(141) Andrews of Rathenny

Andrews of Rathenny

John Andrews (d. c.1688) was a junior officer in the British army in Ireland in the mid 17th century, and in 1667 he received a grant of the Rathenny estate in King's County (later Co. Offaly), which his descendants continued to hold until the early 20th century. The estate was never large, and in the late 19th century comprised about 700 acres. It seems likely that John was related in some way to the Andrews of Charwelton, as the coats of arms of the two families are clearly related, but the connection has not been traced. The family were for the most part fairly obscure, although they continued to marry fairly well in the middling ranks of Irish society through many generations. It has been possible to add unusually little to the bare genealogical record provided in Burke's Landed Gentry of Ireland in 1912, so I should accordingly be particularly grateful if any reader who is able to add even small details to the information below would get in touch with me to share their knowledge!

John was succeeded by his son, John Andrews (d. 1732), who had eight recorded children. He was succeeded by two of his sons in turn. Robert Andrews (d. 1743) died fairly young, leaving only a daughter, and the estate passed to his brother, Maunsell Andrews (c.1690-1769). From him, it passed to his son John Andrews (fl. 1753-69), who was dead by 1806, and to his son, Maunsell Andrews (1769-1864). This Maunsell Andrews was the most interesting member of the family. He inherited around 1800 and was High Sheriff of King's County in 1806. It was almost certainly he who was responsible for building the present very attractive house at Rathenny at about the same time, and the sophistication of the design, coupled with the fact that he sent his sons to University in Dublin, argues for a more metropolitan outlook than his forbears.  A letter survives from a distant cousin describing life at Rathenny in the 1830s, and it was clearly a fairly comfortable and civilised place:

Rathenny House, April 14, 1831.  My beloved Family,—I write from the House of my dear cousin and nieces, where the four lions and the lion crest on an immense silver salver show that the owner is descended from the illustrious de Alta Ripas...my cousin’s house is very large. He is a Magistrate; he keeps a coach and a most commodious double gig, which he drives tandem; he has about a dozen horses, three or four men-servants, and lots of female. His place is one of the most beautiful on earth; the view from my bedroom window was one of the most delightful I ever beheld. He has prayers morning and evening. My nieces, Sarah and Marianne and Anne, are decidedly pious and lovely girls. My nephew Hawtrey is so like Stephen in profile that you can be in no doubt as to their bang of one and the same blood, and he is a lovely fellow, just about Stephen’s age. Sarah, my eldest niece, is the sweetest girl I have almost ever seen, and, by the way, her horse is, for an animal, what she is for a female—so gentle, so elegant, so beautiful, that you really love the animal, and when I this morning saw my sweet niece on her knees in the Hall spreading a plaster for a poor person at the Hall door, you may be sure I felt no common tenderness and love for her. My niece Marianne is highly accomplished, plays very beautifully on the harp, and to see her at the instrument and Anne at the Piano, and then John, Hawtrey, Charlotte, Catharine and Sarah standing by, singing one of Kelly’s Hymns, was as beautiful a sight as I have beheld for some time. My niece Sarah draws very prettily. She gave me two as I came away, one for my dear Anna and one for dear Emily, and knowing my dear Ned is unwell, she gave me a receipt with the medicine itself to do him good. It is very scarce and very dear, and I have a good bundle of it...The garden very much reminds me of the gardens at Tintern Abbey...Hawtrey this morning took me into the Spruce walk. Oh! it was beautiful. And there he opened his whole heart to me—told me of his hesitation at entering the Church, lest he was not fit for so sacred a profession... I have especially recommended him to read Fletcher's works and Watson’s ‘ Institutes,’ as his sweet and gentle mind is not decided as to doctrine, but inclined to the Arminian view, whereas my lovely nieces are Calvinists... J.H.

Maunsell Andrews lived to the great age of 95 and it is therefore not surprising that his son, John Hawtrey Andrews (c.1802-79), held the estate for only a fairly short time. His son, Maunsell Hawtrey Andrews (c.1839-90) was however, relatively young when he died, and both his sons died young too.  When John Bolton Andrews died unmarried in 1916, the estate reverted to his mother, and after her death three years later, it appears to have been sold. The subsequent history of the estate has not been traced.

Rathenny House, Co. Offaly

Rathenny House

A good quality three-bay two-storey house, built about 1800, with a nicely composed and balanced entrance front, three-bay side elevations and later extensions to the rear.  The red brick window surrounds contrasting with the rubble stonework of the walls suggest that the house was originally rendered, as the chimneystacks and rear extensions still are.  The hipped slate roof is largely concealed by a parapet. On the entrance front, the central bay is stepped slightly forward, and the windows are tripartite timber sashes. The segmental-headed, red brick door surround frames a tooled limestone doorcase with engaged columns and pilasters, a fluted frieze, an Adam-style spider web fanlight and geometric sidelights. The doorcase leads into an unusually wide and generous hall flanked by the drawing and dining rooms, with simple but well-carved chimneypieces; the drawing room also has lively plasterwork decoration on the end wall.  In the grounds there is a substantial walled garden, and at the end of a former drive is a three bay, single-storey gate lodge, no doubt built at much the same time as the house. Both the main house and the gate lodge can now be rented for holidays.

Descent: John Andrews (d. c.1688); to son, John Andrews (d. 1732); to son, Robert Andrews (d. 1743); to brother, Maunsell Andrews (d. 1769); to son, John Andrews (fl. 1769); to son, Maunsell Andrews (1769-1864); to son, John Andrews (d. 1879); to son, Maunsell Andrews (d. 1890); to son, John Bolton Andrews (1874-1916); to mother, Kate Mary Andrews (d. 1919); sold after her death...

Andrews family of Rathenny House

Andrews, John (d. c.1688) of Rathenny. A cornet in the Cromwellian army. He married Alice, daughter of Thomas Maunsell of Derryvillane (Cork) and had issue:
(1) John Andrews (d. 1732) (q.v.);
(2) Aphra Andrews; married [forename unknown] Dixon.
He was granted the Rathenny estate by letters patent dated 12 February 1667.
He died about 1688.

Andrews, John (d. 1732) of Rathenny. Only recorded son of John Andrews (d. c.1688) and his wife Alice, daughter of Thomas Maunsell of Derryvillane (Cork). He married, 1682, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Robert Cole, kt., of Ballymackey (Tipperary) and had issue:
(1) Robert Andrews (d. 1743) (q.v.);
(2) Maunsell Andrews (c.1690-1769) (q.v.);
(3) Thomas Andrews; died in the lifetime of his father;
(4) Anna Andrews; married [forename unknown] Allen;
(5) Mary Andrews; married [forename unknown] Allen;
(6) Elizabeth Andrews; married James Johnston;
(7) Rebecca Andrews; married [forename unknown] Cole;
(8) Aphra Andrews; married Joseph Smith.
He inherited the Rathenny estate from his father in about 1688.
He died in 1732.

Andrews, Robert (d. 1743) of Rathenny. Eldest son of John Andrews (d. 1732) of Rathenny and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Robert Cole, kt. of Ballymackey (Tipperary). He may have married Aphra, daughter of Thomas Boles of Ballinacurra (Co. Cork) and had issue:
(1) Elizabeth Andrews (fl. 1748); married Richard Hawkshaw and had issue one son.
He inherited the Rathenny estate from his father in 1732. At his death the estate passed to his younger brother.
He died in 1743.

Maunsell Andrews (d. 1769)

Andrews, Maunsell (c.1690-1769) of Rathenny.  Second son of John Andrews (d. 1732) of Rathenny and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Robert Cole, kt. of Ballymackey (Tipperary), born about 1690. He married, 1719, Elizabeth, daughter of Nicholas Toler of Beechwood (Tipperary) and had issue:
(1) John Andrews (fl. 1753-69) (q.v.);
(2) Robert Andrews;
(3) Daniel Andrews;
(4) Maunsell Andrews; Lt. in 83rd Foot; married, 1774, Mary, daughter of [forename unknown] Alley and widow of Samuel Gason (d. 1772) and had issue;
(5) Jane Andrews; married, 1759, George Jackson;
(6) Eleanor Andrews; married, 1761, Richard Hawkshaw (perhaps the same man as her cousin had married earlier);
(7) Catherine Andrews; married, 1759, George Pepper.
He inherited the Rathenny estate from his elder brother in 1743.
He died 24 February 1769.

John Andrews

Andrews, John (fl. 1753-69) of Rathenny. Eldest son of Maunsell Andrews (d. 1769) of Rathenny, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Nicholas Toler of Beechwood (Tipperary), born c.1721.  He married 1st, 1753, Emilia, daughter of Christopher Nicholson of Balrath (Meath) and 2nd, 1766, Ann, daughter of Humphrey Jones of Mullinabro (Kilkenny) and had issue:
(1.1) Elizabeth Andrews; married, Feb. 1787 at Birr (Offaly), Corker Wright (d. 1828) of Rutland, Shinrone (Co. Offaly), and had issue;
(1.2) Eleanor Andrews; married, 7 February 1777, Capt. Simon Pepper of 14th Light Dragoons;
(1.3) Mary Andrews; married, 1807, George Lodge;
(1.4) Amelia Andrews; married, 1806, Richard Lysaght;
(2.1) John Andrews; perhaps the person of this name educated at Trinity College, Dublin (admitted 1785); died without issue;
(2.2) Maunsell Andrews (1769-1864) (q.v.);
(2.3) Humphrey Andrews; lost at sea; died without issue;
(2.4) Christopher Andrews; died without issue;
(2.5) George Andrews; died without issue;
(2.6) Anna Maria Andrews; married, 1797, Vincent Lamb of Kilcoleman Park;
(2.7) Sarah Andrews; married, 1801, Humphrey Denis;
(2.8) Rebecca Andrews (d. 1864); married, 1801/4, Trevor Lloyd Blunden (c.1776-1854) of Ballyduggan and had issue.
He inherited the Rathenny estate from his father in 1769.
His date of death is unknown, but was before 1806.

Maunsell Andrews

Andrews, Maunsell (1769-1864) of Rathenny. Eldest surviving son of John Andrews (fl. 1753-69) and his second wife, Ann, daughter of Humphrey Jones of Mullinabro (Kilkenny), born 1769. High Sheriff of Co. Offaly (Kings County), 1806 and JP for the same county. He married 1st, 1792, Mary, daughter of Samuel Gason of Knockinglass and 2nd, 1801, Mary, daughter of Rev. Ralph Hawtrey, rector of Gaulskill (Kilkenny) and had issue:
(2.1) John Hawtrey Andrews (c.1802-79) (q.v.);
(2.2) Sarah Andrews (c.1804-1881); died unmarried;
(2.3) Maunsell Hawtrey Andrews (c.1805-88); educated at Trinity College, Dublin (admitted 1821); Captain in the Lower Ormond Infantry (Tipperary militia) in the 1820s; in the 1850s, owned Annamore (Kerry) which he leased to the Roche family; married, 17 November 1843 at Rathkeale (Limerick), Ellen, daughter of John Saunders, but died without issue, 21 January 1888; will proved in Dublin, 26 March 1888 (estate £3,376 in Ireland and £1,520 in England);
(2.4) Charlotte Hawtrey Andrews (1813-80); died unmarried, 29 April 1880;
(2.5) Maria Andrews (c.1815-87); married, 1833, Prof. Charles Benson MD (d. 1880), President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland and had issue; died in Dublin, 24 December 1887; will proved 1 February 1888 (estate £9,488 in Ireland; £1,953 in England)
(2.6) George V. Andrews (c.1815-1907); educated at Trinity College, Dublin (admitted 1832); married, 2 November 1853, Elizabeth Lucy, daughter of Rev. William Minchin of Greenhills (Offaly) and widow of Johnstone Stoney of Emell Castle and had issue a daughter; died 3 February 1907;
(2.7) Marianne Andrews; married, 1835, Dr John Thwaites MD (1804-76) of Ceylon and had issue;
(2.8) Catherine Andrews (d. 1881); died unmarried, 26 December 1881;
(2.9) Elizabeth Andrews.
He inherited the Rathenny estate from his father and built a new house there in about 1800.
He died 2 July 1864, aged about 95.

Andrews, John Hawtrey (c.1802-79) of Rathenny. Eldest son of Maunsell Andrews (1769-1864) of Rathenny and his second wife Mary, daughter of Rev. Ralph Hawtrey of Gaulskill (Kilkenny), born about 1802.  Educated at Trinity College, Dublin (admitted 1821). He married, 1834, Elizabeth Georgina (c.1811-98), daughter of Robert Hall of Merton Hall (Tipperary) and had issue:
(1) Maunsell Hawtrey Andrews (c.1839-90) (q.v.);
(2) John Hall Andrews (later Hall) MD (c.1847-90) of Kilmore (Tipperary), married, 28 April 1880 at Stoke near Guildford (Surrey), Mary Letitia (b. c.1861) (who m.2, 11 July 1893, Alfred Grahame Bailey (1861-1941) of Dublin and had further issue), daughter of Edward Saunders of Ballinderry (Tipperary) and had issue a daughter; died 19 June 1890;
(3) Eliza (k/a Ida) Andrews (d. 1898); married, 17 June 1858 as his second wife, Ven. John Wright Bowles (1823-88), rector of Nenagh (Tipperary) and Archdeacon of Killaloe, and had issue three sons and two daughters; died 21 August 1898;
(4) Mary Hall Andrews (b. c.1836; fl. 1887); married, 12 July 1860 at Templeharry, Maj-Gen. [Sir] John Hamilton Cox CB (c.1817-87) (who in 1877 claimed and assumed the baronetcy of Cox of Dunmanway, now believed to have become extinct in 1873) and had issue three sons and two daughters;
(5) Anne Hall Andrews (b. c.1840); married, 22 May 1862 at Templeharry, John Morton of Dublin, and had issue;
(6) Robina Hall Andrews; married, 1874, Joseph Charles MacGrath of Windsor Lodge, Kingstown (Dublin) and had issue;
(7) Sarah Georgina Andrews (c.1845-77); married, 1864, Capt. Robert Jocelyn Waller (1837-1915) of Summerville, Nenagh (Tipperary) and had issue; died 6 August 1877.
He inherited Rathenny from his father in 1864.
He died 12 December 1879.

Andrews, Maunsell Hawtrey (d. 1890) of Rathenny. Elder son of John Hawtrey Andrews (c.1802-79) of Rathenny and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Hall of Merton Hall (Tipperary), born about 1839.  He married, 1873, Catherine Mary (k/a Kate) (d. 1919), daughter of John Bolton of Altavilla (Offaly) and had issue:
(1) John Bolton Andrews (1874-1916) (q.v.);
(2) Maunsell Hawtrey Andrews (1876-1906), born 27 November 1876; died without issue, 3 March 1906; administration of goods granted to mother, 9 April 1913.
He inherited the Rathenny estate from his father in 1879.
He died 2 January 1890. His widow died 14 March 1919.

Andrews, John Bolton (1874-1916) of Rathenny. Elder son of Maunsell Andrews (d. 1890) of Rathenny and his wife Kate Mary, daughter of John Bolton of Altavilla (Offaly), born 9 March 1874. JP for County Offaly. 
He inherited the Rathenny estate from his father in 1890.
He died 24 November 1916; his will was proved 12 February 1917 (estate £1,811).

Sources
Burke's Landed Gentry of Ireland, 1912, p. 9; F.M. Hawtrey, The history of the Hawtrey family, 1903, i, pp. 495-98; http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=OF&regno=14944014

Location of archives
No significant archive is known to survive.

Coat of arms
Vert, a saltire or surmounted by another gules.