Reverend Horatio Thomas Townsend (334)
| Date of Birth: | 1808 |
|---|---|
| Date of Death: | 12 Feb 1892 |
| Generation: | 6th |
| Residence: | Abbeystrewry, Kilcoe and Clear |
| Father: | Commander John Townsend [316] |
| Mother: | Eleanor Townsend [510] |
| Spouse: |
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| Issue: | |
| See Also: | Table III ; Scrapbook ; Lineage ; Ancestors' Tree ; Descendents' Tree |
Notes for Reverend Horatio Thomas Townsend
Married 16 April 1845 at Kilgariff, Co Cork. His cousin, Agnes Somerville (1) who was the daughter of Richard Neville Somerville (1a) of Millfield,(2) Rosscarbery. See Burke's Irish Landed Gentry 1912 - Somerville. See the entry for Mary Townsend [506] for a precis of the Somerville family and their connections with the Townsends.
Horatio's mother died when he was only nine and this led to him being "allowed to grow up in idleness" (3) and neglect of his education by his father. When Horatio was 17 his father decided to bind him to Dr Edward Richard Townsend [6C00] who was planning to go to India in 1825 but never got there because the East Indiaman 'Kent' on which he was travelling caught fire and sank in the Bay of Biscay. When Dr Edward returned from this disaster it was decided not to bind Horatio to him. "By this time Horatio had a calling and he implored his father to let him study for the church and go through Trinity College. His father consented on the condition that Horace should be no expense to him." (3) Horatio studied hard and Alumni Trinity College Dublin from Co Cork and Kerry 1593-1860 in Dr Casey's Collection records that he entered Trinity College, Dublin, on 21 October 1833 aged 24 as a self educated pensioner who paid a fixed sum annually for his studies.
He failed his Divinity Final at the first attempt through nervousness following which he stayed with his brother John Sealy Townsend [333] in Dublin to revise for a second attempt. "He passed most creditably and succeeded just as well in his examinations for Deacon and Priest." (3) The exam for the former was held in Limerick and the latter at Hollywood, Belfast.
Ordained in 1840, Horatio was Curate in various parishes in Co Down, Co Armagh and Co Donegal between his ordination and 1850 - he was Curate of Rossnowlough, Donegal at the time of his marriage. He was appointed Vicar of Abbeystrewry, Co Cork, on 2 August 1850 following the death of his brother Richard Boyle Townsend [332] who had held the living since 1819.(4) Horatio resigned the living of Abbeystrewry in 1867, was appointed Rector of Kilcoe and Clear, Diocese Ross, but resigned in 1891 on account of failing health and died there. His biographical details can be seen on pages 268 and 269 in Reverend John Harding Cole's Church and Parish Records of the United Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, covering the period 1863 to 1903 and published in 1903.
'Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory for the Year 1862' shows "SKIBBEBEEN UNION (Co. Cork), 23 Electoral Divisions. The Board of Guardians meets on Thursdays. Chairman, T. Somerville, esq., Drishane, Castletownsend. Vice-Chairman, Thomas H. Marmion, esq., Skibbereen. Deputy Vice-Chairman, John Limrick, esq., Union Hall, Rosscarbery. Treasurer, Provincial Bank, Skibbereen. Clerk and Returning Officer, Charles Clerke. Master and Matron, Robert Evans and Honora Atteridge. Chaplains:- Established Church, Rev. H. T. Townsend."
'Griffith's Valuation of Ireland 1848 - 1864' records "Townsend Rev. Horace T. Carrigfadda “owning land in the parish of Abbeystrewry. The entry for Carrigfadda Glebe in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records “At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Rev. Horace Townsend was leasing this property from The O'Donovan's estate when it was valued at £12 15s. In 1837 Lewis had noted it as the seat of R.B. Townsend. It is still extant and occupied.” (RB Townsend is Horatio's brother Richard Boyle Townsend [332].)
Francis Guy’s County & City of Cork Directory 1875-76 records Horace as the Rector of Kilcoe in the entry for Aghadown and Church Cross on page 136 and in the entry for Schull on page 309. Similar entries appear in the Directory for 1884 page 103 and page 147 and in the Directory for 1891 page 129 and page 223.
Page 884 of The Calendar of Wills and Administration 1858-1922 in the National Archives of Ireland records that the will of " Reverend Horace Thomas Townsend otherwise Townshend late of Corrovalla County Cork", who died on 12 February 1892, was proved at Cork on 28 March 1892 by "Agnes Townsend of the same place Widow the sole Executrix". Effects under £233 19s 5d..
The April 1901 Irish Census records that Agnes, aged 78, was living in house 3 Corravoley, Kilcoe, Cork with her daughters, Agnes and Helen (then married to Joesph Lodge), three 'Lodge' grandchildren and three domestic staff. The house consisted of eleven rooms, a stable, a coach house and four further outbuildings. This property passed to Agnes when her mother died in 1904 and this is reflected in the 1911 Census though it differs in the description of the house.
(1) Agnes was born in 1823 in Baltimore, Co Cork, and died on 9 January 1904. She maintained a remarkable record of family events from 1842 to 1852 and again from 1867 to within a few days of her death in 1904. The entry for her marriage reads 'April 16 1845 Horace J (sic) Townsend married to Agnes Somerville' and the entry for the death of Horace reads 'Feby 12 1892 H.T.T. !! - 84'. Many details/dates in these records are drawn from the diary.
(1a) The entry for Somerville in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "Burke's ''Irish Family Records'' indicates that the first of this family to settle in Cork was Rev. William Somerville, who allegedly fled persecution in Scotland in the 1690s. Col. Thomas Somerville of Drishane, Skibbereen, owned over 450 acres in county Cork in the 1870s while other members of the family owned similar amounts. Thomas Somerville was among the principal lessors in the parish of Castlehaven at the time of Griffith's Valuation while Elizabeth Somerville held townlands in the parish of Skull at the same time."
(2) The entry for Millfield House in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "This house, with a mill valued at £40, was leased by William Limerick to Henry Morrow in 1851, when the house was valued at £12 5s. Lewis notes Millfield as the seat of Lieut. Lloyd, RN, in 1837 while it is noted by Leet as the residence of Roger Sweeny in 1814. The mill is labelled Ross Mill on the 25-inch map of the 1890s. There is still an extant house at the site as well as the remains of some mill buildings." No mention of the Somervilles!
(3) Extract from notes by written by Agnes after the death of Horatio in 1892 - she calls him Horace. RBT Papers/334/1.
(4) Rev Horatio Townsend [5D00] held the living at Abbeystrewry 1770-1780 and was succeeded Rev William Robinson 1780-1819, husband of Mary Townsend [314]; by the time that Horace resigned the living in 1867 Townsend or Townsend connections with the parish spanned 96 years. See page 454 et seq of Brady's Parochial and Clerical Records Volume 2. Rev Horace Webb Townsend [634] was vicar of Abbeystrewry 1896-1915 and extended the Glebe House.
For other Somerville connections see Elizabeth Henrietta Townsend [225], Henrietta Augusta Townsend [234], Jonas Morris Townsend [237], Henrietta Anna Townsend [242], John Townsend [316], Letitia Mary Townsend [351], Mary Townsend [506], Maria Townsend [5D07].