A Little About the Usher/Ussher Line

The Family HistorianDEC 1998

A Little about the USHER/USSHER Line

(of which I am a Descendant)

by Jemma USSHER

The following information comes mainly from three sources, (1) my own research, backwards from my grandfather Henry Oliver Ussher, (2) the book entitled “The Ussher Families in Ireland”, by W. Ball Wright, M.A., published in 1889, (of which I possess a copy), and (3) an article published much later, entitled “The Usshers of Birr” by J.M. Masters, in which the author expands on Ball Wright’s research and details some inaccuracies and omissions in his book. For the purpose of this article I shall start from antiquity, bringing the line forward to my grandfather.

The name Usher or Ussher is often found in ancient documents in England after the Norman Conquest; in the first instance as a title of office, and then as a surname derived from the office.

An ancient family of the name Ussher was early settled in Yorkshire and Glover in his visitation of that county, in 1585 (which is continued in 1612), gives the pedigree and origin of the name.

There would seem to have been knowledge on the part of the Dublin Usshers of some connection between them and this Yorkshire family of Ussher. Many of the Christian names of both are identical, and Primate Henry Ussher and his descendents quartered the arms of the Yorkshire Usshers with their own, as we also find in Arland Ussher’s Funeral Entry, and in the coat of arms of Primate James Ussher in a contemporary MS armory in the British Museum.

The name Usher or Ussher is still common in the north of England, and from thence extended quite early into Scotland. However we shall concentrate here on the Irish Usshers, and for this we have first to take a quick look at the Nevilles:

The Nevilles claim descent from –

Gilbert de NEVILLE – said to be the Admiral of the Conqueror’s fleet in 1066, and the Nevilles of Raby Castle, Yorkshire, marked this fact by a galley in their Arms.

Geoffrey de NEVILLE – grandson of the above Gilbert, married Emma Bulmer, the heiress of Brancepeth; there is a tower at Raby Castle still named “the Bulmer Tower”, and near the top of this tower a large B for Bulmer is twice cut in the stone. Isabel de Neville, the daughter and heiress of Geoffrey, married Robert FitzMeldred, who took the name Neville (cf. “Burke’s Extinct Peerage”)

John NEVIL – of the Northern Nevils, accompanied Prince John in 1185 to Ireland as Usher of the Court and adopted the surname from his office.

(The name has been variously spelled – even within the same family line – as Usher, Ussher, Uscher, Ushier)

Playfair, in his British Family Antiquity, writes in a note when speaking of the Musgrave family: “The Ussher family is of great antiquity in Ireland, but is originally of English descent, where they bore the name of Nevill, being of the Nevills of the North until the reign of Henry II, when John Nevill, the first Irish Ancestor in 1185, having attended the King’s son in Ireland, adopted the name of Ussher from the office which he then held.”

There are many sources of information for the history of the Ussher family in Ireland, owing to the fact of their having held prominent offices in Dublin and other parts of Ireland. Later I shall detail the lives of but three, the Primates Henry and James, also Thomas who took Napoleon into exile. But here I shall continue down the direct male line, from which I am descended. The archival records show:-

John le USCHER – born in England, in 1302 was made Constable of Dublin Castle by King Edward I, held office for several years and was re-appointed by Edward II (who seems to have been his friend or patron, the original appointment having been given “at the instance of King Edward’s son”). He retired from office 1309/10 and went back to England (Yorkshire) where he died. He was of either the Yorkshire or Westmoreland Nevils and his son may have lived and died in the North of England. His grandson –

Arland (Arlantor, Arlanton) USSHER – was born c1420 in England, went back to Dublin where he settled as a leading merchant in the reign of Henry VI. In 1461 he was Bailiff of Dublin. In 1469 he was Mayor of Dublin. He married (1) Alson Taylour, then (2) Anne Bedford. (The male line from the 1st marriage died out 2 generations later). His death is recorded in the Christ Church Obit Book as “Arlanton Wscher, ob. Jan., 1479.” He had two sons by the second marriage: John and Christopher. The eldest son –

John USCHER – Merchant of Dublin, was born 1460, married in 1485 to Joanna Foster. His wife was the daughter of William Foster, of Killeigh, by Katherine, daughter of …… Birt, of Tullock.

Their children were Arland, Thomas, and Jenet. His 1st son –

Arlanton or Arland USHER – was born in 1490, became Sheriff of Dublin 1521, Mayor of Dublin 1528, joint collector of Customs for Dublin, Drogheda & Dundalk in 1532, and died 13 Feb 1557. This Arland rebuilt St John’s Church, Dublin, which became the burying place of his family. Ball Wright discovered in a MS pedigree in T.C.D. a statement that this Arland Usher was King of Arms. If this was so, he was probably an “Ireland King of Arms,” an office in existence long previous to the Ulster Office.

In 1548 the Christ Church Chapter leased to him the “winetavern under the said church, which the said Arland then enjoyed,” He married Reia (Rex, Rosina, Rose) Holywood of Artane who was de-scended from Sir Robert de Holy Wood or de Sacro Bosco, who was knighted in 1361, as “the worthiest in chivalry”, by Lionel, Duke of Clarence and Earl Palatine of Ulster. By her he had an only son and two daughters, Katherine and Alson. This line of the Usshers held fast to the faith of their ancestors, and thus by forfeiture of estates, gradually lost their former prosperity. Arlands son –

Robert USHER – of Sauntriffe or Sauntrie, was born 1528, was 28 at his father’s death. He became Sheriff of Dublin 1553, Mayor of Dublin 1561. He married (1) Margaret Fitzjohn, then (2) Katherine, daughter of Patrick Sedgrave, of Killeglan, in 1556. By his 1st wife he had – Thomas (who died young), and Richard of Cromlin & Santry, Co Dublin, also Ellinor, Margaret and Anne. Mention is made of him in the will of his relative Nicholas Holywood 10 Aug 1570. From the Dublin Assembly Rolls we learn that at Easter, 1566, his name occurs, and at the Christmas Assembly, 1570, it was “agreed that Alderman Robert Usher shall have the tenement in the Fishamble Street wherein lately dwelled John .… for 61 years, paying 20 pounds and such yearly rent as John .…… payd.” and Michaelmas, 1583, “a lease to Nicholas Coleman of an orchard near the gate of All Hallows now in tenure of the administrators of Robert Usher, to commence from the termination of the present interests. Rent 2s 8d per ann.” By his second wife Robert had Laurence, Robert, Arland (who died an infant), Elizabeth, Marie and Rose. His son –

Laurence USHER – was born 1558, merchant, Freeman of Dublin 1595, still a merchant in 1627, was ancestor of the Usshers of Birr & Parsonstown. He married (1) a dau of John Marshall, who died in 1597. He married (2) Margaret White, dau of John White, Sherriff of Dublin, who died 26 Apr 1603. The name Laurence Usher occurs in Primate James Ussher’s State of Meath diocese in 1622; Also, according to a Chancery decree of 9 Feb 1627, “Thos Akyns, tailor, plaintiff, Laurence Usher, merchant of Dublin, defendant – the Pl’ff was to recover 20s being the freight of goods sent to Chester, on board Plff’s Barque, and also 40s expended in Chester, plff & deft, and Luke, deft’s son to give mutual releases and to withdraw all actions, suits, etc, respecting said sums.” Laurence’s son was –

Luke USHER – born c1583/4, was a merchant of Dublin 1627, his wife’s name at present unknown. The section of Ball Wright’s book dealing with the branch of Usshers living at Birr (pages 15 to 24) is both sparse in dates and incorrect in affiliations and identities. He derived the family from the Usshers of Santry. He had found mention in a Chancery Decree of 9 Feb 1627 of Luke, son of Laurence, Merchant of Dublin, and assumed he was the father of Robert, Apothecary of Birr, though the first mention he could find of Robert was in 1690. The applicable dates entail a gap of 60 years. It is far more likely that Luke, son of Laurence, was not the father but the grandfather of Robert, who also had sons bearing the names of Laurence and Luke. The date discrepancy leaves room for –

John USHER – born 1610. Little is known of him or his wife, Margaret (and this generation is completely left out of Ball Wright’s book, printed in 1889). The Obituary of Meelick Abbey, Co Galway, some ten miles from Birr, states that on 4 Jul 1638 “receperunt chordam St Frais Joannes Usher at uxor Eus Margarita Vsher.” It is very likely that they were the parents of Robert, who had a son and daughter of these names.-

Robert USHER – Born c1640, Apothecary of Birr, living at Birr in or before 1690, in which year his house was burnt during the troubles. He appears in the Rent Rolls of the estates of the Parsons family in King’s County, (where lay Birr or Pasonstown) and which began in 1667. The earliest mention is for the year commencing 1 May 1677. The following year “Mr Usher paid 10 pounds for a garden”, while in 1687 there is mention of “a plot to Mr Usher & a garden” at the same rent (NLI microfilm p.5650). In September 1690 the English army fortified Birr, levelling hedges, ditches and orchards, burning houses between the town and Racalier bridge, and pulling down houses in the town, Robert Usher’s house being amongst those burnt (Thomas Lalor Cook, Picture of Parsonstown, 1826). His will dated 12 Jun 1704, was proved at Killaloe 20 Jun 1704, by his son John, the witnesses being Michael & Barnaby Archer. The will makes no mention of the name of his wife – who may have been an Archer (sister to the witnesses). He had children – John, Laurence, James, Luke or Noble Luke, Margaret and Mary. His 1st son-

John USHER – born 1673, was, like his father, an Apothecary of Birr. “John Usher of Birr, King’s Co, Apothecary, and Luke Usher of KillmcShane, Co Galway, Chirurgeon, his eldest son” are parties to the marriage settlement of the younger son, Robert, on 1 Nov 1740, which mentions “John Usher and Luke Usher’s Apothecary shop in the possession of the said John Usher in Birr, with all the Drugs and Utensils” (Marriage settlements and deeds quoted are in the Registry of Deeds) His death, at the age of 87, was announced in the Dublin Journal of 14/18 Oct 1760. His wife’s name is not mentioned. (he had two sons, Luke or Noble Luke, born in 1709, was the eldest and then Robert, born 1713) Ball Wright, in his book, attributed these two children of John’s to his brother Luke by Luke’s wife Catherine Rush. However, see J.M. Masters on the Usshers of Birr wherein quoted – re Luke, the younger – that he was the eldest son of John ,(not Luke), was a surgeon of KillmcShane, Co Gallway, when he had a Prerog ML 25 Aug 1735 to marry Mgt Archer of Birr. If this marriage took place, Margaret died shortly after as he married secondly, 10 Jan 1737, Anne, second daughter of Benjamin Bloomfield, tanner, of Eyrecourt, Co Galway – to whose will, proved the same year, he was a witness. Mr Luke Usher conformed 15 Jan 1737, was enrolled in the Convert Rolls the next day, & had a certificate 9 May 1738, having taken the oath at King’s Bench. This was in connection with his marriage into the Protestant Bloomfield family. Luke Usher, surgeon, is mentioned as brother in law of Adam Bloomfield, one of the sons of Benjamin Bloomfield in 1740, and in the same year, “Luke Usher of KillmcShane, Co Gallway, gent” was witness to a lease to Adam Bloomfield. In 1746 “Luke Usher of Mount Usher, Co Galway, Chirurgeon” was witness to a deed between the brothers Benjamin and Adam Bloomfield, another witness being Robert Usher, apothecary of Birr. In 1763 he is referred to as “Luke Usher of Parsonstown, Gentleman”, in a deed to which Robert Usher of Parsonstown, Apothecary, was a witness. He was buried at Birr on 4 Mar 1787. His widow is probably the Anne Usher buried at Birr 4 Mar 1797.

However, I digress, it is John’s younger son, Robert, we must now follow –

Robert USHER – born 1713, also an Apothecary of Birr. His marriage settlement as ‘one of the sons of John Usher of Birr, Apothecary’, is dated 1 Nov 1740 the bride being “Catherine, Maddin, one of the daughters of Francis Maddin, late of Eyrecourt, Co Galway, merchant, deceased.” Their children were: Noble Luke, John, Margaret, Catherine, Francis and Marcella. Ball Wright attributed some of Robert and Catherine’s children to Robert’s older brother, Noble Luke and his wife Anne Bloomfield – however see J. M. Masters. In 1768 Robert Usher assigned a lease of part of the lands of Drumbane, near Parsontown, to ‘N: Luke Usher, his son’ who was the eldest. Robert’s second son –

John Usher – born 1740, Apothecary of Birr, married 3 Jun 1779 to Mary White, the settlement being made between John Usher, Robert Finch of Birr and Sarah Cassin otherwise White, Executors of the will of Richard White, and Mary, the daughter of Richard White and Sarah, her fortune being 2390 pounds, 11 shillings and 5 pence. Ball Wright says that she was the fifth daughter of Richard White of Castleview, Co Tipperary, and that her mother was the daughter of Roger Finch, silversmith, of Dublin. He also says that John Usher died in June 1788, but his youngest child was baptized in 1801. John Usher of Birr was an executor of the will of William Usher of Crea in 1792, and a witness to a mortgage by Noble Luke Usher of Gurteen in 1799. The “Mary Ussher” buried at Birr 27 Apr 1803, is probably this John Ussher’s wife. They had twelve children, (Catherine-1782, Sarah-?, Jane-1787, Richard White-1787, Noble Luke-1788, Roger Finch-1790, William-1791, John-1792, Sarah-1794, Mary-1796, Margaret-1797 and Hemsworth-1801) The eighth child being-

John USHER – baptized 10 Nov 1792, at Birr. Griffith’s Valuation shows him as a chandler in Co Tipperary, parish of Templemore, Townland of Killtillane, at 12 Mary St – a house, office and yard. He married Catherine Ryan 19 Apr 1828. He died 2 Mar 1885 at a stated age of 90, (he would have been nearer to 93). They had eight children, (Margaret, John, Daniel, Bridget, Mary, Henry, James and Michael) seven of whom migrated to Australia over a ten year period, from 1853 to 1863. Margaret, the eldest, either died young or stayed at home. The second son –

Daniel USSHER – was born 1831, at Loughmore, Co Tipperary. He like his father, was a chandler. He arrived in Australia per the vessel “Kate” on 23 Dec 1856. He married (1) Harriet Summerhayes, from Somerset, who travelled, with her brother, to Australia on the same ship as Daniel Ussher. She died in childbirth 27 Apr 1859. Daniel then joined the NSW Mounted Police and rose to sergeant, in charge of a large area north of Sydney. He married (2) on 26 Dec 1866 to Bridget Quinlan who was born in Ireland c1845, and fathered a further twelve children. He died in 1890 and is buried at Coopernook, NSW. One hundred years after his death his descendents had a memorial plaque to Daniel placed on the exterior wall of the Taree (NSW) Police Station. His 9th child –

Henry Oliver USSHER – born 21 Mar 1881 at Taree, NSW., was my grandfather. Onetime publican, he died on 10 Apr 1937, in Sydney, in a diabetic coma.

Some Detail of Three Illustrious Usshers

The following information comes mainly from (1) Ball Wright’s book on the Ussher Families in Ireland, published in 1889, (2) Chambers Encyclopedia: Revised Edition, printed in 1882, (3) More Irish Families by Edward MacLysaught, and (4) Gorton’s Biographical Dictionary, Vol 111.. Most of The Usshers who gained prominent places in history converted to Protestantism.

Primate Henry Ussher, D.D. Lord Archbishop of Armagh (1595-1613)

John Ussher, merchant of the City of Dublin 1485, whose eldest son, Arland is one of my direct line ancestors, had a second son Thomas, who married three times. His first wife was Margaret, daughter of Henry Geydon, Alderman and Baliff of Dublin. Their second son Henry, a learned and pious divine, having studied in Cambridge, Oxford and Paris, was ordained and became Archdeacon of Dublin.

It was while holding this position that he gained great renown as a preacher, and went in 1590, at the request of the Lord Chancellor and his fellow citizens, and at his own expense, to London, to petition the Queen for permission for the building of Trinity college. So successful was he that he returned with a Charter from Queen Elizabeth, in which it was expressly stated that the Queen grants is owing to his persuasion, and in consequence she appoints him to be first Fellow, his friend Rev Luke Challoner, second Fellow, and Ussher's nephew, Rev Lancellot Money, third Fellow of the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity near Dublin. In 1594 he was appointed Vice-Provost of Trinity College, Dublin. For his labours in connection with Trinity College, Henry Ussher was promoted to Primate of all Ireland, which position he held with honour and respect till his death in 1613. His descendents were estated gentlemen at Balsoon, in the Co. of Meath. He was twice married; first about 1573, to Margaret, daughter of Thomas Eliot of Balriske, Co. Meath; secondly to Mary Smith, who survived him. By his first wife he had three sons - Marcus, Ambrose and Thomas. One of his nephews was –