The Family of Kemmis
Edition 3.3 - 5 June 2020
Kemeys of Ferns
Ferns Castle in the parish of Ferns, North Wexford, formerly the property of the Crown, belonged subsequently to Thomas Kieran, who on 20th January 1694, bequeathed it to Richard Donovan of Clonmines, Co. Wexford. The Castle is now in ruins.
- XX. Nicholas Kemeys: third son of Edward Kemeys (XIX) of Bertholey by Alice his wife, unmarried in 1656: inherited £200 from his father; heir to his sister Margaret whose estate he administered in London on 10th February 1669. Migrated to Ireland and settled in Co. Wexford: held Ferns Castle, Co. Wexford, where he resided, by lease, also held a lease of the Moiety of the Lopp of Clonmore, near Hacketstown, Co. Carlow, the other moiety being held by Philip Savage: of Tommaboy in the parish of Hacketstown: of Knockalary 269 acres, Ballynvary 164 acres, Ballintogher 154 acres, Ballydownegan 65 acres, Garysinnot 602 acres, Ballinacash 500 acres, all in the Barony of Scarawalsh, Co. Wexford and which he sold in 1680 for £1,280 to Joseph Saunders, Esq. In 1686 he demised Coolemana, Co. Carlow, 974 acres to Henry Cook for a rent reserved. J.P. for Co. Wexford, 4th January 1676 and for Co. Carlow, 16th May 1683 (53), and as such was appointed (54) under the Great Seal of Ireland to received the arms and to register the names of all persons, who should submit to William and Mary by 1st. August 1690; High Sheriff for Co. Carlow, 26th. March 1685-6; under Act 10 William III. c. 3, 1698 (55) appointed one of the Commissioners to raise money for the King in the Co. Wexford. In 1681-2-3 and 1692 he witnessed the record of various services held in Ferns Cathedral. Will dated 11th. December 1699 and proved in Dublin 5th. June 1700; buried in Ferns Cathedral: married Mary, daughter of Jeremiah Symes, who had settled at Glascarig Co. Wexford from Northamptonshire and was subsequently granted the lands of Middleton, Co. Wexford by Charles II, as a reward for his faithful services, -by his wife Barbara, daughter of .... Payne Esq. and sister of the Private Secretary of James II. Mr. Symes bore "erm, 3 increscents gu:" and crest, "a head in a helmet or, plumed az, beaver up, face ppr." She was living in 1699 and had the lease of Ferns Castle after her husband's death and £20 a year for her life out of the Lopp of Clonmore. Issue,
- 1. Nicholas.
- 2. Diana; married Euseby Baisly of Ricketstown, Co. Carlow, who bore "vert, on a plate between 3 sheep couchant ppr, a sheep-dog sejant sa;" she survived him and was living in 1721. They had a son Useby and a daughter Rebecca, the former living December 1699, the latter then dead.
- XXI. Nicholas Kemeys: succeeded to his father's estate at Clonmore, Co. Carlow where he resided until 1710 when he removed to the parish of St. Bridget's Dublin; a commissioner to raise money for the King in Co. Carlow, 1698; in 1700 was plaintiff against Jas. Underwood junior is a suit in Dublin. On 2nd February 1702-3 "Nic: Kemmis Esq." was granted the custody and farming of Sarney, Co. Meath, as against certain debts due to him by the owners thereof. In 1706-7 he was granted the fishing rights in the river Liffey by the Corporation of Dublin. Sold his interest in the lease of the Lopp of Clonmore in 1710 or 1711. 31st. March 1705-6, with John White Esq. of Ballyellis, Co. Wexford, and Jeremiah Symes of Middleton, same Co., purchased of Henry, Lord Shelburne all his woods and iron mines in the Co. Kerry for £9,000; September 8th. 1711, they joined in partnership with his lordship, who advanced £2,400 to erect a furnace and double forge at Strongford in Glenarr(56) and stock the same with all material for making sow and bar iron; J.P. for Co. Kerry, 9th. February 1705; 10th. September 1711 sold his rights in said partnership; executor to Major Lewis Kemeys; (57) buried at St. Bridget's Dublin, 9th. November 1711, as "Nicholas Kemys, Esq. from Graffan Street." Will dated 2nd. February 1709, and proved in Dublin, 2nd. January 1712, being administered in London 15th. April of the same year: married Mary, daughter of Philip Crofts of the City of Dublin, who bore "or, 3 bulls' heads cabossed, sa": Mr. Crofts bequeathed his daughter £1,000 in 1693: settlement dated 17th. July 1694. She resided in Grafton Street and subsequently in Capel Street Dublin: her will is dated 8th. August 1717 and was proved in Dublin 9th. June 1721; buried with her husband 5th June 1721 as "Mary Kemyes from Capel Street." Issue.
- 1. Charles; matriculated as pupil pensioner 9th. June 1710 at Trinity College Dublin, as "Carolus Kemeys, filius Nicolus Kemeys armiger, aet. 14, natus Hakestowne in Com. Catherlog: educatus in Catherlog: sub ferula Magr. Chinery", died s.p. Buried at St. Bridget's Dublin, 15th. May 1712 as Charles Kemies.
- 2. Diana: had the lease of Ferns Castle on her mother's death, whose heiress she was: living 1709-28; married subsequently to 1717, Nathaniel Bland (58), L.L.D. of Killarney, Co. Kerry in 1722: Judge of the Prerogative Court Dublin and Vicar General of the Diocese of Ardfert and Aghadoe; leased and released 8th. and 9th. July 1728 the lands of Cooperstown, Co. Wexford to Jeremiah Symes of Middleton; he outlived his first wife and married secondly Lucy, daughter of Francis Heyton (59) of Dundalk, Co. Louth: 23rd. November 1722 with her husband, Diana Bland mortgaged the "Wandering Jew", situated upon the south side of Castle Street, Dublin.
Footnotes to Kemeys of Ferns
- (53) Lascelles, Liber Munerum Publ. Hib. Also J.P. Lists, P.R.O. Dubl.
- (54) Ryan's Hist. and Antiq. of Co. Carlow, ff. 235-6.
- (55) Irish Statues, 1665-93.
- (56) Glenaa is a mountain at Killarney. There are extensive ruins of iron works in the neighbourhood.
- (57) See Kemeys of Co. Kildare.
- (58) In consequence of this marriage the Bland family quarter the arms of Kemeys with Bland.
- (59) He was an Executor to Major Lewis Kemeys - see Kemeys of Co. Kildare.
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Table of Contents
Kemeys of Panteg
Kemeys of Began
John L. & Irene Kemmis
E-mail:john.kemmis@kemmisfamily.info