Margaret Biddulph [ - 31 March 1811] of Rathrobin and Fortal

Margaret Biddulph, and her sister Sarah, were the daughters of Nicholas Biddulph of Rathrobin and Fortal, and his first wife, Patience Colley. There were no sons, and the son of a later marriage, to Alice Scott, died young.

Margaret was married twice. She married her first husband Alexander Cornewall in 1762.

Cornwall, Alexander, gent, of Lishmote, Co. Limerick and Margaret Biddulph of Fortell, Kingscounty, spinster. Bondsmen: Richard Harrison of Aghress, Co. Clare, gent, and Derby Ryan of Killaloe, merchant, 11 June 1762.[1]

After his death in 1779 she married her second husband Thomas Bernard [1745- ], of Castle Bernard, King’s County, in 1780. His daughter Mary Bernard, from his first marriage with Mary Willington, married Robert Waller in 1796.

Margaret died childless on the 31^st of March, 1811. She left the moiety of her estates to her cousin Elizabeth, Lady Waller. Elizabeth Biddulph had become the second wife of Sir Robert Waller in 1806, after the death of Mary Bernard in 1804.

Margaret’s sister Sarah married Gifford Nesbitt of Tubberdaly House, King's County, in 1769.

Marriages. A few days ago, Giffard Nesbitt, Esq; to Miss Biddulph.[2]

Sarah died childless in 1772. She bequeathed the moiety of her estate to her sister Margaret. Gifford Nesbitt died in 1773.

In this way, and in the absence of a male heir, Margaret inherited Rathrobin and Fortal from her sister Sarah.  On her death in 1811, she bequeathed the estates to her cousin Elizabeth Biddulph, daughter of Nicholas Biddulph and Elizabeth Dempsey, and the wife of Sir Robert Waller.

From Margaret’s death in 1811 until 1824 Francis Harrison Biddulph [1774-1827] of Vicarstown, had a dispute with Sir Robert Waller in regard to the Rathrobin and Fortal estates. He was an uncle of Elizabeth, Lady Waller, a second cousin of Margaret, and a great grandson of Nicholas Biddulph who had been granted Rathrobin in perpetuity by Lord Shelburne. The dispute was eventually settled in his favour. He succeeded to Rathrobin, and his cousin, Nicholas Biddulph of Congor, succeeded to Fortal.[3]

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[1] Killaloe, Co. Clare Marriage License Bonds, 1680-1720 and 1760-1762. from Ms 31883, folio 188.

[2] Limerick Chronicle Vol 1. no 6. Thur, March 9, 1769

[3] Burke's Irish Family Records.