Tom McCabes Genealogy 2022

John GRIFFINAge: 84 years17501834

Name
John GRIFFIN
Given names
John
Surname
GRIFFIN
Birth about 1750

Property
Knocknaboley Wicklow Ireland
1778 (Age 28 years)

Note: John Griffin and Thomas Kemmitt received a lease based on the life of Thomas' son Charles Kemmitt in…
Earliest Entry of John Griffin in Lease Book for Rockingham Estates
Earliest Entry of John Griffin in Lease Book for Rockingham Estates

Note: Copied from MS 6062 in National Library of Ireland.



1779 Rental Entry for Kemmit/Griffin Lease
1779 Rental Entry for Kemmit/Griffin Lease

Note: Rental entry appeared by 1779 and continued in the books for 60 years, with modifications and addition of Pollard family.


Birth of a son
#1
William GRIFFIN
about 1779 (Age 29 years)

Address: William shows up in several records and is clearly a brother or uncle of Thomas Griffin, who took over the Kemmitt/Griffin lease from old John Griffin. In 1802 William Griffin is mentioned in the entry for old John Griffin in the Coolatin Rental Books. The entry is partially unreadable but the names are clear in the text. Both William and Thomas are listed under John Griffin's Representatives in the Tithe Applotment Census of 1824 for Knocknaboley and William and Margaret Griffin are the (separate) tenants on the farm in 1839. Presumably Margaret has inherited Thomas' lease and is his widow. William Griffin had disappeared from the records by 1848.

Birth of a son
#2
Thomas GRIFFIN
about 1780 (Age 30 years)
Residence 1790 (Age 40 years)

Note: John Griffin and his descendants lived on a lease in Knocknaboley Wicklow from 1779 to 1890. The old stone house (ruins) still remain on the property at gps location 52.847595, -6.506295.
Property
1783

Note: Kemmitt and Griffin appeared in many rental records for the Rockingham and then the Coolatin Estates of Wicklow Ireland from 1770 through 1850s. One example was found where they received an abatement on the rental price which was carried over from the Rockingham family to the Fizwilliam family owners. Included below is a sample of entries in the Rockingham Estate books that show Kemmit/Griffin making semiannual payments to the Estate.

Event
Parish Tithes
1791 (Age 41 years)

Note: Combined Parish records of Kilcommon, Prebane and Crosspatrick vestry minutes in the C of I Library shows that Kemmitt/Griffin were taxed for 100 acres on Knocknaboley. The earliest record found was for 1791.
Event
Lease Revision
1821 (Age 71 years)
Note: In 1821 Lord Fizwilliam terminated the lease of Kemmitt/Griffin because it was reported that Charles Kemmit had died in the service of the British Army. Since the lease was based on the Life in Being of Charles, the lease could be legally terminated by the Estate. In addition, Kemmitt had subleased part of his land to Joseph Pollard and the estate manager used this event to add Pollards name to the lease. The Kemmitt/Griffin/Pollard land was never 'Leased For Life' again and was simply granted year to year after that. Part of this may be attributed to the Manager's disgust at the way Kemmitt had treated Pollard as an undertenat, as is described in the Revision.
Death before 1834 (Age 84 years)
Note: The Tithe Applotment for Knocknaboley in 1824 lists John Griffin as John Griffin Reps - and has Tho…
Note: This is a possible record of old John Griffin's death. Knocknaboley is in the Shillelagh Registrati…
Census 1843 (9 years after death)
Note: The House Books, Quarto Books of 1840s in Ireland were a census of buildings and other improvements on lots. This is the entry for John Griffin in 1843 but it is hard to read. The values of the structures are visible.
John GRIFFIN + … … - View this family
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Property

John Griffin and Thomas Kemmitt received a lease based on the life of Thomas' son Charles Kemmitt in 1778. This lease lasted until the 1820's when the estate discovered that Charles had been dead since 1809, having been killed in the Peninsular War in Spain. After that, Kemmitt,Griffin, and a third partner Joseph Pollard farmed the 100 acres without having a formal lease. John Griffin's son Thomas assumed the Griffin portion of the lease by 1824 and apparently his son Peter Griffin took over the Griffin part of the operation in 1843.

A Rental Book for 1770 indicated that John Griffin and Thomas Kemmitt might have been on the land before 1770. (NLI, P.201 )

An 1840 map of the townland shows the southeast corner of Knocknaboley. The Griffin's part of the 100 Irish acre lease is 21 lots numbered 118-138.

The lease as recorded in MS 6001 and other Rental Books states:

In lease to them for the Life of Chas Kemmit Son of said Thos & 21 years from Lady Day 1778. Life in Being. Expires 1799.

Residence

John Griffin and his descendants lived on a lease in Knocknaboley Wicklow from 1779 to 1890. The old stone house (ruins) still remain on the property at gps location 52.847595, -6.506295.

Property

Kemmitt and Griffin appeared in many rental records for the Rockingham and then the Coolatin Estates of Wicklow Ireland from 1770 through 1850s. One example was found where they received an abatement on the rental price which was carried over from the Rockingham family to the Fizwilliam family owners. Included below is a sample of entries in the Rockingham Estate books that show Kemmit/Griffin making semiannual payments to the Estate.

Event

Combined Parish records of Kilcommon, Prebane and Crosspatrick vestry minutes in the C of I Library shows that Kemmitt/Griffin were taxed for 100 acres on Knocknaboley. The earliest record found was for 1791.

Event

In 1821 Lord Fizwilliam terminated the lease of Kemmitt/Griffin because it was reported that Charles Kemmit had died in the service of the British Army. Since the lease was based on the Life in Being of Charles, the lease could be legally terminated by the Estate. In addition, Kemmitt had subleased part of his land to Joseph Pollard and the estate manager used this event to add Pollards name to the lease. The Kemmitt/Griffin/Pollard land was never 'Leased For Life' again and was simply granted year to year after that. Part of this may be attributed to the Manager's disgust at the way Kemmitt had treated Pollard as an undertenat, as is described in the Revision.

Death

The Tithe Applotment for Knocknaboley in 1824 lists John Griffin as John Griffin Reps - and has Thomas Griffin, William Griffin, and Thomas Darcy listed under John's name. This offers strong proof that Thomas and William Griffin were sons of old John Griffin.

Perhaps Thomas Darcy was old John's son-in-law. Some Darcys moved to Canada in the 1850s along with the Griffins and Saunders of Knocknaboley.

By 1834 John Griffin's name was replaced with the name of Thomas Griffin - probably his son. William Griffin does not appear on the lease rolls but is a resident of Knocknaboley and is listed as farming part of John Griffins old lease in the Resident List of 1839.

Death

This is a possible record of old John Griffin's death. Knocknaboley is in the Shillelagh Registration District.

Note: I believe this is a transcription error - the film states the Regisration was in 1925, not 1825.

Ireland, Civil Registration Deaths Index Name: John Griffin Estimated birth year: abt 1758 Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1825 Death Age: 67 Registration district: Shillelagh Volume: 2 Page: 636 FHL Film Number: 101736

Census

The House Books, Quarto Books of 1840s in Ireland were a census of buildings and other improvements on lots. This is the entry for John Griffin in 1843 but it is hard to read. The values of the structures are visible.

PropertyEarliest Entry of John Griffin in Lease Book for Rockingham EstatesEarliest Entry of John Griffin in Lease Book for Rockingham Estates
Format: image/jpeg
Image dimensions: 1,923 × 1,470 pixels
File size: 714 KB
Type: Photo
Note: Copied from MS 6062 in National Library of Ireland.
Property1778 Lease Entry from MS 6059 in National Library of Ireland
Format: application/pdf
File size: 4,646 KB
Type: Document
Property1779 Rental Entry for Kemmit/Griffin Lease1779 Rental Entry for Kemmit/Griffin Lease
Format: image/jpeg
Image dimensions: 3,560 × 787 pixels
File size: 195 KB
Type: Document
Note: Rental entry appeared by 1779 and continued in the books for 60 years, with modifications and addition of Pollard family.
Property1840 Map of Knocknaboley Showing Saunders and Griffin Farms1840 Map of Knocknaboley Showing Saunders and Griffin Farms
Format: image/jpeg
Image dimensions: 6,301 × 4,271 pixels
File size: 5,217 KB
Type: Map
PropertyGriffin & Kemmitt Received Abatement on Rents - 1782Griffin & Kemmitt Received Abatement on Rents - 1782
Format: image/jpeg
Image dimensions: 1,097 × 698 pixels
File size: 159 KB
Type: Document
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PropertyAssorted Entries in the Account Books for Kemmit/Griffin in 1780s
Format: application/pdf
File size: 2,963 KB
Type: Document
EventRevision of Kemmitt/Griffin Lease in 1821.Revision of Kemmitt/Griffin Lease in 1821.
Format: image/jpeg
Image dimensions: 847 × 781 pixels
File size: 181 KB
Type: Document
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DeathTithe Applotment for Knocknaboley in 1824Tithe Applotment for Knocknaboley in 1824
Format: image/jpeg
Image dimensions: 1,390 × 2,343 pixels
File size: 1,040 KB
Type: Document
CensusJohnGriffinQuartoBook1843Knocknaboley.jpg
JohnGriffinQuartoBook1843Knocknaboley.jpg
Format: image/jpeg
Image dimensions: 6,827 × 4,682 pixels
File size: 2,270 KB
Type: Photo
Media objectRental Book Entry for Kemmitt/Griffin on Marquessa Rockingham
Format: application/pdf
File size: 3,060 KB
Type: Document
Highlighted image: no
Media objectEntries for Kemmitt/Griffin from Marquessa Rockingham Receipts Book
Format: application/pdf
File size: 1,880 KB
Type: Manuscript
Highlighted image: no
Note: These sample entries from MS 6062 and MS 4945 in the National Library show Kemmitt/Griffin were active renters on the Marquessa Rockingham Estate which was taken over by Lord Fitzwilliam in the 1780s. It also show the lease agreement for Kemmitt/Griffin.
Media objectList of All Lessors/Residents on Knocknaboley in 1827
Format: application/pdf
File size: 3,425 KB
Type: Photo