The O'Connor Morris family of Bellevue, Booterstown and Dawson's Court.
Benjamin Morris married Elizabeth O’Connor
born c1790 24 Oct 1822 born circa 1804
died 30 Oct 1846 Ballycallan died 24 Aug 1861
Rossanara, Co Tipperary Kilkenny Bellevue, Blackrock
Benjamin Morris born circa 1790, the third son of William Morris of Harbourview, Co Waterford and
his second wife Mary Carew of Castleboro, Co Wexford. He took Holy orders and married Elizabeth
O’Connor, on 24 Oct 1822 at Ballycallan Church, Kilkenny. Elizabeth was the fourth daughter and
co-heiress of the late Maurice Nugent O’Connor of Mount Pleasant in the King’s County and Maria
Burke, daughter of Sir Thomas Burke of Marble Hill Co Galway.
Benjamin became the receiver of Mount Pleasant, (restored to its old name of Gortnamona circa 1818)
and had the land for sale from 1822 to 1833. The land consisted of 1800 acres and a large wood of
ash and Oak with a mansion house which was vested in Elizabeth. Elizabeth's sister was the Countess
of Desart. In August 1846 Rev Benjamin was appointed to the living of Rincurran but died three
months later on 30 Oct 1846 aged 56 and was succeeded at Gortnamona by his eldest son William.
Elizabeth died at Bellevue, Blackrock on 24 Aug 1861 aged 57.
1 William O’Connor Morris eldest son born 26 Nov 1824 in Kilkenny. He was educated
privately at Epson, and south Wales and graduated Oriel College, Oxford in 1848. He
entered Kings Inns and was called to the Irish bar in 1854. He married Georgiana Kathleen
Lyndsay, eldest daughter of George Hayward Lyndsay of Glasnevin and Lady Mary
Catherine Gore on 16 Mar 1858 at Glasnevin Church of Ireland. In 1863 he was appointed
a commissioner to investigate the rights of owners of fixed nets for salmon in Ireland. From
1869 to 1870 William served on a commission to inquire into the corrupt practices attending
the election of freemen of the city of Dublin. In 1872 he was appointed county court judge
for the county of Louth, and after six years was transferred to county Kerry.
He was anti Home Rule and disapproved of the 1881 Land Act which he had to administer. As
a judge he was criticised because of his peculiar views on Irish, social and political questions
which rendered him unfit to give an impartial verdict. His courtroom was sometimes referred
to as a circus and in 1902 there was a call for him to be dismissed. He was a prolific writer and
was known as the Pamphleteering Judge. His works included:
‘Napoleon, warrior and ruler, and the military supremacy of revolutionary France. Heroes of
the Nations’.
‘Ireland, 1494–1868’ & ‘Ireland, 1798–1898.’
‘Hannibal, soldier, statesman, patriot; and the crisis of struggle between Carthage and Rome.
Heroes of the Nations.’
‘Wellington, soldier and statesman, and the revival of the military power of England. Heroes of
the Nations.’
In 1880 they moved to Gortnamona (Mount Pleasant) the estate he had inherited from his
mother’s family. With over 2000 acres of land he was considered a just landlord. William died
on 3 Aug 1904 at Gortnamona and was succeeded by his son Maurice.
1 Louisa Sudley Elizabeth O’Connor Morris (twin) born 2 Jan 1859 at Dawson Court died
3 Nov 1859.
2 Mary Augusta Caroline O’Connor Morris (twin)born 2 Jan 1859 at Dawson Court.
3 Elizabeth Georgiana Catherine O’Connor Morris born circa 1862 died a spinster at
Gortnamona on 20 May 1917. She left 4K in personal estate and her sister Mary was
her executor.
4 Emily Alice Henrietta O’Connor Morris died an infant in 1864 at Upper Leeson Street.
5 Maurice Lindsay O'Connor Morris born 23 Mar 1865 at upper Leeson Street was a
barrister. He died a bachelor on 11 Feb 1916 at Gortnamona, Tullamore. He left 6K
in personal estate and his sister Gertrude was his executor. Over 2K was left to his
nurse.
6 Gertrude Ellen Charlotte O’Connor Morris born circa 1872 died a spinster at Waterloo
Road on 6 Jul 1951.
7 Kathleen Margaret Helen O’Connor Morris born 16 May 1875 at 23 Rutland Square died
18 Feb 1880.
2 Maurice O’Connor Morris born 21 Feb 1827 at Seapoint was appointed by his relative the
Marquis of Clanricarde to the position of Deputy Postmaster General of Jamaica in 1850 on a
salary of 1K PA. He remained there until 31 Jul 1860. He travelled to the gold fields of Colorado
and the Rocky Mountains and published a book on his travel experiences. He married Mary Jane
Childs Greenhuffe, daughter of Bernard Greenhuffe on 3 Feb 1874 at St Thomas' Dublin and
they lived at Enfield and 25 Eccles Street. Maurice died 19 May 1901 at St Thomas’s Hospital,
London.
1/2 Twin sons born at Dublin in December 1875.
3 Geoffrey O’Connor Morris married Christian Helena Gildea at St Jude's, Collingham Road
in London SW in April 1912.
3 Maria Catherine Morris O’Connor.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – June 2020
Benjamin Morris married Elizabeth O’Connor
born c1790 24 Oct 1822 born circa 1804
died 30 Oct 1846 Ballycallan died 24 Aug 1861
Rossanara, Co Tipperary Kilkenny Bellevue, Blackrock
Benjamin Morris born circa 1790, the third son of William Morris of Harbourview, Co Waterford and
his second wife Mary Carew of Castleboro, Co Wexford. He took Holy orders and married Elizabeth
O’Connor, on 24 Oct 1822 at Ballycallan Church, Kilkenny. Elizabeth was the fourth daughter and
co-heiress of the late Maurice Nugent O’Connor of Mount Pleasant in the King’s County and Maria
Burke, daughter of Sir Thomas Burke of Marble Hill Co Galway.
Benjamin became the receiver of Mount Pleasant, (restored to its old name of Gortnamona circa 1818)
and had the land for sale from 1822 to 1833. The land consisted of 1800 acres and a large wood of
ash and Oak with a mansion house which was vested in Elizabeth. Elizabeth's sister was the Countess
of Desart. In August 1846 Rev Benjamin was appointed to the living of Rincurran but died three
months later on 30 Oct 1846 aged 56 and was succeeded at Gortnamona by his eldest son William.
Elizabeth died at Bellevue, Blackrock on 24 Aug 1861 aged 57.
1 William O’Connor Morris eldest son born 26 Nov 1824 in Kilkenny. He was educated
privately at Epson, and south Wales and graduated Oriel College, Oxford in 1848. He
entered Kings Inns and was called to the Irish bar in 1854. He married Georgiana Kathleen
Lyndsay, eldest daughter of George Hayward Lyndsay of Glasnevin and Lady Mary
Catherine Gore on 16 Mar 1858 at Glasnevin Church of Ireland. In 1863 he was appointed
a commissioner to investigate the rights of owners of fixed nets for salmon in Ireland. From
1869 to 1870 William served on a commission to inquire into the corrupt practices attending
the election of freemen of the city of Dublin. In 1872 he was appointed county court judge
for the county of Louth, and after six years was transferred to county Kerry.
He was anti Home Rule and disapproved of the 1881 Land Act which he had to administer. As
a judge he was criticised because of his peculiar views on Irish, social and political questions
which rendered him unfit to give an impartial verdict. His courtroom was sometimes referred
to as a circus and in 1902 there was a call for him to be dismissed. He was a prolific writer and
was known as the Pamphleteering Judge. His works included:
‘Napoleon, warrior and ruler, and the military supremacy of revolutionary France. Heroes of
the Nations’.
‘Ireland, 1494–1868’ & ‘Ireland, 1798–1898.’
‘Hannibal, soldier, statesman, patriot; and the crisis of struggle between Carthage and Rome.
Heroes of the Nations.’
‘Wellington, soldier and statesman, and the revival of the military power of England. Heroes of
the Nations.’
In 1880 they moved to Gortnamona (Mount Pleasant) the estate he had inherited from his
mother’s family. With over 2000 acres of land he was considered a just landlord. William died
on 3 Aug 1904 at Gortnamona and was succeeded by his son Maurice.
1 Louisa Sudley Elizabeth O’Connor Morris (twin) born 2 Jan 1859 at Dawson Court died
3 Nov 1859.
2 Mary Augusta Caroline O’Connor Morris (twin)born 2 Jan 1859 at Dawson Court.
3 Elizabeth Georgiana Catherine O’Connor Morris born circa 1862 died a spinster at
Gortnamona on 20 May 1917. She left 4K in personal estate and her sister Mary was
her executor.
4 Emily Alice Henrietta O’Connor Morris died an infant in 1864 at Upper Leeson Street.
5 Maurice Lindsay O'Connor Morris born 23 Mar 1865 at upper Leeson Street was a
barrister. He died a bachelor on 11 Feb 1916 at Gortnamona, Tullamore. He left 6K
in personal estate and his sister Gertrude was his executor. Over 2K was left to his
nurse.
6 Gertrude Ellen Charlotte O’Connor Morris born circa 1872 died a spinster at Waterloo
Road on 6 Jul 1951.
7 Kathleen Margaret Helen O’Connor Morris born 16 May 1875 at 23 Rutland Square died
18 Feb 1880.
2 Maurice O’Connor Morris born 21 Feb 1827 at Seapoint was appointed by his relative the
Marquis of Clanricarde to the position of Deputy Postmaster General of Jamaica in 1850 on a
salary of 1K PA. He remained there until 31 Jul 1860. He travelled to the gold fields of Colorado
and the Rocky Mountains and published a book on his travel experiences. He married Mary Jane
Childs Greenhuffe, daughter of Bernard Greenhuffe on 3 Feb 1874 at St Thomas' Dublin and
they lived at Enfield and 25 Eccles Street. Maurice died 19 May 1901 at St Thomas’s Hospital,
London.
1/2 Twin sons born at Dublin in December 1875.
3 Geoffrey O’Connor Morris married Christian Helena Gildea at St Jude's, Collingham Road
in London SW in April 1912.
3 Maria Catherine Morris O’Connor.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – June 2020