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The original Genealogy No. 1 dates around 1715 and whoever compiled it knew the early Rutledges extremely well to be able to record events that originated in 1668. The other information in the genealogy should therefore be regarded as equally reliable. The latest date on the Headford tombstone is 'Ann Muray 1707' and the inscription was undoubtedly made out by her son Andrew. 246 but Genealogy No. 1 calls her 'Margarett'. 247 Because of this. I have always regarded the genealogy to be the work of Olivia Ffalkner. Made out for her children after her husband's death and without reference to the tombstone – hence the inaccuracy. The genealogy written on both sides of a single sheet ends with the word 'and'. My belief is that the continuation sheet. now lost, set out her own Ffalkner family. For it too was an essential part of her children's ancestry. Genealogy No. 2 is in Christopher Ormsby's handwriting (see B above) on paper watermarked `Bath 1823'. It. dates around 1827 when the Ormsbys and their daughter and son-in-law. Thomas and Jane Ruttledge of Ballyhowly were planning claims to the estates of David Ruttledge who had died in 1825 (see C above). These estates had previously belonged to Jane Ormsbys brother. Richard Ruttledge of Dublin who had died unmarried in 1811. The claims were never made however. because Thomas Ruttledge died in 1829 and both the Ormsbys by 1832. The other genealogies in the Ruttledge collection are of lesser importance and were made out between 1827 and 1833.
Myles John O'Reilly 248 who had a Ruttledge grandmother. Recorded the Ruttledge family about 1852. His grandmother. Dorothea. Younger daughter of Peter the Testator (see B above) had married James Knox of Moyne Abbey. Near Killala in 1753. And Knox's sister. Dorothy had married Capt. Thomas Ruttledge (see A above) It was from the latters eldest son. James Ruttledge. Port Surveyor of Killala and his eldest son. Thomas that O'Reilly got his information. (He already knew Thomas. see his draft letter of 10 April 1821) he took it down at their dictation higgledy-piggledy on a single sheet of paper, watermarked 1821. when they made a mistake and later corrected it. O'Reilly simply crossed out the error and wrote in the new version. Although some time later he put in additions in a slightly different ink.249 he never made a finished version of his original notes. But when this is done. it turns out to be almost faultless - except for two glaring errors . O'Reilly should have spotted that the Port Surveyor’s grandfather could not have fought for Cromwell 175 years earlier - he had confused him with Thomas of the Headford tombstone who died in 1685. He is wrong too in saying that the brothers who founded the four Co. Mayo families had each come over from England. 'They were, in fact. Fourth generation Irishmen. the Shannon pedigree made out by the Ruttledges of Bloomfield. For some of their numerous court cases against George Ruttledge (see C above) dates between 1836 and 1839 - i.e. after David Watson Ruttledge's marriage and before George was finally proved illegitimate. It is 100% accurate in its Ruttledge details. But less so in its Lambert details. Its greatest value lies in identifying Andrew (of the Headford tombstone) as father of the four sons who founded the Co, Mayo families. The Shannon pedigree itself must be based on earlier ones used in the litigation which commenced shortly after 1805 between David and Robert Ruttledge.
So far as is known, none of the three sets of people who made out Ruttledge genealogies between 1825 and 1839 ever had any contacts with one another .
I am indebted to Mrs. Brigid Clesham for most valuable help over many years with this research. I am very grateful also to the following for access to their Papers. Major R. F. Ruttledge (the Shannon papers) Mr. Anthony John Ormsby (the Ormsby of Ballinamore papers) Mr. Thomas Ormsby (the Milford papers) and Miss Anne Ormsby for her papers. The Ormsby of Ballinamore papers and the Milford papers are on microfilm in the NLI. A microfilm of some of the Ruttledge papers is in the NLI (P 7397) and in the PRONI. (MIC 357)
246. Memorials of the dead. x, pp. 326-7.
247. This is the only known mistake in the entire genealogy.
248. O'Reily MSS.
249. His information about the Bermingham daughters and 'James drowned in Lough Allen October 1825' (he was buried Killala on 6 Nov. 1825) seems to have been added at a later date. Ann. the eldest daughter of Peter of Cornfield has been left out and the second daughter of Thomas. Elder son of Peter, married John (not Thos.) Ormsby of Cummin.