Ruttledge

Description

A Richard Rutledge held land in counties Roscommon and Mayo early in the 17th century and it is probable that he was the ancestor of the Ruttledges in county Mayo. The Westport Estate Papers document a Peter Ruttledge in the parish of Shruel on the Galway/Mayo border in the 1660s. At the beginning of the 18th century the Ruttledge family were located in the area around Headford, county Galway, where three children of Andrew and Olivia Rutledge were buried between 1698-1705, their gravestones are among those that pave the aisle of the old Protestant church. Three sons of Andrew and Olivia Ruttledge settled in county Mayo in the early 18th century. They were Peter Ruttledge of Cornfield, James of Tawnaghmore and Andrew of Foxford. Their eldest son Thomas of Headford, had a son William a soap boiler in Hollymount who founded the Ballyhowly and Carravilla branches of the family.

Estate(s)

Name	Description
Durkan	An estate in the parish of Kilconduff, barony of Gallen, county Mayo, owned by the Durkan family from at least the early 17th century. The Westport Estate Papers contain a copy confirmation of their title to Liscottle and other lands, dated 1666. By a lease dated 15 April 1751 Willliam, James and Barnaby Durkan leased Liscottle to Peter Ruttledge for 246 years. The Ruttledges subleased to the Horkan family.
Ruttledge (Barbersfort)	A county Galway estate in the parish of Killererin, barony of Clare, purchased by Robert Ruttledge from the Berminghams in July 1816 for £14,500. It passed at his death in 1833 to his stepson, David Watson Ruttledge, along with other Ruttledge lands in county Mayo. David W.Ruttledge's county Mayo estate included lands in the parishes of Kilcommon in the barony of Kilmaine, Kilconduff in the barony of Gallen and Kilvine in the barony of Clanmorris. The agent for his county Mayo property was Thomas Walsh. In 1876 he owned 4,329 acres in county Mayo and 2,059 acres in county Galway. David Watson Ruttledge died in 1890 and, following a court case, his estates reverted to Thomas Henry Bruen Ruttledge of the Bloomfield family.
Fair (Levally)	In the early 19th century a branch of the Fair family held the lands of Levally and Cappagory situated just outside Ballinrobe, in the barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo, from the Ruttledges of Bloomfield. By the time of Griffith's Valuation Levally was part of the farm leased by James Simpson from the Earl of Lucan. At the time of Griffith's Valuation the representatives of Robert Fair held the townland of Cloonacauneen, parish of Oranmore, in the county of the town of Galway. He had acquired this land in 1843 from the Cullinanes. The townland remained in the possession of the Fair family until 1911 when it was vested in the Congested Districts Board by Robert and Maria Alicia Julia Fair. In the 1870s Frances Mary Fair owned a total of 478 acres in county Galway.
Ruttledge (Togher)	James Ruttledge of Tawnaghmore, parish of Kilbelfad, barony of Tirawley, county Mayo, had a son, David, who succeeded to some of the Ruttledge estates under the will (1766) of his uncle, Peter Ruttledge of Cornfield. David died in 1825 and his son George took possession of the estates, which were mainly in the parish of Robeen, barony of Kilmaine. George was married to Eleanor Anne Bournes of Castleconnor, county Sligo. He sold his estates in the counties of Mayo and Galway amounting to 4529 and 1248 acres respectively in 1851. Robert Fair and John Hood were among the purchasers in the parish of Robeen, county Mayo and St George Johnston, the Blakes of Menlo and the Brownes of Carrownacregg of parts of the county Galway estate. At the time of Griffith's Valuation George Ruttledge held the townland of Ballywalter in the parish of Robeen.
Ruttledge (Bloomfield)	In May 1749, Peter Ruttledge of Cornfield and Carrowkillen, parish of Robeen, barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo, purchased from the Binghams of Newbrook the freehold of Cornfield and other lands, which he was already leasing. He acquired other lands in the vicinity and left all his property to his eldest son, Thomas, by his will dated 3 December 1766. Thomas Ruttledge added to the family property and built Bloomfield, which became the principal family residence. Thomas Ormsby Ruttledge, who made a detailed study of the Ruttledge family in the 1970s, estimated that the Ruttledge estates amounted to approximately 30,000 acres at the time of Thomas' death in 1805. Years of litigation between family members about the interpretation of the 1766 will of Peter Ruttledge followed the death of Thomas and the estates were eventually split up among three branches of the family, who had, as their principal homes, Bloomfield, Togher and Barbersfort. Robert Ruttledge, son of Thomas, succeeded to his father’s estates in county Mayo. As he had no children he settled some of his estates on his nephew, Reverend Francis Lambert, at the time of Francis' marriage in 1819. Francis changed his surname to Ruttledge. At the time of Griffith's Valuation his estates were mainly in the parishes of Robeen and Ballinrobe, barony of Kilmaine; Aghamore, barony of Costello; Kilconduff and Meelick in barony of Gallen and Kilcommon, barony of Erris. The Erris lands were held under a lease from Bingham to Thomas Ruttledge dated 1764 and the Ruttledge lands in the parishes of Ballinrobe and Kilgeever were all leased from the Archbishop of Tuam. The whole estate amounting to 15,482 acres, including 310 acres in the parish of Abbeygormacan, county Galway, was advertised for sale in the Landed Estates' Court in 1861. The Ruttledges retained some of their estate as they still owned 3949 acres in county Mayo in 1876. By March 1916 they had accepted a final offer from the Congested Districts' Board for their estate of 6400 acres in county Mayo and over 2000 acres in county Galway. They repurchased 825 acres around Bloomfield House and almost 400 acres in county Galway. The descendants of Reverend Francis Ruttledge lived at Bloomfield until 1924 when it was sold to the Land Commission by Robin Ruttledge, the well known ornithologist, who married Rose Burke of Cloonee.
Fair (Fortville)	In 1788 Robert Fair of Ballyjennings, parish of Kilmainemore, county Mayo, was leasing lands from a number of landlords including the farm of Toocananagh, near the village of Bohola, barony of Gallen, from Denis Daly; Ballyjennings and adjacent lands from Christopher Bowen of Hollymount and Ellistronbeg or Fortville from the Brownes of Glencorrib. He also had a share in a lease of the lands of Island, parish of Bekan, barony of Costello, from Francis Knox of Rappa. By 1809 he was able to buy the lands of Creggagh near Foxford from James Daly of Dunsandle, county Galway. It is likely that the Elizabeth Fair, who married Thomas Ruttledge of Bloomfield and Bushfield, was his sister. Two of his sons, John of Creggagh and Robert of Bushfield, married daughters of David Ruttledge of Tawnaghmore, parish of Kilbelfad, barony of Tirawley. Robert died in 1837 and left all his freehold property to his third son, Thomas of Fortville and later of Millmount, county Galway. His second son, Robert Fair of Carravilla and Bushfield, prospered and by the time of Griffith's Valuation had land in the parishes of Kilcommon, Kilmainemore and Robeen, barony of Kilmaine, Crossboyne and Mayo, barony of Clanmorris, county Mayo and barony of Ross, county Galway. He purchased in the Encumbered Estates' Court, parts of the estates of the Dillon-Brownes of Glencorrib, Marquess of Sligo, Henry Martin Blake of The Heath and Lord Oranmore and Browne. He had an only daughter, Jane, who married Thomas Ruttledge of Bloomfield. In 1876 Mrs Ruttledge Fair owned 2765 acres in county Mayo and 2799 acres in county Galway. Most of the Fair's estate was vested in the Congested Districts' Board on 29 May 1913.
Ruttledge (Carravilla)	William Ruttledge, son of Thomas of Headford, county Galway, settled in Hollymount, barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo in the early 18th century. In 1770 he leased Cahervoostia from his cousin Thomas Ruttledge of Cornfield, which was inherited by his third son Thomas. The property amounting to 351 acres remained with his descendants until 1940 when William Edward Ruttledge died aged 100.
Ruttledge (Ballyhowly)	Peter Ruttledge, eldest son of William Ruttledge of Hollymount, county Mayo, leased a number of farms in the 1780s and 1790s in the baronies of Costello and Kilmaine, including Ballyhowly, parish of Knock, which was situated in the barony of Costello at that time but is now in the barony of Clanmorris. He went to live on the Ballyhowly farm in 1801 and possibly built the house. His son married Jane, daughter of Christopher Ormsby of the Ballinamore family, and his grandson, William, married Elizabeth Gray of Claremorris. Ballyhowly was bought by William Ruttledge in the mid-1850s and remained the family residence until it was sold in 1914. Ballyhowly was part of the estate of Lord Oranmore and Browne and was advertised for sale in 1854 along with many other parts of the Browne estate.
Fair (Creggagh)	John Fair of Creggagh, parish of Toomore, barony of Gallen, county Mayo, was a merchant, who held the townland of Glaspatrick, parish of Oughaval, barony of Murrisk, in the mid 19th century from the Earl of Lucan. This townland had been granted to the Protestant Archbishop of Tuam under the Acts of Settlement. He was also involved in the sale of Kilmaine village and other church lands in 1852 as executor to his brother-in-law, Henry Cannon. In the will of his father, Robert Fair, dated 1837, John's address was Bernardsville, Dublin. In 1876 he owned 475 acres in county Mayo. He married Maria Ruttledge, daughter of David Ruttledge of Tawnaghmore and died in 1877 at Creggagh. David Ruttledge Fair sold 472 acres to the Congested Districts' Board on 6 Dec 1905.
Ruttledge (Lough Mask)	Thomas Ruttledge, in his will of 1797, mentions his natural son, John, a quartermaster in the 9th Dragoons. John had two sons who settled in the Hollymount area, barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo. In 1845 one of John's sons, James Ruttledge, leased 93 acres of Lecarrow in the parish of Kilcommon, barony of Kilmaine, from Thomas Spencer Lindsey. Lindsey sold his interest to Lady de Clifford in 1853 and James Ruttledge was living in Castlevilla which he held from Lady de Clifford at the time of Griffith's Valuation. In 1866 he became agent to Lord Erne with a lease (6 May 1866) of Lough Mask House and 388 acres for three lives or 31 years. He was also agent to Lord Kilmaine. He was dismissed by both landowners in the early 1870s and retired to Castlevilla. In 1848 Thomas Ruttledge, a brother of James, leased a farm at Lugatallin, parish of Kilcommon, from the Marquess of Sligo which he sublet to Garrett Nally and his sons advertised for sale in 1875. The Irish Times reported that it was sold to "Mr. J. Whelan, salesmaster, Smithfield" for over £1000.
Brannick	At the time of the first Ordnance Survey the Brannicks were leasing land from David Watson Ruttledge in the parish of Robeen and from Arthur Browne in the parish of Shrule, both in the barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo. The Brannick family owned Annefield in the 20th century.
Hood	John Hood bought the townlands of Lissaniska and Togher, parish of Robeen, barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo, from the sale of the estate of George Ruttledge of Togher in 1851. The sale rental of 24 June 1851 includes reference to the purchase of Togher and Lecarrow by John Hood of Nettleham Hall, Lincoln. The Hoods settled in Yorkshire in the early 18th century and by the early 19th century were resident at Nettleham Hall, Lincoln. Charles Ralph Hood of Togher House, county Mayo, was the fourth son of John Hood. In 1853 he married Sophie daughter of captain Robert Odell and granddaughter of Colonel Odell formerly Member of Parliament for Sligo. Charles Hood and his wife had three sons John Robert, Charles and William. He died in 1867. In 1876 his son John Hood owned 714 acres in county Mayo.
Walsh (Garriestown)	The Walsh family were connected to the Ruttledges by marriage. In the first half of the 19th century Thomas Walsh was agent to David Watson Ruttledge and also the main tenant on D.W.Ruttledge's lands in the parishes of Robeen and Kilcommon, barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo.
Bowen (Hollymount)	In the early 17th century a branch of the Bowens of Ballyadams, county Laois, was settled in the Castlecarra area of the barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo. By the mid 18th century the Bowens were located in Hollymount. At the time of Griffith's Valuation Reverend Christopher Bowen held townlands in the parishes of Kilcommon, Kilmainemore and Ballinrobe, some of them from the Marquess of Sligo. William E.Ruttledge of Carra Villa was agent to this estate of approximately 600 acres in the early 20th century. It was vested in the Land Commission in May 1931. Robert Bowen, a brother of Reverend Christopher, had a lease (1 Nov 1837) of 168 acres of Greaghans from Patrick Kirwan of Dalgan.
Lambert (Brookhill)	The Lamberts of county Mayo were descended from the county Galway family located at Cregclare and Aggard. From the early 18th century the county Mayo branch were leasing land in the barony of Kilmaine from such families as the Veseys, Ruttledges and Bowens. They lived at Togher and Rusheen or Thomastown but moved in the late 18th century to reside at Brookhill, parish of Crossboyne, barony of Clanmorris, leased from the Gonne Bells. They were closely linked to the Ruttledge family, Joseph Lambert of Brookhill having married in 1784 Barbara Ruttledge sister and heiress of Robert Ruttledge of Bloomfield. Their second son the Reverend Francis Lambert changed his name to Ruttledge and continued the family of that name at Bloomfield. Joseph Lambert married secondly Mary Clendining and their sons Joseph and Alexander C. were agents to many of the landowners in the locality. Alexander Clendining Lambert bought almost 1000 acres of the O'Donel of Newport estate in the Cong area in 1852 and sold it to Benjamin Lee Guinness in 1858. In 1854 he bought much of the land he was already leasing from the Brownes of Castlemagarret in the Encumbered Estates' Court and other property in 1860 from the sale of the Brownes of Claremount estate. In 1876 Alexander C. Lambert owned 1409 acres in county Mayo and 1121 acres in county Galway. His property in the barony of Ballynahinch was purchased from the Thomson family of Salruck. The Brookhill estate was gradually sold in the 1920s and 1930s and the house and about 100 acres in 1946 to Gerald Maguire, a solicitor in Claremorris. In the mid 20th century Alexander Fane Lambert, wrote a detailed account of the history of his family and its land holding, based on family papers still in the possession of a family member in London.
de Montmorency	Captain Harvey J.de Montmorency is recorded in Griffith's Valuation as holding the townlands of Cloongowla, parish of Ballinrobe, barony of Kilmaine and Ballindrehid, parish of Kilconduff, barony of Gallen, county Mayo. Cloongowla was previously part of the estate of George Ruttledge and Ballindrehid of the Knoxes of Castlereagh. A rental kept by John Hearn, agent for the estate, was published in the South Mayo Family Research Journal 1989. In the 1870s Frederick de Montmorency of Broughillstown House, Baltinglass, county Wicklow, owned 1,022 acres in county Mayo and 428 acres in county Carlow.
Horkan/Harkan	From the mid 19th century the Horkans held a small estate in fee simple from the Ruttledge family of Bloomfield in the parish of Meelick, barony of Gallen, county Mayo, which they advertised for sale in the Land Court in 1885. In 1814 John Horkan was living at Derrygaury, parish of Ballynahaglish, barony of Tirawley.
McCarrick/McCarrig	At the time of Griffith's Valuation various members of the McCarrick family held townlands in the parishes of Kilconduff and Killasser, barony of Gallen, county Mayo, previously parts of the estates of George Ruttledge of Togher and of Reverend William Jackson. Roger "McCarrig" is listed as a purchaser of part of the Ruttledge estate on the sale rental of 24 June 1851. The McCarricks also purchased land in county Sligo. By the mid 1870s Roger McCarrick of Kilglass House, Enniscrone, county Sligo, owned 3453 acres in county Mayo and 868 in county Sligo while John McCarrick of Cloonbarry, county Sligo owned 567 acres in county Mayo and 443 in county Sligo. In 1906 Henry McCarrick was recorded as the occupier of property at both Kilglass, barony of Tireragh and Cloonbarry, Barony of Leyny, both including a mansion house. The Misses McCarrick sold 602 acres to the Congested Districts' Board on 28 July 1906, while H. and B. McCarrick sold 3,252 acres to the Board on 4 Mar 1915.
Browne (Carrownacregg West)	James Browne, a brother of Edward Browne of Ardskea, barony of Clare, county Galway, owned 2 townlands in the parish of Killoscobe, barony of Tiaquin, county Galway, at the time of Griffith's Valuation. In 1851 he bought the townland of Killoscobe from George Ruttledge and Carrownacregg West from Henry Concannon. James Browne owned 574 acres in the 1870s and his wife Julia owned 947 acres in county Galway. McHale writes that James's grandson Michael Browne died in 1909 and the land was bought by the Land Commission.
Johnston (Kinlough)	The Johnston family from Fermanagh purhased land in Leitrim in the early 18th century. In 1802 McParlan recorded Counsellor Johnston of Oakfield on his list of ''resident gentlemen of property''. In the mid 19th century St George Robert Johnston, third son of Robert Johnston of Kinlough House, owned a townland in each of the parishes of Killoscobe and Moylough, barony of Tiaquin, county Galway. Ballaghnagrosheen, in the parish of Killoscobe was bought from the sale of the estate of George Ruttledge in 1851. In 1861 Stephen Johnston offered for sale the house and demesne at Mount Prospect, barony of Rosclogher, previously let to the Connolly estate. Weir and Elizabeth Johnston offered for sale almost 400 acres in the parish of Killasnet, barony of Rosclogher in January 1869. This appears to have been leased from the Earl of Leitrim's estate through the Armstrong and Cullen estates. In the 1870s William Johnston of Kinlough owned 10,633 acres in county Leitrim while his brother St George Johnston, who lived at Rathcline House, Lanesborough, county Longford, owned 1,139 acres in county Galway and 217 acres in county Leitrim. Hussey de Burgh records Robert St. George Johnston as the owner of over 3000 acres in County Donegal in the 1870s. His address is given in this source as Port Nassau, Ballyshannon but the contemporary Landowner’s Survey suggests this was the house built by the Allinghams known as Portnason. Another Robert Johnston occupied Laputa House at the time of Griffith’s Valuation. An offer from the Congested Districts Board on over 250 acres of Forbes Johnston's estate was accepted in 1913.
Bermingham/Birmingham	Edward Bermingham, Lord Athenry, was granted over 5,000 acres, mainly in the barony of Dunmore, county Galway, by patent dated 16 Sept 1680 while Remigius Bermingham was granted overe 5,200 acres in county Mayo in 1681. There are records relating to the Bermingham family in the late 17th and early 18th century in the Westport Estate Papers. The descendants of Lord Athenry sold the Kilcloony estate to the Bodkins in 1759 and the Barbersfort estate to the Ruttledges in 1816. Thomas Bermingham, 22nd Lord Athenry and a Member of Parliament for county Galway, was created earl of Louth in April 1759. By his second marriage to Margaret Daly of Quansbury he left as his co heiresses three daughters, who married Thomas B.H. Sewell, William St Lawrence, 2nd Earl of Howth and Joseph Henry Blake of Ardfry. By the 1880s the family's main estates were in county Louth where they owned over 3,500 acres.
Hassard	Robert Hassard of Parkmore, Ballymena, county Antrim, owned 1146 acres in county Mayo and had other property holdings in counties Antrim, Tyrone and Fermanagh. It is apparent from the Hassard Papers in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland that he purchased some of the Bingham estate advertised for sale in April 1854 and some of the Ruttledge estate for sale in 1861.