Longworth in Ireland
Peter Longworth ca 1625 – 1698 | his parents
& ca 1650 Elizabeth Reyly (Relie) ca 1632 – aft 1698 | her parents
perhaps Bolton in Moor, Lancashire, England
& “Craggen,” County Weastmeath, Ireland
This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!
ca 1625 Peter Longworth was born in England, probably Lancashire
Peter Longworth apparently was a soldier in the Cromwellian Army who stayed on in Ireland.
1650 in Athlone. Peter Longworth married Elizabeth Reyly or Relie .
Elizabeth was born about 1632 in Ireland, the daughter of James Reyly and she died after 1698 in Ireland.
by 1662 Peter Longworth had moved to Creggan, where he had obtained land .
1698 Peter Longworth died in Athlone, Ireland.
Peter Longworth was the ancestor of all the numerous families of Longworth. About 1650 he settled in Arthlone, died 1698 leaving six sons to five of whom he leaves legacies, Viz: James, John, Ralph, Henry, and Francis to be paid after the death of his wife Elizabeth Reyly or Relie. from the Dr. John Burgess papers found at the public library in Athlone, Ireland
Vera Longworth suggested that three possible candidates for the Peter who went to Ireland in Cromwell’s army are Peter who lived in Cadshaw & Lower Darwen, baptised 19th June 1625 at Blackburn St Mary, son of Ralph Longworth & Ellen Ainsworth.
Another possibility is Peter who lived at Grimehills in Over Darwen, baptised on 9th April 1626 at Blackburn St Mary, son of John Longworth.
and a third possibility is Peter born in Horwich and baptised December 1618 at Deane Church in Bolton, son of Peter Longworth & Ellen Marsh.
Children of Peter Longworth and Elizabeth Reyly:
1. Ralph Longworth ca 1652 Creggan –
his father left him Bonnahinly & Creggan Mill
a. Francis Longworth ca 1680 – 1742 Creggan
2. John Longworth ca 1654 Creggan – died in Toubut, Ireland
a. John Longworth ca 1684 – of Toubut, Ireland
i. Francis Longworth ca 1725 –
married Mary Fritzgerald ca 1750 – living 1832
1. Francis Longworth 1766 – 1843 P.E.I.
Jack Swift’s ancestor
3. Francis Longworth ca 1656 Creggan –
a. son ca 1686 – had family
i. Francis Longworth 1758 – 1804
1. John Longworth 1794 – 1829 Athlone
Pat Longworth husband’s line
?b. Thomas Longworth 1692 – 1748 Newark NJ
according to our family tradition
4. Peter Longworth ca 1658 Creggan – ca 1691 Ireland
5. Henry Longworth ca 1660 Creggan –
6. James Longworth ca 1662 Creggan –
7. first daughter Longworth ca 1663 Creggan –
8. seventh son Longworth ca 16xx Creggan –
9. second daughter Longworth ca 1679 Creggan –
Ref: Here is 7 pages of information from unpublished book in Athlone Library, Westmeath by Dr. John Burgess 1885 – 1960; on Westmeath History. e-mail Pat
| In 1832 Mary Fitzgerald sent to her son Francis Longworth (1766-1843) in P.E.I. a rambling paper describing his ancestry. She must have been well over eighty years of age when she wrote it. She did not know of an ancestor named Peter, but her description of an ancestral John Longworth sounds a lot like the historical Peter Longworth (circa 1625-1698). I think she may have confused Peter with his son John. Mary’s paper follows: Jack Swift “Queens County, Ireland March 1832Description of the kindred and alliance of Francis Longworth of Charlottetown by his father and mother. The said Francis Longworth was son to Francis Longworth formerly of Cloulimon near Moate in the county of Westmeath, and after of Esker, near Doon, and Ballycumber in the Kings County, and later of Clondalin near Athlone in the county of Westmeath, and the said Francis Longworth was son of John Longworth, formerly of Toubut in the County Westmeath and the said John Longworth was son to John Longworth of Cragan near Athlone in the said county who came over from Lancashire in England with Oliver Cromwell and settled in Cragan after the disturbance. The said John Longworth had seven sons, when King William landed,1st Francis after of Cragan, 2nd, John of Toubut, 3rd Ralph of the Mill, 4th Peter of Bonnahinley, 5th Harry of Cannaugh. I can’t say what the names of the other two sons were, also two daughters who were after married — notwithstanding he had been bedridden for some time, when William landed he was on horseback before any of his sons who all seven joined King William’s army and went with him.A description of the kindred and alliance of Francis Longworth by his mother Mary Longworth otherwise Fitzgerald, daughter of James Fitzgerald of Clondalyn in King’s county who was nephew to the Knight of Glinn also to Sir Toby Butler he was related to the Shorts near Carlow and the Cosby’s and Daury’s in the county Kerry, and to Stephen Rawson, and also acknowledged by the Leinster family to be a relation of theirs by the Francis Longworth Grandmother Catherine Fitzgerald otherwise Hunt she was sister to the Rev John Hunt of Clepook in the Queen’s county, and niece to Dean Delany, she was also cousin germaine to Mrs. Barker of Glassniven in the county Dublin, also to Baron Georges Father she was related to the Dames of Britice, the Droughts of the Heath in the Queens County, and to Coleloughs, Grogans and other familys in the county Wexford and the Vesey’s in the county Dublin the said James and Catherine Fitzgerald Grandfather and Grand Mother of Said Francis Longworth left issue at their death four sons and one daughter who were provided for as follows, Hunt Fitzgerald, a major in the 35th foot, Samuel Fitzgerald a lieutenant and a quartermaster in the 36th foot Jonh Fitzgerald a lieuetenant in the 7th Royal British Fusiliers and after a captain in another regiment, and Captain Alexander Fitzgerald, late of Castletown in the Queen’s county, and Mary the said Francis Longworth’s mother. The family of Longworth anciently descended from Germany, bear for arms — field azure on a fesse between three crescents argent, as many Dragon’s heads erased proper. Crest on helmet and wreath of its colors — a Talbot Dog’s head erased proper Motto Virtute et Valore. Explanation — the Field being blue denoteth sincerity. The Fesse is a military belt or girdle of honor. The half-moons denote celestial beauty, the Dragons, courage and magnanimity. The Talbot Dog, Fidelity and Intrepidity and Motto by Virtue and Valor.”The previous text was transcribed from a typescript carbon copy bearing a penciled note by Otis Peabody Swift dated July 13, 1931 which indicates that the carbon copy was made prior to that date. The typescript carbon copy was among papers found in the safe deposit box of Ethel Longworth Swift (great-granddaughter of Francis Longworth of Charlottetown) after her death in 1963. The vagaries of sentence structure, punctuation and spelling in this transcription are exactly as they appear in the typescript carbon copy, which was presumably transcribed in turn by an unknown person from a handwritten original the whereabouts of which is now also unknown. Mary was writing from memory to give her sixty-six-year-old son Francis in Prince Edward Island, whom she had not seen in over forty years, a feeling for his ancestry. She says much about her own contemporary relatives, but little about her husband’s. The great story of the old patriarch John Longworth riding with his seven sons to fight for King William (presumably at the Battle of the Boyne in 1689) rings true in its general outline, but I think she has skipped a generation. Writing in 1832, she describes the old patriarch on horseback in 1689 as her husband’s grandfather. I think she was wrong there. The old patriarch was almost certainly Peter Longworth (ca 1625-1694), a Cromwellian soldier who arrived in Ireland about 1650 from Lancashire and became the master of Creggan in Westmeath, and who was probably the great grandfather of her husband, but I can’t prove that last surmise. Jack Swift (John Longworth Swift) Georgetown, Maine, U.S.A. |
| e-mail from Michael Mecham Our surname is MECHAM. I read with interest your web page details on your early Athlone ancestors. We are researching the same area and period and have come across some LONGWORTH details which follow.
(1) Robert MECHAM (1674-1734) is our earliest ancestor so far traced. The earliest record we have of him is that he was a witness to the will of Peter LONGWORTH in 1698 (source Athlone Library). Athlone Library considers that the MECHAMs were transplanted pre the 1690 group. Nothing definite. According to the Library, Robert’s widow (no name yet) was the Mrs. M referred to in several places in the Journals of John Wesley; she was the sister-in-law of Samuel Handy, the other prominent Methodist leader. (2) George MECHAM (grand or ggrandson of Robert) married Catherine HODSON in 1789. She was 2nd dau of (wealthy)William HODSON of St Johns, county Roscommon, and Mary – formerly LONGWORTH (one of the sons was even called George Longworth HODSON). The attached legal document from the Burgess Papers gives some LONGWORTH genealogy.
(3) From Index of Prerogative will of Ireland by Vickers. Date is probated year. (4) Tombstone Inscriptions St Marys Athlone So that’s a few LONGWORTH items which came with our MECHAM research. Athlone Library has been very helpful and we have gone through some of the microfilm of the Burgess Papers. Our ancestors would have known each other. |
Hello Longworth family!
Does anybody have any relation or know the John Longworth line? From St Matthew in Milltown Parish, Diocese of Meath -church records: Married to Margaret Gamble, Aug 1831; children: Matilda 1833, Margaret 1834, John 1836, Daniel 1837, Catherine 1841 & Elizabeth 1844.
Their sponsors listed as: John Longworth, Mary Longworth, William Longworth, Deborah Gamble (alias Murray), Patrick Longworth, Honor Longworth, Patrick Egan, Anne Longworth, Henry Longworth and Mary Young.
Thanks kindly and I look forward to any info, thoughts or advice.
Best,
Charlie
Also, it might be helpful to add mention Of the witnesses at John Longworth and Margaret Gamble’s wedding at church of Saint Matthew – Milltown (8/31/1831):
Thomas Fegan and Matilda Murray
and the (“Sponsors”) witnessing each Child’s baptism:
Margaret 6/24/1834
1). John Gamble and Mary Longworth
John 8/31/1836
2). William Longworth and Deborah Gamble (alias Murray)
Daniel. 11/9/1838
3). Patrick Longworth and Honor
Longworth
Catherine. 2/25/1841
4). Patrick Egan and Anne Longworth
Elizabeth Longworth. 11/30/1844
5). Henry Longworth and Marry Young
Hello there, I am researching a line of Longworth that came from Ireland to New York city. I have hit a stone wall though Through Dun NA Si Heritage Centre, I was able to confirm marriage records (Milltown Parish)John Longworth marrying Margaret Gamble in 1831. Children’s baptismals: Margaret 1834, John 1836, Daniel 1838, Catherine 1841, Elizabeth 1844.
I am unable to trace John Longworth’s line.
Can anyone kindly help me find what family line John is connected too?
Many thanks,
Charlie