Moneyglass House

THE HAMILTON-JONESES OWNED 3,690 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY ANTRIM

The family of JONES, of Moneyglass, County Antrim, claim descent from the ancient Welsh family of JONES, of Ystrad, Carmarthenshire, of the line of the ancient princes of the Cambrai. 

WILLIAM MORRES JONES (grandson of Morres Jones, of Ystrad, in the reign of CHARLES II), married Anne, daughter of Captain William Dobbin, of Duneane House, Toome, by Sarah his wife, sister of John O'Neill (French John), of Shane's Castle, and first cousin of Jane, wife of Arthur Dawson, of Castledawson, to whom Mr O'Neill granted, as a portion with his niece, a lease in perpetuity of the lands of Moneyglass.

Mr Jones died in 1735, leaving issue (with two daughters, Mary and Anne), an only son,

THOMAS MORRES JONES ("Bumper Squire Jones" of Carolan's Muse), who wedded, in 1740, Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Cope MP, of Loughgall, County Armagh.

Mr Jones died in 1769, and was succeeded by his elder son,

ROBERT MORRES JONES, who died unmarried in 1775, and was succeeded by his brother,

THOMAS MORRES JONES (1746-1818), of Ivybrook, who wedded, in 1770, Letitia Hamilton, of Glerawly,  County Fermanagh, and had issue,

William Morres, dsp;
Thomas Morres Hamilton, dsp;
KENDRICK MORRES, his heir;
Robert Morres;
Elizabeth; Mary; Ann; Britannia; Emma; Letitia; Harriet; Helen.

Mr Jones was succeeded by his third son,

KENDRICK MORRES JONES (1785-1830), who assumed his maternal name of HAMILTON, and espoused, in 1818, Mabella, daughter of Major Charles Hill, of Bellaghy Castle, County Londonderry, by whom he had issue,

THOMAS MORRES, his heir;
John Charles Hill;
Mabella.

Mr Hamilton-Jones was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS MORRES HAMILTON-JONES JP DL (1821-81), of Moneyglass House, County Antrim, and Jonesborough, County Armagh, and The Cottage, Belcoo, County Fermanagh, High Sheriff of County Armagh, 1845, Antrim, 1846, Down, 1847, and Fermanagh, 1850.

Mr Hamilton-Jones married, in 1859, Sara Ellen, only daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Day, East India Company, and had issue,

KENDRICK JOHN CHARLES, his heir;
ARTHUR HENRY MORRES, of Belcoo; Major, Reserve of Officers.
Mary Lizzie Mabella; Emmeline Hawtry Sara; Adeline Ida Sara (twin).

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

KENDRICK JOHN CHARLES HAMILTON-JONES JP (1860-87), of Moneyglass House, Jonesborough House, Flurrybridge, and The Cottage, Belcoo, County Fermanagh, Captain, 4th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, who married, in 1882, Hannah, daughter of P McErlain, of Toome, and had issue, two daughters,

MARY SARA LOUISA (1883-99);
EMMELINE ANNIE MABELLA.

Mr Hamilton-Jones was succeeded by his younger daughter,

EMMELINE ANNIE MABELLA, MRS TOBIAS (1885-), of Moneyglass House, County Antrim, Jonesborough House, Flurrybridge, County Armagh, and 91, Via Vinti Settembre, Rome, who wedded, in 1910, Dr Arturo Tobias, Captain, 13th Regiment of Artillery, and Cavalieri of the Crown of Italy, third son of Diament Tobias, of Pinnico, Italy.

Photo credit: FRIVILOUS KATE

MONEYGLASS HOUSE, near Toomebridge, County Antrim, was a fine mid-19th century Italianate house of two storeys over a basement.

It was in the style of Sir Charles Lanyon, with round-headed windows on either side of the entrance porch and elsewhere on the facade.

The central section of the entrance front consisted of five bays, with two bays projecting boldly on each side.

The porch was similar to a three-arched Italianate loggia, with Tuscan columns surmounted by latticed balustrading.

The end piers of the porch had rock-faced rustication around the windows on either side and elsewhere.

The roof was singularly low-pitched, almost concealed.

The mansion house is now demolished, apart from the porte-cochere.

Moneyglass House was re-designed ca 1850, complete with two new gate lodges.

Other former residences ~ Jonesborough House, Flurrybridge, County Armagh; 91, Via Vinti Settembre, Rome.

First published in January, 2013.