The Apjohns of Pallasgreane

     William Apjohn the Younger was born circa 1748 in County Limerick. He was the son of William Apjohn Jr. and Elizabeth Lloyd.¹ William Apjohn the Younger married Johanna O'Brien, daughter of John O'Brien, circa 7 November 1772. The Article of Agreement between William, only son and heir apparent of William Apjohn of Ballyna, and Timothy O'Brien, father of Johanna O'Brien, indicates that William is to receive 800 pounds dowery and that he himself was in possession of Knocknecroghy and Spittle (otherwise known as Sunglen). The memorial goes on to identify William's grandfather as William Apjohn, late of Knicker, deceased.² William Apjohn the Younger and Johanna O'Brien were separated circa 15 January 1777. At the time of the separation, William Apjohn and his father owned Sunglen (otherwise known as Spittleland and Knocknacroghy) "by virtue of a lease for three lives with a covenant for perpetual renewal bearing date on or about the Twenty Second day of May One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fourteen and made between George King late of Kilpeacon in the said County of Limerick Esquire and William Apjohn late of Kilduff," and residing there at that time was Bryan O'Brien, the brother of Johanna. Out of the estate, Johanna was to receive a sum of 800 pounds (the dowery from her marriage in 1774) and their son, William, is to receive 300 pounds when be becomes twenty-one. The memorial concludes that William and Johanna "did for the reasons therein particularly mentioned by and with the consent of their friends mutually agree to live separate and apart from each other." Among the trustees for the separation was Michael Marshall Apjohn, William's first cousin.³ William Apjohn the Younger died on 7 January 1784 in Drombane, County Limerick.¹
     William entered Trinity College on Jul 8 1767 and graduated in 1770. He arrived at Trinity just three weeks after John Philpot Curran (Jun 16 1767, graduated 1770).⁴ The two became great friends.

Curran's son wrote his biography and in it William Apjohn is mentioned several times.

"During a temporary absence of [William] Apjohn from college, a report reached his companions that he had died suddenly at his native Killaloe. It was soon discovered to have been unfounded, upon which occasion, while the others congratulated him in prose, his more ambitious friend [Curran] addressed him in…versos" and there follows a long panegyric, part of which follows.


Curran relates three additional episodes having to do with William Apjohn. The first concerns Apjohn telling him, after his first faltering attempt at public speaking, that while he will someday become a great lawyer, oratory will never be his forte. (After overcoming his stage fright, Curran went on to become known as a great orator.) The second relates to Curran's on-going "melancholy" and concerns a time after returning from a vacation in 1774, he and Apjohn visited a coffee house in Temple Bar. The third episode concerns a visit to London in which he and Apjohn arranged a private tour of Hampton Court. Curran died in 1817 having outlived most of his friends from his school days.⁵


William entered Middle Temple in 1771 and probably graduated in 1772. He was In 1776, William Apjohn, Gentleman and freeholder was registered to vote in Knocknecrogh and was residing in Drumbane. in 1776.⁶