According to the book "Carlow to Lanark"(C2L) Thomas Tennant married Judith Butler and had 6 children the earliest identified birth being Richard in 1749 making Judith born between 1705 and 1733. Thomas and Judith are buried in the churchyard at Aghade but so far the grave has not been found.

Butler information can be found at the Butler Society Website ie www.butler-soc.org

Sir Richard Butler(1699-1771) the first inhabitant of Ballintemple House near Aghade was a descendant of the Duke of Ormonde and related to several Butler's with the christian name Pierce. However no connection to Judith or Pierce Tennant can be proved absolutely.

Prior to emigrating to Canada Judith's son Thomas(1755-1821) was Factor to the estate of Captain Butler. It is always possible that he was headman because of being related by marriage. Certainly he was wealthy enough to have a daughter privately educated and to take additional people to Canada (servants?). Sir Richard would be dead and his son a Knight by the time Thomas was old enough to be Factor so its not clear who Capt.Butler was. Perhaps he resided at Broomville (Clonachona) the adjacent Butler estate. Sir Richard's brother William lived there but died in 1737. Interestingly William's wife Anne(m1731) had the surname Pierce and it is possible datewise that Judith was their daughter. But Judith did not name a son Pierce, my ancestor Pierce was the age to be her grandson. The source of the marriage date is Q36 on the Butler Society web site.The book C2L says she was disinherited on marriage so perhaps understandable not to name a child Pierce at this time.

Hypotheses(1): William Butler (d1737) married Anne Pierce in 1731(fact). If they had a daughter Judith born c1732 she would have been the right age to marry Thomas Tennant and have son Richard (b1749).

Hypotheses(2): Page 8 of C2L ref 14 tells us that a Dean Pierce married a Judith Tennant in 1780. No date is known for the death of Thomas Tennant but if Judith was widowed then she would be aged about 48 in 1780. I have always been aware that the christian name Pierce was not used by other Tennant branches thus spoiling the logic of my argument that children were named Pierce in honour of the Butler connection. However if widow Judith Tennant married Dean Pierce in 1780 (too old to have a son by Dean) then they may have called the next grandchild, Pierce(b1783). The will of Dean Pierce would be interesting!

Spouse:Thomas Tennant

Children: