Chapter 11

We already know much about the children of Stephen the elder who were the grandchildren of Colonel Laurence (see 5.8 for a summary at 1740). This chapter contains more about the land and consolidates Stephen’s branch of the family. A simplified family tree is shown below; a fuller statement of 1762 of the whole family and their property follows in paragraph 11.4.

11.2 Lease – Castletownbellew 13th March 1761

Provided John, Lord Bellew, die without issue, then the Right Hon Frederick, Lord Viscount Boyne, will lease to Stephen Bomford of Rahinstown for £300, on the death of Lord Bellow the lands of:

1. Castletown, alias Castletownbellew Tateitragh, and the mill of Castletown, containing 205 plantation acres (332 statute) without the ‘bogg’, in the Barony of Dundalk at £114 a year.

2. Tateitragh at £93.6.10

(Book 207 Page 593 No 138483)

These lands have not been investigated, but they are most likely to be just outside Dundalk to the northwest. If Tateitragh were not the bog mentioned above, then it would contain about 270 statute acres calculated at the same rate as Castletown

11.2.1 Lease – Bellewstown, Red Mountain, Dunfierth and Mylerstown 18th July 1761

For £400 the Right Honourable Frederick, Lord Viscount Boyne, gave fee farm to Stephen Bomford of Rahinstown, because of the death of John, Lord Bellew, the town and lands of:

a.	Bellewstown in the Barony of Duleek	containing 982 plantation acres (1591 statute) at a rent of £380
b.	Red Mountain in the Barony of Duleek	containing 60 plantation acres (97 statute) at a rent of £15
c.	Dunfierth in the Barony of Carbery	containing 476 plantation acres (771 statute) at a rent of £184.10.0
d.	Mylerstown in the Baron of Carbery	containing 298 plantation acres (483 statute) at a rent of £145

(Book 208 Page 556 No 139786)

Bellewstown in 1654 contained 1184 plantation acres of which 300 were “Barren Mountayn”. “There being on the premises one castle, divers outhouses and Cabbines and a Tuck Mill”. In 1640 “Sir Christopher Bellew of Bellewstowne, Irish Papist,” was living there, one assumes in the castle. The land is one mile east of Duleek and south of the River Nanny.

Red Mountain takes its name from Redmountayne meaning a water-mill and the 1836 survey records “a very fine and very old water Mill” still in operation on the River Nanny. The place lies just south of the River Nanny and to the east of Bellewstown. In 1640 it was owned by Sir Christopher Bellew. It is a very small townland and this lease takes in all of it. Modern maps show another Red Mountain two miles north of Duleek in the parish of Donore: this one is in the wrong parish and has a much larger acreage. The 1836 survey records no Bomfords in either Bellewstown or Red Mountain so this lease must have been given up by then.

11.2.2 Lease - Lands in the Barony of Carbery 16th October 1761

For £150 Frederick, Lord Boyne gave fee farm to Stephen Bomford of Rahinstown, because of the death of Lord Bellew without any male heirs, the lands of Dunfierth (subject of the last lease) Killyan, Kilshanroe, Mulgeeth, Gurley Mill, Mucklin, Ballynemallagh, Kilmurry and Clonkeran, all totalling 2028 plantation acres (3285 statute) and all in the Barony of Carbery, Co Kildare, at a rent of £789.6.0. (Book 214 Page 100 No 140443)

Sir John Bellew was the 4th Baronet of Barmeath, Co Louth; when he died in 1750 the title finally went to his brother Patrick.

Frederick, 3rd Viscount Boyne, must have been the executor of the will of Sir John. His mother, Dorothea, was the only daughter of Richard, the first Lord Bellew. Lord Boyne died in 1772 without children and Frederick Hamilton of Dunfierth claimed the title, but the title went to Lord Boyne’s brother. Frederick Hamilton died in 1803 (probate) and his son, another Frederick of Dunfierth, appears in later documents of 1817 and 1821 (20.9).

11.2.3 Lease - Dunfierth, Mucklin & Mulgeeth 3rd November 1770

Lord Boyne leases to Stephen Bomford of Rahinstown part of Dunfierth, Mucklin and Mulgeeth in the Barony of Carbery, Co Kildare, at a rent of £404 yearly for three lives renewable for ever.

This lease was extracted from the list of documents of 15th May 1772, which were sent to Mr Sibthorpe and which concerned the mortgages of Thomas Bomford the elder, (6.10.6). It has nothing to do with Thomas’ mortgages and it was not registered in the Registry of Deeds.

11.2.4 The Lands of Dunfierth Parish

For a rent of £934 Stephen leased from Lord Bellew 3,768 statute acres in the Parish of Dunfierth, Co Kildare. Around 5/- (25p) an acre sounds a good bargain but over half the acreage is raised bog forming part of the northern end of the huge Bog of Allen.

The Civil Survey of 1654 states that the whole Parish is the property of “John Bermingham of Dunferth, Irish Papist”, and consisted of “Arable 500, Meadow 40, Pasture 800, Shrubby Wood 60, Red Bogg 2000. Totalling 3,400 Plantation acres” (5,440 statute). In 1840 the townland of Dunfierth contained 651 statute acres valued at £580.11.6 including Dunfierth House. In 1821 the place was sold by Frederick Hamilton whose family had been living in Dunfierth House since before 1710. It was bought by Sir Francis MacDonnell (20.9) who also lived there.

However although John Bermingham, ‘the Irish Papist’, of 1654 must have left, some of the Bermingham family (8.5.3) lived on at Mylerstown, also called “Moylerstown”. This townland of 640 plantation acres (1,024 statute) included Moylerstown Castle, which “is valued to be worth fourty pounds”: a sum, which indicates that it was habitable in 1654. Well into the next century the Bermingham family were still living at Mylerstown where there were three largish houses, the Castle, Mylerstown House and Bermingham House. In 1772 Walter Bermingham made his will in one of these houses.

Walter is a possible relation of Thomas Bermingham who between 1758 and 1766 married Lucy Bomford, youngest daughter of Edward Bomford of Hightown (10.4).

The parish is served by two roads; that from Enfield to Timahoe feeds Dunfierth, Killyan, Mulgeeth, Mucklin and Clonagh; and that from Enfield to Carbury feeds Mylerstown, Kilmurry, Kilshanroe, Ballynemallagh, Clonagh and Clonkeran. Moving clockwise from Dunfierth in the northeast to Mylerstown five miles away in the west, the remaining townlands are:

1. Clonagh is recorded only in the deed of 1811 (20.9.1). It appears to be detached; one parcel south of Dunfierth and the other west of Kilshanroe with three to four miles between the two.

2. Killyan, southwest of Dunfierth, 151 statute acres, is about 1/3rd bog.

3. Mucklin, south of Killyan and Clonagh is mostly bog, particularly that portion south of Clonagh. In 1853 it contained 739 statute acres valued at £347.5.4

4. Mulgeeth lies south of Mucklin. In 1838 Mulgeeth House was occupied by Mr E Ruthven, MP. Fifteen years later the townland consisted of 835 statute acres valued at £121.6.3 with Mulgeeth House valued at £20.

5. Ballynemallagh is northwest of Mulgeeth on the Enfield - Carbury road.

6. Kilmurry is mostly bog drained by the Fear English River. It contains Hermitage House and lies between Ballynemallagh and Dunfierth on both sides of the Enfield to Carbury road.

7. Clonkeran northwest of Ballynemallagh also straddles this road.

8. Kilshanroe (Kilshanchoe) is on the west side of the Enfield to Carbury road, northeast of Clonkeeran. Now it contains a school and a chapel.

9. Mylerstown lies west of Clonkeeran with the second portion of Clonagh to the north.

10. Two other places are mentioned, Gurley Mill and Doegery. The latter has not been located but Gurley Mill must be, as the 1654 Survey states, the “Mill of Gurtin on the streame wch runneth directly to the Blackwater”. This ‘streame’ is in Dunfierth townland and must be the delightfully named Fear English River.

11.3 Lease - Carlingford 19th March 1762

Ephraim Stannus of Carlingford, Co Louth re-leases to Stephen Bomford of Rahinstown the land for which Stephen Sibthorpe of Dunany, Co Louth, paid £2,500. The land of:

Monksland, Crosslany

The Mill of Grange

Stannus Hill of Lemonee

Part of Carlingford called North Common and the Mountain

Part of Carlingford called McLaughlin’s Commons

Part of Carlingford called the Rocks

Part of Carlingford called Mountain Park

containing 60 plantation acres (97 statute) for 31 years. (Book 216 Page 129 No 142069)

11.3.1 Lease – Carlingford 29th September 1775

Stephen Bomford of Rahinstown and Robert Sibthorpe of Newtown, Co Louth, lease to the Right Honourable James Fortescue of Ravensdale, the lands of:

Monksland, Cross...?? (Crosselsony?)

The Mill of Grange,

Stamun Hill and Lemonee,

Town of Carlingford, 50 plantation acres (81 statute).

Witnessed William Rogers of Grangegeeth, Co Meath (died 1799). (Book 315 Page 118 No 208944)

This last deed is very difficult to decipher and the lands have not been investigated but, in spite of the minor differences in the place names and acreage, it is thought that the two deeds concern the same places. They are all in the Parish of Carlingford, which gives its name to Carlingford Lough to the north. Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary records that in 1404 Carlingford was called Irish-Grange, and in 1838 he records that two of the major houses were “Grange, residence of T. Gernon” and “Monksland House of R de Vernon”. The two hills, Stannus or Stamun, and Lemonee have not been identified.

Stephen Sibthorpe of Dunany was Elizabeth’s father. In April 1745 Elizabeth married Stephen Bomford and it is thought that perhaps Sibthorpe bought the lease and handed it over to Stephen Bomford as part of Elizabeth’s dowry, but there is no mention of this in the marriage settlement. Alternatively, and more likely, the lands might have formed a trust set up for the children of Elizabeth and Stephen. The land is not mentioned again so the lease terminated in 1793, by which date all the children were of age, and Robert Sibthorpe of the second deed, Elizabeth’s brother, was one of the trustees for the children in the marriage settlement.

The Right Honourable James Fortescue, to whom Stephen Bomford leased the Carlingford lands in 1775, was a son of Lord Carlingford and died in 1782. His cousin Elizabeth, the youngest daughter of William Fortescue of Newrath, Co Louth, married John Foster of Dunleer in 1704 (8.2.1). Ravensdale, his house, predated the famous Ravensdale Park, a huge early Victorian mansion that was burnt down in the early 1920s.

11.3.2 The Stannus Family

The Stannus family, formerly named Stanehouse, of Carbolzie in Scotland, were the Head Landlords of the Carlingford estates granted to them on the plantation of Ulster by King James I.

William Stannus of Carlingford married a sister of Ephraim Dawson who bought Clonfad, Hightown etc (see 2.3), and died in 1717. They had a number of children amongst whom were:

1. James Stannus, 1686-1721, inherited the Carlingford estate which then passed to his brother

2. William Stannus, 1695-1732, who had one son:

a. Ephraim who married Margaret, daughter of Stephen Sibthorpe and sister to Elizabeth Bomford. They had one son:

i. Ephraim who married a sister of John Foster of Dunleer, and died without children. The Carlingford estates then passed to William’s fourth son.

4. Trevor, 1700 - 1771, married in 1728 Jane, daughter of Robert Sibthorpe who was probably an uncle of Elizabeth Bomford.

Ephraim Stannus of the 1762 deed witnessed the marriage settlement of Stephen and Elizabeth Sibthorpe, appears to be a relative of both the Sibthorpes and the Fosters, and so through marriage to Stephen Bomford (8.2). However it would seem that the two Ephraims above are recorded back to front in Burke; the younger one married a sister of John Foster, a woman two generations older than Margaret Sibthorpe, and Margaret married the older Ephraim, the younger one’s father; unfortunately no dates are recorded but surely the marriages should be reversed.

11.4 The Bomford Family 1762

All Colonel Laurence’s children (1.6) are now dead, so the ‘older generation’ consists of his grandchildren (5.8), and the ‘younger generation’ are his great-grandchildren.

Oliver’s Branch (7.1.1)

Thomas died in 1757 (7.18) but his wife Jane (Shinton) (3.4) lives on until 1785. Their children are covered in Chapters 13 and 14 (summary at 14.0):

William now aged about 30 married Charity (Ryder) in 1754 (7.17) and they are living at Cushenstown. Most of their six children will have been born by this date. However their second son, whose name is not known, died as a child and may be already dead. See Chapter 13 for more on William, his marriages and his children.

Thomas born 1739, is now 23 and not yet married. His apprenticeship in Dublin has a few years to run so he may not yet have come into Clounstown where, no doubt his mother is living with the younger girls.

John is also an apprentice in Dublin with his brother who is about the same age.

Anne is about 29 now. She married her cousin, Wilson Bomford, in 1759 (see below).

Elizabeth is about 27. It is doubtful if she ever marries and she dies sometime between 1764 and 1783, and drops out of the picture.

Frances married Robert Madden in 1753 and is living at Meadsbrook with her three young children. She dies sometime between 1761 and 1764 at the early age of about 25.

Emilia, Jane Christian and are not yet married and probably living at Clounstown with their mother.

Arthur of Rathfeigh now aged about 53 died before 1765 and is thought to be dead at this date. His wife Mary (Tarleton) (7.15) is living with her three young daughters. They had been living in Dublin since around 1753.

John is a trustee of his two apprentice nephews, Thomas and John (7.18.1), so he is alive but nothing more is known about him and he drops out of the picture.

Oliver is about 47 and farming Rathfeigh. It is thought that he never married.

Elinor (Mrs Cathcart) and Margaret (Mrs Echlin) have dropped out of the picture and maybe have died.

Andrew died sometime before 1743 and Laurence perhaps around 1755.

Laurence’s Branch (7.1.2)

Laurence, the eldest son of Laurence of Killeglan, died in August 1761 (Will 9th August, proved 29th August). His wife Jane (Smith) is alive. Killeglan has been given up and in 1754 they were living at Dunsink, Co Dublin. Jane may still be living there with her three teenage children, Laurence, William and, Susanna, or else in Dublin (.

Isabella, Ellinor and Mary would be in their 40s at this date but nothing is known about them.

Wilson is now about 44. In January 1759 he married his cousin Anne so the oldest of his three children would have been born at this date. Later he is recorded as a brewer and distiller in Dublin and I expect that he is doing that now.

Edward’s Branch (10.4)

Edward himself died in 1756, but his wife Margaret is alive. She lives on for another year or two; her will was dated 5th November 1763. The marriages of their three daughters are covered in Chapter 8.

Catherine died after 1759 and may be dead now. Her husband Antony Hamilton died in 1755. They had five children and the eldest, James Edward Hamilton, would be about 20 now.

Ann is probably alive but it is not known when she died. Her first husband Owen Daly is dead and her only child by that marriage, Edward Daly, is about 16. In 1755 Ann married John Molloy of Clonbela who does not die until 1803, and their eldest son, Laurence Bomford Molloy, is about two.

Lucy and her husband Thomas Birmingham are both alive but they had no children as far as is known.

Stephen’s Branch (5.8)

Stephen himself died in 1759, but his wife Anne (Smith) did not die until December 1765. Probably living with her son John at Gallow. Marriages of several of the children are covered in Chapter 8.

Thomas died in 1741.

Stephen the younger is aged about 44 and living at Rahinstown with his wife Elizabeth (Sibthorpe). Many of their 11 children have been born and the oldest, Thomas, would be about 13 at this date. They are the subject of Chapter 18.

Ann, now about 42, married Samuel L’Estrange in 1750, but Samuel died in 1757 leaving Ann at Clowestown with four boys, the youngest being about 7.

Dorcas, now about 40, married Edward Williams of Trim about 1745. They are both alive and their only known child, Thomas William would be about 10 or a bit older.

Mary, now about 38, married William Coates of Abbeyshrule in 1750. They are both alive and their only known child, Anne Jane Coates, would be about 10. At this date they are living at Clonee on the County Meath-Dublin border. William appears to have something to do with the law, perhaps an attorney or a lawyer. He is not listed in later Dublin Almanacks as an attorney so he may have given that up when he inherits Abbeyshrule in 1777.

John, the 35-year-old farming Rector of Roddanstown is living at Gallow with his wife Ann (Forster). They have no children.

David aged 32 married Sarah (Burtchaell) in 1756. Their eldest child has just been born and they are living in Dublin; a bit later he is recorded as a ‘Grocer of Cooke Street’. We must not forget David’s son Stephen now aged about 7. It is probable that he is illegitimate, and we know very little about him. See 11.9 for a later entry.

Isaac also aged 32, is now an attorney. He married Sarah (Matthews) in 1756 and their only daughter, Anne Trevor, has just been born. Isaac and David may be twins; they both married in 1756 but more importantly David was born in 1730 and Isaac ‘about 1730’, also their brother John bequeaths his land to them both.

Esther now about 30, married John Kelly of Galway in 1756. He is now a merchant in Dublin. All that we know about them is that Esther was alive in 1761 and John was alive in 1768. They had no known children and drop out of the picture.

The next summary of Stephen's Branch is at 15.1.

The next summary of the whole family, as at 1800, is at 16.9.

11.4.1 Changes in the Bomford Estates since 1740 1762

There have been so many changes since 1740 (5.9) that these changes have been produced in two parts. The individual properties of 1740 are taken first and the changes noted, and then the properties are shown under the heading of the owner in 1762. As usual all acres are statute.

Thomas the Elder died 1740, of Rahinstown
	acres
Rahinstown	642		Assigned to Thomas the younger and on his death to his father, then passed to Stephen the younger.
Baconstown	821
Oldtown (Meath)	254		Passed to Thomas the younger and so to his father, Stephen the elder. They are not mentioned and the assumption is that the lease was not renewed in about 1745.
Little Ardrurns	41
Boycetown	471		Willed to Patrick Sandys by Thomas the elder.
Whitestown
Parkstown	365		All north of Ballivor, Co Westmeath. They are not mentioned again and it is assumed that these places were all sold to defray Thomas the elder’s debts.
Cooleronan	274
Crossenstown	306
Balrowen	747
Cloncullen	189
Gnewbane	527

Edward of Hightown died 1756.			In 1762 his lands were in the hands of his wife Margaret who died c1764.
Hightown or Balloughter	1011		Sold to Mark Whyte to pay Thomas’ debts. He then released 897 acres to Edward who bequeathed it to his daughter Catherine Hamilton.
Enniscoffey Oldtown (W-M)	908		Probably bequeathed to his daughter Ann Molloy.
Rattin	460		Bequeathed to Stephen the younger.
Clonfad	567
Little Ardrurns	21		Have assumed the lease was not renewed in about 1745.

Stephen the Elder of Gallow died 1759
Gallow	418		Passed to Stephen the younger and then to the Rev John. Acreage increased to 421.
Ferrans	429		Passed to Reverend John.
Culmullin	901
Woodstown	734
Weatherstown	193
Tyrrellstown	347
Gurteen	572
Gainstown	128
Arodstown	125		Passed to Stephen the younger.
Dirpatrick	770		Dirpatrick acreage increased to 967.

Thomas of Clounstown died 1757
Clounstown	543		Passed to Thomas, the 2nd son, of Clounstown.
Brick	125
Cushenstown	875		Passed to William, the eldest son, of Cushenstown.
Bodman	112
Pranstown	373
Portlester	162
Crossmacoole	214
Farragh	263
Cullenhue	78
Primatestown		559	Lease was returned in 1761 but 99 acres of Kilmoon were kept and have been added to Cushenstown.
Irishtown
Kilmoon	162
Smithstown		350	Not mentioned again and have been omitted.
Thomastown
Reesk	399
Kilbrew	307

Arthur of Rathfeigh died before 1765
Rathfeigh	1280		Passed to his younger brother, Oliver.

Laurence of Killeglan died 1761
Killeglan	712		This branch of the family appears to have stopped farming on Laurence’s death, so the land has been omitted.
Dunsink	?

11.4.2 The Bomford Estates 1762

	Property of 1740			Recent leases
Stephen the Younger of Rahinstown
Rahinstown		642	Castletownbellew			332
Baconstown		821	Castletownbellew Teteitragh			270
Rattin		460	Bellewstown (Duleek)			1591
Clonfad		567	Red Mountain			97
Arodstown		125	Mylerstown			483
Dirpatrick		967	Dunfierth			771
		Total 3,582



			Killyan		2514