Cromwellian records of Lee, Lea, Leigh, Ley
In The Landed Gentry
of Ireland, by John O'Hart, 1881, the following officers were entitled to lands
in lieu of pay, after the Cromwellian confiscations in 1653;
John Lea, Lieutenant Henry Lee, Launcelot Lee, Nicholas Lee, Owen Lee, and Alderman
Thomas Lee.
Officers who served Charles I or II, and were termed '49 Officers, were: Alderman
Leigh, Arthur Leigh, Henry Leigh, Richard Leigh, Robert Leigh, Thomas Leigh,
Alderman Thomas Leigh, William Leigh, and Nicholas Ley.
In the Commission of Grace, p 438, Stephen Lee, Francis Leigh and Robert Leigh.
The same book lists the grants of land under the Act of Settlement 1662, and
The Act of Explanation 1666 (which supposedly undid some of the injustices of
the former Act), including the names:
Henry Lee, John Lee, and Robert Lee, Francis Leigh, Robert Leigh, Thomas Leigh,
William Leigh, William Ley, and Francis Lye.
There is no indication as to where these Lees settled, or indeed, whether or
not they were already living in Ireland prior to Cromwell's campaign.
Some records of the Acts of Settlement and Explanation are in the public records
office, Northern Ireland, in Belfast. Further research needed.
The Decrees of Innocents during the Commonwealth, includes p 318 Dorothy Lee,
John Lee, Michael Lee, Pierce Lee and John Ley.
The surname Lee is contained in a list of the surnames
of Adventurers for Lands in Ireland under various Acts and Ordinances of
Subscription, commencing with the Act of 17 Charles I chapter 33, ad 1642, and
ending in 1646, when all further subscriptions ceased. No other details.
According to Prendergast, Captain Sandy's company had one Ralph Lee, who was
owed six pounds, seven shillings, and one penny.
John Lea, of Dungarvan, sixteen years old, tall, white hair, a freeholder, was
transported to Connacht according to the Book of Transplanters' Certificates,
Records of the Late Auditor-General, Custom House Buildings.
Persons transplanted according to O'Hart (p 336), included Charles and Honora
Ley, Mary Lee, alias Gerald, Mahone and Margaret Leigh, and Donogh Lea. Forfeiting
Proprietors included John Lye, of Rathbride.
The Certificates for Connaught p 366 included Henry Lee.
Colonel William Leigh was an officer in Waterford, in 1654, and in 1657, men
of his Company arrested two Popish priests for transportation to foreign parts.
In 1655, the sum of £5 was the reward for a tory [an outlaw], James Leigh.