Francis Tracy, the
catholic, female owner of the “Freeman’s Journal” 1802
According to Fitzpatrick &
Scott, the account began when Francis Higgins (c1746
– 1802) incurred a debt of gratitude early in life to Thomas Tracy. As a boy,
Higgins’s father was murdered. Homeless and barefoot, he did odd jobs at
Newgate prison also known as ‘The Black Dog’. He became acquainted with a
sheriff’s officer named Tracy who was kind to him. This debt was was re-paid
when Thomas Tracy was on his deathbed in very straitened circumstances, when
Higgins promised to take care of Miss Francis Tracy. As such, she became his
ward. According to Thomas Tracy’s granddaughter, the Tracy family came from
Kildare and his wife was a Hamil (Hamilton?)
The
close relationship between Higgins and the Tracys is demonstrated in a will
made by Higgins on the 19th September 1791. This will was still in
force at the time of his death in 1802, at which time his fortune had greatly
increased. In the will, he states:
“I lent the sum of £1,500, on bond and security of Thos. Tracy, of Ross
Lane, pawnbroker, whom I have for a long series of years known to be an honest,
industrious man. I do hereby bequeath, and my will is that six months’ notice
shall be served on him before any execution shall be issued on his bond for the
money; and it is my will that £1,000 be paid to his sister Miss Frances Tracy,
and paid her out of the original sum lent on the bond of said Thomas; and it
should be optional and at the discretion of Miss Frances Tracy, to take his and
other security she may think proper for the payment of the said £1,000; and I
also leave Anne, Catherine and Mary Tracy, the daughters of said Thomas, the
sum of £100 each; and in the case of their death, or the death of two of them,
then their share is to revert to Miss Frances Tracy; and I request my
executors, herein named, will give every friendly aid to this bequest of
£1,000, it being a sum inadequate indeed to unjust scandals and calumnies on my
account thrown against her…and the aforesaid Miss Frances Tracy is to be my
residuary legatee, to have whatever sum or sums of money that shall remain over
and above said several bequests, and all my just debts to be paid;…”
Francis Higgins’ connection with the “Freeman’s
Journal” began in June 23rd 1783 when he is listed as one of the
“Sureties…Francis Higgins, Esq., of Ross Lane” He is not listed from October 14th
1790 to April 16th 1798, after which date he is listed until his
death in 1802.
John
Magee, was a rival newspaper owner, was well known for his satires that he
published in “Dublin Evening Post” and “Magee’s Weekly Packet”. A newspaper war between John
Magee and Francis Higgins of the “Freeman’s Journal” commenced in February
1789, but it was of too violent a nature to last too long. In 1790, the war was
over when Magee was in prison. During the exchange of words, Magee printed
libellous accounts of Higgins and the people associated with him in a ‘letter’
published in the “Evening Post” dated from “Plato’s Regions”. He sued by those
libelled. The Chief Justice granted fiats against Magee for £4000 at the suit
of Daly, and on the affidavits of Higgins’ associates, £800 for John Brennan
and £1000 for Miss Frances Tracey, whose characters were aspersed.
The
affidavit of John Brennan stated that he was formerly a grocer of Aungier
Street, and as he had no children he had retired to a farm in Kilmacud. In the
Dublin Evening post of 28th May last (1789), an article was
published reflecting the reputation of Francis Higgins of Stephen’s Green, Esq.
and that Brennan’s house in Kilmacud was to be converted into a receptacle for
entertaining women of infamous character for the said Francis Higgins. A young
lady of fair reputation and good character, of the name of Tracy, did for some
time before reside with her aunt in his house.
The affidavit of Frances
Tracy stated that she was a spinster of the city of Dublin, whose parents died
some time ago leaving her a property, which she added to very considerably by
labour and industry. Last August, as she was ill she went to live with her
aunt, Mrs. Christian Hamilton at the house of Mr. John Brennan of Kilmacud. She
judged that the dispersions on her good character justified recompense of
£1,000.
In short, the inference of Magee was that
Frances Tracy was the mistress of Frances Higgins.
However, much sympathy has been given to
Magee’s situation. Gilbert states that in their affidavits these parties did not state a
single instance of actual or specific damage, nor swear to any real or
substantial loss; the Judge was consequently much censured for having thus
issued fiats to the collective amount of £7800 against Magee, towards whom he
was believed to bear ill-will for having personally abused him in his own
papers, and who at this period was under a criminal information in his own
Court, at the relation of Higgins.
The
Right Hon. George Ponsonby before the Irish House of Commons on the 3rd
March 1790 made a speech on the conduct of the Lord Chief Justice Clonmell “I
proceed to the affidavit of Frances Tracy: in it she complains of those
publications which we have heard read; the tendency of them is to charge her
with being unchaste and too intimately acquainted with a man to whom she is not
married; but she says, nay, she swears, she is a modest woman…is single and
unmarried…her character and reputation are totally ruined and she rates her
loss at £1,000. The Chief Justice participates in her apprehensions, and with
more, I think, of the gallantry of a knight-errant than that of a judge…”
Madden states that when Magee first made the
charges against Miss Frances Tracy, it was quite evident he was eaten up with
passion and violent animosity to Higgins. Miss Tracy was a lady of unblemished
character not only previous to her marriage to Mr. Harvey but subsequently to
it, and up to the time of her decease.
A further twist in the tale is that although
the “Freeman’s Journal” had been set up as a free press in opposition to
British (not protestant) administration, Francis Higgins was a spy for that
administration. As Madden states “Francis Higgins (is)…illustrative of
the…worst period of Irish history, secretly employed in espionage and in the
newspaper press by the Government of that time, of unprecedented prostitution
of principle and venality.”
Further to this, the Marquis of Cornwallis, in
one of his communications to the Duke of Portland, in the latter part of 1800 (a warrant dated 20 December
1800?), brings forward the claims of several gentlemen of
distinguished loyalty, who had “done the State some service,” of a secret
nature, which service, he proposed should be rewarded. Amongst these was a
Francis Grenville Tracy, to whom a pension of £300 is recommended, one of the
highest amounts. The
nature of the services to government for such a large sum have not been
discovered, nor has the identity of the recipient. It was
intimated that this referred to Frances Tracy but this is discounted by Madden.
In Bartlett,
there is the following reference: “It is likely that he was Higgin’s
illegitimate son by Frances Treacy to whom Higgins would bequeath the Freenan’s
Journal. It is possible that he received this pension at Higgins’s suggestion.
In Higgins’s will, dated 19 September 1791, Frances Tracy was named as the
principal legatee, being awarded £1,000 and the residue of his estate. I
believe she was the boy’s mother” (Cornwallis corr., iii, 321; Fitzpatrick,
Sham Squire, pp.151-2.) However, in 1784, Francis
Higgins & Frances Tracy were the sponsors to the baptism of Francis Michael
Tracy, son of Thomas Tracy and Mary Ellery (see below).
Francis Higgins died on the 19th
January 1802 and Francis Tracy was the executor of his will. (Francis Tracy. Exec of
Francis Higgins of St. Stephens Green Dublin, 8th July 1802,
Prerogative Court will.) She appears to be the main beneficiary, inheriting the
newspaper (and the property Stephens-Green and Blackstaheny?) The record of the sureties
(owners) of the “Freeman’s Journal”, under date of August 6th 1802,
is the following notice – “Frances Tracy, bond for £300: Sureties, Thomas
Tracy, pawnbroker, Ross Lane and Richard Cole, stationer, Trinity Street.” The
Tracy pawnbroker address is the directories is located in Kennedys Lane from
1796 to 1828
Frances Tracy married Philip Whitfield Harvey
and the marriage settlement is dated the 16th in September 1802. According to
Fitzpatrick (2001), it included details of the property of the bankrupt Magan,
a spy to whom Higgins had paid large amounts of money. Philip Whitfield Harvey
was the son of Whitfield Harvey, printer, who married Miss Mary Kelly (Pues’
Occurrences, No.1590, Nov.16th to 18th, 1765). His
grandfather was Dean Harvey, Dean of Gorey, Co. Wexford. He was the descendant
of an ancient family, who had large possessions in Wicklow and other parts of
Ireland, which were amongst the forfeitures of the Revolution of 1688. He was
ex-army and had a commission in the Middlesex Militia (from 1794?). He had
lived with his uncle Colonel Kelly of Half Moon St., Piccadilly, London who
mixed much in good society. Madden states that Philip Whitfield Harvey sued for
an outstanding dept to his uncle Colonel O’Kelly owed by Francis Higgins and
that these claims were eventually compromised, resulting in his marriage to
Miss Francis Tracy.
However, Fitzpatrick & Scott state that a relative of
Higgins from Northern Ireland disputed the will and that there was a
settlement.
The owners of the
“Freeman’s Journal” changed in November 13th 1802, to “Philip
Whitfield Harvey, bond for £300: Sureties, Thomas Tracy, pawnbroker, Ross Land
and Richard Cole, stationer, Trinity Street.”
The next change is “Bond for Robert Harvey for £300: Sureties, Thomas
Tracy, pawnbroker, Ross Land and Richard Cole, stationer, Trinity Street.”
Madden says that the change in the Harveys may have been due to a libel action.
On December 28th 1802, the names of the sureties changed until July
6th 1807 when Thomas Tracy, Kennedy Lane is stated.
According to Madden, a large memorial to
Francis Higgins was erected in Kilbarrack Churchyard on which is listed his
charitable donations. His name had been vandalized but the following is of
interest:
“…’S, Esquire,
…of Dublin.
….this life on the 19th
of January, 1802
Aged 56 Years:
By Philip Whitfield
Harvey, and Frances, his Wife,
Legal Representatives
of the Deceased
Donations …”
Frances Tracy and Philip Whitfield Harvey had
one daughter, Mary O’Kelly Harvey. The Freeman’s Journal of December 1st 1804 states “At
Stephen’s-green, the lady of Philip Whitfield Harvey, Esq., of a daughter”. The
Freeman’s Journal of 1826 has the following notice of her marriage “Henry
Grattan, jrn., to Miss Mary O’Kelly Harvey, of the Co. of Wexford, of the
Harveys.” Mary O’Kelly
Harvey lived in Glenwood, Co. Wicklow
and Henry Grattan M.P. (b. 1787) brought into this family a Celbridge property. She died the later part of 1866.
In 1806, there was a conveyance of lands previously owned by Higgins at Blackstaheny by the Harveys and the Tracys to Andrew Rorke of Clonsilla: consideration £1084.12s.6d.
Francis Tracy died in 1818. The following
obituary was in the “Morning Register” for November 21st 1818:
“Died, in Stephen’s-green on Tuesday last
(the 15th of November), Mrs. Harvey, wife of Philip Harvey, Esq.
This truly benevolent and most excellent woman lost her life by a malady which
in all cases is most rapid in its progress, but in hers raged uncontrolled, in
spite of the earliest and best medical and surgical advice which this City
could supply. In the whole circle of society, we believe there was a more
amiable or estimable person to be found. She possessed all the qualities which
could endear her to those who knew her, and make her a useful member of
society; an excellent understanding, a kind heart, mild and unobtrusive
manners, warmth and constancy in friendship, and the most unaffected adour to
be serviceable to all her fellow creatures.”
Philip Whitfield Harvey died in 1826. His
obituary was in the 10th August 1826 “Morning Register”. He was buried in Drumcondra, with the Lord
Mayor and the two Grattan MPs in attendance at the funeral. There was no
reference to Tracys.
His death resulted in a
change of ownership of the “Freeman’s Journal” and on October 5th
1826, Henry Grattan Esq took over ownership of the paper.
In a letter of Mrs. Grattan May 4th
1866, details are given of her mother’s family:
“My mother, Miss
Frances Tracy, was the daughter of Mr. Thomas Tracy. The maiden name of Mrs.
Tracy was Hamil, and that of her mother Eustace.
“The family of my
grandfather, Thomas Tracy, were of an old respected Catholic family of that name,
in the county of Kildare, and had large possessions in that county; but were
dispossessed of them in the time of penal law persecution…
“In that family of
Tracy was the Rathcool Peerage, and in the family of Eustace, of Kildare,
connected by marriage with the former, was the title of Blessington. An
ancestor of my father was the last Roman Catholic chief justice in Ireland –
Chief Justice Tracy, long previously to the Catholic Emancipation Act, of 1829…
“Though I lost my
dear mother at the age of twelve years, I have a strong remembrance of her. Her
noble qualities approached so near perfection they made a deep and lasting
impression on my mind. All my recollections of her are of one whose life was
passed in doing works of charity and of kindness to all who came into contact
with her. It was through the influence of that ever active goodness of her
nature that Mr. Higgins was brought to repent of his acts, and to contribute
largely to various charitable institutions in Dublin. She possessed not only
the rare excellence of sound judgment and common sense, but kindness of heart
in an eminent degree. Her personal appearance was remarkably attractive, and
equally so was then charm of her conversation, and the cordiality of her look
and manner…”
The
following are the records found for the Tracy family:
Thomas
Tracy & Mary Ellery
Elizth
b. 12/11/1780 Sp Rowland Power & Frances Tracy. St Michaels & John RC.
Darby
b. 10/3/1782 Sp Willm Hagan & Ann Power. St Michaels & John RC.
Mary
Cathe b. 30/3/1783 Sp John Power & Eliz Tracy. St Michaels & John RC.
Francis
Michl b. 17/10/1784 Sp Francis Higgins & Frances Tracy. St Michaels &
John RC.
Thos
b. 25/12/1785 Sp Pat Leeson & Margaret Lawless. St Michaels & John RC.
Thomas
b. 16/8/1789 Sp Michl Ellery & Frances Tracy. St Michaels & John RC.
Michl
b. 11/10/1790 Sp Moreus O’Hara & Ann Fitzimmins. St Michaels & John RC.
Elizth
b. 19/12/1791 Sp Willm Callaghan & Bridg Derham. St Michaels & John RC.
Thomas
Tracy, Pawnbroker, Kennedys Lane (No.’s 5, 6 or 26) from 1796 -1825
1811 Thomas Tracy, Dublin, Pawnbroker
(Intestacy)
Catherine
Tracy, Pawnbroker, 5 Kennedy Lane from 1826-1828
1828 Catherine Tracy, Kennedy’s Lane,
Spinster (Intestacy)
1829 Catherine Maria, Kennedy’s Lane
Spinster (Will)
Catherine
M Tracy, 1829, Dublin & Glendalough Diocese will. Exec: Michael Tracy,
Kennedy’s Lane Dublin. IWR/1829/F/149.
(Also
have a reference for Catherine Tracy, died 25/2/1829, aged 40 years, Clondalkin
CI)
References:
Bartlett, Thomas ed.
(2004) Revolutionary Dublin 1795-1801. The Letters of Francis Higgins to Dublin
Castle. pp327&n, 370. Four Courts Press, Dublin.
Cook, Theodore Andrea (????) Eclipse
& OKelly: Being a Complete History So Far as is Known of that ...
Fitzpatrick, William John (2001) Secret Service Under Pitt.p.124
Fitzpatrick, William John and
Scott, John (1869) Curious family
history. p.
74, 76, 77, 97, 99
Gilbert, John Thomas (1859) A history of the city of Dublin. McGlashan & Gill, Dublin. Vol. III, p.27-8.
Plowden, Francis (1806) The History of Ireland from the invasion under Henry II to its Union with Great Britain on the first of January 1801. Philadelphia. p.275, 291