And a video.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Our New Camera
I have to try out our new camera. Handles both photos and videos. Isn't Kodak just great. A photo and video after the jump.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Lorentz Philip Harter (c. 1755 - 1843)
My 4th great-grandfather, Lorentz Philip Harter, was among those Mohawk River Valley residents that participated in the American Revolution. As with others of his neighbors he was captured at Little Falls, NY and taken to Canada where he was kept until the end of the war. In 1854 his children petitioned the Federal government for his pension. This was not granted but the petition and associated papers are in his file at the National Archives in Washington. In 1996 I requested and received a copy of the file.
The file follows after the jump.
Pension Number - R.4701
State of New York
County of Onondaga
On this 4th day of April A. D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty three personally appeared before me the undersigned a Judge in and for the county aforesaid, Lawrence Herder, a credible person aged seventy years a resident of Kirkville in said county who is the child and one of the legitimate heirs at law of Lorens Herder and Barbara Herder, both deceased and who being duly sworn according to law makes oath to the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the 3rd section of the act of Congress passed the 4th day of July 1836.
That Lorens Herter (his said father) was a resident of the Town of Manheim in the County of Montgomery and state aforesaid. When in the year 1779 he was drafted as a private in a company of New York Militia in the Revolutionary War for the term of nine months commanded by Captain Crisler and Henry Herter. That afterwards he was drafted twice for nine months and in the 4th Regiment commanded by Colonel Peter Bellinger and served each draft thus making a full time of 29 months that at the expiration of the last draft he returned home at Little Falls in the Town of Menham (Manheim?) aforesaid when he was taken prisoner and kept by the British until the close of said war. After he was released, and he therefore became entitled to a pension under the act of Congress passed 18th March 1818. That in the year 1818 or after the passage of that law his said father made a declaration before Judge Waddle and proved his service by three credible witnesses who names were George Edick, John Helmer and General Campbell who were that said Lorens was a soldier in the said war. That Judge Waddle kept the said papers in his possession and in a week or two thereafter he died and what became of the papers this declarant is unable to set forth.
That his said father died at Manlius in the County of Onondaga and state first above written on the nineteenth (19) day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-three (1843) in the 98 year of his age, that said Barbara died anterior to that time, to wit, on the 13th day of March 1828, at the place, town and county aforesaid, that said Louren Herder and Barbara were married he believes by the Rev. Abraham Rosencrantz a Presbyterian clergyman on the day of ____177__, and always co-habited together as husband and wife until the death of said Barbara and as such raised a large family of children to wit: Charity, Philip, Peggy, Lawrence, Betsey, Barbara, Conrad, Lany, Caty and Henry all of whom are now dead except Charity (Miller), Lawrence (this declarant) Barbara Shoemaker and Henry Herter.
That his said father did not receive a pension in his lifetime, to which he was entitled under said act of 18th March 1818 and this declarant therefore makes the application for the arrears which were due him and unapplied for by as aforesaid from 18 March 1818 up to the time of his death for himself and the other remaining children of the said Loren and Barbara Herder with deceased.
(Signed) Lawrence Harter
State of New York
County of Onondaga
Be it remembered that on this third day of July A.D. 1854 personally appeared before the said county court of said county, Lawrence Harter a resident of Sullivan in the County of Madison and State of New York who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration viz:
That he is the son and one of the heirs at law in for Lawrence P. Harter, deceased, late of the Town of Manlius in the County of Onondaga and state aforesaid.
That he has heard his father the said Lawrence P. Harter often say that he was married to his deceased mother Barbary Harter before the War of the Revolution and that his mother’s name before her said marriage was Barbary Delany.
That his said father has often told him that he had been a soldier in the War of the Revolution, that he served three towers [tours] of nine months each that he served eighteen months under Captain Hendrick or Henry Harter and nine months under Captain Christler in Rome (then Fort Stanwix) and that he was afterwards taken prisoner at Little Falls at the time the British burnt the mills at that place and was a prisoner about seven months and until the end of the war.
That his mother Barbary died in Manlius on the 13th day of March 1823 and that his said father Lawrence P. Harter died on the 19th day of October 1833 in the Tow of Manlius aforesaid and that he left no widow, him survived.
That his said father has often told him that while he was a prisoner with the British the enemy killed his horses and drove away all of his cattle and that he was sold to a Frenchman and taken to Montreal and kept there until the peace was declared when he was sent to Halifax and then to Boston from whence he returned home.
And this deponent further says that his said father made a declaration of the facts in this case under the first act granting pensions to the soldiers of the Revolution which declaration as put into the hands of J.O Walters Esq. then of Manlius Onondaga County and is supposed to have been filed by him in the office of the Commissioner of Pensions in the City of Washington D.C., which will now fully appear by the papers herewith presented and by the proof filed by my said father or his agent J.O. Walters Esq. for the purpose of obtaining a pension under any former acts of Congress and reference [sic] will be had to all legal and reliable proof or papers hereto been filed by any person or persons for the purposes above mentioned and this deponent further says that his father, the said Lawrence P. Harter died leaving five children, him surviving to wit: Charity Miller, Lawrence Harter, Barbary Shoemaker, Catharine Reals and Henry Harter which was all of the children, him surviving and said claimant is now 73 years of age and it is understood and believed that there is now arrears of pension and other claims due from the United States for services rendered by the said Lawrence P. Harter deceased in the War of the Revolution.
Now therefore the true intent of all of this is to qualify and appoint and in power Albert Cook of Pompey in the County of Onondaga and state aforesaid my true and lawfull attorney with power of substitution to investigate substantiate demand and receive the avails of said claim or claims and to say and do all things therein as amply as I might do hereby ratifying all things said or done by said attorney or his substitute in vertinture [?] of also revoking all powers of attorney or other authority heretofore given for any such purposes. In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written. Lawrence Herter
Attest. Israel Spencer Chas. S. Wick.
The following letter is part of the pension application folder for Lorens Harter.
June 30, 1930
Mr. M. G. Bronner
Suite 404 Burrell Building
Little Falls, New York
Dear Sir:
I advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, R.4701, it appears that Lawrence (Lorens) Philip Harter, Herter or Herder, married before the War of the Revolution, no specific date stated, Barbara Delaney, daughter of Peter Delaney.
She died March 13, 1823 or 1828, at Manlius, New York and he died there October 19, 1833 or 1843.
Their children were: Charity, Philip, Peggy, Lawrence, Betsey, Barbara, Conrad, Taney or Laney, Caty or Catherine, and Henry.
Catherine Reals died prior to 1853. Charity Miller, Barbara Shoemaker, Lawrence and Henry applied in 1853 for the pension that might have been due their father and it was alleged that he served three tours of nine months each as a private in the New York Militia, under Captains Crisler, Henry Herder, Frederick Frank, Starring, Helmer and Small, in Colonel Peter Bellinger’s Regiment, and was taken prisoner June 21, 1782 and held until December 14, 1782.
The claim was not allowed as he failed to furnish satisfactory proof of six months service.
Very truly yours,
E. W. Morgan
Acting Commissioner..
The file follows after the jump.
Pension Number - R.4701
State of New York
County of Onondaga
On this 4th day of April A. D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty three personally appeared before me the undersigned a Judge in and for the county aforesaid, Lawrence Herder, a credible person aged seventy years a resident of Kirkville in said county who is the child and one of the legitimate heirs at law of Lorens Herder and Barbara Herder, both deceased and who being duly sworn according to law makes oath to the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the 3rd section of the act of Congress passed the 4th day of July 1836.
That Lorens Herter (his said father) was a resident of the Town of Manheim in the County of Montgomery and state aforesaid. When in the year 1779 he was drafted as a private in a company of New York Militia in the Revolutionary War for the term of nine months commanded by Captain Crisler and Henry Herter. That afterwards he was drafted twice for nine months and in the 4th Regiment commanded by Colonel Peter Bellinger and served each draft thus making a full time of 29 months that at the expiration of the last draft he returned home at Little Falls in the Town of Menham (Manheim?) aforesaid when he was taken prisoner and kept by the British until the close of said war. After he was released, and he therefore became entitled to a pension under the act of Congress passed 18th March 1818. That in the year 1818 or after the passage of that law his said father made a declaration before Judge Waddle and proved his service by three credible witnesses who names were George Edick, John Helmer and General Campbell who were that said Lorens was a soldier in the said war. That Judge Waddle kept the said papers in his possession and in a week or two thereafter he died and what became of the papers this declarant is unable to set forth.
That his said father died at Manlius in the County of Onondaga and state first above written on the nineteenth (19) day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-three (1843) in the 98 year of his age, that said Barbara died anterior to that time, to wit, on the 13th day of March 1828, at the place, town and county aforesaid, that said Louren Herder and Barbara were married he believes by the Rev. Abraham Rosencrantz a Presbyterian clergyman on the day of ____177__, and always co-habited together as husband and wife until the death of said Barbara and as such raised a large family of children to wit: Charity, Philip, Peggy, Lawrence, Betsey, Barbara, Conrad, Lany, Caty and Henry all of whom are now dead except Charity (Miller), Lawrence (this declarant) Barbara Shoemaker and Henry Herter.
That his said father did not receive a pension in his lifetime, to which he was entitled under said act of 18th March 1818 and this declarant therefore makes the application for the arrears which were due him and unapplied for by as aforesaid from 18 March 1818 up to the time of his death for himself and the other remaining children of the said Loren and Barbara Herder with deceased.
(Signed) Lawrence Harter
State of New York
County of Onondaga
Be it remembered that on this third day of July A.D. 1854 personally appeared before the said county court of said county, Lawrence Harter a resident of Sullivan in the County of Madison and State of New York who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration viz:
That he is the son and one of the heirs at law in for Lawrence P. Harter, deceased, late of the Town of Manlius in the County of Onondaga and state aforesaid.
That he has heard his father the said Lawrence P. Harter often say that he was married to his deceased mother Barbary Harter before the War of the Revolution and that his mother’s name before her said marriage was Barbary Delany.
That his said father has often told him that he had been a soldier in the War of the Revolution, that he served three towers [tours] of nine months each that he served eighteen months under Captain Hendrick or Henry Harter and nine months under Captain Christler in Rome (then Fort Stanwix) and that he was afterwards taken prisoner at Little Falls at the time the British burnt the mills at that place and was a prisoner about seven months and until the end of the war.
That his mother Barbary died in Manlius on the 13th day of March 1823 and that his said father Lawrence P. Harter died on the 19th day of October 1833 in the Tow of Manlius aforesaid and that he left no widow, him survived.
That his said father has often told him that while he was a prisoner with the British the enemy killed his horses and drove away all of his cattle and that he was sold to a Frenchman and taken to Montreal and kept there until the peace was declared when he was sent to Halifax and then to Boston from whence he returned home.
And this deponent further says that his said father made a declaration of the facts in this case under the first act granting pensions to the soldiers of the Revolution which declaration as put into the hands of J.O Walters Esq. then of Manlius Onondaga County and is supposed to have been filed by him in the office of the Commissioner of Pensions in the City of Washington D.C., which will now fully appear by the papers herewith presented and by the proof filed by my said father or his agent J.O. Walters Esq. for the purpose of obtaining a pension under any former acts of Congress and reference [sic] will be had to all legal and reliable proof or papers hereto been filed by any person or persons for the purposes above mentioned and this deponent further says that his father, the said Lawrence P. Harter died leaving five children, him surviving to wit: Charity Miller, Lawrence Harter, Barbary Shoemaker, Catharine Reals and Henry Harter which was all of the children, him surviving and said claimant is now 73 years of age and it is understood and believed that there is now arrears of pension and other claims due from the United States for services rendered by the said Lawrence P. Harter deceased in the War of the Revolution.
Now therefore the true intent of all of this is to qualify and appoint and in power Albert Cook of Pompey in the County of Onondaga and state aforesaid my true and lawfull attorney with power of substitution to investigate substantiate demand and receive the avails of said claim or claims and to say and do all things therein as amply as I might do hereby ratifying all things said or done by said attorney or his substitute in vertinture [?] of also revoking all powers of attorney or other authority heretofore given for any such purposes. In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written. Lawrence Herter
Attest. Israel Spencer Chas. S. Wick.
The following letter is part of the pension application folder for Lorens Harter.
June 30, 1930
Mr. M. G. Bronner
Suite 404 Burrell Building
Little Falls, New York
Dear Sir:
I advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, R.4701, it appears that Lawrence (Lorens) Philip Harter, Herter or Herder, married before the War of the Revolution, no specific date stated, Barbara Delaney, daughter of Peter Delaney.
She died March 13, 1823 or 1828, at Manlius, New York and he died there October 19, 1833 or 1843.
Their children were: Charity, Philip, Peggy, Lawrence, Betsey, Barbara, Conrad, Taney or Laney, Caty or Catherine, and Henry.
Catherine Reals died prior to 1853. Charity Miller, Barbara Shoemaker, Lawrence and Henry applied in 1853 for the pension that might have been due their father and it was alleged that he served three tours of nine months each as a private in the New York Militia, under Captains Crisler, Henry Herder, Frederick Frank, Starring, Helmer and Small, in Colonel Peter Bellinger’s Regiment, and was taken prisoner June 21, 1782 and held until December 14, 1782.
The claim was not allowed as he failed to furnish satisfactory proof of six months service.
Very truly yours,
E. W. Morgan
Acting Commissioner..
Monday, February 04, 2008
Eagans in the Irish Annals
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland, or the Annals of the Four Masters as they are more commonly called, were compiled between 1632 and 1636 under the direction of Michael O'Clery, a Franciscan brother in Donegal. They are yearly chronicles of major (and sometimes minor) occurrances in Ireland from the Year of the Deluge (2242 A.M. - that is, 2242 years from the creation of the earth) until 1616 A.D. From 1235 A.D until 1601 A.D. there are numerous references to the Eagans (or Egans, MacEgans, etc.) as they were one of the most noted families of brehons - lawyers and judges.
More after the break.
The native Irish law, or Brehon Law, was that great body of civil, military and criminal law used until the beginning of the seventeenth century. It regulated the Irish society from kings to slaves and enumerated the rights and privileges of all. A very complex and detailed law, it was interpreted by a group of hereditary masters called brehons—from breth, the Irish word for 'judgement.' Among the major hereditary brehon families, the Mac Aodhagáins (MacEgans) were, without a doubt, the most prominent. They are mentioned more often as brehons than any other family in the Irish annals. Fergus Kelly notes that between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries the MacEgans acted as brehons to most of the ruling families of western and central Ireland including Mac Carthy Mor of Desmond, Butler of Ormond, O'Keenedy of Ormond, Burke of Clanricard, O'Connor of Offaly, Mageoghagan of Keneleagh, O'Farrell of Annaly, O'Connor Roe, O'Conor Don, O'Rourke of Brefny, O'Connor Sligo, O'Dowd of Tireragh, and Barret of Tirawley.
The Mac Egan family is described by Joseph and Mary Joan Egan in their History of the Clan Egan, and by Conor Mac Hale in his Annals of the Clan Egan. Both works provide a wealth of information concerning this hereditary Irish brehon family, including extracts of some of the Mac Egan entries from the Irish Annals. This work documents all known references to this family from three of the major annals where they are found.
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland—or more commonly called The Annals of the Four Masters—were compiled four lay Franciscan brothers in County Donegal. (Hence, it is also sometimes referred to as The Annals of Donegal.) The chief compiler of the Annals was Michael O'Clery, along with Conary (Michael's brother) and Cugogry O'Clery (a third cousin of Michael and Conary) and Ferfeasa O'Mulconry.
Michael O'Clery spent fifteen years in collecting manuscripts from various parts of Ireland. The Annals begin at the earliest part of the Irish history and are carried down to the year 1616 A. D. Upon completion of their work Brother O'Clery sought comments from those whom he thought were among the most learned men in Ireland. As a result, a number of comments on the work of the Four Masters are found prefixed to the copy in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. Two are significant to members of the Egan family; one by Flann Mac Egan, of Ballymacegan, and another by Boetius MacEgan, bishop of Elphin. Following is an English translation of the letter by Flann Mac Egan, and Bishop Mac Egan's letter in Latin. (I must apologize that even with my four years of Latin at Aquinas Institute in the late 1950s it would be futile to attempt a complete translation Bishop MacEgan's letter. Suffice to say, he approved of it.)
In 1851 the Annals were translated and edited, along with comments, by John O'Donovan, and published in seven volumes (the seventh volume being an index). It is O'Donovan's translation that is used for this work.
Annals of the Four Masters
1225 A.D. - Flann, the son of Auliffe O'Fallon, Chief of Clann-Uadagh, was slain by Felim, the son of Cathal Crovderg, in this war; and Teige O'Finaghty, one of the officers Aes graidh of Hugh, the son of Roderic, was slain by the people of Mac Egan during the same war.
1249 A.D. - An army was led by the Roydamnas heirs presumptive of Connaught, namely, Turlough and Hugh, two sons of Hugh, the son of Cathal Crovderg, to Athenry, on Lady Day in mid-autumn, to burn and plunder it. The sheriff of Connaught was in the town before them, with a great number of the English. The English demanded a truce for that day from the sons of the King of Connaught, in honour of the Blessed virgin Mary, it being her festival day; but this they did not obtain from them; and although Turlough forbade his troops to assault the town, the chiefs of the army would not consent, but determined to make the attack, in spite of him. When Jordan and the English saw this, they marched out of the town, armed and clad in mail, against the Irish army. The youths of the latter army, on seeing them drawn up in battle array, were seized with fear and dismay, so that they were routed; and this was through the miracles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on whose festival they had refused to grant the truce demanded from them. Of their chiefs were here killed Hugh, son of Hugh O'Conor; Dermot Roe, son of Cormac O'Melaghlin, the two sons of O'Kelly; Brian an Doire, the son of Manus; Carragh Inshiubhail, son of Niall O'Conor; Boethius Mac Egan; the two sons of Loughlin O'Conor; Donnell, son of Cormac Mac Dermot; Finnanach Mac Branan; Cumumhan Mac Cassarly, and others besides.
1273 A.D. - A depredation was committed by Jordan d'Exeter in Corran. A few of the young princes of Connaught overtook him; but these having adopted an imprudent plan, suggested by some of the common people, it fell out that Donnell, son of Donough, Manus, son of Art O'Conor, Aireaghtagh Mac Egan, Hugh O'Beirne, and many others, were slain.
1309 A.D. - Hugh, the son of Owen, son of Rory, son of Hugh, son of Cathal Crovderg, King of Connaught, and worthy heir to the monarchy of Ireland, the most hospitable and expert at arms of all the Irish born in his time, was slain by Hugh Breifneach, the son of Cathal O'Conor, at Coill-an-clochain, together with many of the chiefs of his people about him. Among these were Conor Mac Dermot; Dermot Roe, son of Teige O'Conor; Dermot, son of Cathal Carragh Mac Dermot; Hugh, son of Murtough, son of Teige, son of Mulrony; and Dermot O'Healy, a princely brughaidh, the best of his time. On the other side fell Gilla-na-naev Mac Egan, Chief Brehon of Connaught, and the most illustrious of the Brehons of his time; Faghartach O'Devlin, and others not mentioned. The Sil-Murray then conferred the lordship upon Rory,the son of Cathal O'Conor. Rory O'Conor and O'Flynn afterwards led a troop of cavalry to the Plain, and slew Mac Feorais Bermingham.
1316 A.D. - A very great army was mustered by Felim O'Conor and the chiefs of the province of Connaught. In this battle were slain John Mac Egan, O'Conor's Brehon.
1317 A.D. - Maelisa Roe Mac Egan, the most learned man in Ireland in law and judicature, died.
1320 A.D. - A meeting and conference took place between Cathal O'Conor and Mulrony Mac Dermot: a kindly and amicable peace was concluded between them, and Mac Dermot then returned to his own country. Cathal, however, afterwards violated the conditions of this peace, for he made a prisoner of Mac Dermot at Mullagh Doramhnach, and also of his wife, the daughter of Mac Manus, at Port-na-Cairrge. Maelisa Don Mac Egan and his son, and Tomaltagh Mac Donough, Lord of Tirerrill, were also made prisoners, and the country was entirely plundered.
1327 A.D. - Farrell, son of Ualgarg O'Rourke, Cuilen O'Dempsey, and Sabia, daughter of Mac Egan, died.
1329 A.D. - Maelisa Donn Mac Egan, Chief Ollav of Connaught, died.
1353 A.D. - Saerbhreathach, son of Maelisa Donn Mac Egan, Ollave of Conmaicne, died on Inis Cloghrann.
1355 A.D. - Murrough, the son of Cathal O'Farrell; Dervorgilla, the daughter of O'Farrell; and Teige Mac Egan, a man learned in the Fenechas, died.
1359 A.D. - Manus O'Dowda, son of the Lord of Hy Fiachrach, and Hugh, the son of Conor Mac Egan, the choicest of the Brehons of Ireland, died.
1362 A.D. - Auliffe Mac Firbis, intended Ollav of Tireragh; Farrell, the son of Teige Mac Egan, a learned Brehon; John, son of Donough Mac Firbis, intended Ollav of Tireragh; Dermot, son of Mac Carthy; Conor, son of Melaghlin Carragh O'Dowda, and Murtough, his son, all died.
1369 A.D. - Melaghlin Mac Mahon, heir to the lordship of Oriel; Brian, the son of Murtough O'Conor; John, the son of Edward Mac Hubert; Donough O'Beirne, Chief of Tir-Briuin; Randal O'Hanly; Cormac O'Hanly; also John Mac Egan, and Gilbert O'Bardan, two accomplished young harpers of Conmaicne, died.
1378 A.D. - Teige Mac Egan, Chief Brehon of Lower Connaught, a sage without contention or reproach, who kept a house of general hospitality for all comers, died.
1390 A.D. - Brian Mac Egan, Ollav of Breifny in judicature, died; and John (i.e. the Official Mac Egan),successor to this Brian, was slain four nights before Christmas Day.
1399 A.D. - Boethius Mac Egan, a man extensively skilled in the Fenechus law, and in music, and who had kept a celebrated house of hospitality; and Gilla-na-naev, the son of Conor Mac Egan, Arch-Ollav of the Fenechus Law, died.
1404 A.D. - Taichleach, the son of Donough O'Dowda; Tuathal, the son of Melaghlin O'Donnellan, intended ollav of Sil-Murray in poetry ; and Teige, the son of Boethius Mac Egan, intended ollav of Lower Connaught in law,---the three died.
1409 A.D. - Murtough Mac Egan, Chief Brehon of Teffia, a learned and profound adept in his own profession, died.
1413 A.D. - Colla, the son of Teige O'Kelly, heir to the lordship of Hy-Many; Melaghin, the son of Manus Mac Donnell; O'Meagher, Chief of Hy-Cairin; and Mac Egan of Ormond, a man learned in the Fenechus, all died.
1422 A.D. - Cosnamhach Oge Mac Egan, Ollav of the Kinel-Fiachach, and of O'Conor Faly in judicature, was slain, in a mistake, by the sons of O'Melaghlin, with one cast of a javelin.
1430 A.D. - Farrell, the son of Boethius, son of Teige Mac Egan, Ollav of Lower Connaught in Law, universally learned in every art, and who kept a house of hospitality for all who came to visit him, died, after a good life.
1436 A.D. - Gilla-Isa Mac Egan, Ollav to Mac Wattin in law, a pious, charitable, and humane man, and the superintendent of schools of jurisprudence and poetry, died.
1438 A.D. - Donough, the son of Siry O'Cuirnin, a learned historian; O'Daly of Breifny, Chief Poet to O'Reilly; and Conor Mac Egan, Ollav of Clanrickard in law, died.
1443 A.D. - Mac Egan of Ormond, i.e. Gilla-na-naev, the son of Gilla-na-naev, son of Hugh, Ollav of Munster in law, a man generally skilled in each art, and who kept a house of public hospitality for all, died.
1443 A.D. - Hugh Mac Egan, the son of Farrell, son of Boethius, died, in the springtide of his prosperity. He was the most fluent and eloquent of the Irish of his times. He was Ollav of Lower Connaught in law.
1447 A.D. - Gilla-na-naev, the son of Aireachtach, who was son of Solomon Mac Egan, the most learned Brehon and Professor of Laws in Ireland, died.
1473 A.D. - Brian, the son of Robert Mac Egan, ollav to O'Conor Don and O'Hanly, died.
1474 A.D. - Gilla-Finn Mac Egan, Ollav to O'Conor Faly, and Thomas, the son of Donnell O'Coffey, died.
1486 A.D. - Teige Mac Egan, Ollav of Annaly, was slain in an abominable manner by the descendants of Irial O'Farrell.
1487 A.D. - John, the son of Conor Mac Egan, Ollav of Clanrickard, and Hugh, the son of Brian, son of Farrel Roe O'Higgin, died.
1529 A.D. - Cosnamhach, the son of Farrell, son of Donough Duv Mac Egan, the most distinguished adept in the Fenechas, poetry, and lay Brehonship, in all the Irish territories, died, and was interred at Elphin.
1529 A.D. - Mac Egan of Ormond (Donnell, the son of Hugh, son of Donnell), head of the learned of Leath-Mhogha in Feneachus and poetry, died.
1601 A.D. - After they had come together at one place, they pitched and arranged a camp before Kinsale, and from this they faced Rinn-Corrain; and they allowed them the garrison there neither quiet, rest, sleep, nor repose, for a long time and they gave each other violent conflicts and manly onsets, until the warders after all the hardships they encountered, were forced to come out unarmed, and surrender at the mercy of the Lord Justice, leaving their ordnance and their ammunition behind them. The Lord Justice billeted these throughout the towns of Munster, until he should see what would be the result of his contest with the other party who were at Kinsale. It was on this occasion that Carbry Oge, the son of Carbry Mac Egan, who was ensign to the son of the Earl of Ormond, was slain.
1602 A.D. - O'Sullivan, after being deprived of this castle, went with his cows, herds, and people, and all his moveables, behind his rugged-topped hills, into the wilds and recesses of his country. The Earl of Thomond and his army, and O'Sullivan and his forces, continued shooting and attacking each other until the Christmas times. The two armies were entrenched and encamped face to face in Gleann-garbh, which glen was one of O'Sullivan's most impregnable retreats. His people now began to separate from O'Sullivan secretly without asking his leave. First of all Captain Tyrrell went away from him, and he was obliged himself to depart in the Christmas holidays, without the knowledge of, and unperceived by the Earl. In the first day's march he went from Gleann-garbh to Baile-Muirne; on the second night he arrived on the borders of the territories of O'Keeffe and Mac Auliffe; on the third night he arrived at Ardpatrick; on the fourth night, at Sulchoid; on the fifth and sixth nights he remained at Baile-na-Coille; on the seventh night at Leatharach; and on the eighth at Baile-Achaidh-caoin. He was not a day or night during this period without a battle, or being vehemently and vindictively pursued, all which he sustained and responded to with manliness and vigour. Having arrived on the ninth night at a wood called Coill-fhinne, where they remained for two nights, Donough, the son of Carbry Mac Egan, who lived in their vicinity, began boldly to attack and fire upon O'Sullivan and his people, so that at length he was obliged to be slain, as he would not desist from his attacks, by the advice of O'Sullivan. Not finding cots or boats in readiness, they killed their horses, in order to eat and carry with them their flesh, and to place their hides on frame-works of pliant and elastic osiers, to make curraghs for conveying themselves across the green-streamed Shannon, which they crossed at Ath-Coille-ruaidhe, without loss or danger, and landed on the other side in Sil-Anmchadha. From thence they passed on, and on the eleventh night they arrived at Aughrim-Hy-Many. Upon their arrival there the inhabitants of the lands and the tribes in their vicinity collected behind and before them, and shouted in every direction around them. Among the gentlemen who came up with them on this occasion were the son of the Earl of Clanrickard (Thomas, the son of Ulick, son of Richard Saxonagh); Mac Coghlan (John Oge, the son of John, son of Art); O'Madden (Donnell, the son of John, son of Breasal), and his son, Anmchaidh; some active parties of the O'Kellys, and many others not enumerated, with all their forces along with them.
More after the break.
The native Irish law, or Brehon Law, was that great body of civil, military and criminal law used until the beginning of the seventeenth century. It regulated the Irish society from kings to slaves and enumerated the rights and privileges of all. A very complex and detailed law, it was interpreted by a group of hereditary masters called brehons—from breth, the Irish word for 'judgement.' Among the major hereditary brehon families, the Mac Aodhagáins (MacEgans) were, without a doubt, the most prominent. They are mentioned more often as brehons than any other family in the Irish annals. Fergus Kelly notes that between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries the MacEgans acted as brehons to most of the ruling families of western and central Ireland including Mac Carthy Mor of Desmond, Butler of Ormond, O'Keenedy of Ormond, Burke of Clanricard, O'Connor of Offaly, Mageoghagan of Keneleagh, O'Farrell of Annaly, O'Connor Roe, O'Conor Don, O'Rourke of Brefny, O'Connor Sligo, O'Dowd of Tireragh, and Barret of Tirawley.
The Mac Egan family is described by Joseph and Mary Joan Egan in their History of the Clan Egan, and by Conor Mac Hale in his Annals of the Clan Egan. Both works provide a wealth of information concerning this hereditary Irish brehon family, including extracts of some of the Mac Egan entries from the Irish Annals. This work documents all known references to this family from three of the major annals where they are found.
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland—or more commonly called The Annals of the Four Masters—were compiled four lay Franciscan brothers in County Donegal. (Hence, it is also sometimes referred to as The Annals of Donegal.) The chief compiler of the Annals was Michael O'Clery, along with Conary (Michael's brother) and Cugogry O'Clery (a third cousin of Michael and Conary) and Ferfeasa O'Mulconry.
Michael O'Clery spent fifteen years in collecting manuscripts from various parts of Ireland. The Annals begin at the earliest part of the Irish history and are carried down to the year 1616 A. D. Upon completion of their work Brother O'Clery sought comments from those whom he thought were among the most learned men in Ireland. As a result, a number of comments on the work of the Four Masters are found prefixed to the copy in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. Two are significant to members of the Egan family; one by Flann Mac Egan, of Ballymacegan, and another by Boetius MacEgan, bishop of Elphin. Following is an English translation of the letter by Flann Mac Egan, and Bishop Mac Egan's letter in Latin. (I must apologize that even with my four years of Latin at Aquinas Institute in the late 1950s it would be futile to attempt a complete translation Bishop MacEgan's letter. Suffice to say, he approved of it.)
Whereas the poor friar, Michael O'Clery (in obedience to his superior, Father Joseph Everard, Provincial of the Order of St. Francis in Ireland) came to me to shew me this book,—I, Flann, son of Cairbre Mac Aedhagain, of Baile-Mhic-Aedhagain, in the county of Tibrat-Arann, do testify that,—though many were the books of history of the old books of Ireland which I saw, and though numerous the uncertain number of ancient and modern books which I saw written and being transcribed in the school of John, son of Torna Ua Maelchonaire, the tutor of the men of Ireland in general in history and chronology, and who had all that were in Ireland learning that science under his tuition,—I have not seen among them all any book of better order, more general, more copious, or more to be approved of, as a book of history and annals, than this book. I think also that no intelligent person whatever, of the laity or clergy, or of the professions, who shall read it, can possibly find fault with it. In attestation of which thing aforesaid, I here put my name on this, at Baile-Mhic-Aedhagain aforesaid, the 2nd of November, 1636.
FLANN MAC AODHAGAIN.
Visis testimoniis, et authenticis peritorum approbationibus, do hoc opere, per Fr. Michaelem Clery Ordinis Laicum fratrem collecto, libenter illud approbamus, ut in publicum lucem edatur.
Datum Ros-rield, 27 Novemb. 1636
FR. BOETIUS EGAN, Eps.
In 1851 the Annals were translated and edited, along with comments, by John O'Donovan, and published in seven volumes (the seventh volume being an index). It is O'Donovan's translation that is used for this work.
Annals of the Four Masters
1225 A.D. - Flann, the son of Auliffe O'Fallon, Chief of Clann-Uadagh, was slain by Felim, the son of Cathal Crovderg, in this war; and Teige O'Finaghty, one of the officers Aes graidh of Hugh, the son of Roderic, was slain by the people of Mac Egan during the same war.
1249 A.D. - An army was led by the Roydamnas heirs presumptive of Connaught, namely, Turlough and Hugh, two sons of Hugh, the son of Cathal Crovderg, to Athenry, on Lady Day in mid-autumn, to burn and plunder it. The sheriff of Connaught was in the town before them, with a great number of the English. The English demanded a truce for that day from the sons of the King of Connaught, in honour of the Blessed virgin Mary, it being her festival day; but this they did not obtain from them; and although Turlough forbade his troops to assault the town, the chiefs of the army would not consent, but determined to make the attack, in spite of him. When Jordan and the English saw this, they marched out of the town, armed and clad in mail, against the Irish army. The youths of the latter army, on seeing them drawn up in battle array, were seized with fear and dismay, so that they were routed; and this was through the miracles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on whose festival they had refused to grant the truce demanded from them. Of their chiefs were here killed Hugh, son of Hugh O'Conor; Dermot Roe, son of Cormac O'Melaghlin, the two sons of O'Kelly; Brian an Doire, the son of Manus; Carragh Inshiubhail, son of Niall O'Conor; Boethius Mac Egan; the two sons of Loughlin O'Conor; Donnell, son of Cormac Mac Dermot; Finnanach Mac Branan; Cumumhan Mac Cassarly, and others besides.
1273 A.D. - A depredation was committed by Jordan d'Exeter in Corran. A few of the young princes of Connaught overtook him; but these having adopted an imprudent plan, suggested by some of the common people, it fell out that Donnell, son of Donough, Manus, son of Art O'Conor, Aireaghtagh Mac Egan, Hugh O'Beirne, and many others, were slain.
1309 A.D. - Hugh, the son of Owen, son of Rory, son of Hugh, son of Cathal Crovderg, King of Connaught, and worthy heir to the monarchy of Ireland, the most hospitable and expert at arms of all the Irish born in his time, was slain by Hugh Breifneach, the son of Cathal O'Conor, at Coill-an-clochain, together with many of the chiefs of his people about him. Among these were Conor Mac Dermot; Dermot Roe, son of Teige O'Conor; Dermot, son of Cathal Carragh Mac Dermot; Hugh, son of Murtough, son of Teige, son of Mulrony; and Dermot O'Healy, a princely brughaidh, the best of his time. On the other side fell Gilla-na-naev Mac Egan, Chief Brehon of Connaught, and the most illustrious of the Brehons of his time; Faghartach O'Devlin, and others not mentioned. The Sil-Murray then conferred the lordship upon Rory,the son of Cathal O'Conor. Rory O'Conor and O'Flynn afterwards led a troop of cavalry to the Plain, and slew Mac Feorais Bermingham.
1316 A.D. - A very great army was mustered by Felim O'Conor and the chiefs of the province of Connaught. In this battle were slain John Mac Egan, O'Conor's Brehon.
1317 A.D. - Maelisa Roe Mac Egan, the most learned man in Ireland in law and judicature, died.
1320 A.D. - A meeting and conference took place between Cathal O'Conor and Mulrony Mac Dermot: a kindly and amicable peace was concluded between them, and Mac Dermot then returned to his own country. Cathal, however, afterwards violated the conditions of this peace, for he made a prisoner of Mac Dermot at Mullagh Doramhnach, and also of his wife, the daughter of Mac Manus, at Port-na-Cairrge. Maelisa Don Mac Egan and his son, and Tomaltagh Mac Donough, Lord of Tirerrill, were also made prisoners, and the country was entirely plundered.
1327 A.D. - Farrell, son of Ualgarg O'Rourke, Cuilen O'Dempsey, and Sabia, daughter of Mac Egan, died.
1329 A.D. - Maelisa Donn Mac Egan, Chief Ollav of Connaught, died.
1353 A.D. - Saerbhreathach, son of Maelisa Donn Mac Egan, Ollave of Conmaicne, died on Inis Cloghrann.
1355 A.D. - Murrough, the son of Cathal O'Farrell; Dervorgilla, the daughter of O'Farrell; and Teige Mac Egan, a man learned in the Fenechas, died.
1359 A.D. - Manus O'Dowda, son of the Lord of Hy Fiachrach, and Hugh, the son of Conor Mac Egan, the choicest of the Brehons of Ireland, died.
1362 A.D. - Auliffe Mac Firbis, intended Ollav of Tireragh; Farrell, the son of Teige Mac Egan, a learned Brehon; John, son of Donough Mac Firbis, intended Ollav of Tireragh; Dermot, son of Mac Carthy; Conor, son of Melaghlin Carragh O'Dowda, and Murtough, his son, all died.
1369 A.D. - Melaghlin Mac Mahon, heir to the lordship of Oriel; Brian, the son of Murtough O'Conor; John, the son of Edward Mac Hubert; Donough O'Beirne, Chief of Tir-Briuin; Randal O'Hanly; Cormac O'Hanly; also John Mac Egan, and Gilbert O'Bardan, two accomplished young harpers of Conmaicne, died.
1378 A.D. - Teige Mac Egan, Chief Brehon of Lower Connaught, a sage without contention or reproach, who kept a house of general hospitality for all comers, died.
1390 A.D. - Brian Mac Egan, Ollav of Breifny in judicature, died; and John (i.e. the Official Mac Egan),successor to this Brian, was slain four nights before Christmas Day.
1399 A.D. - Boethius Mac Egan, a man extensively skilled in the Fenechus law, and in music, and who had kept a celebrated house of hospitality; and Gilla-na-naev, the son of Conor Mac Egan, Arch-Ollav of the Fenechus Law, died.
1404 A.D. - Taichleach, the son of Donough O'Dowda; Tuathal, the son of Melaghlin O'Donnellan, intended ollav of Sil-Murray in poetry ; and Teige, the son of Boethius Mac Egan, intended ollav of Lower Connaught in law,---the three died.
1409 A.D. - Murtough Mac Egan, Chief Brehon of Teffia, a learned and profound adept in his own profession, died.
1413 A.D. - Colla, the son of Teige O'Kelly, heir to the lordship of Hy-Many; Melaghin, the son of Manus Mac Donnell; O'Meagher, Chief of Hy-Cairin; and Mac Egan of Ormond, a man learned in the Fenechus, all died.
1422 A.D. - Cosnamhach Oge Mac Egan, Ollav of the Kinel-Fiachach, and of O'Conor Faly in judicature, was slain, in a mistake, by the sons of O'Melaghlin, with one cast of a javelin.
1430 A.D. - Farrell, the son of Boethius, son of Teige Mac Egan, Ollav of Lower Connaught in Law, universally learned in every art, and who kept a house of hospitality for all who came to visit him, died, after a good life.
1436 A.D. - Gilla-Isa Mac Egan, Ollav to Mac Wattin in law, a pious, charitable, and humane man, and the superintendent of schools of jurisprudence and poetry, died.
1438 A.D. - Donough, the son of Siry O'Cuirnin, a learned historian; O'Daly of Breifny, Chief Poet to O'Reilly; and Conor Mac Egan, Ollav of Clanrickard in law, died.
1443 A.D. - Mac Egan of Ormond, i.e. Gilla-na-naev, the son of Gilla-na-naev, son of Hugh, Ollav of Munster in law, a man generally skilled in each art, and who kept a house of public hospitality for all, died.
1443 A.D. - Hugh Mac Egan, the son of Farrell, son of Boethius, died, in the springtide of his prosperity. He was the most fluent and eloquent of the Irish of his times. He was Ollav of Lower Connaught in law.
1447 A.D. - Gilla-na-naev, the son of Aireachtach, who was son of Solomon Mac Egan, the most learned Brehon and Professor of Laws in Ireland, died.
1473 A.D. - Brian, the son of Robert Mac Egan, ollav to O'Conor Don and O'Hanly, died.
1474 A.D. - Gilla-Finn Mac Egan, Ollav to O'Conor Faly, and Thomas, the son of Donnell O'Coffey, died.
1486 A.D. - Teige Mac Egan, Ollav of Annaly, was slain in an abominable manner by the descendants of Irial O'Farrell.
1487 A.D. - John, the son of Conor Mac Egan, Ollav of Clanrickard, and Hugh, the son of Brian, son of Farrel Roe O'Higgin, died.
1529 A.D. - Cosnamhach, the son of Farrell, son of Donough Duv Mac Egan, the most distinguished adept in the Fenechas, poetry, and lay Brehonship, in all the Irish territories, died, and was interred at Elphin.
1529 A.D. - Mac Egan of Ormond (Donnell, the son of Hugh, son of Donnell), head of the learned of Leath-Mhogha in Feneachus and poetry, died.
1601 A.D. - After they had come together at one place, they pitched and arranged a camp before Kinsale, and from this they faced Rinn-Corrain; and they allowed them the garrison there neither quiet, rest, sleep, nor repose, for a long time and they gave each other violent conflicts and manly onsets, until the warders after all the hardships they encountered, were forced to come out unarmed, and surrender at the mercy of the Lord Justice, leaving their ordnance and their ammunition behind them. The Lord Justice billeted these throughout the towns of Munster, until he should see what would be the result of his contest with the other party who were at Kinsale. It was on this occasion that Carbry Oge, the son of Carbry Mac Egan, who was ensign to the son of the Earl of Ormond, was slain.
1602 A.D. - O'Sullivan, after being deprived of this castle, went with his cows, herds, and people, and all his moveables, behind his rugged-topped hills, into the wilds and recesses of his country. The Earl of Thomond and his army, and O'Sullivan and his forces, continued shooting and attacking each other until the Christmas times. The two armies were entrenched and encamped face to face in Gleann-garbh, which glen was one of O'Sullivan's most impregnable retreats. His people now began to separate from O'Sullivan secretly without asking his leave. First of all Captain Tyrrell went away from him, and he was obliged himself to depart in the Christmas holidays, without the knowledge of, and unperceived by the Earl. In the first day's march he went from Gleann-garbh to Baile-Muirne; on the second night he arrived on the borders of the territories of O'Keeffe and Mac Auliffe; on the third night he arrived at Ardpatrick; on the fourth night, at Sulchoid; on the fifth and sixth nights he remained at Baile-na-Coille; on the seventh night at Leatharach; and on the eighth at Baile-Achaidh-caoin. He was not a day or night during this period without a battle, or being vehemently and vindictively pursued, all which he sustained and responded to with manliness and vigour. Having arrived on the ninth night at a wood called Coill-fhinne, where they remained for two nights, Donough, the son of Carbry Mac Egan, who lived in their vicinity, began boldly to attack and fire upon O'Sullivan and his people, so that at length he was obliged to be slain, as he would not desist from his attacks, by the advice of O'Sullivan. Not finding cots or boats in readiness, they killed their horses, in order to eat and carry with them their flesh, and to place their hides on frame-works of pliant and elastic osiers, to make curraghs for conveying themselves across the green-streamed Shannon, which they crossed at Ath-Coille-ruaidhe, without loss or danger, and landed on the other side in Sil-Anmchadha. From thence they passed on, and on the eleventh night they arrived at Aughrim-Hy-Many. Upon their arrival there the inhabitants of the lands and the tribes in their vicinity collected behind and before them, and shouted in every direction around them. Among the gentlemen who came up with them on this occasion were the son of the Earl of Clanrickard (Thomas, the son of Ulick, son of Richard Saxonagh); Mac Coghlan (John Oge, the son of John, son of Art); O'Madden (Donnell, the son of John, son of Breasal), and his son, Anmchaidh; some active parties of the O'Kellys, and many others not enumerated, with all their forces along with them.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
RIT and the Super Bowl
As a former Rochesterian (as in Rochester, NY), I read the online version of the Democrat & Chronicle a couple of times a week. Generally I spend more time there reading the Irish Sports Page (a/k/a the obituaries) than the news but two articles in the D&C the last two days were interesting. Both dealt with the Super Bowl and Rochester Institute of Rochester.
More after the break . . .
The first article, "Super Bowl ad sports local twist," describes a Pepsi commercial to be aired during the Super Bowl programming this afternoon/evening. The commercial is silent with two deaf guys trying to find a friend's house. One of the guys in the car and one of the commedcial's production assistant is a graduate of RIT's National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). When I works in IBM's branch office in Rochester, the NTID was one of my customers and they had an IBM 1502 Computer Instruction System for deaf students.
The other article in this morning's D&C, "Hard work takes Coughlin from RIT to Super Bowl," is about the New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin. The article notes that Coughlin was the football coach at RIT during the 1971-73 seasons. And I didn't even know that they had a football team!
More after the break . . .
The first article, "Super Bowl ad sports local twist," describes a Pepsi commercial to be aired during the Super Bowl programming this afternoon/evening. The commercial is silent with two deaf guys trying to find a friend's house. One of the guys in the car and one of the commedcial's production assistant is a graduate of RIT's National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). When I works in IBM's branch office in Rochester, the NTID was one of my customers and they had an IBM 1502 Computer Instruction System for deaf students.
The other article in this morning's D&C, "Hard work takes Coughlin from RIT to Super Bowl," is about the New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin. The article notes that Coughlin was the football coach at RIT during the 1971-73 seasons. And I didn't even know that they had a football team!
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