My ancestors - Blennerhassett - Contents

Harman Blennerhassett

• Sources yet to be consulted:
  • Life of Harman Blennerhassett, William H. Safford, 1853.
  • Memoirs of the Early Pioneer Settlers of Ohio, S.P. Hildreth, 1854.
  • The Blennerhassett Papers, William H. Safford, 1864 (correspondence of Harman Blennerhassett).
    • Some of the original letters are in Notre Dame Archives.

  • The True Story of Harman Blennerhassett, Therese Blennerhassett, The Century Magazine, July 1901.
  • A Dream of Empire or The House of Blennerhassett, William Henry Venable, historical novel, 1901.
  • Historic Blennerhassett Island Home, by Alvaro F. Gibbens, Globe Printing and Binding Co., 1914.
  • Blennerhassett Island in Romance and Tragedy, Minnie Kendall Lowther, Tuttle Publishing Co, 1936.
  • "Harman Blennerhassett: An Irish Aristocrat on the American Frontier", Ray Swick, Essays in History, vol.14, 1968-69.
  • Burr - A Novel, Gore Vidal, 1973.
  • "History of Blennerhassett Island", dissertation by Ray Swick, 1975.
  • Harman Blennerhassett's Journal, 1807, edited by Raymond E. Fitch, Ohio University Press, 1988.
  • Burr's Lieutenant, Ray Swick, forthcoming biography of Harman.

Harman Blennerhassett (see here and here),
born 8th Oct 1764 (think NOT 1765),
educ TCD (BA 1790, LLB 1790), lawyer,
travelled on European continent, adopted republican principles,
inherited Castle Conway 1792,
became United Irishman 1793, friend of Thomas Addis Emmet, but was to leave Ireland before the 1798 Rising,
sold the family seat Castle Conway, Killorglin to 1st Baron Ventry 1795,

mar c.1796 to his niece Margaret Agnew [born 1779] and had issue,
left Ireland to avoid the scandal this caused, went to America 1796,
purchased, Mar 1797, the upper half of Belpre Island on the Ohio River, nr Parkersburg, West Virginia (on state border of Wood County, West Virginia, and Washington County, Ohio, see map and satellite and satellite),
built mansion there 1798 (completed 1801),
the island came to be called Blennerhassett Island,
he kept black slaves there,

he was involved with plot by Jefferson's Vice-President Aaron Burr 1805 to establish an independent nation in the western territories,
Harman was charged with treason, but released 1807 after Burr's acquittal,
see "Blennerhassett's Temptation", an extract from the defence at his trial,
sold Blennerhassett Island c.1807 [mansion was soon after accidentally destroyed by fire 1811],
they stayed at one point with Thomas Addis Emmet in New York,
he died Guernsey, Channel Islands, 2nd Feb 1831 (NOT 1st), age 66 yrs, bur Guernsey.
See [DNB].
Margaret died New York, 1842, age 63 yrs,
bur Thomas Addis Emmet vault, Marble Cemetery, 2nd St, New York.
In 1996 her remains were re-buried on Blennerhassett Island.

The reconstructed mansion on NE end of Blennerhassett Island.
Click to toggle map/satellite view. Click to zoom in/out. Drag to move.
From Google Maps.

The original mansion on Blennerhassett Island, c.1800.
See full size. From [Gibbens, 1914]. Images.from here.

The reconstructed mansion on Blennerhassett Island.
See full size.
Photo 2007 by Mike McBride. See terms of use.

The reconstructed mansion on Blennerhassett Island.
Photo 2007 by Angie Bernath.
See other shot from here.
See terms of use.

The reconstructed mansion.
Photo 2007. From here. Used with permission.

The reconstructed mansion.
Photo 2007. From here. Used with permission.

The reconstructed mansion. Interior. Entrance hall.
See larger and full size.
Photo 2007. From Rick Childers. Used with permission.
See other interior shots from his photo stream: guest bedroom and Library and Master Bedroom and Study. Used with permission.

The reconstructed mansion. Interior. Entrance hall.
Photo 2004 from Lacie Parsons. Used with permission.
See other interior shot from Lacie Parsons. Used with permission.

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• The mansion on Blennerhassett Island was reconstructed on its original foundation in 1984.

• Blennerhassett Island
• Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park
• Blennerhassett Island Bridge
• "Blennerhassett" is now the name of an archaeological period in the area.

• S of the island is: Blennerhassett, and Blennerhassett Heights, Parkersburg, West Virginia (see map).
• N of the island is: Blennerhassett Ave, Belpre, Ohio (see map).
• There is a Blennerhassett Hotel in Parkersburg, West Virginia.

• There is a 1974 musical Eden on the River about the Blennerhassett story.

• Apparently named after Blennerhassett Island:
  • Blannahassett Island, Marshall, North Carolina (see map).