Rev. John Jephson, 1764 - 1826

John Jephson was born in Dublin on 4th Jan. 1764, the son of the Venerable William Jephson Archdeacon of Cork, by his wife Thomasine, (married Sept 1761), daughter of Richard Mounteney, and sister of the Rt. Hon. Richard Mounteney.

Career
John was initially educated privately, by a Mr Connor. He entered Trinity College Dublin on 12 July 1780 and gained his BA in 1785. Entering the Church, he was made a deacon in 1788 and ordained as a priest in 1789 (Diocese of Derry).
His first proper appointment was as curate of Raymochy, (1788 –1791). Raymochy is a parish in Donegal (Diocese of Raphoe). In 1791 he was promoted to rector of Tartarghan , (which I assume refers to the parish of that name in Co. Armagh). He remained at Tartarghan until 1816, but also managed to ‘collect’ a couple of other benefices which ran concurrent to that of Tartarghan, ie. vicar of Portloman 1801 –1816, and vicar of Portshangar 1803 – 1816. Both these latter appointments are in Co. Meath or Co Westmeath (Diocese of Meath).
In 1816 he surrendered all previous posts to take up the rectorship of Mullaghbrack in Co Armagh, (Archdiocese of Armagh).
He died, while still rector, on 3rd April 1826.

Some notes and thoughts on Mullaghbrack.
During the rebellion of 1641 the rectory (glebe-house) and church were burnt by Irish rebels, and the clergyman killed. Both church and glebe-house were rebuilt, but by Jephson’s time they must have been showing signs of ‘genteel decay’. When Jephson died, he was succeeded by the Rev S. Blacker, who immediately set about rebuilding the glebe-house and church. Both are still in use to-day.
Mullaghbrack would have be considered a fairly wealthy parish, as well as an income from the tithe tax, the church owned directly a considerable amount of land in the parish, from which it derived rental income.

Family
John Jephson married, firstly (3rd Dec. 1794) Charlotte, daughter of Nicholas Smith of Castle Park, Co. Limerick. Their children were :-
Emily Esther J.- born 3rd Dec 1795 (at Lisnadill ?). She died, unmarried, at Castlemartyr, Co. Cork 5 Dec 1861.
Charlotte Thomasina J.– born 1797 at Tartarghan, she died in infancy.
On the death of his first wife John remarried. This second marriage, at New Forest, 10th June 1803, was to Anna Maria Burleigh, daughter of David Burleigh. From this marriage came the following children :-
Richard Malone J. – born 3rd June 1804. Lieutenant 93rd Highlanders. He married, on 28th Oct 1836, Ann Eliza, daughter of Jacob Townshend Pasea of Trinidad.
Frances Thomasina J. – 1805 - 1835. Married (1832) Isaac Jermy of Norfolk. Issue - 1 daughter.
Henrietta Louisa Maria J. born 23rd Sept 1806. Married Major Frederick Berkley St. John, 52nd Regt. Issue - 4 sons and 2 daughters.
Isabella Rosa J. – born 1808. Married (i) Thomas Kelly of Armagh and (ii) Digby Pilot Starkey LLD., Accountant General, High Court of Chancery. Issue - 8 children.
Edmund St. John Malone J. – born 1811. Lieutenant, Royal Artillery. Died unmarried in 1835.
Catherine Cecilia J. – born 1813. Married Joseph Huband Smith, TCD MA, 2 Holles St. Dublin.
John Mounteney J. – born 16 Dec 1819 died 1 Jan 1865. Ordained into the Church of Ireland, (Co. Meath), but appointed curate of Monewden, Suffolk, England. Married, at Wynmondham 24 Oct 1844, Ellen, daughter of Isaac Jermy of Stanfield Hall, Norfolk. Issue - 12 children.

- With thanks to Brian Ellison for this information.