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Book Review Essay for each other. The author concludes that arranged marriages of those ill-suited to one another, despite a strict settlement, could have “more injurious consequences than any of the mésalliances and the elopements and clandestine marriages” (p. 185) that he examined. Malcomson devotes a chapter to demonstrating that attempting to obtain an improved inheritance “through an heiress was always compromised by being to some extent unplanned and unplannable” (p. 216). The element of chance was simply too great. Marriage to an heiress was no guarantee. Brides proved barren, or only had female children. Fortunes were squandered. Children died. Wives outlived their spouses by many years and the widow’s annuity depleted family assets. And ironically, some women became heiresses only by accident, as when a less-than-affluent heiress came by a quite unexpected windfall. Finally, in chapter eight, Malcomson reveals that “even the most fortunate of marriages did not, on its own, assure dynastic success” (p. 217). Rather, in general, prudence and good management determined the success of great Irish families. Anything which reduced household expenditure or increased rents increased economic success. Indeed those who benefitted from these prudent policies,“rather than those married to or descended from heiresses (though numerous landowners would have been in both categories) were the new rich among the old aristocracy” (p. 240). So Malcomson, unlike many previous historians, concludes that aristocratic marriage was sensibly based on marrying within one’s class and on affection; that marrying an heiress or probable heiress was not a sure road to wealth and dynastic longevity; and that the surest route to wealth was sensible management of one’s landed estates. Perhaps you’ve concluded that all of this doesn’t matter, since your Irish ancestors Page 76 were not aristocrats. You’d be wrong. Your Irish ancestors likely worked for or rented land from these folks. And Malcomson’s Notes and Bibliography contain important information on the location of family and estate papers, which just might provide the key to locating an ancestral family and placing them in an Irish context. Divorce was not common. Between 1700 and 1749“there were only thirteen successful petitions for divorce to the British House of Lords” (p. 143). Aristocratic couples didn’t want the bad publicity. It was relatively easy to separate and to live quite independent lives. And it was nearly impossible for a woman to obtain a divorce. Men, however, could successfully pursue a divorce, if the ground for a divorce was adultery. Even then, a cuckolded male might not pursue divorce unless the adultery became public and acutely embarrassing. While researching a possible connection of a Dillon family of Lismullen, County Meath, Ireland, to my Irish immigrant ancestor John Dillon Hinds, I discovered that another member of this Dillon family had successfully petitioned the House of Lords for a divorce in 1701. The facts of the case, and its resolution given below, are based on The Manuscripts of the House of Lords 1699- 1702, vol. 4, New Series (London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1965), 304- 306; and on the original manuscript file of this case maintained by the House of Lords Record Office, London. It was necessary to obtain both the published account and the original manuscript case file to acquire all the pertinent biographical detail of interest to a personal family historian. Mary Boyle, daughter of Viscount Blessington, and Sir John Dillon of Lismullen, County Meath, Ireland, entered into a deed of settlement on 12 December 1684 and subsequently married. Under the settlement, Mary’s portion was 2,500 pounds, her jointure should she survive Sir John was 500 pounds annually, and Sir John agreed to set aside 3,000 pounds for any children born to the union. Subsequently, two daughters, Mary Dillon and Lettice Dillon, were born, the youngest of whom was eleven years old in April 1701. The real estate owned by Sir John Dillon was partially enumerated in the various court records: he owned land in Lismullen and Odder in the Barony of Skreene, County Meath; several houses in the City of Limerick; and other lands, not specified. However, Lady Mary Boyle Dillon “eloped” to London, England, 24 October 1695, where she “lived in lewd and open adultery, and in August 1699 was delivered of a child, since dead, [and] may have had others.” Sir John Dillon waited over four years before petitioning the House of Lords for a divorce. Why he waited is nowhere stated. But Sir John demanded that she “leave off her lewd conversation” and feared that he could become liable for supporting her illegitimate children. He stated that he believed he was “in danger of having a spurious issue imposed upon him.” Even though Lady Dillon did not dispute her adultery, given the terms of the deed of settlement, she clearly was in a good position to negotiate a somewhat satisfactory resettlement. Sir John agreed to pay her court costs and debts, to provide 100 pounds annually for her maintenance, and should he precede her in death, his estate would provide a jointure of 200 pounds annually. She was to be paid at Middle Temple Hall, London. While Malcomson did not discuss this case, presumably since it fell before 1740, the details preserved in the published record and in the manuscript case file are in general agreement with his other descriptions of divorces. Should you ever have occasion to visit the House of Lords Record Office in London, in pursuit of an ancestor’s interaction with the House of Lords, you will find the records easily available and the archival staff most helpful. The Septs - Volume 32, Number 2 • An t-Alòredn (April) 2011
____________________________________________________________________ Links on the Web Harold E. Hinds, Jr. is a Distinguished Research Professor of History at the University of Minnesota Morris. He lectures widely on history and genealogy, serves as Associate Editor of the Minnesota Genealogist, and serves as Director-at-Large on the National Genealogical Society Board of Directors. He can be reached at hindshe@morris. umn.edu. FGS Meeting in Springfield, Illinois IGSI members interested in attending a national conference on genealogy can take in the FGS (Federation of Genealogical Societies) conference in Springfield, IL, September 7-10, 2011. It is four days of genealogical talks by national speakers. Many sessions concentrate on Midwest research, with the Wednesday sessions dedicated to aspects on managing a successful society. The Minnesota Genealogical Society (MGS) has organized a bus charter to travel from the Twin Cities to Springfield,leaving September 6 and returning September 11. Minnesota IGSI members are invited to travel along; the estimated cost is about $125 roundtrip. MGS has also arranged for a block of rooms at the Mansion View Inn & Suites, 529 S. 4th St., Springfield, IL. Call the inn directly (217-544-7411) before August 30 for the MGS special deal. Attending a national conference is a great experienceforanyfamilyhistorian.Itprovides exposure to a variety of knowledgeable speakers and exhibits of genealogy-related productsandservices.Considerattendingthis conference. Full conference information at . Irish Genealogical Society International Women in Irish Genealogy and Culture: Websites By Mary Wickersham Bella Online http://www.bellaonline.com/Site/irishculture This online network for women has an Irish Culture section, Irish Culture Site, edited by Mary Ellen Sweeney, which includes feature articles on such topics as Irish Myths and Irish History, Genealogy, and Irish Traditional Music. It also includes discussion forums (signup is required to post to the forums, but you can read the postings without registering). The Ulster Covenant http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/search_the_archives/ulster_covenant.htm The Ulster Covenant was written in response to the Third Home Rule Bill in 1912 by the Ulster Unionist Council. The records, held by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI), contain the original signatures and addresses of the 236,046 women who signed the parallel Declaration to the Ulster Covenant. Records for both the Covenant (men) and Declaration (women) are available on this site, with links the document images, complete with signatures. Irish Women Writers http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/_generate/IRELAND.html This is an extensive list of Irish women writers, complete with links to many off-site biographies and, occasionally, the text of their writings in page images or text transcriptions. It is a part of the Celebration of Women Writers project. Irish Culture and Customs http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ This website provides more than 700 pages of information, running the gamut from jokes to history. Sections include Irish wedding traditions, Irish blessings, recipes, pronouncing basic Irish, and serious history. This site contains a significant number of advertisements for books (on Amazon.com) and Irish-style gifts (off-site), so if you’re in the mood to shop online for Irish cookbooks, aprons, or similar items, this may be a good starting point. Every Culture: Countries and Their Cultures http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Ha-La/Irish-Americans.html This page about Irish Americans contains an overview of Irish history by Brandan A. Rapple. A rather lengthy article, it contains sections on traditional costumes, cuisine, and immigration experience, and includes sections on marriage, wakes, and the role of women in Irish American society. Also of interest is an extensive list of Irish American media and societies, and his bibliography, which you can find under “Sources for Additional Study”. Mary Wickersham retired in 1998 after 27 years working in bank operations and software development. She is a current IGSI board member and past IGSI Officer. She chairs the Research Committee of the Minnesota Genealogical Society. To keep her technical skills up, she builds websites for small businesses & gardening societies. Page 77
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