The Apjohns of Pallasgreane

     William Apjohn Jr. was born circa 1711 in Kilduff, Coonagh, County Limerick. He was the son of William Apjohn of Kilduff and Deborah _____. William Apjohn Jr. married Elizabeth Lloyd in 1743 in County Limerick.
     William Apjohn Jr. witnessed the Memorial of William Apjohn of Kilduff on 26 April 1734; On Apr 26 1734, William Apjohn of Sunglen conveyed the land he had acquired in 1714 from George King to his first son, Michael: he conveyed "Gurteenline and Carrigcollume" and all other lands except Knocknecrohy and Spittle with the condition that his wife, Deborah, could continue to live at Gurteenline in case that she survive him and with the condition that Michael assume 1,000 pounds of debt for the property. To his second son William he bequeathed Knocknecrohy and Spittle.¹

In 1736, the following advertisement appeared in Pue’s Occurrences: “Whereas William Apjohn, Junr. of Sunglen in the County of Limerick, Gent. and William Apjohn of the City of Limerick, Saddler, stand charged with the Murder of Charles Hurley. Now these are to give Notice, to all Persons it may Concern, that we William Apjohn, Junr. and William Apjohn of Limerick, aforesaid Saddler, will stand our Trial for the said Offense, at the next General Assizes and General Gaol Delivery, to be held in St. Francis Abbey and for the said County of Limerick. Dated this 28^th of February 1736, William Apjohn, Junr., William Apjohn.”

It is possible that the trial (and advertisement) was the result of a duel in which Charles Hurley was killed and the cause of which may have been a land conflict. Kilduff Castle was occupied by Sir Morice Hurly before Cromwell. He was removed from it in 1653, but regained property there in 1688. Kilduff Castle was destroyed ca. 1688 during the Williamite War. In his will, Morice Hurly left his estate, including Kilduff Castle, to his son William. Charles Hurley may have been a son of William (but see below). There may have been a disagreement about land ownership in Kilduff between William Apjohn’s family and the family of William Hurly that resulted in this murder trial.²

John O’Hart, in The Irish and Anglo-Irish Landed Gentry When Cromwell Came to Ireland, traces three O’Hurley families—Thomas of Knocklong (from whom Sir Morice is descended), and two of Thomas’ sons: Randal of Ballinacarrig and John of Tralee (pp. 143-146). John of Tralee had a son John, a Colonel in the army of King James II, who had a son Charles, who had a son Donogh who married Anne Blennerhassett in 1701, who had a son Charles who would have been born after 1702. This latter Charles was married and had at least one son, John, and nothing further is known about him.

On Apr 16 1743, a marriage settlement was signed between Thomas Lloyd, the uncle of Elizabeth, and William Apjohn of Knicker (William's father) and Michael Apjohn (William's brother) for 400 pounds and "the towns and lands of Spittle, Knochnacrohy, Knockanacoolnagrean containing one hundred eighty-eight acres twenty-seven perches plantation measure situate in Barony of Coonagh." A witness to the memorial was William Smithwick..³ William Apjohn Jr. witnessed the Memorial of William Apjohn Sadler from 27 December 1752 to 28 December 1752; On Dec 27 and 28, 1752, William Apjohn Sadler of the City of Limerick rented (lease and release) the the lands of Raheen (23 acres) from William Apjohn of Pallas. The latter is probably William Apjohn Jr., of Sunglen, the son of William of Kilduff. Witnessing the memorial are James Apjohn merchant of Dublin and Robert Apjohn of Treanamanagh.⁴ William Apjohn Jr. was In 1762 William Apjohn of Linfiled is listed as Freeman. on 5 May 1762.⁵ He was In 1768 William Apjohn of Kilestry is listed as Freeholder in Sunglen. in 1768.⁶ He was living before 26 January 1775 in Middle Temple, Dublin.⁷ On Jan 26, 1775, William Apjohn of Middle Temple leased the lands of Knocknacroghy to Joshua Minnitt of Annaseig for a term of "three lives" for a yearly rent of 500 pounds..⁷ He was In 1776, William Apjohn, Freeholder was registered to vote in Sunglen and was residing in Drumbane. in 1776 in Drumbane.⁵ He was living before 18 December 1780 in Kilestry, County Clare.⁸ On Dec 18, 1780, William Apjohn of Kilestry in the County of Clare arranged marriage articles for his daughter Deborah and Timothy O'Brien of Boskill, second son of John O'Brien that included the O'Brien lands of Cappenehed in the Barony of Owney. The memorila acknowleges that there is an on-going dispute about this land and that, if the dispute is lost, Brian O'Brien will provide a sum of 600 pounds instead..⁸