Re: Devonshers - Co. Cork, Ireland
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In reply to:
Devonshers - Co. Cork, Ireland
Joanna Woodley 12/08/99
The Devonshers settled in ireland about the middle or end of th 17th century.The name appears to be french with dutch background.It possibly stems from an original dutch van cher,meaning of cher or cherbourg, the latter being the seaport in normandy.Speculation is that they were hugenots who fled to ireland to avoid the religous wars and persecution of catholic france. In ireland the family became quakers and the family are recorded in their records. The connection with kilshanig ,Rathcormac came about when Thomas Devonshire married in 1662sarah weber whose father michael weber aquired the lands c.1650. It was their grandson Abraham Devoshire who built the present house in 1765.The house was designed by Davis Ducart.When abraham died in 1783 his heirs were Mary Penrose[niece]nee Randall,Samuel Penrose jrn[grandnephew] and Richard Newenhamwho swap the property with his brother John who lived at Maryborough. This John took the name Devonsher.John Newenham Devonsher married in 1792 Cornelia dau of capt. c Schuyler of North America and he died in 1801.His son and heir Abraham Newenham Devonshire married twice and had issue including several daughters. Though he was very wealthy he lost heavily in the post- Napoleonic depression when several cork banks failed.Possibly to avoid bankruptcy he sold the house c.1830 to Edmond Burke-Roche who later became Lord Fermoy [Princess Diana's ancestor].Abraham however retained some land in the area and built Mountain Lodge,Ballyda ,Bartlemy[old name Gortroe]where he died on january 9 1880 aged 83yrs.
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Re: Devonshers - Co. Cork, Ireland
Joanna Woodley 1/31/00