Andrew Murray-Prior and Frances Morres

Andrew Murray-Prior Esq. of Rathdowney was John and Mary Murray-Prior's eldest son. As he was born before Tom Prior stipulated that his father should add Murray to his name, he was initially Andrew Prior. As seen, he married into the much-admired Morres family. Frances Morres was the daughter of Redmond Morres, Member of Parliament for Dublin, and was born in Dublin. By now it appears that the Prior estates had been reduced to just one, at Rathdowney in the southwest of what is now County Laois. In 1777, Andrew M-P became High Sherriff of County Wicklow.

Between 1773 and 1786, Andrew and Frances had three daughters, Eleanor, Mary (‘Polly’) and Catherine (who died young), and two sons, Thomas and Andrew Redmond M-P. It was Andrew Redmond who allegedly had an affair with Lady Sarah Butler that resulted in an illegitimate daughter.¹⁾ Polly Murray-Prior emigrated to the USA after she married John Hanna from White County, Illinois: they had 9 children and presumably today have numerous American descendants.²⁾

Sources As with other entries for Priors/M-Ps in Ireland, the original source appears to be: John & John B. Burke, A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland: M to Z, London: Henry Colburn Publisher, 1846, p.1075-76. See also, e.g., Bernard Burke, A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Colonial Gentry,Melbourne: E.A. Petherick, 1891-95, p.49.)