O'Beirne whose tombstone in Drumcliffe cemetery says died in 1797 at age 69.^[32]

 The "Lost" Branch

In 1823, Sir William Betham, Chief Herald of Ulster (actually based in Dublin), received several letters from Francis Henry Byrne, a British army officer then stationed with the Rifle Brigade in Kinsale, Co. Cork.  Francis Henry was seeking information about the family of his father, Philip Henry Byrne,  whose widow knew little about his antecedents other than that Philip Henry's family supposedly was from Co. Wicklow.  Sir William wrote to Francis Henry that he was sure his ancestors were the Wicklow Byrnes, and he sent an inquiry to a friend in Baltinglass asking for confirmation.  

Sir William spent much time tracing Francis Henry's relationships and subsequently informed him that he was not related to the Wicklow Byrnes but to the Sligo family descendant from James Byrne of Mullaghmore.  James's son, also named James, had two sons--Bryan the heir, and his brother James (the third of this name) who "left Co. Sligo."  According to Betham's sketch pedigree, James (the third) had two sons, Philip and James (the fourth--about whom nothing further is known). The fourth generation Philip was Francis Henry's grandfather.  Francis's line, therefore, was James-James-James-Philip-Philip Henry-Francis Henry.  In his letters to Francis, Sir William said that Philip Byrne of Creggs was his father's uncle, but this was not correct.  Judging from Betham's own sketch pedigree, Philip of Creggs and Francis's grandfather Philip were first cousins.

Francis's letters showed that he previously had made inquiries about a possible link to the Byrne family of vintner fame in Bordeaux, France, that he had written to a Captain Soden who supposedly knew his father in the 45th Regiment in Halifax, and that he had written to an unidentified Wynne.  He informed Sir William that he had determined he was not related to the "champagne" Byrnes, and Wynne's reply was "unproductive."  Sir William later told Francis that the information Soden provided on Philip Henry was false and evidently given to throw them "upon a wrong scent."  He said that about 1820 a report was circulating in Sligo that some person was claiming the estates of Philip Byrne, which seemed to indicate that the title of the then possessors "was not of the best."

In 1823 Sir William sent Francis Henry a pedigree sketching his links to  James Byrne of Mullaghmore, but it apparently was never delivered, and the two temporarily lost contact when Francis Henry was transferred from Kinsale to Nova Scotia on very short notice.  In December 1825, Francis again wrote to Sir William to explain his long silence, and he said his return was due to a promotion to a captaincy in another company in the Rifle Brigade's 2nd Battalion.  Francis's return address was  "% F. Balfour, Ferney Cupar, Fife, Scotland."  Sir William's last known letter to Francis, sent to that address in early 1826, offered to again mail the pedigree if Francis had not received it when previously sent.^[33]

 According to Sir William's notes, in 1794 Philip Henry joined the Durham Fencible Cavalry as a captain, and he was a captain in the 25th Dragoons when he died in India in 1814.  Philip Henry was born in Ireland and was stationed there with his regiment in 1798 after an absence of 12 years. He married Frances, the daughter of Francis Balfour of Fernie, Fifeshire, Scotland.

  According to Church of Scotland records, Philip Henry married Frances Balfour February 12, 1797, in Monimail Parish, Fifeshire,^[34]which is where Fernie is located.  Philip's father-in-law, Francis Balfour of Fernie, was an M.D. and the nephew of Robert, 4th Lord Balfour of Burleigh.^[35] Francis owned extensive lands around Fernie--at least 1800 acres.^[36]  The "F. Balfour" whom Francis Henry used as  return address on his 1825 letter to Sir William presumably was his uncle Francis, the son and heir of Dr. Francis (who had died in 1818).

Philip Henry first appeared on the British Army List of 1803 as a lieutenant in the 29th Regiment of (Light) Dragoons with regimental date of rank 24 January 1801.^[37]  The 29th had been formed in 1795 for service in India, but in 1802 it became (or was merged with) the 25th Dragoons, and Philip apparently was transferred to it with the same rank of lieutenant, but with the later date of rank 17 February 1803.  The 1809 Army List showed Philip as a captain in the 25th with date of rank 4 February 1808.  The 1816 Army List noted that he died in India (but not of battle injuries or it would have been mentioned).  Fanny (Frances) Byrne, applied for a widow's pension 3 October 1815. The application noted that Philip died 24 May 1814 in Madras, India, and Fanny's address was given as Fernie, Fifeshire.^[38]

It is not clear where Sir William obtained the information that Philip was in Ireland with his regiment in 1798,^[39] because he does not appear on the Army List until 1803 (which showed he joined the 29th Dragoons in 1801). Nor, as yet, is there confirmation that he was in the Durham Fencibles in 1794.^[40]

Francis Henry first appeared on the 1817 Army List as an ensign in the 77th (East Middlesex) Regiment of Foot with regimental date of rank 23 May 1816.  A search of Monimail Parish records for his birth date was negative, so presumably his parents were residing elsewhere (Ireland?). The 1823 Army List showed that Francis had transferred to the Rifle Brigade as a first lieutenant with regimental date of rank 7 November 1822 and army rank 7 February 1822.  The 1826 Army List had him as captain in the Rifle Brigade with date of rank 10 September 1825. He last appears in the 1730 Army List as having resigned his commission "since last publication" (so he probably resigned in 1829).  Nothing further is known of him.^[41]

 Conclusion

I made this effort to trace the "Lost" Branch in the attempt to work backwards to find where in Ireland it went after leaving north Sligo, but it may not be the only "lost" branch.  Who visited Sligo in 1820 to dispute the will of Philip Byrne of Creggs?^[42]  Did someone move to Ballymoghany in Castleconnor parish, a townland that almost surely belonged to the first James Byrne of Mullaghmore?  I was unable to locate Philip Henry's army service record, which may show where in Ireland he was born, or where in England/Scotland he lived before his marriage in Scotland.  Records on the Durham Fencible Cavalry and on the 25th Dragoons (disbanded in 1819) are sparse, at least in this country.  If the records I seek still exist, they will be in Durham city and in London's Public Record Office.