William Leslie Ogilby (b.1804 d.1 Sept 1873)
William Leslie Ogilby, Justice of the Peace (JP) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB), b.1804 d.1873 was born at Liscleen House (Altnachree, Ogilby's Castle), located on the main B49 Longland Road, Donemana to Claudy. The illegitimate and only son of Leslie Ogilby Esq (b.c.1764 d.1845) of Liscleen (Liscloon), Co. Tyrone who owned a bleaching green at Lackagh in the parish of Dungiven, this was sufficient for Leslie to buy the 3,170-acre Terkernaghan and Altnachree estate in Donagheady, County Tyrone, in 1829.
He was reputed to be a descendant of the notable family of Ogilby of Ardnargle House, Limavady and Pellipar House, Dungiven.
William was an Irish Barrister and Zoologist whose family roots lay in Aberdeenshire. He was educated at a small academy kept by a clergyman in Macclesfield (possibly William Bridges, (b.1802 d.1874) King's School), before proceeding to Belfast Academical Institution and then to Trinity College, Cambridge in 1824, (BA in 1829 and MA in 1832).
His examination performance at Cambridge was unimpressive, perhaps indicating he neglected the necessary preparatory work in favour of studying natural history and science.
He was called to the bar at Lincoln’s Inn on 20th November 1832 and practiced as a barrister in London to 1846, living in Portman Square, Marylebone, London before settling back in Ireland.
He wrote such papers as "Descriptions of Mammalia and Birds from the Gambia" (1835), “Exhibition of the Skins of Two Species of the Genus Kemas” (1838), and "Observations on the History and Classification of the Marsupial Quadrupeds of New Holland" (1839), all published in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. He was a Fellow of the Linaean Society of London (the world’s oldest active biological society) and was an Honorary Secretary of the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo) for seven years from 1839 to 1846 where he crossed swords a number of times with John Edward Gray (b.1800 d.1875) of the British Museum.
He was well known to Charles Darwin (b.1809 d.1882), and served with him on a committee of the British Association for the Advancement of Science charged with drawing up rules for standardising zoological nomenclature. He was a member of the scientific elite of his day and it is likely that he took part in early discussions about the significance of fossils in the lead-up to the publication of Darwin’s book, “On the Origin of Species” in 1859. He was also High Sheriff of County Tyrone in 1852.
William, aged 22 in 1830 firstly married Matilda Doria di Spineto (b.c.1810 d.1849), aged 20. His wife Matilda was born in Cambridge, England. Matilda’s father, Marquis Doria di Spineto (b.c.1774 d.1849), was an interpreter from Italy, he was engaged as the official translator at the Trial of Queen Caroline. Matilda’s mother was Elizabeth Doria di Spineto, nee Campbell (b.1787 d.1849) born in Scotland.
In 1836 William named a species of antelope, Antilope Doria in his wife's honour.
When William took up residence in Ireland his wife initially remained at their house in London's Hanover Terrace while suitable accommodation was being built for them on the Irish estate. Following the death of her father in September 1849, she joined her husband in a rented property at 39, Rockfort House, Buncrana, Co.Donegal where she died on 29th October 1849, aged 40. William and Matilda had one daughter, Matilda Doris Ogilby ll.
He started building Altnachree Castle in the 1840s, just as the Great Famine (1845-1851) struck. The castle was completed in the 1860s.
In December 1846 he tendered his resignation as Secretary of the Zoological Society, explaining that circumstances required his presence on the estate where "I am myself giving daily employment to from thirty to forty heads of families to keep them from actual starvation". He became a member of the local Relief Committee and obtained a loan of £6,000 from the Commission of Public Works in order to reclaim parts of his land for agricultural purposes. Reclamation activity enabled him to employ between 300 and 400 hands daily, representing, he thought, "from 1,500 to 2,000 human beings who would otherwise have starved or been thrown on the rates". By 1860 he was said to have transformed "wild and mountainous-looking country into one of the finest estates to be seen".
At the age of 43 William secondly married, Adelaide Charlotte Douglas (b.1830 d.1903) on 7th February 1851 at Donagheady, Co. Tyrone, she was daughter of the Honourable and Reverend Charles Sholto Douglas (b.1791 d.1857) of Earlsgift, Donemana, brother of George Sholto Douglas (b.1789 d.1858), 17th Earl of Morton, by his first wife, the Lady Isabella Douglas (b.1790 d.1838), nee Gore, daughter of Arthur Saunders (b.1734 d.1809), 2nd Earl of Arran.The wedding was celibrated by the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, Richard Ponsonby (b.1772 d.1853). The couple honeymooned at Baronscourt.
At the birth of James Douglas Ogilby (b.853 d.1925) the family was living in Belfast, after which they moved to a location between Dunamana and Ballyneaner, County Tyrone.
William and Adelaide had 8 children 3 boys and 5 girls:
Claude William Leslie Ogilby (b.3 Nov 1851 d.16 Dec 1894).
James Douglas Ogilby (b.16 Feb 1853 d.11 Aug 1925).
William Charles Ogilby (b.16 Dec 1855 d.8 Jan 1856, aged 3 weeks at Liscleen, Donamana).
Adelaide Charlotte Ogilby ll (b.17 May 1855 d.28 Jun 1935).
Isabella Caroline Ogilby (possibly died in infancy).
Beatrice Emma Elizabeth Ogilby (b.22 Feb 1858 d.4 May 1938).
Louisa Ogilby (b.29 May 1860 d.unknown).
Edith Sophia Ogilby (possibly died in infancy).
For the next twenty years Ogilby led the life of a resident Irish squire. He was commissioned a captain in the Royal Tyrone Militia in 1851, served as High Sheriff of County Tyrone in 1852 and enlarged his landholdings by purchase of a further 2,900 acres near Omagh for £30,500 in 1853. A county magistrate by 1854, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant in 1863.
He lectured to the Omagh Literary Society, served as President of the Donagheady and Leckpatrick Farming Society, ran a successful home farm, won prizes for his short-horned cattle in National and Ulster shows. He carried out intensive land improvements and is reputed to have planted 11 acres of Cedrus Deodara at Altinaghree castle, which is a species of cedar trees that live in the western Himalayas and eastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan and north-central India.
In 1872 he discontinued farming and relocated his family to Dublin for the benefit of his children's education.
William passed away on 1st September 1873, at age of 65 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Claude William Leslie Ogilby.
Williams.wife, Adelaide died at the age of 72 on 16th March 1903 at Donaghadee, Co. Down.
William Leslie Ogilby (b.1804 d.1 Sept 1873)
William Leslie Ogilby, Justice of the Peace (JP) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB), b.1804 d.1873 was born at Liscleen House (Altnachree, Ogilby's Castle), located on the main B49 Longland Road, Donemana to Claudy. The illegitimate and only son of Leslie Ogilby Esq (b.c.1764 d.1845) of Liscleen (Liscloon), Co. Tyrone who owned a bleaching green at Lackagh in the parish of Dungiven, this was sufficient for Leslie to buy the 3,170-acre Terkernaghan and Altnachree estate in Donagheady, County Tyrone, in 1829.
He was reputed to be a descendant of the notable family of Ogilby of Ardnargle House, Limavady and Pellipar House, Dungiven.
William was an Irish Barrister and Zoologist whose family roots lay in Aberdeenshire. He was educated at a small academy kept by a clergyman in Macclesfield (possibly William Bridges, (b.1802 d.1874) King's School), before proceeding to Belfast Academical Institution and then to Trinity College, Cambridge in 1824, (BA in 1829 and MA in 1832).
His examination performance at Cambridge was unimpressive, perhaps indicating he neglected the necessary preparatory work in favour of studying natural history and science.
He was called to the bar at Lincoln’s Inn on 20th November 1832 and practiced as a barrister in London to 1846, living in Portman Square, Marylebone, London before settling back in Ireland.
He wrote such papers as "Descriptions of Mammalia and Birds from the Gambia" (1835), “Exhibition of the Skins of Two Species of the Genus Kemas” (1838), and "Observations on the History and Classification of the Marsupial Quadrupeds of New Holland" (1839), all published in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. He was a Fellow of the Linaean Society of London (the world’s oldest active biological society) and was an Honorary Secretary of the Zoological Society of London (London Zoo) for seven years from 1839 to 1846 where he crossed swords a number of times with John Edward Gray (b.1800 d.1875) of the British Museum.
He was well known to Charles Darwin (b.1809 d.1882), and served with him on a committee of the British Association for the Advancement of Science charged with drawing up rules for standardising zoological nomenclature. He was a member of the scientific elite of his day and it is likely that he took part in early discussions about the significance of fossils in the lead-up to the publication of Darwin’s book, “On the Origin of Species” in 1859. He was also High Sheriff of County Tyrone in 1852.
William, aged 22 in 1830 firstly married Matilda Doria di Spineto (b.c.1810 d.1849), aged 20. His wife Matilda was born in Cambridge, England. Matilda’s father, Marquis Doria di Spineto (b.c.1774 d.1849), was an interpreter from Italy, he was engaged as the official translator at the Trial of Queen Caroline. Matilda’s mother was Elizabeth Doria di Spineto, nee Campbell (b.1787 d.1849) born in Scotland.
In 1836 William named a species of antelope, Antilope Doria in his wife's honour.
When William took up residence in Ireland his wife initially remained at their house in London's Hanover Terrace while suitable accommodation was being built for them on the Irish estate. Following the death of her father in September 1849, she joined her husband in a rented property at 39, Rockfort House, Buncrana, Co.Donegal where she died on 29th October 1849, aged 40. William and Matilda had one daughter, Matilda Doris Ogilby ll.
He started building Altnachree Castle in the 1840s, just as the Great Famine (1845-1851) struck. The castle was completed in the 1860s.
In December 1846 he tendered his resignation as Secretary of the Zoological Society, explaining that circumstances required his presence on the estate where "I am myself giving daily employment to from thirty to forty heads of families to keep them from actual starvation". He became a member of the local Relief Committee and obtained a loan of £6,000 from the Commission of Public Works in order to reclaim parts of his land for agricultural purposes. Reclamation activity enabled him to employ between 300 and 400 hands daily, representing, he thought, "from 1,500 to 2,000 human beings who would otherwise have starved or been thrown on the rates". By 1860 he was said to have transformed "wild and mountainous-looking country into one of the finest estates to be seen".
At the age of 43 William secondly married, Adelaide Charlotte Douglas (b.1830 d.1903) on 7th February 1851 at Donagheady, Co. Tyrone, she was daughter of the Honourable and Reverend Charles Sholto Douglas (b.1791 d.1857) of Earlsgift, Donemana, brother of George Sholto Douglas (b.1789 d.1858), 17th Earl of Morton, by his first wife, the Lady Isabella Douglas (b.1790 d.1838), nee Gore, daughter of Arthur Saunders (b.1734 d.1809), 2nd Earl of Arran.The wedding was celibrated by the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, Richard Ponsonby (b.1772 d.1853). The couple honeymooned at Baronscourt.
At the birth of James Douglas Ogilby (b.853 d.1925) the family was living in Belfast, after which they moved to a location between Dunamana and Ballyneaner, County Tyrone.
William and Adelaide had 8 children 3 boys and 5 girls:
Claude William Leslie Ogilby (b.3 Nov 1851 d.16 Dec 1894).
James Douglas Ogilby (b.16 Feb 1853 d.11 Aug 1925).
William Charles Ogilby (b.16 Dec 1855 d.8 Jan 1856, aged 3 weeks at Liscleen, Donamana).
Adelaide Charlotte Ogilby ll (b.17 May 1855 d.28 Jun 1935).
Isabella Caroline Ogilby (possibly died in infancy).
Beatrice Emma Elizabeth Ogilby (b.22 Feb 1858 d.4 May 1938).
Louisa Ogilby (b.29 May 1860 d.unknown).
Edith Sophia Ogilby (possibly died in infancy).
For the next twenty years Ogilby led the life of a resident Irish squire. He was commissioned a captain in the Royal Tyrone Militia in 1851, served as High Sheriff of County Tyrone in 1852 and enlarged his landholdings by purchase of a further 2,900 acres near Omagh for £30,500 in 1853. A county magistrate by 1854, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant in 1863.
He lectured to the Omagh Literary Society, served as President of the Donagheady and Leckpatrick Farming Society, ran a successful home farm, won prizes for his short-horned cattle in National and Ulster shows. He carried out intensive land improvements and is reputed to have planted 11 acres of Cedrus Deodara at Altinaghree castle, which is a species of cedar trees that live in the western Himalayas and eastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan and north-central India.
In 1872 he discontinued farming and relocated his family to Dublin for the benefit of his children's education.
William passed away on 1st September 1873, at age of 65 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Claude William Leslie Ogilby.
Williams.wife, Adelaide died at the age of 72 on 16th March 1903 at Donaghadee, Co. Down.