Mitchells of Birr

Simarillion · 16-10-2010 11:47am #1

I swore I wouldn't do this, but I have come to my wits end.

I am trying to find out more information on the Mitchell family of Birr or Offaly in general.

They held the position of Crown Solicitors for several generations, and married into the local families. Specifically the people I am most interested in are:
Thomas Mitchell (1853-1914)
James Daniel Mitchell b. 1880
m. Lilian Synge b. 1885 (dau. of Francis Robert Millington Synge 6th Bt.)

I have found them on the census, and partially on Ancestry.com, but there is very little info on the Mitchells, mainly just on the families they married into.
I've tried the Irish Times archive and the LDS website too.

If anyone would know anything at all about them I would be very very appreciative.

Cheers,
Simarillion

shanew · 16-10-2010 5:20pm

There are several Mitchell entries for Birr/Parsonstown in Slater's directory of 1870 that may be connected :

(nobility, clergy & gentry section)
Adam Mitchell esq., Oxmanton mall
Thomas Mitchell esq., Oxmanton mall

one of the entries in the courthouse section is : Solicitor to the Grand Jury - A. Mitchell esq

One of the (18) town commissioners is an Adam Mitchell

not sure what exact details you already have... are you looking for marriage or birth references to order certs, or for pre-civil registration records ?

Shane

shanew · 16-10-2010 5:29pm

Slater's 1845 also has a few Mitchell entries in Birr/Parsonstown :

(nobility, clergy & gentry section)
Capt. Andrew Mitchell, Bengal Lodge
John Mitchell esq., The Green
Mrs. Mitchell, Cumberland st

The entry for the court house reads :

Court House, Cumberland st - Thomas Mitchell, clerk to the petty sessions
and secretary to the grand jury.

A Michael Mitchell is master at the National School at Moor Park, Catherine Cork is mistress. In the section for Attornies is an Adam Mitchell (and seneschal?), John's place & 20 Upr Ormond quay, Dublin

see : http://www.failteromhat.com/slater/0357.pdf
and http://www.failteromhat.com/slater/0358.pdf

Shane

Simarillion · 17-10-2010 5:13pm

Cheers for all that Shane, I had not got that info from those sources. Much appreciated.

Adam Mitchell is the father of Thomas Mitchell who is the father of James Daniel Mitchell.

All were Crown Solicitors for King's County. I was rather hoping that someone had info on the other family links, or might have some knowledge of Birr social history.

They lived at Walcot house in Birr, and Mount Butler and along Oxmantown Mall. As regards relatives a cousin of theirs was Susan Langstaff Mitchell, a rather unrecognised literary figure, who spent most of her life with the Yeats family in Dublin.

I recently found a bunch of family papers in my grandparents attic, referring to the Mitchell and Synge families, including letters from the 1640's and this spurred me on to find more (most of the family papers have been lost, and the older generation are dead, and not much information about the family has been passed on......so here I am

)

Thanks again,
Sim

shanew · 17-10-2010 8:37pm

one more step back in time... Pigott's 1827 :

Birr/Parsonstown

(nobility, gentry & clergy section)
Mitchell Capt. Andrew
Mitchell Lieutenant Robert H.P. 28th, Crompton's Row

(merchants & traders section)
George Mitchell, attorney, green

Shane

paperclipper · 06-11-2014 3:10pm

Simarillion
If you visit any of the libraries in Offaly, you can search the archive of local newspapers
I have found lots of interesting info on marriages, including witnesses and guests, location of the wedding and lists of gifts received by the newly weds and how the benefactor is related/connected to the newlyweds
Also excellent funeral reports, with age of deceased, cause of death, lists of the bereaved, location of funeral and grave, relationship information and addresses of attendees at the funeral.
Finally, there are plenty of court case reports, land letting adverts, etc
I can look up something for you if you like?
Paper Clipper

KildareFan · 06-11-2014 10:57pm

Hi - I'm impressed by finding letters from 1641 in the attic.

From a quick search of the Irish Newspaper Archive I've found a lot of references to various mitchells acting as solicitors in court cases also:

1850 "At Parsonstown, King's County, in his 59th year George Mitchell esq, solicitor [Freemans Journal 12 Feb 1850, p2; there's an extensive obituary of George - he was a Mason in Lodge 163 - if you'd like a copy you can PM me.

On the 14th instant at Parsonstown, Andrew Mitchell esq. formerly Captain in the 50th Regiment [Freemans Journal 18 Sep 1847 p4]

1854 At Johns Place, Parsonstown, the lady of Adam Mitchell esq, Solicitory, of a son [Leinster Express 11 Feb 1854, p3 - possibly the birth of Thomas Mitchell

Major Thomas Mitchell of Parsonstown, brother of James Daniel Mitchell was killed in WW1 http://ourheroes.southdublinlibraries.ie/node/17070

1948 - the Nenagh Guardian has a report on the presentation of a bell to St Brendan's Church in memory of James Daniel Mitchell [Nenagh Guardian 24 Apr 1948, p7]

Some information on the Mitchell memorials in St Brendans Church, Birr, http://www.msoi.eu/journal-archives/146-journal94/1251-the-memorials-of-st-brendans-church-birr

Lots of chats about the Synges & Mitchells here http://www.pbase.com/image/79478871

Mitchells of Birr

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