OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Connellan, Owen

​CONNELLAN, OWEN (1800–1869), Irish scholar, a native of co. Sligo and son of a farmer who claimed descent from the chiefs of Bunnyconnellan in Mayo, and through them from Laoghaire MacNeill, king of Ireland, was born in 1800. He studied Irish literature, and obtained employment as a scribe in the Royal Irish Academy, where he worked for more than twenty years, and copied a great part of the large collections of Irish writings known as the Books of Lecan and of Ballymote. After George IV's visit to Ireland he was appointed Irish historiographer to the king, a post which he also held throughout the reign of William IV. Shortly after the establishment of queen's colleges Connellan was made professor of Irish at Cork, and held the chair till his death, which took place in Dublin in 1869. He published in 1830 a ‘Grammatical Interlineary Version of the Gospel of St. John,’ ‘Grammatical Praxis on the Gospel of St. Matthew,’ ‘Dissertation on Irish Grammar,’ 1834, and compiled the ‘Annals of Dublin’ in Pettigrew and Oulton's ‘Directory’ for 1835. In 1844 he published a ‘Practical Grammar of the Irish Language.’ He admired Sir William Betham, whose ‘Etruria Celtica’ had, he thought, proved the identity of the Irish and Etruscan languages; but the grammar is nevertheless of value as preserving the idiom and pronunciation of Irish in the north of Connaught. In 1846 he published, in a large quarto volume, ‘The Annals of Ireland, translated from the Original Irish of the Four Masters.’ This creditable work was superseded by the publication of the full Irish text of the ‘Annals,’ with a translation by O'Donovan. In 1860 Connellan's most important work appeared—a text with translations and notes of the interesting ‘Imtheacht na Tromdhaimhe,’ an ancient tale, which relates how the ‘Tain Bo Cuailgne,’ the most famous story of the Irish bards, was recovered in the time of St. Ciaran.
[Works; information from Connellan Grésaidhe Piobaire, his relative.]
N. M.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Connellan, Thaddeus

Thaddaeus Connellan in the ODNB.
​CONNELLAN, THADDEUS (d. 1854), Irish scholar, published an Irish-English dictionary (1814), Irish grammars (1824–5), and translations of parts of the Bible. He died at Sligo, 25 July 1854.
[Cooper's Biog. Dict.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Connell, John

​CONNELL, Sir JOHN (1765?–1831), lawyer, son of Arthur Connell, merchant in Glasgow, and lord provost of that city, was educated at the university there, and admitted a member of the Faculty of Advocates in 1788. He married a daughter of Sir Islay Campbell of Succoth, bart., lord president of the court of session. In 1795 he was appointed sheriff depute of Renfrewshire, and in 1805–6 he was chosen procurator, or law adviser, for the church of Scotland, and enjoyed an extensive practice in church causes. In 1816 he was appointed judge of the court of admiralty, and held this office till 1830, when that court was abolished. In 1822 he received the honour of knighthood on the occasion of the visit of George IV to Edinburgh. He died suddenly in April 1831 at Garscube, the seat of his brother-in-law, Sir Archibald Campbell. He was the author of two books:
* ‘A Treatise on the Law of Scotland respecting Tithes and the Stipends of the Parochial Clergy,’ 3 vols. 1815, of which a second edition in two vols. appeared in 1830.
* ‘A Treatise on the Law of Scotland respecting the erection, union, and disjunction of parishes, the manors and glebes of the parochial clergy, and the patronage of churches,’ 1818. To this a supplement was added in 1823.
[Kay's Edinburgh Portraits, vol. ii.; MS. Minutes of the Faculty of Advocates; private information.]
W. G. B.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Connor, Charles

​CONNOR, CHARLES (d. 1826), comedian, was a native of Ireland, and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He is said in the ‘Gentleman's Magazine’ for December 1826 to have played at school Euphrasia in the ‘Grecian Daughter,’ to have made his first appearance as an actor at Bath as Fitzharding in the ‘Curfew,’ and to have been the original Lothair. These statements must be taken with reserve. The original Lothair of ‘Adelgitha’ was Elliston, and that of the ‘Miller and his Men’ was Abbott, and the first appearance in London of Connor did not take place until 18 Sept. 1816, two years after the first production of the latter, and nine after that of the earlier piece. Of his Bath performances, moreover, no record exists. His first London character was Sir Patrick McGuire in the ‘Sleep Walker’ of Oulton. From this period until 14 June 1826, when as Kenrick in the ‘Heir-at-Law’ he took a benefit and made his last recorded appearance, he played at Covent Garden a round of characters. These consisted of Irish characters, servants, villains, and the like, the most prominent being Sir Callaghan in Macklin's ‘Love à la Mode,’ Foigard in the ‘Beaux' Stratagem,’ Sir William Davison in an adaptation of Schiller's ‘Mary Stuart,’ Julio in Barry Cornwall's ‘Mirandola,’ Dennis Brulgruddery in the younger Colman's ‘John Bull,’ and Filch in the ‘Beggar's Opera.’ He also played characters in various adaptations of Scott's novels. The original characters assigned him included Terry O'Rourke, otherwise Dr. O'Toole, in the ‘Irish Tutor,’ written expressly for him, Cheltenham 12 July 1822, Covent Garden 28 Oct. 1822; and Dr. O'Rafferty in ‘Cent. per Cent.,’ 29 May 1823. He is said to have played Sir Lucius O'Trigger in the ‘Rivals.’ Connor had a good face, figure, and voice, and was fairly popular. His career in London cannot be regarded as a great success, seeing that he made no advance. He died suddenly of heart disease on 7 Oct. 1826 while crossing St. James's Park to his home in Pimlico, and was buried on 13 Oct. 1826 at the New Church, Chelsea. Connor was a Roman catholic. He left two children and a wife who had been on the stage.
Mrs. Connor is said to have acted at the Haymarket as Grace Gaylove in the ‘Review.’ She played at Covent Garden on 22 May 1820 Manse Headrigg in the ‘Battle of Bothwell Brigg,’ in which her husband was Graham of Claverhouse, Servia in ‘Virginius’ to her husband's Appius, Covent Garden, December 1821, and Duchess of York in ‘Richard III,’ Covent Garden, 12 March 1821. A benefit was given her at the English Opera House (Lyceum) after her husband's death.
J. K.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Conny, Robert

​CONNY, ROBERT (1646?–1713), physician, son of John Conny, surgeon, and twice mayor of Rochester, was born in or about 1645. He was a member of Magdalen College, Oxford, and proceeded B.A. on 8 June 1676, M.A. 3 May 1679, M.B. 2 May 1682, and M.D. 9 July 1685, on which occasion he 'denied and protested,' because the vice-chancellor caused one Bullard, of New College, to be presented LL.B. before him. In 1692 he was employed by the admiralty as physician to the sick and wounded landed at Deal. He married Frances, daughter of Richard Manley. He contributed a paper, in the form of a letter to Dr. Plot, 'On a Shower of Fishes,' to the 'Philosophical Transactions,' xx., and is said to have been a successful physician, and to have improved the practice of lithotomy. He died on 25 May 1713, at the age of sixty-eight, and was buried in Rochester Cathedral. His portrait is in the Bodleian picture gallery and in the lodgings of the president of Magdalen College.
[Munk's Coll. of Phys. i. 497-8; Wood's life, xcv; Wood's Fasti Oxen. (Bliss), ii. 397; Hist, and Antiq. of Oxford (Gutch), ii. ii. 964.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Connor, George Henry

​CONNOR, GEORGE HENRY (1822–1883), dean of Windsor, eldest son of George Connor, master in chancery in Ireland, born in 1822, was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated B.A. in 1845, and proceeded M.A. in 1851. He was ordained deacon in 1846 and priest in the following year. After officiating for some time at St. Thomas's Chapel, Newport, Isle of Wight, he held a cure of souls at St. Jude's, Southsea, and subsequently at Wareham, Dorset. He was appointed vicar of Newport in 1852. Here it was due to his initiative and energy that the parish church was rebuilt at a cost of 22,000l. The foundation-stone was laid by the prince consort. He also built a vicarage and some almshouses, and effected some improvements in the schools. He was for some years honorary chaplain and chaplain in ordinary to the queen, chaplain to the governor of the Isle of Wight, and official and commissary of the archdeaconry of Wight. He was gazetted to the deanery of Windsor in October 1882. He left Newport amidst the general regret of his parishioners. He had no sooner entered on his new duties than his health broke down. He preached once in St. George's Chapel, and several times in the private chapel. It taxed his strength severely to be present on the occasion of the christening of the Princess Alice of Albany on 26 March. He died on 1 May 1883. Connor married in 1852 Maude Worthington, eldest daughter of John ​Worthington of Kent House, Southsea, by whom he had two sons and some daughters. His daughter Emily Henrietta married Dr. Wilberforce, bishop of Newcastle. Connor published a volume entitled 'Ordination and Hospital Sermons.'
[Times, 2 May 1883, p. 10; Cat. Grad. Univ. Dublin.]
J. M. R.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Carne, Robert Harkness

​CARNE, ROBERT HARKNESS (1784–1844), theological writer, son of John Carne, of St. Austell, Cornwall, mercer, was baptised at St. Austell parish church on 10 Oct. 1784, matriculated from Exeter College, Oxford. on 16 Jan. 1803, and graduated M.A. on 19 Nov. 1806. He afterwards served as curate of Crediton, Drewsteignton, and Torbryan in succession, and, the bishop then refusing to renew his license, he removed to Berkshire, where during twelve months he acted as a curate without holding any license. In 1820 the corporation of Marazion on Mount's Bay elected him to the lectureship of the chapel in that town, and the mayor wrote to Dr. Pelham, bishop of Exeter, announcing the election. The bishop in reply said: 'Mr. Carne knows that to his moral conduct I have nothing to object, indeed I have every reason to believe it exemplary, but to my conception the doctrines he maintains are not those of the church of England, nor are they, as I conceive, according to its discipline. I therefore cannot conscientiously license him, and without a license no clergyman is authorised to preach.' Carne then withdrew from the established church, giving as his chief reasons for his action the violence done to conscience and the invasion of the rights of private judgement. He held high Calvinistic doctrines 'upon conviction,' and had objections to some portions of the Athanasian Creed. After this Carne for some time acted an minister of the High Street Chapel, Exeter, and then withdrew to Jersey, where he spent the remainder of his days, and, dying of apoplexy on 12 July 1844, was buried at St. Heliers on 18 July, in the sixtieth year of his age. He was the author of the following works: 1. 'Substance of Discourses delivered in the Churches of Crediton and Drewsteignton,' 1810, 2. 'A Series of Letters in Refutation of the Socinian Heresy,' 1815. 8. 'All the Elect People of God contemplated as Members of One Body,' 1817. 4. 'The Proper Deity and Distinct Personality, Agency, and Worship of the Holy Spirit,' 1818. 5. 'Reason for withdrawing from the National Establishment, with a Brief Statement of Doctrinal Sentiments,' 1820. 6. 'Sabellianism Revived.' 7. 'The Scripture Doctrine of Sanctification.' 8. 'The Two Covenants, or Law and Gospel.' 1828. 9. 'Examination of Pædo-baptism for the Satisfaction of Pædo-baptists,' 1830. 10. 'The Gospel Herald, a series of Discourses on the Glad Tidings of the Kingdom of God,' He was also a writer in the 'Morning Watch' in opposition to Edward Irving's opinions on 'The True Humanity of Christ.'
[Boase and Courtney's Bibl. Cornub. i. 61, 62, iii. 1114; collected information.]
G. C. B.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Caron, Redmond

1904 Errata appended.
​CARON, REDMOND (1605?–1666), Irish friar and author, was born of a good family near Athlone, Westmeath, about 1605, and embraced the order of St. Francis in the convent there when about sixteen years of age. He afterwards studied philosophy at Drogheda in a monastery of his own order, and when the convents were seized by the government went to the continent, completing his studies at Salzburg and Louvain. For some time he held a chair in the latter university. Returning to Ireland as commissary-general of the recollects, he took the part of the loyal catholics against the supporters of Dr. Neill, and was in extreme danger of his life when he was saved by the interposition of the Earl of Castlehaven. He died at Dublin in May 1666, and was buried in St. James's Church, he was the author of the following chiefly controversial works: 1. 'Roma triumphans septicollis, quâ novâ hactenus et insolitâ Methodo comparativâ tota Fides Romano-Catholica clarissimè demonstratur, atque Infidelium omnium Argumenta diluuntur,' Antwerp, 1636. 2. 'Apostolus Evangelicus Missionariorum Regulariûm per universum Mundum expositus, Antwerp, 1653; Paris, 1659. 3. 'Controversiæ Generales Fidei contra Infideles omnes, Judæos, Mahometanos, Paganos et cujuscunque Sectæ Hæreticos,' Paris, 1660. 4. 'Loyalty asserted and the late Remonstrance or Allegiance of the Irish Clergy and Laity confirmed and proved by the authority of Scriptures, Fathers, Expositors, Popes, Canons, &c.,' London, 1662; and some other tractates which were never printed.
T. F. H.
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.55 N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
| Page | Col. | Line | |
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# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Blewitt, Jonas

​BLEWITT, JONAS (d. 1805), was one of the most distinguished organists of the latter half of the eighteenth century. He was a pupil of Samuel Jarvis, and about 1795 was organist of the united parishes of St. Margaret Pattens and St. Gabriel Fenchurch, and also of St. Catherine Coleman, Fenchurch Street. He was the author of a 'Complete Treatise on the Organ,' of 'Ten Voluntaries and Twelve Preludes ' for the ​same instrument, and wrote many songs for the Spa Gardens, Bermondsey, near which he lived. His death took place in 1805.
[Grove's Dict. of Music, i. 249; British Museum Catalogue; preface to Blewitt's Treatise on the Organ.]
W. B. S.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Blennerhasset, Harman

* related portals: Harman Blennerhasset.
* sister projects: Wikipedia article, Wikidata item.
​BLENNERHASSET, HARMAN (1764?–1831), lawyer and politician, was the youngest of three sons of Conway Blennerhasset of Conway Castle, Killorglin, county Kerry, Ireland, where the family had settled in the time of Elizabeth, and his mother was the daughter of Major Thomas Lacy, the descendant of an old Anglo-Norman family. He was born in Hampshire on 8 Oct. 1764 or 1765, during a temporary visit of his parents to England. He received his education at Westminster School and at Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated B.A. in 1790 and LL.B. in the same year. Having, through the death of his elder brother, succeeded to the family estates, he spent some time in travel on the continent, where he imbibed so strong republican notions that he 'resolved to quit this country for the United States of America. While in England, obtaining the necessary outfit, he made the acquaintance of Miss Agnew, daughter of the lieutenant-governor of the Isle of Man, whom he married. Having disposed of his lands to a relative, and supplied himself with an extensive library and various philosophical apparatus, he shipped for New York in 1796. In 1798 he purchased the upper part of a beautiful island on the Ohio, about two miles below Parkersburg, and erected on it a splendid mansion, surrounded by fine grounds and adorned with costly pictures and statues. In this modern paradise he passed a retired and studious life, occupied in the study of chemistry, galvanism, astronomy, and similar sciences, until in 1806 he became implicated in the treasonable schemes of Aaron Burr without properly realising their intent. In support of the views of Burr he published a series of papers in the 'Ohio Gazette,' under the signature of 'Querist,' and he also invested a large sum in providing boats, provisions, and arms in aid of Burr's contemplated expedition. In the spring of 1807 he was arrested, and although he regained his liberty, his house had during his absence been destroyed and pillaged by the mob, and in the abortive enterprise of Burr he had expended a large part of his fortune. He thereupon purchased 1,000 acres of land near Gibsonport, Mississippi, with the view of beginning the culture of cotton, but the venture turned out unsuccessful. In 1819 he removed to Montreal and commenced practice as a lawyer, hoping through the favour of his old schoolmate, the Duke of Richmond, to obtain a judgeship. Disappointed in this, he sailed in 1822 for Ireland to endeavour to recover his estates by a reversionary claim. In this he was also unsuccessful, and again courting retirement, he removed to the island of Guernsey, where he died in 1831.
[Hickson's Selections from Old Kerry Records, 1872; Reports of Trial of Colonel Aaron Burr, late President of the United States; Safford's Life of Harman Blennerhasset, 1853; Safford, The Blennerhasset Papers, embodying the Private Journal of Harman Blennerhasset. 1864.]
T. F. H.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Blencowe, William

​BLENCOWE, WILLIAM (1683–1712), decipherer, was the third son of Sir John Blencowe [q. v.], knight, baron of the exchequer, by the eldest daughter of the mathematician and decipherer, Dr. Wallis, and was born on 6 Jan. 1682-3. He was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. in 1701 (List of Oxford Graduates), On the nomination of Archbishop Tenison he became a fellow of All Souls, 21 Dec. 1702, and he was made M.A. in 1704. He was instructed in the art of deciphering by his maternal grandfather, and for his encouragement in the art received the survivorship of his pension of 100l. a year. Wallis died 28 Oct. 1703. As a matter of course Blencowe therefore succeeded him as decipherer to the government, and the statement of a survivor (Gent. Mag. lviii. 586) that he applied for the office 'unrecommended' cannot therefore be accepted as an accurate representation of facts. The salary he ultimately received for the office was 200l. a year (Archives of Ail Souls, 346). He desired a dispensation permitting him to retain his fellowship at All Souls without taking holy orders, and on the warden interposing his veto the queen interfered on his behalf. Ultimately the dispute led to the abolition of the warden's veto on dispensations, and the non-residence of the fellows became from that time a leading characteristic of All Souls College. The statement of Noble that at the trial of Bishop Atterbury he exercised his skill in deciphering certain papers is a mistake, the trial having taken place ten years after his death, In the prime of life Blencowe was attacked by a violent fever, from which he was recovering, when, on 26 Aug. 1712, he shot himself during temporary insanity caused by a relapse. He was buried in All Saints Church, Northampton, where the monument to his memory records that he was a 'man studious of many kinds of learning, particularly of the common law, which he professed and practised with reputation; and of the art of deciphering letters wherein he excelled, and served the public for ten years.'
[Granger's Biog. Hist, of England, continuation by Noble, ii. 180–1; Bridge's Northamptonshire, i. 182–4; Baker's Northamptonshire, i. 645–7; Gent. Mag. lviii. 380–1, 479-80. lix. 787–8, lx. 621; Burrows's Worthies of All Souls, 356–60, 368; Martin's Archives of All Souls.]
T. F. H.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Blewitt, Jonathan

​BLEWITT, JONATHAN (1780?–1853), composer, son of Jonas Blewitt [q. v.], is generally said to have been born in 1782 or 1784, but is also stated to have been at the time of his death in his 73rd year. He was educated by his father and his godfather, Jonathan Battishill [q. v.], and he also received some instruction from Haydn. At the age of eleven he acted as deputy to his father, and subsequently he held several appointments as organist in London. He was also successively organist of Haverhill, Suffolk, and of Brecon, at which latter place he remained three years. About 1808 he returned to London for the production of an opera he had written for Drury Lane, but the theatre was burnt down before the work was brought out. Blewitt next went to Sheffield, and thence he proceeded (in 1811) to Ireland, where he lived for a time with Lord Cahir. He was appointed organist of St. Andrew's, Dublin, composer and director of the music at the Theatre Royal, and grand organist to the Freemasons of Ireland, the latter post being given him by the Duke of Leinster. On Logier's introducing his system into Ireland, Blewitt joined him, and was very successful as a teacher, but in 1820 he was back in London, and began the long series of pantomime compositions with which his name was connected for the rest of his life. For upwards of twenty-five years he wrote pantomime music for most of the London theatres, and his last work, 'Harlequin Hudibras,' was brought out at Drury Lane the year before his death. In 1828 and 1829 he was director of the music at Sadler's Wells Theatre, and he was also, at different times, musical director at Vauxhall, at the Tivoli Gardens, Margate, and pianist to Templeton's Vocal Entertainments. He wrote a few light operas and upwards of 2,000 pieces of vocal music, most of them comic songs, for which he was very celebrated, the best remembered being 'Barney Brallaghan.' In his latter years Blewitt sank into great poverty, and suffered much from a painful disease. He died in London 4 Sept. 1853 and was buried at St. Pancras. He left a widow and two daughters totally unprovided for.
[The Georgian Era, iv. 550; Grove's Dict. of Music, i. 241); Musical Time's, 1 Oct. 1853; Gent. Mag. 3rd ser. xl. 429.]
W. B. S.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Blethyn, William

​BLETHYN, WILLIAM (d. 1590), bishop of Llandaff, was born in Wales, and educated at Oxford, at either New Inn Hall or Broadgates Hall (now Pembroke College). Having taken orders he became archdeacon of Brecknock, and in 1676 bishop of Llandaff, holding at the same time several livings in order to add to the scanty endowments of the see. He died in October 1590, leaving three sons, and was buried in the church of Mathern, Monmouthshire, where was his episcopal residence.
[Godwin's Comm. de Præsulibus Angliæ, p. 612; Wood's Athenæ Oxonienses, ii. 827 ]
A. M.