I am seeking help as I am compiling biographical material on Admiral Thomas Macnamara Russell, commissioned Lieutenant 02 June 1776, who served for 30 months thereafter in my local waters. The Dictionary of National Biography (DNB) lists: "Thomas Macnamara Russell (1740?-1824), admiral, born about 1740, is described as the son of an Englishman who settled in Ireland, where he married a Miss Macnamara, probably a daughter and coheiress of Sheedy Macnamara of Balyally, co. Clare. On the death of his father when he was five years old, he is said to have inherited a large fortune, which, by the carelessness or dishonesty of his trustees, disappeared before he was fourteen. This was probably the cause of his going to sea. . . ." The date of birth is reconstructed from his Lieutenant's passing Certificate which lists his age as 32 on 02 Dec 1772. I would assume that a landowner with minor children under guardianship would have had a will or at least some some of probate administration. I have read that many wills were lost to fire in Dublin in 1922; however, I have also read that abstracts made in 1897 have survived. Can anyone inform me as to any Russell wills for the period 1740-1750 might be extant. How about a will for a "Sheedy Macnamara"? What parish would most likely contain records of a family from "Ballyally"? Have any records for the 1740s survived? Is "Ballyally" the townslands "Ballyallia" in Templemaley, Upper Bunratty? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Bob Brooks, retired on the downeast coast of Maine, USA

Dear Bob I found this so fascinating, as for years I have been trying to establish when the Sheedys in Ireland used that surname in its own right, somewhere about the late 1600's to early 1700's. They come from the Sheedy (Sioda) McNamara's of Co Clare. Thanks for sharing this You will find more on some of the Sheedy Mac's at http://www.genseek.net/speak.htm cheers Jenny ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Brooks" <rcbrooks@pivot.net> To: <irl-clare@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 3:35 AM Subject: [IRL-CLARE] Admiral Thomas Macnamara Russell > I am seeking help as I am compiling biographical material on Admiral Thomas > Macnamara Russell, commissioned Lieutenant 02 June 1776, who served for 30 > months thereafter in my local waters. > > The Dictionary of National Biography (DNB) lists: > "Thomas Macnamara Russell (1740?-1824), admiral, born about 1740, is > described as the son of an Englishman who settled in Ireland, where he > married a Miss Macnamara, probably a daughter and coheiress of Sheedy > Macnamara of Balyally, co. Clare. On the death of his father when he was > five years old, he is said to have inherited a large fortune, which, by the > carelessness or dishonesty of his trustees, disappeared before he was > fourteen. This was probably the cause of his going to sea. . . ." > > The date of birth is reconstructed from his Lieutenant's passing Certificate > which lists his age as 32 on 02 Dec 1772. > > I would assume that a landowner with minor children under guardianship would > have had a will or at least some some of probate administration. I have > read that many wills were lost to fire in Dublin in 1922; however, I have > also read that abstracts made in 1897 have survived. > > Can anyone inform me as to any Russell wills for the period 1740-1750 might > be extant. How about a will for a "Sheedy Macnamara"? > > What parish would most likely contain records of a family from "Ballyally"? > Have any records for the 1740s survived? Is "Ballyally" the townslands > "Ballyallia" in Templemaley, Upper Bunratty? > > Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. > > Bob Brooks, retired on the downeast coast of Maine, USA > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IRL-CLARE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >