First to find the real Solomon Newsome….but which one? As with many prolific families, names tended to be used repeatedly without any recourse to imagination, and if a child dies there is no reason not to re-use the name for a later child. It may make sense for the family but it does confuse things for the Genealogist. 

The Newsomes are at their most common in the County of Yorkshire, particularly around Dewsbury and Heckmondwicke. On 05/03/1692 Solomon Newsome is noted as having been baptised into the Society of Friends in Dewsbury. It’s worth noting here the difference between Catholic and Society of Friends baptisms. The physical act of water baptism by immersion is not needed for salvation or spiritual standing and the act doesn’t necessarily happen at birth.

 

We first hear mention of Solomon Newsome in Ireland, in the Congregational Records for the Society of Friends (C.R.S.F.) on 30/09/1702. In the Munster Minutes, it is recorded that Solomon had intentions to marry Ann Baker. However she and her brothers were found to be less than godlike so Solomon reneged on his promise. This is of significance as Munster records for Society of friends have the Baker family figuring very prominently and representing Tipperary at larger meetings at the very least from 1694. Perhaps this failure in love is what set Solomons manner for the remainder of his life?

On 25/10/1709 at Kilcommon. Solomon is in dispute with a fellow Friend and both have been asked to give an account to the Meeting. However, they have come to a mutual understanding but neither party is willing to share the cause or outcome with the Meeting, despite the fact they were prompted to do so by previous meetings. Solomon it would appear is snubbing his nose at the Friends and generally telling them to mind their own.

On 07/11/1710, Solomon again appears to be upsetting the locals. He was asked to speak with a fellow Friend but because of an existing dispute, alternative negotiators were called for. 

In C.R.S.F. on 16/07/1711, Solomon is a member of the executive chosen to attend the Provincial Meeting of Friends. Solomon is obviously a man of stature within the community. A later reference in sales under the Encumbered Estates Act shows Solomon as owning significant amounts of property in Friar St and Main St Cashel referencing a lease dated 25/03/1708 made in his favour. It is here also that he chooses to live. 

 

At the Clonmel Meeting of 16/09/1712 it was found that an earlier meeting in Cashel brought attention to the fact that Solomon Newome was in dispute with tenant Isaac Newbold. Isaac it appears had taken and used some fields without Solomons consent. Not only that but Isaac also made unsolicited advances and had “foolish dreams” in respect of Solomons wife (Ann). The outcome was Isaac was admonished and instructed to write a paper reproaching his own behaviour to lay before the Friends at the next meeting. By the next meeting of 21/10/1712, the matter regarding the land had been settled but had yet to resolve the issue of “ye scandal of his lustful dreams”.

On 07/04/1713, we actually get to hear of Solomons wife Sarah Hannah Chandlee when it is noted she has been admitted into the women’s congregation of the Friends Meetings. 

 

The Meeting of 11/08/1713 has our first connection of Solomon Newsome with Nenagh. 

 

“Joseph Collett & Solomon Watson being appoynted by the last province Meeting to speake to Solomon Newsome aboute his taking of the towne of Enaghroone (Nenagh) did with some other frds (Friends) take an opportunity with him the So (Society) Friends are desired to give account to the next province meeting with he gave them therein.”

Basically they want to know what he has been up to in Nenagh. No doubt he has gone there with the blessing of the Society of Friends but is playing his cards close to his chest. I must admit it’s strange to see Aonach Urmhumhan written as how it may have sounded to an English ear.

 

1714 see’s the proclaiming of the Elector of Hanover as George the First of Great Britain & Ireland and ends the Stuart reign. The result in Cashel is Solomons windows are smashed by an angry rabble and he seeks compensation from the Mayor and Magistrates of Cashel

 

The meeting of 29/11/1715 is a curious one. Solomon is admonished for being a successful businessman. His eager pursuit of business exceeds the limits of moderation to the detriment of his own substance and other mens properties. It is resolved members of the Friends will speak to him of this matter and call on him to rectify his way’s or the Friends may not be accountable for him.

 

The 10/12/1716 meeting at Kilcommonbeg records that Solomon is in trouble yet again with the Friends. This time he has been sub-letting land surrounding the meeting house in Cashel and owned by the Friends. He has been doing this without their knowledge or consent. He is further ordered to have the tenant removed. A meeting of 20/08/1717 records that the tenant was still occupying the lands so a representation was sent to Solomon to get the arrears of rent and have the tenant removed. Much of 1718 passes with the same result, the tenant remains as a squatter and Solomon is unavailable. Subsequent meetings in 1719 show that Solomon had now removed himself to Nenagh but even when the Friends followed him there he remained unavailable. Further attempts were made to see Solomon resulting with two of the emissaries declaring their wives were too ill and resolving to write a letter instead. Approaches were also made to the Limerick Friends to intervene but all to no avail. It would appear his cantankerous behaviour did not endear him and his contemporaries avoided any form of social interaction with him.

 

Meanwhile in Nenagh, Solomon obtains a lease on a property in Castle St on 23/08/1728. This property backs on to Nenagh Round. Here will be sown the seeds of his future notoriety. Unfortunately I’ve been unable to find any other documentation regarding Solomon other than Chancery & Equity documents that show he continues to trade until his death. Unfortunately these documents don't tell us us where or what he was trading.

In 1747, he is once again in trouble with the Friends for non-payment of monies and failure to act upon their requests so he is subject to Disownment. This is normally done as a last resort but unlike Excommunication does not completely shun the perpetrator. If there is the smallest chance that he can be brought back to the fold then that opportunity will be given, therefore Disownment can be a long and protracted affair.

 

In the Holmes Leases, Solomon Newsome is described as Lessee of the Castle and Barley Fields. He was resident in Bachelors Walk. Dublin Penny Journal of 1833 recounts in 1760 …

”Solomon Newsome, a stern old Puritan….owned the Barley Field on the other side of the castle. The sparrows in the ivy clinging to the Castle ruin were damaging Solomon Newsome’s barley and also preventing him with their chatter from sleeping in the summers dawn, thus adding insult to injury. Solomon therefore bought a barrel of gunpowder and attempted to do with one fell stroke what five and a half centuries of Irish history had failed to accomplish.”

 

We know of course that Solomon didn’t prevail and he succeeded only in creating the present day entrance into the Donjon. Unwittingly he also afforded us an opportunity to marvel at the thickness of the walls and batter. By the time the Tipperary Vindicator get their hands on the story in 1860, Solomons anguish has been increased to include his cabbages falling under the shadow of the castle tower and deprived of sunlight

 

This was to be Solomons last hurrah. He died the following year in 1761. His lands at Dually were inherited by his wife Sara. Some of the Nenagh properties had already been disposed of in 1749 & 1752. Solomon wasn’t a hero. Reading the meeting summaries I see a mean spirited, bad-tempered, cantankerous & curmudgeonly old man seduced by wealth and property. But perhaps he was a product of his time. Other members of the Newsome family went to South Carolina where they entered wholeheartedly into the prevalent trade at the time - slavery. As slaveowners they built other fortunes. Solomon built his fortune with property though not always with the approval of the Society of Friends. Whatever else we know of him, he will always be to my mind be the man who tried to level Nenagh Castle.