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Wrixon
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Henry Wrixon of Assolas was the father of William Wrixon who married Mary Becher in 1778. Their son, William, was created a baronet in 1831 as Sir William Wrixon Becher. At the time of Griffith's Valuation a relative, John Wrixon, held land in the parishes of Kilbrin, Knocktemple and Tullylease, while Henry Wrixon held land in the parishes of Castlemagner, Clonfert, Tullylease and Knocktemple, all in the barony of Duhallow, county Cork. In June 1852 the estate of Henry Vowel Wrixon (died 1877), amounting to 603 acres at Farrankelly, Ballinla, Aughrim Upper and Lower, barony of Orrery and Kilmore, was advertised for sale. In the mid 1870s Henry Wrixon of Paris is recorded as the owner of 1,008 acres in county Cork. Part of the lands of Aughrim and houses in the city of Cork were advertised for sale in July 1864, the city premises were puchased by Messers. Howe, Goold and Baker and Dr. Edward Townsend while the lands of Aughrim were bought in trust by Mr. Swift. Further premises in Cork city were sold in 1865. In February 1854 a quarter share of the demesne and lands of Blossomfort, the estate of Edward Wrixon, were advertised for sale. Blossomfort was originally leased to John Wrixon by Bartholomew Purdon in 1721. The whole demesne amouted to 545 acres and was partitioned in 1853. John Nicholas Wrixon, H.V.Wrixon and Charles Wrixon held the other three quarters. In March 1856 the demesne of Cecilstown and Ballinamona was advertised for sale, the estate of Thomas Tangney, assignee of Henry Wrixon. The original lease "for ever" was from Henry Wrixon of Assolas to John Wrixon of Cecilstown, 10 Dec 1779. The Freeman's Journal reported that the property was purchased by Mr. Wrixon for almost £3000. An extensive family history of both the Becher and Wrixon families is given by Grove White and published in the ''Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society'' (1907) under Ballygiblin.
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Beecher/Becher
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Burke's ''Irish Family Records'' and Smith both indicate that the Beechers were originally a Kent family. Fane Becher was granted over 12,000 acres in county Cork during the reign of Elizabeth I. Henry Beecher was granted land in West Carbery in 1669 and is recorded as the purchaser of land from Lord Kingston and Sir William Petty. In 1778 Mary daughter of John Townshend Becher of Creagh and Annisgrove, county Cork, married William Wrixon of Cecilstown, county Cork. She succeeded to the estates of her brother Henry Becher of Creagh. Their eldest son William Wrixon of Ballygiblin assumed the name of Becher and was made a baronet in 1831. He married an actress, Miss O'Neill, and had a number of children. Griffith's Valuation records Sir William Wrixon Beecher holding an estate in the parishes of Castlemagner, Clonfert, Kilmeen, Knocktemple and Subulter, barony of Duhallow, county Cork. Sir Henry Becher, who succeeded his father in 1850, was among the principal lessors in the parishes of Castlehaven, Aghadown, Creagh and Tullagh in the barony of West Carbery, county Cork. Sir William Becher also held land in the parish of Kilvellane, barony of Owney and Arra, county Tipperary. The estate of Sir Henry Wrixon Becher of Ballygiblin amounted to 18,933 acres in county Cork and 358 acres in county Tipperary in the 1870s. Michael A Becher held townlands in the parish of Kilmeen, barony of East Carbery and in the 1870s Michael R. A. Becher of Ballyduvane, Clonakilty owned over 2,000 acres in county Cork. In 1854 lands and mining interests, the property of Edward Baldwin Becher, were offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates Court, and includes a report on the mines of Coolaghmore and Coolaghbeg. The Freeman's Journal provides details of the purchasers of lots sold at auction, though it indicates that some lots were sold by private contract.
In the 1870s the Becher estate in Cork (a combination of the Wrixon and Becher estates) amounted to over 18,000 acres while he also held lands in Tipperary. The estate of the representatives of the late John Beecher amounted to over 1600 acres in the 1870s. At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Edward and George Beecher were among the principal lessors in the parish of Kilcoe while Richard Beecher was the lessor of townlands in the parish of Skull. Eliza Beecher held several townlands in the parish of Kilgarriff, barony of Ibane & Barryroe, at the same time. In October 1851, 17,000 acres, the estate of Richard H. Hedges Beecher, was offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates Court. Lot 1 included the owner's house at Hollybrook. A sale of the remaining lots took place in February 1852 and included the house at Lakelands, leased to Richard O'Donovan Beecher. In April 1858, the house and demesne at Hollybrook were again offered for sale. The Freeman's Journal reports their purchase, in trust, by Robert Johnson. An extensive family history of both the Becher/Beecher and Wrixon families is given by Grove White and published in the ''Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society'' (1907) under Ballygiblin. The spelling Becher and Beecher are used almost interchangably thoughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
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