Tom McCabes Genealogy 2022

John Saunders was a resident of Rathbawn before the earliest records of the Coolatin Estate have indicated. When the 1798 Rebellion spread through Carlow and Wicklow many residents lost property and lives. Those who survived were able to apply to the British government for reparations. John Saunders of Rathbawn was one of those claimants.

1798 Claimants and Surrenders John Saunders Residence Rawbawn (Rathbawn) County Wicklow Place Loss Sustained Residence County Loss Sustained Wicklow Nature Of Loss Cloaths, Leather, Shoes Sum Claimed 6/-/10 Sum Allowed 5/19/9t

John Saunders was a resident of Rathbawn Townland of Wicklow, just north of Knocknaboley on the Coolatin Estate.

In 1819 John Saunder's name appears on a list of undertenants of Joseph Coates Farm on Rathbawn, found in the book MS 6036 in the National Library of Ireland (NLI).

IN MS 6038 (1821-1822) John's name first appeared in the Coolatin Rentals as a lessee of the estate:

\"John Saunders inserted for parts of the lands taken out ... returned by Joseph Coates ...\"

643 John Saunders, part of Rathbawn: In lease for him for the life of Andrew Saunders eldest son of James Saunders of Knocknaboley, 2 years old and 21 years from Lady Day 1820. Expires 1841. Life in Being.

In addition the 1824 Tithe book for Rathbawn lists John Saunders and James Saunders as tenants with equal amount of land on Rathbawn. Since John's lease mentions James Saunders of Knocknaboley it is likely this is the same person. The John Saunders and Andrew Saunders families were clearly linked.

The earliest mention of John Saunders of Rathbawn in the Coolatin Estate records was in 1804 in the Rental Book (MS 6071). John Saunders was listed as an undertenant of Joseph Coates farming about 3 Irish acres.

John was an undertenant and tenant on Rathbawn Townland (modern name Rathbane) on the Coolatin Estate for may years. Rathbawn, part of the Hacketstown Parish, was east of Hacketstown and bordered Knocknaboley's northern boundary. But in 1820 John Saunders was granted a lease on Rathbawn for the Life In Being of Andrew Saunders, son of James Saunders of Knocknaboley. John Saunders leased parts 75,76,77 of the Townland as shown on the 1840 map of Knocknabley found in the Coolatin Records.

Mr Joseph Coates had a long held lease from the Rockingham/Fitzwilliam Estate. When he died the subtenants requested that the leased land be split amongst the subtenants. The estate agreed and John Saunders was elevated from subtenant to actual lessor with a coveted lease agreement with the estate.

The date of John Saunder's death is not precisely known, but several records point to it being about 1827.

John received a lease on a farm on Rathbawn Townland, next to Knocknaboley, from the Fitzwilliam estate about 1819. Before that, it is known he was an undertenant of Joseph Coates on Rathbawn and received his own tenancy when the larger farm leases expired.

John Saunders was listed on the Rathbawn Tithe Applotment of 1822 but was not on the list of tenants on the estate in 1827 (MS 6082, NLI). His (probable) 18 year old son John and his (probable) nephew James were the only tenants on his lease at that time. John Saunders remained on the official Rent Books for the Coolatin Estate for many years but his lease changed to John Saunders Exors by 1844.

Rathbawn Townland 1827 John Saunders age 18 No wife Farmer James Saunders age 38 28 4 male 1 female children Farmer

The following entry surely refers to John Saunders of Rathbawn (Rathbane) which is part of Hacketstown Parish of Leighlin Diocese. The date agrees with the records of the Coolatin Estate which shows John had been replaced by his 18 year old son on the lease in 1828.

Ireland Diocesan and Prerogative Wills & Administrations indexes 1595-1858 Transcription

First name(s) John Last name Saunders Year 1828 Residence Rathbawn Diocese Leighlin Country Ireland Class Testamentary Record set Ireland Diocesan And Prerogative Wills & Administrations Indexes 1595-1858 Category Birth, Marriage & Death (Parish Registers) Subcategory Wills & probate Collections from Ireland From findmypast