Recall from the history above that the 1630s and 1640 were turbulent times that included a rebellion by the Irish Catholics and ultimate victory by Cromwell's forces in Ireland ca 1650. During those twenty years, many Scots left Ulster, but others came.
The next names in Irish records were those of a couple, John and Prudace Verner. A. L. Verner in Verner Families quoted Irish and Anglo-Irish Landed Gentry by O'Hart as stating, "When Cromwell came to Ireland in 1650, the names of persons in the land grants included John and Prudace Verner." He also said that O'Hart wrote in another record, "the Verners first came to Ireland in the year 1650 -- at the time Edinburgh was sacked by Cromwell's Army." Those two records imply that the lands were granted by Cromwell, but it is possible that John and Prudace were already in or had been in Ireland. It is possible that they had held lands prior to the 1641 rebellion and then regained them in 1650. The location of the land grants was not listed, so we really do not know where they lived. A. L. Verner inferred that John and Prudace settled in County Armagh and that John was the first male of that surname in Ulster, based on the lineages published by Burke and others, which state that the father of Henry Verner (that Henry died in 1683) "settled in the County of Armagh with his relatives, the Achesons". Based on that, A. L. Verner then inferred that John and Prudace were probably the parents of the Henry who died in 1683 and that the other men in subsequent records were either sons or close relatives of John and Prudace. However, there is nothing in the records that proves those relationships, and the next few records refer to Counties Antrim and Down, not to the adjoining County Armagh. It is possible that John and Prudace first lived in County Armagh and then obtained land elsewhere, or that their sons or other relatives obtained land elsewhere, or that they owned mulitple lands in multiple counties, as many did. It is also possible that they had to move because of the hostilities of that period.
There were men named John Verner/Varner in later records, and the John of 1650 was probably one of them. He was probably the man listed in County Down in 1659 and in County Antrim in 1669. He might have lost his land during the rebellion of the 1640s and then acquired land elsewhere, or he might have lost it after King Charles II took the throne in 1658. We can not know that for certain without some verifying record, because of the many wars and the subsequent migrations of people. He might have been the John who died in County Armagh in 1684, or he might have been the father or an uncle of that man. It appears that County Armagh became the main home for the Verners in Ireland, so John might have migrated to that region as he aged, although he might have still owned lands in other counties. According to A. L. Verner, Gentlemens' Arms of Scotland by Stodart states that the Verners, baronets of Ireland, claim descent from the Vernors (or Vernours) of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is not clear if the phrase "(or Vernour)" was inserted by Stodart or by A. L. Verner. The first Verner baronetcy in Ireland was awarded in 1846 to Sir William Verner, a grandson of a Henry Verner who died in 1724. His line adopted a modified version of the extinct Scottish arms that depicted three boars' heads. That line claims descent from a previous Henry who died in 1683, but I have never seen proof of that connection, and that Henry did not name a son Henry in his 1683 will. However, he did have sons whose descendants are not known to me, so it is possible that the younger Henry was a grandson of the older Henry or that the father of the younger man is not known for certain. The connection might be inferred from land records or similar. I assume that the titled line of baronets commissioned extensive genealogy research as possible. I do not know if they claim descent from John and Prudace of 1650. Regarding John, land grants were given to men of means who were able to use their tenants, servants, and men-at-arms to improve land and build fortified buildings, which implies that John was probably middle-aged in 1650. The Henry Verner who died in 1683 was probably the man listed in 1653 and 1666 records, which implies that he was mature in 1653 and was probably born by ca 1625. Thus, unless proof to the contrary is found, I have to accept that John might have been Henry's father or a close relative. If he was Henry's father, then John and Prudace were probably born ca 1600. If not, then John and Prudace might have been about the same age as Henry and born ca 1620.
Recall that the Quaker movement began in England in 1652, so anyone in the records prior to that date would not have been a Quaker.
A record of 23 May 1653 lists the name Henry Verner in County Antrim. It was dated at Carrickfergus, County Antrim and was a list of Presbyterian landholders and others proposed to be removed from Ulster into Leinster and Munster. One entry stated, "County of Antrim" "Shane's Castle, Largy and Toome Quarters, Henry Verner". The original record is reportedly in the British Museum, printed in Reid's History of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Volume II, 1867 Edition, page 553. Shane's Castle is the popular name for the castle at Edenduffcarrick. Largy is/was a townland in Toome Barony. If Henry was removed, he must have returned, because he was listed in County Antrim in 1666. If he was perceived as a threat, he must have been a man of some influence, and he was probably the man who died in 1683. I will discuss that record later. The Wars of the Three Kingdoms occurred from 1641-1653, including the English Civil War, the Scottish Civil War, and the Irish Confederate Wars. The Scottish soldiers in Ulster were eventually driven back to their stronghold at Carrickfergus. That suggests that Henry might have been one of those soldiers or supported them.
Recall that Oliver Cromwell died in 1658 and that the Catholic Charles II became King. That allowed the Irish Catholics to reclaim much of their lands, and English law prevailed throughout Ireland. Men such as the John of 1650 might have had to move to another county or to leave the country for awhile. King Charles II persecuted the Scots so badly that the period was known as the "killing times", but the temporary relative peace in Ireland and a rebellion in Scotland caused migration from Scotland to increase.
A 1659 County Down census listed a John Verner, Gentleman in Dromskea (Drumskea) Townland, Dromonre (Dromore) Parish, Lower Iveagh Barony with 23 tenants, including 17 English and 6 Irish. Bonney Herndon spelled the town name as Dromskea, but the Film T-497 from PRONI spells the name as Drumskea, and modern references spell it as Drumskea or Drumskee. While it is possible that John had recently migrated to Ireland, it is more likely that he had been there and that he was the man who was listed in 1650. Recall that we do not know where the John of 1650 had his land grants. The Barony of Lower Iveagh in County Down was just east of the Barony of O'Neil Land and was only a short distance from Loughgall Parish in County Armagh, so that John was probably the man who died in 1684. A John also showed in County Antrim in 1669. Bonney Herndon noted that there was no Verner listed in the 1659 County Antrim census, implying that the John of 1659 County Down was probably the man of 1669 County Antrim. He might have lost his land in County Down after King Charles II came to power and might have had to move to County Antrim.
The County Antrim Hearth Money Rolls of 1666 list: James Verner with one hearth in Drumaule (Drummaul) Parish, Henry Verner with two hearths in Antrim Parish, and Robert Verner with one hearth in Antrim Parish. All were listed as living in Toome Barony. The 1669 Hearth Money Rolls list: James Verner with one hearth in Drummaul (presumably Parish), Edenduffcarrick; David Verner with two hearths in Kilgavanagh; Robert Verner with four hearths in Kilgavanagh; James Verner with three hearths in Tannaghmore; and John Verner with one hearth in Tannaghmore. All were listed as living in Toome Barony. The castle at Edenduffcarrick is called Shane's Castle, named for Shane O'Neil who built it in the 1500s. Recall that the Henry Verner of the 1653 record lived in that area, which suggests that the James in Drummaul might have been closely related. Henry was not listed in 1669, but a Henry Verner died in County Antrim in 1683, so he might have been living with a son in 1669. The two listings of the name James in 1669 suggest two different men, but it could have been the same man with properties in two towns. If there were two men named James, the one with only one hearth was probably the younger. Hearths were important parts of a building. From 1662 to 1689, England imposed a tax of two shillings per hearth per year with some exemptions. The number of hearths is a rough indicator of the size of a house or group of buildings. Some buildings would not have a hearth, and some would have multiple hearths. The relationships of those men are not known. Henry was probably the man from the 1653 record. The Henry who died in 1683 had a son named David, who was probably the man listed in 1669. Henry had probably given his house to his son David, which would be compatible with Henry's 1683 will, and Henry might have been living with David in 1669. The John who died in 1684 had a son named Robert, so the Robert of the 1666 and 1669 Rolls might have been that John's son. Confusingly, there were two men named John in later records, so it is possible that the John of 1650 and 1659 was elsewhere in 1669 and that the John of 1669 was his son or nephew. The elder John might have been living with one of the other men in 1669. It is not likely that Robert and James were sons of Henry, and Henry's 1683 will did not list sons with those names. The John who died in 1684 did have a son named Robert. However, the 1683 will had a witness named James Verner, and the 1684 will had an endorser named James Varner, which suggests that James might have been a brother or cousin of John and Henry, rather than a son of one of them. Thus, it is not clear if there were two men named James in 1669 or if the John of 1669 was the man from 1650 and/or 1659. Several of those men might have been sons of John and Prudace Verner of 1650.
To recap to this point, the records show that there was a John Verner who held land ca 1650 and would have been born by the early 1600s, that there was a Henry Verner in 1653 who presumably would have been born by ca 1625, and that there were at least five mature Verner males in 1669 who would have been born by ca 1645. The origins and relationships of those men are not proven, but it is likely that at least one of those men was the father of some of the others. The five men in the 1660s were Henry, James, John, Robert, and David, and there was possibly a second James. Henry was probably the man from 1653 and was probably the man who died in 1683. The John who died in 1684 might have been the man from 1650 or a descendant of that man. David was probably a son of Henry, and Robert was probably a son of John. The fates of James, Robert, and David are not clear, but those names showed in later descendants of the other men, so they were presumably close relatives.
Regarding the men named James, a Hugh Varnor (sic), son of James Varnor (sic), was baptized in 1681, and a Mary Vernor (sic), daughter of James Vernor (sic), was baptized in 1684. Those were probably the same James, whose identity is not clear, but he was probably one of the men in the above records, and he probably witnessed or endorsed at least one of the two wills 1683 and 1684, the abstracts of which are included below. According to A. L. Verner, the Register of Christ Church Parish in South Carolina recorded that a Hugh Varner was buried there on 4 Nov 1730 and that a Henry Varnor was married there on 21 Jan 1744/5.
A man named Henry Verner died in 1683, as proven by his will, the abstract of which is included below. The location of the recording is not clear to me, but it was probably recorded in County Antrim, since that is where Henry lived. However, the abstract was included with the County Armagh Museum records that I received, so it might have been recorded in County Armagh. On the other hand, the museum at Armagh might have acquired County Antrim records. Henry named his widow Isabella and his children Benjamin, Samuel, Mary, Sara, and David. I believe that Henry was probably the father of my immigrant forebear Samuel Verner/Varner and that Henry's widow Isabella might have been Samuel's mother. That will is important, so I will include the abstract here.
15 May 1683. Prerogative Will. Probated 17 Sep 1683.
Henry Verner of Galgavenagh (sic; also spelled Gullivenagh & Kilgavanagh, the
latter apparently being the modern spelling), County Antrim.
To son Benjamin, leases of half town of Galgavenagh (sic) and of townland of
Creavery (sic; Creevery).
To son Samuel, land in Dunsilly held from Mr. Kennedy and half town of
Tobernomeine (sic; Tobernaveen).
To daughter Mary, Charge on Creavery (sic; Creevery) and Tobernomeine (sic;
Tobernaveen). ("Charge" apparently meant rental income or similar.)
To unmd. (unmarried) daughter Sara, ?50 lent to Marchioness of Antrim.
To son David, to continue in his Qr. land (sic; presumably quarters; probably the
house listed in 1669).
Witnesses: James Verner, James Browne.
Probate to his widow Isabella Verner and his son Benjamin Verner.
Tobernaveen (sic), 362 (?) acres, Parish of Shiloodan (sic; maybe modern
Shankill Parish), Barony of Toome.
Dunsilly, 341 (?) acres, Parish of Antrim, Barony of Toome.
Kilgavanagh (sic), 215 (?) acres, Parish of Antrim, Barony of Toome.
Creevery (sic), 515 acres, Parish of Antrim, Barony of Toome.
The number of acres was not clear in the first three items. There were no further records of Benjamim or David, but one of those men might have been the father of the Henry who died in 1724 and who had a son named David. I believe that the son Samuel was probably the man who leased land in County Armagh in 1691/2 and sold his leases in 1722 before immigrating to America and who also had a son named David. The witness James was presumably a close relative, e.g. a brother, and was probably one of the men from 1666 and 1669 above. It is also possible that James was a son of Henry and might have already had lands of his own and did not need to be named in the will. A John Varner died in County Armagh in 1684, and his will was endorsed by a James Varner. It is not clear if he was the man who witnessed the 1683 will, but I suspect that he was. Notice that there was no listing in the will of a son named Henry. The descendants of the younger Henry who died in 1724 reportedly claim that he was a descendant of the Henry who died in 1683, but I have found no evidence to prove that. It is possible that the younger Henry had already received his inheritance by 1683 and did not need to be in the will, but I doubt it. It is more likley that he was a grandson of the older Henry. It seems most likely that the younger Henry was a son of David or perhaps James, since that younger Henry had known sons named David and James and did not have known sons named Benjamin or Samuel. It is also possible that the older Henry's wife was pregnant with the younger Henry in 1683, but that is not likely.
Consider that the son Samuel was bequeathed land and/or leases in County Antrim in 1683 and a Samuel leased land in County Armagh in 1691/2. If they were the same man, why would he have moved during that time. One possible explanation is that the leases expired on the land in County Antrim and that there were better leases available in County Armagh near the other Verners. A more likely reason is found in the history of the time. Recall that the Catholic King James II gained the throne in 1685 and began to persecute the Presbyterians terribly. It is likely that the Verners in County Antrim had to abandon their lands until the conflict finally ended in 1690-91. It would make sense that they might find safety with the family in County Armagh. It is also possible that they had to flee Ireland for a few years and return after the Catholics were no longer in control. As I said, I believe that the son Samuel of the 1683 will was the same man who leased land in 1691/2 and later had a son named David. The Samuel of the will would have been approximately the same age as the Samuel who leased land in 1691/2. It seems highly unlikely that two unrelated men with the same name would show in the records within such a short period, one with a brother named David and one with a son named David. Thus, I think it is almost certain that they were the same man.
A John Varner of Derrycrew, County Armagh died in 1684. His will was apparently written and recorded on 24 Apr 1684 and endorsed by a James Varner on the same date. It had no notation about probate and reportedly had no signature or witnesses, suggesting that it might have been a deathbed will. Notice that a bond was also signed on that date, obligating a Captain Chambers to repay money owed to John. John was apparently a widower and named children Robert, Edward, Mathias, Ellenor, and Penelope. The following is the abstract or transcripton of the will.
John Varner, late of (illegible; envelope says Dirricrue, presumably Derrycrew) in the parish of Loughgall, County Armagh. To be buried in the parish of Loughgall. All my goods and chattles, rights and credits, as follows: To my sons, Robert and Edward, ?200 which I lent to Sir George Acheson and which is now in his hand with interest thereon due to me to be equally divided between them. To my son Mathias and my daughter Ellenor, wife of William Cooke, ?100 due to me by Capt. Francis Chambers as by his bond dated 24 April 1684, equally between them my sd. son Mathias and my sd. daughter Ellenor, but if my said son (Mathias) (sic) who is now beyond seas does not return in four years I appoint ?50 of sd. ?100 to go to the eldest son of my sd. son Robert and the eldest son of my sd. son Edward equally. To my daughter Penelope the sum of ?20. In witness wherof 24 April 1684. (not signed) (no witnesses) Endorsed James Varner of Derrynan (?), County Armagh, 24 April 1684.
The name "Varner" was presumably a phonetic spelling of Verner. It appears to me that the John of 1669 had moved to County Armagh. If he held land, his holdings would have automatically passed to his eldest son, based on the laws of primogeniture, unless specified otherwise. The endorser James might have been the same man who witnessed the 1683 will of Henry above and was probably one of the Jameses from the 1660s, if not the only one. It sounds as if Robert and Edward might have already had children by that time, but that is not certain. John had five living children, one of whom was overseas, and the means to lend money to a nobleman and a Captain (type not clear), which implies that he was at least middle-aged. He might have been the John of 1659 County Down and 1669 County Antrim, and he might have been the John of 1650, but it is also possible that he was a son of the John of 1650. If he was the John of the earlier records, it is possible that the Henry who died in 1683 was one of his sons. It also possible that John and Henry were brothers or cousins. Ellenor was obviously an adult, and it sounds as if Mathias was grown. It is not clear if Robert and Edward yet had sons of their own. The son Robert might have been the man from 1666 and 1669 or might have been a namesake of that man. A Robert showed in church records by 1693, along with another John, whose relationship is not known. Thus, the fate of Robert and Mathias are not know, but the son Edward moved to County Armagh and subsequently named sons Robert and Mathias in his 1740 will.
Recall that the period from about 1685 to 1691 was very turbulent because the Catholics were in power. Many Protestant landowners lost their land, many died, and some left Ireland, at least for a time. By the end of 1691, the Catholics were defeated, and Ulster was back under the control of King William III. Although Presbyterianism was restored, the persecution of Presbyterians continued.
On 18 Feb 1691/2, Samuel Varner of Levaleglish, Manor of Derrycrew, County Armagh leased land in Levaleglish and Ballyahey (Ballygasey) in Loughgall Parish, O'Neil Land Barony, County Armagh from Robert Cope, Esq. He renewed a lease or leased more land on 18th Sep 1713. He sold those leases in 1722 and immigrated to America. I will discuss the sale later. I believe that Samuel was probably the son of the Henry who died in 1683. If so, then his inherited leases in County Antrim probably expired, were sold, or were confiscated when the Catholics regained power in 1685. Notice that the John who died in 1684 also lived in the Manor of Derrycrew, which implies that he and Samuel were related. I suspect that Samuel was either a nephew or a grandson of the John who died in 1684. Recall that John had sons named Robert and Edward. When Samuel sold his leases in 1722, a man named Robert was also a party to the sale. A few months later, land or leases of land across the road from his previous property was sold, and one of the witnesses was Edward Verner, which also implies a close relationship. Edward, son of the John who died in 1684, moved to Loughgall Parish, which is more circumstantial evidence that the Henry who died in 1683 and the John who died in 1684 were either brothers or father/son. Thus, I believe that Edward was an uncle or a cousin of Samuel.
The name John Verner appeared in the records of the Presbytery, beginning in September 1691 when he was listed as the Commissioner from Maghera at the Synods held in Antrim and ending in 1704. He was listed in 1697 as the Ruling Elder at Castledawson, County Tyrone. That John was presumably a younger man than the John who died in 1684, although that is not certain. A. L. Verner speculated that he might have been the original Verner in Ulster and might have been the man listed in 1650, but I do not think that A. L. Verner knew that a man named John died in 1684. The name Robert Verner appeared in similar records from 1693 until 1708. He was listed as a Ruling Elder in the Diocese of Connor in County Antrim. That Robert was probably the older man from the 1666 and 1669 records, rather than the son of the John who died in 1684, but that is not certain. According to A. L. Verner, that information is from the Presbytery records listed in the chapter "Home Towns of Ulster Famlies from 1691-1718" of Scotch-Irish Pioneers in Ulster and America.
A marriage record of 20 Jan 1694/5 indicated that Joseph McNeily was to marry Sarah Varner. The parish is not clear, but was probably Loughgall or Achalow/Aghaloo, based on a similar document of 24 Oct 1698. Sarah was probably the daughter of the Henry Verner who died in 1683.
Then, an interesting marriage occurred. On 24 Oct 1698 was recorded the intention of Samuel Verner (sic) "of this Parish" to marry Mary Moore of the Parish of Achalow. The parish in which Samuel lived is not clear, but I suspect that it was Loughgall Parish. I believe that this Samuel was probably the son of Henry who was named in the 1683 will and that he was probably the Samuel who leased land in Loughgall Parish in 1691/2 and 1713, sold it in 1722, and immigrated to America. There was no term used that would indicate multiple men named Samuel were living there, e.g. "elder" or "younger". Some other records of that time used such terms when there were two men with the same name in the same area. That might have been a second (or later) marriage for Samuel. Confusingly, a younger Samuel appeared in Pennsylvania records in 1728/9 and 1735 who might have been the man who married in 1698, but, if the man who married in 1698 was a younger man, I would have expected to see some indication that there were two men named Samuel in the area. Thus, unless some document is found that shows multiple men named Samuel in those years, I will assume that there was only one and that he was the immigrant to America. Mary must have been the daughter of a John Moore who was mentioned in a 1713 lease and in wills of 1717 and 1726/7. Samuel and Mary had at least three children whose names were Charity, Elizabeth, and John, as shown in later records. A John Verner/Vernor appeared in Pennsylvania records who could have been compatible with that son, as I discussed earlier in this chapter. Recall that the immigrant Samuel had a son named David who was old enough to acquire land in 1725. If the Samuel of 1698 was the elder Samuel, then his son David was probably born before 1698 to an earlier wife. The daughter Charity was baptized on 23 Dec 1700, and an unnamed child was baptized on 26 Jan 1702/3. The unnamed child was presumably John or Elizabeth, who were named in the 1726/7 will of John Moore. In 1713 John Moore's brother William Moore leased land, and one of the provisions pertained to the life of John Varner, son of Samuel Varner and grandson of John Moore. That lease was rewritten in 1758 (the number "8" is uncertain) and replaced that name with another, implying that John had died. The John who appeared in Pennsylvania records died in 1754, which in turn suggests that he might have been the son of Samuel and Mary that was named in the lease. The man who died in 1754 had minor children named Samuel, Benjamin, Elizabeth, James, John, Mary, and Hannah, which suggests that he was a son or grandson of the immigrant Samuel and a descendant of the Henry who died in 1683. Recall that Henry had a son named Benjamin, which was an unusual name in the Verner families, and the only evidence of that man was the listing in his father's 1683 will. The 1717 County Armagh will of Robert Moore of Aghalow Parish mentioned his sister's son John Verner and Elizabeth Verner and mentioned his brother William Moore. Robert's will did not name the daughter Charity Verner, but she was baptized in 1700 and was named in her grandfather's 1726/7 will. In February 1726/7 John Moore of Aghalow Parish in County Armagh wrote his will and left money to the children of his daughter Mary, namely John, Charity, and Elizabeth Verner. Those records prove that Mary was a daughter of John Moore. If Mary's husband Samuel was the immigrant, he had died by 1725 and probably had children by a previous wife. Those children would not have been grandchildren of John Moore and would not have been named in his will. If Mary's husband was a younger Samuel, he was probably the younger Samuel in Pennsylvania.
The name William Verner first appeared in Irish records in 1703 when a man of that name was listed as an Elder of the Dawson's Bridge Congregation. He was listed as Ruling Elder of Castledawson, County Tyrone in 1706-8 and was in the records until 1710. He must have been the man listed as William of Mullyboy, which is in County Derry, whereas Castledawson is nearby in County Tyrone. It appears that he died in 1710. His son James was baptized in 1704, and his daughter Margaret was baptized in 1705. William's will was dated or recorded in 1710, and he was listed as William Verner of Mullyboy, County Derry, a tanner. I do not know the identity of that William.
There was an apparently younger William in Loughgall Parish of County Armagh, who married ca 1705 to a Ruth. Their daughter Mary was baptized in February 1706/7, their son John was baptized in March/April 1707/8, their daughter Sarah was baptized in May 1709, and their son Richard was baptized in December 1711. William was buried on 12 Jun 1712, according to Loughgall Parish records, and the name William disappeared from the records of that period. I do not know the identity of that William.
Recall that there was a younger Henry than the man who died in 1683 and that his connection to the older man is not known to me. After the older Henry died in 1683, the name Henry next showed in the records in March 1704/5, when the Irish House of Lords ruled that Henry Verner of Armagh and other men were guilty of a "breach of privilege" for arresting a man. That must have been the Henry who died in 1724. His widow was named Ann, but it is not certain that Ann was the mother of his children. His son David was baptized in September 1708, his daughter Mary was baptized in December 1712, and his son Thomas was baptized in April 1717, according to the records of the Presbyterian Congregation in County Antrim. I will discuss that Henry's will later. It is interesting that Henry was in the records of County Antrim, and his children were baptized there, but Henry lived in County Armagh when he died in 1724.
Recall that the John Varner who died in 1684 had a son named Edward. Edward's first wife was apparently named Jane, because the Loughgall records list the burial of Jane, wife of Edward Verner, on 28 Oct 1708. In my search of the PRONI records, there was mention of an Edward who married in the 1690s, but I never found that record. The PRONI records also reported that an Edward Verner married a Lydia in 1714, and the Edward who died in 1747 had a daughter listed as Liddiea, which suggests that Edward's second wife was named Lydia. Martha, daughter of Edward Verner was buried on 28 Jul 1720. Edward wrote his will in 1740 and died in 1747. I will discuss his will later.
There were at least two men named Robert in the records. Recall that the oldest Robert was listed in the records of the 1660s, implying that he was born by at least 1645. The John who died in 1684 had a son Robert, who might have been the man of the earlier records, and a son Edward who in turn had a son named Robert. There is no listing in my references of the name Robert between 1684 and 1714, which suggests that the older Robert died or left Ulster during that time. Then, a Robert Verner of Drumduff was listed on the 1714 Armagh Rent Rolls, and the same name was still there in 1725 and 1734 in reference to a possession in Ballygasey. On 26 Nov 1719, a Robert Verner wed Sarah Hall, alias Hayes, according to Loughgall Parish records. On 12 Feb 1720/1, their daughter Alice was baptized. In August 1722 a Robert Varner and the immigrant Samuel Varner were listed as sellers of leases in Loughgall Parish. On 28 Mar 1722/3, Sarah, daughter of Robert and Sarah Verner, was baptized. Robert Verner leased seventeen acres and woods in Ballygassey (sic) in County Armagh on 1 May 1734, and his landlord was Robert Cope. Then, the name Robert disappeared from the Irish records between 1734 and 1747. A Robert Verner showed in the records of Pennsylvania in 1735 who was compatible with the Robert of the Irish records and disappeared from those records after he provided bond for the estate of the immigrant Samuel's son David Verner in 1743. Robert Verner, son of Edward, died in 1747, and I will list the details of his will later. Who were those various men? Previous authors theorized that the Robert of the 1722 deed was a brother of Samuel and that the Robert of the Pennsylvania records was a son of Samuel, partly because he helped to provide bond for the estate of Samuel's son David. I once thought that the man in 1722 and 1735-43 was a son of Samuel, but I am not so sure now. There were seven Irish records with the name Robert between 1714 and 1734, and none implied that there were two men with that name in the parish. Thus, it is possible that the man in all of the records from 1714 to 1747 was the son of Edward and that he had a close relationship with Samuel and David. He might have followed them to Pennsylvania in 1735 and then returned to County Armagh after David died in 1743.
In the years 1714-18, Ireland suffered a severe drought, which devastated the wool and linen industries.
On 8 Aug 1722, Samuel Varner of Levaleglish "purier" and Robert Varner of same, weaver, both of County Armagh, sold to George Stone of Armagh, County Armagh, merchant, for ?180, leases of land in Levaleglish and Ballyahey (Ballygasey), including an orchard in Levaleglish in Loughgall Parish in O' Neil Land Barony and Armagh County, held from Robert Cope, Esq. by lease to Samuel Varner dated 18th Feb 1691 (1691/2) and 18th Sept. 1713. Witnesses were Herbert Stone and Robert Brennan, both Gentlemen of Armagh. The deed implies that Samuel had sublet the land to Stone in May 1722. The sale was recorded on 13 Oct 1722, but Samuel and Robert were not there. A full transcript of that deed is in Appendix 1-A at the end of this chapter. Levaleglish was in the Manor of Derrycrew, which implies that Samuel was a close relative of the John who died in 1684 and was perhaps his nephew or grandson. As I discussed above, the identity of that Robert is not clear. The leases were apparently obtained only in the name of Samuel, implying that Robert's interest came later. Samuel might have borrowed money from a relative, thus mortgaging his interest in the land, but there was no mention of such a mortgage. It is possible that Samuel had borrowed money during the drought of 1714-18, which began in the year after Samuel acquired the lease in 1713. It is also possible that Robert might have been Samuel's eldest son who had reached maturity, and he might have been the man who married Sarah Hall/Hayes in 1719. See my previous discussion about the men named Robert. It appears that Samuel Varner/Verner left his land in 1722 and immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1722 or 1723. On 10 Aug 1722, recorded in February 1722/3, Robert Cope of Loughgall, Esq. leased to George Stone of Armagh, merchant., a farm in Levaleglish in Manor of Derrycrew and Drumnilly in Loughgall Parish and Armagh County, "lying on the other side of road opposite the house where Sam Varner lately dwelt". The witnesses were Edward Verner of Agherloghan, Herbert Stone, and Robert Brennan, the latter two being Gentlemen of Armagh. Agherloghan is apparently also spelled Eagralougher. Notice that the latter sale was only two days after Samuel sold his leases. The latter deed says that Samuel no longer lived there, but it is not clear if that comment referred to the sale in August or the recording in February. The first deed implies that Samuel had sublet his land in May 1722 but was present to sign the sale in August. Those two deeds suggest that Samuel was still present in County Armagh in August 1722, so he must have immigrated after that date. Notice that two of the witnesses were the same in both deeds and that Edward Verner witnessed the second. That suggests that Samuel and Edward were related, but does not clarify the identity of the Robert of the 1722 deed and the Pennsylvania records. Samuel had immigrated to Pennsylvania by 1724, because he and a James Varner/Verner/Vernor appeared on a tax list there. The identity of that James is not known. I discussed Samuel and the others in America in the first part of this chapter.
I will discuss a few more of the Irish records to show what happened to some of the other Verners.
In 1724 the younger Henry Verner died. His will was written in June and probated in December. He was the forebear of the later titled family of Ireland. Because of that importance, I include an abstract of his will here, which is a composite of three different abstracts.
10 Jun 1724. Diocese of Armagh. Probated 2 Dec 1724. Henry Verner of Armagh, County Armagh. To be buried in church yard of Armagh. To my beloved wife Ann Verner ?60. To my eldest son James Verner ?60. To my second son David Verner ?60. To my third son Thomas Verner ?60. To my eldest daughter Mary Verner ?50. (one abstract said Margaret) To my youngest daughter Ann Verner ?50. In case any of my sd. sons or daughters dispose of themselves in marriage without consent of exors. then ?40 to be deducted from such disobedient child and distributed same among the obedient children. If any of sd. children die under 21 or unmarried, the share of said (would be distributed) between my wife and surviving children, and should all my children die then all to go to my beloved wife as she thinks proper. If my effects amount to more than the above legacies, same to go to my eldest son James toward his education. Appoint my brother Geo. Ker and my beloved wife Ann Verner, exors. In witness whereof 10 June 1724. Henry Verner. Seal: a Lion passant. (from one abstract) Witnesses: Rob: Walker, William Cowser, Geo.Walker.
The titled family of Northern Ireland believe that Henry was a descendant of the Henry who died in 1683. Recall that the Henry who died in 1683 did not name a son Henry in his will, suggesting that the Henry who died in 1724 might have been a grandson of the older Henry or that he was left out of the 1683 will for some reason. Notice that the 1724 will does not mention any land holdings. It appears that the wealth of the later titled family was acquired through acquisition and marriage. I assume that George Ker was Henry's brother-in-law, because Ann's maiden name was reportedly Kerr. There are listings of deed abstracts in Appendix 1-B at the end of this chapter that show that Henry's widow Ann bought land or leases several times from 1731 to 1738. In 1731 she bought leases to half the townland of "Egrylogher" (Eagralougher) that had apparently been sublet to Edward Vernor (Verner) and Jonathan Richardson. Recall that Edward was a son of the John who died in 1684, but his relationship to Ann's deceased husband Henry is not clear. Edward might have been a nephew or cousin of Ann's husband. In 1732 she bought land or leases in Drumcree Parish, and two of the witnesses were Robert Verner of Egrylougher (Eagralougher), County Armagh, and David Verner of Armagh, both Gentlemen. That deed was signed by Ann and David. David was apparently Ann's son. The identity of that Robert is not clear, since Edward had a brother and a son named Robert. Robert also might have been the Robert of the 1722 deed. In 1735 Ann acquired more leases in County Armagh that were owned by a man in County Antrim. Ann's son David witnessed that deed, also. In 1737 Ann acquired more land or leases in Drumcree Parish and half the townland of Egrelogher (Eagralougher), implying that she then owned the leases to the entire townland. That deed was witnessed by Thomas Verner of Dawson's Grove and signed by a Thomas Verner. Those were presumably the same man and presumably Ann's son. That deed is somewhat confusing, because the deed was signed by Thomas, not Ann. Some of the deeds sound as if Ann had purchased the land and then bought back some of the leases. In 1738 she and two men leased half of Egrelougher (Eagralougher). Her son Thomas was a witness, and she and Thomas signed that deed. Thomas married an heiress, but they were childless and passed their wealth to a nephew, James, the son of Thomas's brother David. James's son William became the first baronet in 1846. It is somewhat interesting that Ann bought those properties from the Mathews family. In 1716 and 1725, William Cope had sold leases of half the town on Augherlogher (Eagralougher) to Henry Clarke, and the second deed said that Cope had leased the land from Jn. Elcock for 1000 years. That lease obviously passed in some way from Clarke to Mathews. A member of the Verner family apparently married a member of the Clarke family at some point in time, because men named James Verner are reportedly buried in the Clarke family enclosure in Loughall Parish. The records are then silent regarding Ann. A. L. Verner wrote that the descendants of Henry's son David settled in Ontario in the 1800s, that descendants of the son Thomas settled in Philadelphia in the 1800s, and that those two lines are clearly defined in published records.
A. L. Verner wrote in Verner Families that a famine in 1739 killed one-fifth of the population of Ireland.
Edward Verner wrote his will on 4 May 1740, but the will was not recorded and probated until 13 Jul 1747, so I assume that Edward died in 1747. Edward's son Robert had apparently died a few days before Edward's will was probated. The will was recorded in the Diocese of Armagh. The following is an abstract of the will.
Edward Varner (sic) of Egerlogher, parish of Loughgall, County Armagh. To be buried in the Church yard of Loughgall. To my son John Varner 15 acres of my land adjoining to the road where Patk. Murtough lives, together with the corn now on sd. land, also 2 cows and a horse and his bed and all my wearing clothes. To my daughter Liddiea Burnett ?10 she having in her hand ?4 of sd. money. To my daughter Margret Ashton ?10 - she has 3 guineas of sd. sum in her hand at present. To my grandson, Samuel Richardson, ?10 when he shall be 21. Remainder of my goods and chattles, horses, lands, corn, gardens, and cattle whatsoever equally between my two sons, Robert and Mathias Varner, they allowing proper maintenance to my daughter Sarah Varner during her life or ?10 in lieu thereof. I order my two sons Robert and Mathias Verner (sic) to be sole exors. In witness whereof 4 May 1740. Edward Verner. Witnesses: Will. McClatchys, John Verner (sic), W. Foster. Probate upon oaths of Wm. McClatchys and Wm. Foster, two of the witnesses granted to Mathias Verner only surviving exor. 13 July 1747.
I am listing this will to show the people who were alive in 1740. At that time, Edward had children Robert, Mathias, John, Liddiea, Margaret, an unnamed daughter (probably Jane) who had married a Richardson, and Sarah. Edward's son Robert died before Edward's will was probated, so Mathias was the surviving executor. The fact that Robert was named an executor in 1740 suggests, but does not prove, that he was not the man in Pennsylvania records. It is possible that Robert was traveling back and forth between America and Ireland. The Robert in the records of Pennsylvania disappeared from those records after 1743. The daughter Liddiea was the wife of James Burnett, as shown in the 1747 will of Robert Verner below. The grandson Samuel Richardson was probably the son of Daniel Richardson and Jane Verner who married in 1721, which implies that Jane had died. It is not clear if Edward's son John was still living in 1747.
Edward's son Robert wrote his will on 5 Jul 1747 and died between that date and 10 Jul 1747 when his will was probated in the Diocese of Armagh. The following is an abstract of his will.
Robert Verner of Termacranan, parish of Loughgall, County Armagh. To be buried in churchyard of Loughgall in the burying place of my ancestors. To my brother Mathias Verner my moiety or share of the farm and house of Egrelougher. To my brother-in-law James Burnet ?5. To my natural daughter Ann Verner ?20 upon her marriage. To Ann Lavery a house, two acres of land and two cows and the grazing for them in the farm of Termacrannan for her life. To my nephew Samuel Richardson ?5. To my natural son John Verner my equal half or moiety of the household goods in the house of Egrelougher now in possession of my brother Mathias Verner, the farm in Ballygassy, the farm (in) Termacrannan together with residue of my goods and chattles, debts, accounts and everything that is due to me. Appoint William Newton of Clovenedon, gent. and said John Verner to be exors. In witness thereof 5 July 1747. Robt. Verner Witnesses: Wm. Lockhart, Alexr. Hays, Will. Foster. Probate upon oath of Willm. Lockhart, Alex. Hays, and Wm. Foster, the three witnesses granted to John Verner, one of the exors., Wm. Newton the other exor. having renounced 10 July 1747. Seal: a swan passant.
Robert Verner was obviously the son of Edward Verner, whose will was probated three days after Robert's, implying that Edward died a few days after his son Robert and did not have time to or did not want to change his will. As discussed previously, Robert might have been the man listed in the 1722 sale with Samuel and might have been the man who showed in Pennsylvania records between 1735 and 1743. The term "natural" is often confusing to readers. It basically means that a child was a biological offspring of the person, as opposed to a stepchild or an adopted child, regardless of whether that child was born to a marriage or out-of-wedlock. Readers often interpret the term to mean a child born outside marriage, but one can not make that inference without additional information. The term was often used because of the different laws of various countries. Under English law, illegitimate children had no automatic rights of inheritance, whereas they did under the laws of Scotland. Thus, if a person living under English laws wanted to bequeath something to a biological child who was born outside of that person's marriage, then the bequest would have to be specified in a will. One can not know if a Scotch-Irish person in the north of Ireland was following the laws of England or was following traditional Scottish customs. Thus, the relationship of Ann Lavery is not clear. She might have been Robert's stepdaughter or adopted daughter or perhaps even the mother of Ann and John Verner, i.e. Robert's mistress. Robert and Ann might have been prevented from formally marrying because of the religious turmoil of those years. It is also possible that she was simply Robert's housekeeper or the children's caretaker. One assumes that she was not Robert's sister, sister-in-law, or aunt, since she was not named in his father Edward's will or the 1684 will of his apparent grandfather John, and since her last name was not Verner. The son John was probably the man who wed Mary Wilson in 1749 and the man listed in the mid -1700s as being from Termacrannan with a son named Robert. The daughter Ann might have been the woman who married George Spencer in 1748 or 1768, as listed in the Timeline in Appendix 1-B below.
Recall that the Henry Verner who died in 1724 had sons named James, David, and Thomas. It is not clear what finally happened to the son James. David wrote his will on 28 Oct 1747, and it was probated in the Diocese of Armagh on 16 Jan 1754. Notice that I did not modify the 1754 date, because the New Calendar was reportedly adopted in 1752. The following is a composite of two abstracts.
David Verner of Gillis, parish and County of Armagh. All goods and chattels to wife and children equally. (not named) Appoint Mr. Samuel McGeough of Drumsill and my brother Thomas Verner to be exors. In witness whereof 28 Oct 1747. David Verner. Witnesses: Jas. (or John) Ker. and Mathias Verner. Probate granted to Thomas Verner one of the executors. 16 Jan 1754. One abstract says, "Seal: three boars' heads"
That will is interesting to me. David and Thomas were apparently the sons of the Henry who died in 1724. Other sources say that David married Elizabeth Cresole (spelling?) and had James, Thomas, Elizabeth, Sarah, Margaret, and Ann and that his wife Elizabeth died in 1767. That can be confusing, because there is a record below of an Elizabeth Verner who died in 1767 with children whose names were different from those listed above. It is possible that the woman who died in 1767 was not David's widow or that researchers confused David's wife with another woman named Elizabeth Cresole. On the other hand, David's will was written in 1747, and he did not die until 1754, so perhaps he and Elizabeth had other children during that interim. David's younger brother Thomas married the heiress Margaret Kerr in 1749 and apparently moved to Dublin, as implied by a deed of 1751. They were childless, so Thomas made his nephew James his heir, and James was the father of the William Verner who became a Baronet in 1846. James was born ca 1746 and died 6 Dec 1822, according to his tombstone. Notice the witness Mathias Verner. That must have been the son of Edward, which again implies a close relationship of the Henry who died in 1724 and the descendants of the John who died in 1684, which in turn suggests a relationship to the Henry who died in 1683.
Notice the seal. Three boars' heads were on the ancient arms of one of the Vernour/Vernor/Verner men in Scotland, and it appears that David might have used similar arms, assuming that the abstract was correct. David's grandson became the first Baronet in 1846, and that line adopted a modified version of the ancient arms. According to A. L. Verner, the arms of the Irish line are described as, "Argent, on a fess sa., between three boars' heads, of the second, fretty or, a trefoil slipped of the last. Crest: a boar's head, as in the arms. Motto: Pro Christo et Patria". I am not sure what all of that means. The basic arms are the same, with a white or silver (argent) background, a black fesse, and three boars' heads. The term "trefoil slipped" means a three-leaved plant with the stem or stalk showing, as in a shamrock. A black and white picture of the Irish family's arms shows a shamrock in the middle of the fesse, but the colors are not obvious. I am not sure about the term "fretty or", because I do not know what part is colored gold (or). Clara Wallace wrote that black symbolizes sorrow and that the shamrock was to honor their Irish heritage. She also wrote that the color gold denotes magnanimity and honor, that silver denotes purity of character, that the boar's head denotes hospitality, and that the three in number represented the three important conflicts encountered by Sir William Verner. It is interesting that the "three in number" were attributed to Sir William's military activities, but remember that one of the ancient Scottish arms contained three boars' heads, as did the seal on David's will, long before Sir William fought his battles. There is no explanation about what the three heads in the ancient arms might have represented. The motto translates, "For Christ and Country". I read somewhere that the titled family does not claim to be descended from the holder of the ancient arms, but rather use their version for ceremonial and decorative purposes. That line acquired the large estate of Church Hill near Verner's Bridge in northwest County Armagh, and Sir William had estates in the Counties of Tyrone, Armagh, Monaghan, Meath, Dublin, and Wicklow. A. L. Verner wrote in 1921 that the seat of the Verner baronets at that time was at Cork Abbey in County Bray. The title became extinct in the 1900s because of no heirs, and the property was sold.
According to Clara Wallace, an American family created a version of the above arms, but changed the black to red, which she said denotes the shedding of blood for one's country.
See Appendix 1-B for more records and information.