Dillon (No.2) family genealogy
Earls of Roscommon
Arms: Ar. a lion ramp. betw. three crescents an estoile issuant from each gu. over all a fesse az. Crest: On a chapeau gu. turned up erm. a falcon rising ar. belled or. Supporters: Dexter a griffin vert, wings expanded beaked and legged or, armed gu.; sinister, a falcon gu. wings expanded and inverted, beaked, legged, and belled or. Motto: Auxilium ab alto.
AS this Peerage is dormant since the death of Michael James Robert Dillon, the 12th Earl, the following information may assist in discovering the rightful heir to the Earldom of Roscommon.
James Dillon who was raised to the Peerage of Ireland, on the 24th January, 1619, as "Lord Dillon, Baron of Kilkenny West," was on the 5th August, 1622, created "Earl of Roscommon."
Robert Dillon, was the 2nd Earl.
James Dillon, was the 3rd Earl.
Wentworth Dillon, was the 4th Earl.
Cary Dillon, was the 5th Earl.
Robert Dillon, was the 6th Earl.
Robert Dillon, was the 7th Earl.
James Dillon, was the 8th Earl.
Robert Dillon, was the 9th Earl.
John Dillon, was the 10th Earl.
Patrick Dillon, was the 11th Earl.
Michael James Robert Dillon, was the 12th and last Earl.
Cary Dillon, the fifth Earl, was son of Robert Dillon, the second Earl of Roscommon.
James Dillon, the third Earl, was eldest son of Robert Dillon, the second Earl of Roscommon.
Wentworth Dillon, the fourth Earl, who d. s. p., was son of James Dillon, the third Earl of Roscommon. After Wentworth's death, the title reverted to Cary Dillon, the fifth Earl, who was brother of Robert, the second Earl of Roscommon.
Cary Dillon, the fifth Earl, was succeeded by his son Robert Dillon, who was the sixth Earl of Roscommon.
Robert, the sixth Earl, was succeeded by his eldest son Robert, who was the seventh Earl of Roscommon, who d. s. p., but was succeeded by his brother James Dillon, who was the eighth Earl of Roscommon, and who died unm.
The ninth Earl was Robert Dillon, son of Patrick Dillon of Tuemore (who d. unmarried), and grandson of Lucas Dillon, son of James Dillon, the first Earl of Roscommon.
Robert, the ninth Earl of Roscommon, was succeeded by his brother John Dillon, the tenth Earl of Roscommon, who was twice married: by the first wife he had three daughters and no son; by the second wife he had a son Patrick, who succeeded as the eleventh Earl of Roscommon, who married and had issue an only daughter.
Michael James Robert Dillon, the twelfth and last Earl of Roscommon, was son of Michael Dillon, Esq., Captain in the County Dublin Militia, who was killed at the battle of Ross, in 1798.
(1) This Captain Michael Dillon was son of:
(2) Surgeon James Dillon, who was son of:
(3) Michael Dillon, Esq., of Rath, who was son of;
(4) Mr. Dillon, of Rath, who married Penelope, sister of James Horan, gent., and by her had two sons, namely, said Michael (3), and Francis:
I. Michael (3) married Mary, dau. and heir of John Jennat, of Recluse and Skedan, county Dublin, and had issue—John, who died young.
II. Francis, of whom presently.
(2) Surgeon James Dillon, above mentioned, was twice married: first, to the daughter of Butler of Waterford, by whom he had no issue; secondly, to Elizabeth, dau. of Joseph Plunket, Esq., and by her had:
(I) Captain Michael Dillon, of the Dublin Militia (killed in 1798 at the battle of Ross), who m. Mary, dau. of the Rev. Richard Griffith, of Kilbritain, county Cork, and had Michael James Robert Dillon, the twelfth and last Earl of Roscommon, since whose death the Earldom has become dormant.
(II.) Francis Dillon, the second son of (4) Mr. Dillon, of Rath, and brother of Michael (3), m. and had:
(III.) John Dillon, who married Elizabeth Roberts and had:
(IV.) Richard Dillon, who married and had:
(V.) JOHN DILLON,[1] living in Montreal, Canada, in 1887, who, presumably, is the rightful heir, in the male line, to the dormant Earldom of Roscommon.
Notes
[1] Dillon: Having found the address of this John Dillon we communicated with him to ascertain if he had any family records to sustain his claim to the Earldom of Roscommon; and if he were the person who, some thirty or thirty-five years ago, was to our knowledge, a claimant for the said dormant Earldom. We here subjoin his reply, as it may help to elucidate the subject:
"Address: Care of W. J. Tabb, Esq.,
"St. Antoine Hall,
"Montreal, 2nd June, 1886,
"John O'Hart, Esq.,
"Ringsend School,
"Ringsend, Dublin,
"Ireland.
"DEAR SIR,—I would have written sooner, but have been trying to find Lodge's Peerage...... You asked me if I was the person who spoke to you in Kildare, and who told you he was the Heir to the Earldom of Roscommon. I may state I left Ireland when very young and did not return until January, 1880; and then for the purpose of looking after the Earldom . . I may also add that, when Henry Gouldburn was Home Secretary, I think about the year 1839 or 1840, the late Earl (of Roscommon) was reported as dying, my father applied for the Earldom, and, in reply, was told to send the proofs of his claim, which he did (and which were not returned), and the reply he received was that his Claim was well founded; but the Earl, who was reported as dying, was convalescent, subsequently recovered, and outlived my father. Doctor Dillon Kelly of Mullingar is my cousin, whose mother was sister to my father, and who, I believe, has information which would prove my heirship.
"In conclusion, I beg to thank you for your kindness, and am,
"Dear Sir, your obedient servant,
"JOHN DILLON."