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Leake family of Rathkeale. By Noel Murphy

Lismore Papers

A footnote to page 3 says that Sir John Leak got lands in Counties Tipperary and . He was the ancestor of the Leake’s of Holycross, Co. Tipperary and of the Leake’s of Rathkeale in Co. Limerick. Sir John was one of the Officers when the future Earl of Cork mustered his tenants at Tallow in 1622.

Irish Ancestor, Vol 1, No 1, 1969. In the Will of Robert Leake of Mallow, a Cooper, dated 26 April 1740, he mentions his wife Mary, his daughter Jane and his brother Jonas Leake. One can only wonder if this was Jonas Leake of Rathkeale who was alive at the same time.

Jonas Leake was a witness to the Will of Richard Southwell of Enniscouch, Co. Limerick when it was written on the 09/09/1729. Probate granted on the 20/02/ 1729/30.

In the Religious Census of 1766, Jonas, Samuel and George Leake are named in the Parish of Rathkeale as Protestants.

Google have a Portrait of Colonel George Leake.

Rosemary ffolliott’s BMD’s from microfiche in Limerick County Library.

Faulkner’s Dublin Journal, Tuesday 20 July 1762. Died in Co. Limerick, Jonas Leake of Rathkeale. (His wife’s name was Mary, he was aged 60 when he died and she died aged 70 but the year is not known but was most likely in the late 1760’s. The Abbey lands of Rathkeale were occupied by Jonas as stated in his will. Probate granted in 1762. There is some small evidence that Jonas was an Attorney).

Freeman’s Journal, Saturday 9 May 1789. Married at Rathkeale, David Lowther, Barrister at Law, to Miss Leake. Limerick Chronicle adds that she was a daughter of George Leake of Rathkeale.

Limerick Chronicle, Wednesday 7 March 1792. Advert: Samuel Leake, Woollen Draper, Rathkeal.

Limerick Chronicle, Wednesday 19 Sept 1792. Married last Monday at Rathkeale, Mr Jonas Lake[sic], Apothecary, to Miss Enright. (P. Waldron corrects this to Jonas Leake and Agnes Enright, married 17/09/1792. Jonas was a son of George Leake).

Limerick Chronicle, Wednesday 9 Jan 1793. 2

Advert: Jonas Leake, Apothecary has commenced business in the shop lately occupied by Mr Richard Murray, Apothecary, Rathkeal.

Limerick Chronicle, Saturday 14 Dec 1793. Advert: Samuel Leake, Rathkeal, Draper, has just returned from Dublin…….

Rathkeale Burial Register. Buried 13 May 1798, Mrs Ann Leake wife of George Leake Senior, Rathkeale Abbey.

Clare Journal, Tuesday 1 Jan 1799. Limerick 29 Dec 1798, married last Thursday, Ensign William Acton of the Tarbert Fencibles to Miss Ellen Leake of Limerick City.

Ennis Chronicle, Tuesday 18 June 1799. Limerick 15th. Died on Wednesday last at Rathkeale, Mrs Leake wife of Mr Sam. Leake of said town, Merchant. Rathkeale Burial Register. Buried in Rathkeale Graveyard having died on the 12 June 1799, Margaret Leake, nee Hogan. Wife of Samuel Leake, Woollen Draper.

Limerick Chronicle, Saturday 27 Sept 1800. Married yesterday morning, Richard Leake, Attorney to Miss Mary Anne Byrne, daughter of John Byrne of the City of Dublin. (Richard was a son of Col George and Ann. Richard died young in 1804 and left an only son, George Richard Leake, born on the 14 July 1802. He went to TCD where he is recorded as George “B”. and he continued on to Kings Inns in 1821. Mary Anne remarried another Attorney, Richard Scott in 1807).

Clare Journal, Monday 8 Feb 1802. Advert: Jonas Leake, Apothecary & Seedsman, Kilrush, being encouraged to remove there……. Needs an apprentice.

Ennis Chronicle, Monday 27 Dec 1802. Married on Wednesday at Maryville, George Leake of Rathkeale to Miss Furnell, daughter of the late Richard Furnell of Ballycahane, Co. Limerick. (Kings Inns Admission Papers identify her as Alicia Furnell).

Limerick Chronicle, Wednesday 29 Dec 1802. Advert: Samuel Leake, Woollen, Linen and Calico Warehouse, Rathkeale.

Ennis Chronicle, Monday 24 Jan 1803. Married last week at Rathkeale, Co. Limerick, Mr James Lardner of this town, Surgeon and Apothecary to Miss Lake daughter of the late ----- Lake of Rathkeal Esq. A Tombstone in Rathkeale Church of Ireland Graveyard reads, Erected by Mrs Emelia Lardner, nee Leake, to her husband James, a Surgeon who died on the 24 July 18-4. Amelia/Emelia Lardner, widow of James Lardner, Doctor, died at House, Co. Limerick as reported in the Limerick Chronicle of 19/01/1842. 3

Clare Journal, Monday 21 May 1804. Limerick 19th: Died Tuesday last in Dublin, Richard Leake, Attorney.

Ennis Chronicle, Thursday 27 Dec 1804. Died on Sunday last (23rd Dec) at the Abbey, Rathkeale, George Leake, senior. Rathkeale Burial Register says buried on 25/12/1804,

Ennis Chronicle, Thursday 3 Jan 1805. Married on Sunday morning, Mr Edward Harrison, son of Mr Charles Harrison, Hardware Merchant to Miss Leake of Mary Street, Limerick City.

Limerick Chronicle, Saturday 6 April 1805. Advert: William Enraght of Mount William, V. Mary Ann Leake, widow and Administerix of Richard Leake deceased. Sale of defendant’s interest in part of the lands of Enniscouch, near Rathkeale.

Ennis Chronicle, Saturday 25 Sept 1807. Married on Wednesday last at Limerick, Richard Scott of Ennis, Attorney, to Mrs Leake widow of the late Richard Leake of Dublin.

Ennis Chronicle, Wednesday 2 March 1808. Died in Rathkeale at an advanced age, Jonas Leake, an eminent Attorney. Rathkeale Burial Register. Jonas was buried on the 25 Feb 1808.

Ennis Chronicle, Saturday 12 March 1808. Died on Wednesday in Mary St. Limerick, Mrs Leake, widow of the late Mr Henry Leake, Merchant of Cork City.

Ennis Chronicle, Saturday 18 June 1808. Married last Wednesday in Limerick, Mr William Alley, an eminent Tallow Chandler to Miss Eleanor Leake, 2nd daughter of the late Henry Leake of Cork, Esq. Hibernian Chronicle, Monday 27/12/1784. Died last Friday in Blarney Lane, (Cork), Henry Leake, Tallow Chandler.

Ennis Chronicle, Saturday 17 Sept 1808. Died last Wednesday on George’s Quay, Limerick, Mrs Fitzgerald, widow of the late John Fitzgerald of Ballysally, Co. Limerick and sister of Col Leake, late of Rathkeale Abbey. The Clare Journal adds her age as 74 years, therefore born circa 1734.

Limerick Chronicle, Wednesday 3 May 1809. Died in , Co. Kerry, aged 71, Mrs Leake widow of the late Mr John Leake.

Limerick Evening Post, Saturday 28 Dec 1811. Died this morning, Mrs Unthank, widow of the late Dr Unthank of this City and sister of George Leake of Rathkeale Abbey. (Harriett Leake was first married to a Mr Fleming. She married Dr Isaac Unthank on the 12/09/1806. They had a 4

daughter born in July 1809. They married in St John’s so neither of them were Quakers).

Limerick Evening Post, Saturday 5 Sept 1812. Birth on Sunday last at Rathkeale Abbey, the lady of George Leake, of a son.

Limerick Evening Post, Wednesday 22 Sept 1813. Died on Thursday 9th Sept in Kilrush, Jonas Leake, an eminent Apothecary, leaves a wife and several children.

Clare Journal, Monday 27 Sept 1813. Died a few days since at Kilrush, Co. Clare, Mr Jonas Leake, an eminent Apothecary in this town.

Limerick Chronicle, Wednesday 3 Nov 1813. Birth on Thursday at Rathkeale Abbey, the lady of George Leake, of a son.

Clare Journal, Thursday 12 Jan 1815. Married in Kilrush, Mr John P. Spellissy, Apothecary to Mrs Leake, widow of the late Mr Jonas Leake of that town, Apothecary. (Agnes Enright?)

Limerick Chronicle, Wednesday 29 Nov 1815. Married at church, Mr Northcole, Port Surveyor of Kinsale to Sophia, daughter of the late Col. Leake of Rathkeale Abbey in this County.

Limerick Evening Post, Thursday 4 Jan 1817. Advert: Samuel Leake, Woollen Draper, Rathkeale….

Limerick Chronicle, Saturday 1 Nov 1817. Died on Monday last at Clonakilty, Co. Cork the lady of Richard Boyle Norcot and the daughter of the late Col George Leake of Rathkeale Abbey in Co. Limerick. Query: - Are Richard Boyle Norcot and Mr Northcole the same person?

Limerick Chronicle, Saturday 20 Feb 1819. Birth at Rathkeale Abbey, the lady of George Leake of a daughter.

Limerick Chronicle, Saturday 7 Oct 1820. Died on Thursday at Rathkeale Abbey, Co. Limerick, Mrs Leake, wife of George Leake Esq. Rathkeale Burial Register says Alice wife of George.

Rathkeale Burial Register. Buried 28 May 1823, George Leake of Rathkeale Abbey. (George Leake died in William St. Limerick on the 26/05/1823. Buried in family vault in Rathkeale).

Limerick Chronicle, 02/11/1825. Married, John Baker of Kilcoran, Co. Kilkenny to Sophia, daughter of the late Samuel Leake 5

Col. George Leake who died on the 23 Dec 1804 was the son of Jonas Benson Leake of Rathkeale who died in 1762. George was a Colonel of the Rathkeale Volunteers. Also under his command in 1779 were Lt. Samuel Leake and Ensign John George Leake. (Lt Samuel would seem to be a brother of Col George, Ensign John George Leake could be a mistake for Jonas George Leake the Colonel’s 12 year old son).

Cloyne Marriage Licence Bonds. (Grove White Notes) George Leake and Ann [Purcell] 1763. (One must bear in mind that if this is George Leake of Rathkeale then he would have been married in the home Parish of his bride. The names are right and the date is right).

Familysearch

George Leake and his wife Ann had their following children baptised in Rathkeale. Mary, on the 14 Nov 1763. Jonas George, on the 4 Oct 1767. Richard John, on the 12 April 1770. Catherine, on the 29 Aug 1771. Ann, on the 10 Feb 1775. Eliza, on the 11 Nov 1776. William, on the 29 March 1778. (George was succeeded by a son George who was probably born at his mother’s parents’ home. It being the norm for wives to return to their mother’s house when having their first baby. George and Ann were also the parents of a Jonas, an Apothecary, who married Agnes Enright on the 17/09/1792).

Jonas Leake and his wife Emilia had one child baptised in Rathkeale. Jonas, on the 17 May 1766.

Samuel Leake and his wife Emilia had their children baptised in Rathkeale. Elizabeth, on the 16 March 1765. Maryann, on the 14 May 1767. Samuel, on the 19 Oct 1769. Frances, on the 13 March 1782. Catherine, on the 22 Oct 1783.

Giving the childrens birth years, the above George, Jonas and Samuel were contempories. Were they brothers or cousins?

Col George Leake was succeeded by his son George Leake who had married Alicia Furnell on the 22/12/1803. They had a son George who entered Trinity Collage Dublin on the 01/07/1822 aged 17 so he was born circa 1805 in Limerick. [County] George and Alicia’s 3rd son was called William and he entered Kings Inns in 1833 aged over 16 years. (Being over 16 was one of the entry requirements). 6

George and his wife Allice/Alicia had the following children baptised in Rathkeale. Frederick Furnell, on the 11 Oct 1808. Richard, on the 1 Sept 1812. William, on the 30 Oct 1813. Ann, on the 10 Feb 1819.

Kings Inns Admission Papers. Samuel Leake of Rathkeale and his wife Mary O’Connell had a son Jonas admitted in Hilary Term 1819. (Mary Leake wife of Samuel died on the 25/01/1839 and was buried in Rathkeale. She was of River Lawn House in Rathkeale. Formerly called Maryfield House).

Samuel Leake, Woollen Draper of Limerick and his wife Margaret Hogan had a son Samuel admitted in Michaelmas Term 1812. (Note:- No Leake was ever admitted a Freeman of Limerick. Therefore “of Limerick” should say “of ”. Margaret Hogan was buried in 1799 at Rathkeale and it’s possible that Mary O’Connell was a second wife to Samuel. Samuel and Mary’s son Jonas being born circa 1802.) ======

Col. George Leake = Ann [Purcell] B. B. M. [Cloyne MLB. 1763] D. 23/12/1804 D. 1798

George = Alicia Furnell John George. Jonas. Richard John. William. Ann. Ensign Apothecary B. 1767 B. 1770 B. 1778 B. 1819 M. 1802 D. 1823 D. 1820

George Frederick Richard William = Anna Maria Solicitor B. 1805 B. 1808 B.1812 B.1813 M. D. 17/01/1826 D. 1850 Alice George Leake, the Colonel’s son voted in the 1817 Election in Limerick.

The 1846 Trade Directory for Limerick notes William Leake, Solicitor of 19 Thomas St. Griffiths Valuation of 1850 has him at 27 Upper Glentworth St. Limerick. William died on the 14th June 1850. Anna Maria remarried a John Tinsley.

Limerick Chronicle, Obits. 1826. Died yesterday 17/01/1826 in Thomas Street, Frederick Furnell Leake, 2nd son of the late George Leake of Rathkeale Abbey. 7