Burke's Colonial Gentry VOL II.
CHARLES EDWARD HERBERT ORPEN, of the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, J. P., Cape Civil Service, born 25th August, 1856.
Lineage.
The family of ORPEN claims great antiquity. Robert Orpen (son, it is slated, of RICHARD ORPEN, a Royalist, who fell at Naseby), appears by an inquisition dated 1661, to have resided at Neflaherolin (now named Killorglin), co. Kerry. He married Lucy Chichester, and had issue,
I. Richard, his heir. II. Robert, who returned to England and died there. I. Rachel, who married John Mayberry. II. Boreas, who married Francis Crumpe. III. Margaret, who married Robert Bowen.
The eldest son, Richard Orpen, of the "White House, co. Kerry, was the first of the family who settled on the River Kenmare. In 1688, after the abdication of the English throne by James II, Mr. Orpen garrisoned his house at Killowen, and received into it all the neighbouring Protestant families ; but Capt. Phelim M'Curthy, with three thousand Irish soldiers, appearing before the gates of the garrison, the besieged, after some time, and when no hope remained of succour, surrendered.
Mr. Orpen effected his escape to England, and returned the following year as a Commissary, with the rank of Captain in the army of William III. He fought at the Boyne, and soon after retired with his family to Killowen, having been appointed a magistrate for Kerry. He married Isabella, daughter of the Kev. Thomas Palmer, and had issue,
I. Thomas (Rev.), his heir. II. Richard, of Ardtully, co. Kerry, who married Grace, daughter of John Riyves, co. Cork, and had issue, (a) Richard, of Ardtully, who married 1st in 1766, Anna, daughter of Horace Townsend, of Bridgemount ; 2nd Miss Laplant ; and 3rd, 1794, Alice, daughter of John Ryves Nettles, of Nettleville, co. Cork.
By the first wife only he had issue, five sons and two daughters,
1. Richard, of Ardtully, who assumed the additional surname of Townsend. He married in 1811, The Hon. Anna Mullins, daughter of William, second Lord Ventry, and had a daughter, Anna Sarah, who married Adrian Taylor. 2. Horace Townsend, who married Elizabeth Kite, and had a daughter Anna, who died young. 3. Edward, married Maria, daughter of Daniel Crumpe, and had issue, (1) Richard, married Miss Browne. (2) Samuel, married a daughter of William Forster, of Sloughton, Co. Kerry. (3) Daniel. (4) John Wood. (1) Grace, married John Wood. (2) Mary. (3) Anne. (4) Lucinda. 4. Samuel, of Woodville, married 5th August, 1805, Sophia, daughter of Thomas Hexgerford, of The Island, and by her (who died October, 1830)
had issue... ...
About Richard Orpen, Esq
Genealogical and Heraldic History of the High Ranked or Landed Commoners of G.Britain and Ireland, 1836 Richard Orpen, esq. m. Mary, daughter of Henry Ley, esq. of TetFont Ewyas, Wilts, and sister to Sir James Ley, lord chief justice of the court of Kings Bench, (who was created Earl of Marlborough in 1626, see Burkes Extinct and Dormant Peerage), and had by her a son, Robert. Richard Orpen, during the unhappy struggles which distracted the reign of the ill-fated Charles I. adhered with desperate fidelity to the royal cause, had his estate in England confiscated, and at length was killed at the battle of Naseby in 1646. His son and successor, Robert Orpen, esq. born about the year 1637, appears by an inquisition dated in 1661, to have resided at a place called Neflaherolin, (sometimes named Killorglin), in the county of Kerry. He m. Lucy Chichester,
Will dated 13 October 1645 and proved 1 Feb 1646/7 left legacies to sons Robert, Henry and John and daughters Mary, Jane, Anne and Martha - to be paid after the death of his wife. Also a legacy to a grandchild Judith Courtenay so one of the daughters probably married a Courtenay. Executor of Will, cousin by marriage John Toomer ( husband of his uncle Henry’s daughter Anne).
