Estate: Johnson (Cork)

Associated Families

• Johnson (Cork)

Description

William Johnson, of Scottish descent, came to Ireland in the late 17th century. His descendant Noble Johnson was Mayor of Cork in 1809. His grandson also named Noble, settled at Rockenham, and married Susan Bullen of Kinsale. This Noble had twin brothers William and George. George may be the George Johnson of Lisnagoorneen, who owned 271 acres in the 1870s. At the same time Noble Johnson of Rockenham owned an estate of over 2,000 acres. It was located in the parishes of Castletownroche and Mallow, barony of Fermoy.

Houses

House Name / Description	Townland	Civil Parish	PLU	DED	Barony	County	Map Ref
Lisnagoorneen (H3229) Hajba writes that Thomas Franks, a nephew of Thomas Franks of Ballymagooly, occupied this house at the end of the 18th century. He married Margaret Maunsell of Ballybrood, county Limerick. They and their son were murdered by Whiteboys in 1823. A new house was built by George Foster Delaney in the 1830s and he was succeeded by his nephew George Johnson who occupied the house at the time of Griffith's Valuation. It was valued at £17 and held from the representatives of G.B. Lowe. The Johnson remained in possession until the early 20th century leasing the house to Major Mansergh among others. In 1942 the Irish Tourist Association survey noted that the Major had owned a famous horse called Lord Cunningham and that Lisnagoorneen house was then occupied by his nephew.	Lisnagoorneen	Castletownroche	Fermoy	Castletownroche 130	Fermoy	Cork	Lat/Lon: 52.19796 -8.41833 OSI Ref: R714 052 Discovery map #73. OS Sheet #26.
Glenanore/Glananore (H3230) Part of this house appears to date from the early 18th century. It belonged to the Verling family, whose interest eventually became vested in the Johnson family. The Reverend Richard Purcell was the tenant in the latter part of the 18th century and Wilson refers to it as his seat in 1786. It was occupied in 1814 by Garret Nagle and by the early 1830s the Hoares were resident. At the time of Griffith's Valuation Mrs Mary Anne Hoare was the occupier, holding the property from Noble Johnson. The buildings were valued at £32. Mrs Hoare was the widow of Reverend Thomas Hoare who was a brother of Sir Joseph Wallis Hoare, 3rd Baronet. In 1942 the Irish Tourist Association Survey asserted that the front part had been constructed in the early nineteenth century but that other parts were much older. It was then the residence of E.J. Hoare and it was still occupied by members of the Hoare family in the 1950s but is now demolished.	Ballyadeen	Castletownroche	Fermoy	Castletownroche 130	Fermoy	Cork	Lat/Lon: 52.17266 -8.45463 OSI Ref: R689 024 Discovery map #73. OS Sheet #26.
Rockenham (H3783) In 1850 Thomas Parsons Boland was leasing this house to Noble Johnson, when it was valued at £100. Lewis refers to it as Johnson's seat in 1837. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage suggests it was built by the Johnsons in the 1820s. It is still extant and occupied.	Pembroke	Marmullane	Cork	Monkstown 76	Kerrycurrihy	Cork	Lat/Lon: 51.87821 -8.35000 OSI Ref: W759696 Discovery map #87. OS Sheet #75.

Archival sources

• Cork City and County Archives: Johnson Papers comprised of 1. Official appointment of Noble William Johnson as Captain of the North Cork Rifles by Edmond Burke, Baron Fermoy, 11 Dec 1871. 2. Letter from R.F. Geary to his mother from the Camp before Sebastapol. 12 Dec 1854. 3. Same to same. 22 Oct 1854. 4. Letter from Richard Townsend Gray to his mother from Dum Dum. Also includes letter to Milly (his sister). 22 May 1849. 1849-1871. U062
• Cork County Library: Irish Tourist Association Files, Parish of Castletownroche
• National Library of Ireland: Search for the acts of George Johnson of Cork affecting the lands of Lisnagoorneen, Fermoy Barony, and Driancummer in Duhallow Barony, 1715 -- 1845. GO MS144: 26-32; 49-55; 60-64
• National Library of Ireland: Copy of confirmation of arms to the descendants of Noble Johnson, Mayor of Cork, 1809 and to his grandson, Noble Johnson, son of William Johnson, both of Rockenham, Co. Cork, Dec. 15, 1859. GO MS108: 284-5

Contemporary printed sources

Many of these resources are now available online. For a list with Web links please see the Online Printed Sources Links

• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Kerrycurrihy Barony, 47 (Pembroke)
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Fermoy Barony 33 (Ballyadeen), 40 (Lisnagoorneen)
• HUSSEY DE BURGH, U. H. The Landowners of Ireland. An alphabetical list of the owners of estates of 500 acres or £500 valuation and upwards in Ireland. Dublin: Hodges, Foster and Figgis, 1878. [available online at www.askaboutireland.ie] : 236
• LEWIS, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: Vol.II, 344 (Marmullane Parish)
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland. HC 1876, LXXX: 126

Modern printed sources

• Jnl. of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society.: Historical and Topographical Notes, etc on Buttevant, Doneraile, Mallow and Places in their vicinity. Collected by James Grove White (c 1906). XXIII, 2nd Series (1917), 37-40 (Lisnagourneen)
• BURKE, Sir Bernard. A genealogical and heraldic history of the Landed Gentry of Ireland. London: Harrison & Sons, 1904: 289-290
• HAJBA, Anna-Maria. Historical Genealogical Architectural notes on some Houses of Cork. Volume I: North Cork. Whitegate: Ballinakella Press, 2002: 179, 246