John Barrett Esq. : Short Biography

John Barrett Esq. (1790-1844) of Finnor House was a well-to-do and respectable gentleman farmer (and freeholder) who moved in the same circles as the Dillons of Ballaghdereen. He was the John Barrett who, in Killapoge Cemetery,  erected the headstone for his parents Matthew Barrett (1749-1815) and Brigid Grealish.

Marriage

Circa 1811 he married Mary Hanly (1791-1856). This couple had 12 children (who went on to be reputable clergymen, land agents, gentlemen farmers, merchants, magistrates and political leaders at a local level).

Baptism records

Rev. Matthew J Barrett   of Ballinameen            1812
Martin Barrett Esq.  of  Prizon House                25/9/1814     Sp. Michael Barrett & Eleanor Farrell
Patrick Barrett Esq. of Carrick-on-Shannon     1814-1878
Michael Barrett Esq. of Finnor House               13/1/1818      Sp. Michl Barrett & Catherine Sharket    
Bridget Barrett Gately of Renny                        10/2/1820     Sp Stephen Barrett & Sabina Lannon
John Barrett of Lisnolan                                    29/7/1821     Sp Darby Fehan & Anne Noone
Catherine Barrett     RIP                                     25/1/1823    Sp. Michael Horan & Anne Barrett
Catherine Barrett fl.1852                                8/1/1826     Sp.  Hugh Boyd & Catherine McGreevy
Stephen Barrett Esq. of Meelick House
Thomas Barrett Esq of  Carrick on Shannon   
Moira Barrett of  CLAREMORRIS                     1/8/1832     Sp. Michael Doud & Brigid Barret
Anne Barrett                                                     31/8/1834    Sp. John Walker & Catherine Hanly
Nicholas Barrett  USA                                     14/10/1839   Sp. Dominic Dunbar & Catherine Barrett
 
Among those invited to godparent were:  Sabina Lannon (wife of John's brother, Pat Barrett Sr); Dominick Dunbar of Bellanagare (par. Kilcorkey; bar. Ballintober); John Walker of Ardmore, Croghan; Catherine McGreevy (wife of John Dowd of Ryefield); and Hugh Boyd of Ballinvilla.

Freehold Voter's Register

In 1829,  the Catholic Relief Bill was passed. Catholics were admitted to Parliament and local government corporations (but still excluded from some of the higher offices)  From 1793, Protestants and Catholics with 40 shilling freeholds had been allowed to vote. This 1829 “Relief” bill, increased the rate to 10 pounds for everyone, stripping 40 shilling freeholders of their right to vote. This increased the influence of landlords by confining membership to the propertied or monied classes. “Freeholders” were men who either owned their land outright or (as in John Barrett’s case) those who held it in a lease for the duration of their life (or the lives of other people named in the lease).

In May 1829 John Barrett Esq. “Farmer” of Finnor (aka West Fenor) and Ballynamreagh (aka Ballynaurreagh/ Belanainreagh/ Bellanamreigh - now Danesfort) was listed among applicants seeking to register to vote. This record states he was a “Freeholder” with “an annual value to be registered” of £10. He was quoted as having a house and lands containing about 168 acres at the yearly rent of £1 6s per (Irish) acre. [Roscommon & Leitrim Gazette 2/5/1829].

Grand Jury

John Barrett of Finnor was regularly listed among the cess-payers for the ballot to the Grand Jury (for the Barony of Frenchpark) from 1835-37 and for the Barony of Boyle in 1841. He was the "Mr. Barrett" who sat on the Carrick-on-Shannon Board of Guardians at this time.   In 1842 [TA] John Barrett is recorded as leasing 181 acres of land in Finnor with an annual value of £127, which included 35 acres of 1st quality land. 
Roscommon & Leitrim Gazette  - 03 October 1840; 01 May 1841, 15 April 1843

Death

On 8 June 1844, John Barrett died at age 54 while some of his children were still young. He never saw the Great Famine.  Following his death his eldest son, Rev. Matthew J Barrett, was appointed curate of Croghan and given special permission to live at home in Finnor, to look after his mother,  Mary Hanly Barrett (1791–1856). However, it was John’s 4th son, Michael Barrett Esq (1818–1889) who ultimately succeeded him in Finnor, and acted as bailiff for the Caddells.

DIED  (Roscommon Messenger, April 26, 1856)
On the 10th inst. at her residence, Finner, in this county, after a protracted illness of eight months, aged 63 years, Mrs. Mary Barrett, the kind fond, and indulgent mother of twelve children, who all survive her and deeply deplore her loss. The Rev. Mr. Barrett, R.C.C. of Croghan, is the eldest of this affectionate family.

The esteem in which she was held by all who knew her, and the sympathy felt for her family, were clearly manifested on the day of her internment (Monday 21st) when one of the largest and most respectable funeral processions, of both Catholic and Protestants, witnessed in this neighbourhood for years, accompanied her remains to the family burial ground. All the shops in Carrick on Shannon (4 miles distant) were closed from Saturday morning until 4 pm on Monday when her remains were consigned to the grave.

A solemn Requiem Mass was celebrated on Monday for the eternal repose of her soul at which 23 of the clergy of the surrounding parishes assisted. The Rev Thomas Fitzgerald R.C.C. Carrick on Shannon acted as high priest, the very Rev. T. Sweeny, PP Croghan as the deacon, and the very Rev Joseph M Ticker, PP Boyle as sub-deacon with the very Rev Dr. Dawson PP and Vicar-General of Ardagh, as master of ceremonies – Requiescat in pace.

Grand-children

The Very Rev. Canon Barrett, of Headford Co Galway;
Rev. Patrick Barrett. S.J., Limerick;
Rev J Barrett C.C. Mountbellew;
Rev J Gately, Professor, Summerhill;
Sr. Mary Alacoque Barrett (b.1864 in Meelick) Sisters of Mercy, Athlone;
(a total of 7 of grand-daughters became nuns).