Chapter 49 Biographical Notices – The Soden Story : A Sourcebook

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES – GENERAL NOTICES of a biographical nature arranged in chronological order: Edward McLysaght’s Irish Names: pages 139/140 SODEN This family,of which I have found no trace prior to the transactions under the Acts of Settlement and Explanation , has since multiplied considerably. Thomas Soden thus obtained the lands of Lislakely in Co.Sligo at that time and immediately afterwards acquired the nearby Grange property from the grantee Thomas Park. Soden of Grange appears as a “titulado”in the 1659 – 60 “census” and James Soden of Grange was one of the Protestant gentlemen attainted under James II. Testamentary records from Co.Sligo from 1699 show Thai persons of the name were extensive property owners in Co.Sligo up to the middle of the 18th century , after which they seem to have become less prosperous though more numerous. By 1864,when general registration of births came into force,they were still found in Co.Sligo but were mainly located in or near Co.Cavan. In some places e.g. Kells,the name has been curiously equated with Saurin* which is a Huguenot name,originally Norman de Sauvergne. Reaney and Weekley agree that Soden is derived from Soudan,a corruption of Sultan,and is thus a surname of the nickname class.

The Irish Ancestor Vol IV,No.2/1972 Chapter : Men’s Clothes in Ireland,1660-1850,by Rosemary ffolliott Page 90 “…Here Edmond Soden has no wig,only his own hair,brushed back: he has no cravat,just an open necked white shirt under the usual design of coat . This particular fashion was never widespread in Ireland , whose gentry preferred the stiffer , more formal attire exemplified by wig and stock.

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Wood-Martin/History of Sligo Book 6/Page 90: Alphabetical list of the new proprietors in Sligo:”……Sodden,Thomas;..” Wood-Martin, Book 7, page 496 ff… Appendix M High Sheriffs of the County Sligo 1674 Thomas Soden , Grange 1706 James Soden , Grange 1730 Edward Soden , Grange ————— Page 106: “To keep open communication with the north,garrisons were placed at Grange, a castle and village of the name,about ten miles from Sligo , on the road to Ballyshannon. Note\:- This post was probably commanded by James Soden , attainted by James II.,1689 , as of that place.” 1791 Wood-Martin,Book 7 , page 403. Difficulties arose occasionally,as for instance when on the 14th May , 1791 , an ‘Immergency’ meeting of the Masonic body was called by Brother Thomas Soden , of Lodge No.530 , against Brother Michael Parker , proprietor of the ‘Sligo Journal’,charging him with having published in his paper a letter tending to reflect upon Soden’s conduct as ‘Billeting master for the town of Sligo’,…….. ————————— 1796 Sligo Loyal Infantry Wood-Martin, Book 7, page 14: Sligo Loyal Infantry:- Captain Thomas Soden 31st October, 1796 1st Lieutenant Richard Wood same 2nd Lieutenant Laurence Vernon same ————————– 1799 Wood-Martin, Book 7,page 29: Yeomanry increased and Brigade Major Bridgeham was in command of the following corps:- T.Soden Capt.Drumcliff Infantry 1806: Wood-Martin.Bk. 7.page 108 There is mention that an address be presented to the Duke of Bedford in a golden box .These minutes signed by J.Soden , Provost. ————————– Wood-Martin,Sligo & the Enniskilleners : J & NLIR 94122 w 2 page 34: 1. Grange , a castle village of the name , about eight miles from Sligo, on the line of Ballyshannon. This post was probably commanded by James Soden , attainted by James II of 1689 , as of that place. page 142: In one of the raids made from Ballyshannon towards Sligo , the party sent out by Tiffan , attacked the castle of Grange , then garrisoned for James. At the moment the assailants hoped for success , an explosion took place, damaging the building and buried many in the ruins. It was popularly supposed that the officer in command blew up the castle rather than surrender.

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Notes on the Sheriffs of Sligo by E.S. Gray 1706:- James Soden of Grange,evidently son of Thomas Soden (also of Grange), High Sheriff 1674. It is also clear that he was a close relation both of Edward Soden (High Sheriff 1730) and of James Soden , High Sheriff in 1736. The will of James Soden , Derry , Co.Sligo Esq. was dated and proved in 1731. 1736 James Soden , of Grange , probably son of Edward Soden , also of Grange (High Sheriff 1730) , in which case he may have been the James , son of ‘Edmund’ Soden who was born at Glaslough , Co.Monaghan c. 1705, ent. TCD in 1724. William Knott of Knockadoo , Co.Roscommon (whose will dated 1729) had a grandson named James Soden , while an Edward Soden of Sligo was husband of Mary (whose maiden name may have been Wynne) mentioned in the 1773 will of her grandmother , Mrs . Sarah Butler. Ann Butler , a daughter of Richard and Sarah,married Lieutenant Owen Wynne,whose sister Jane married 1st.—Berne and 2ndly -‘Soda’ , which latter name should obviously read Soden . The will of James Soden , Ballydavit , Co.Donegal , was dated or proved 1751 . Elizabeth, daughter and co-heiress of a James Soden of Grange , Sligo married a Rev. Carncross Cullen (b.c. 1754) , Rector of Manor Hamilton , Co.Leitrim , whose brother Patrick Cullen of Skreeny married Judith Chetwynde,grandaughter of Owen Wynne, of Hazelwood. NOTE;-The foregoing is none too accurate. For example , Jane Wynne’s marriage settlement makes it perfectly clear that James Soden was her first husband, and she was not the widow Berne at this time . It is also manifest that the elder James of Grange was not the son of Thomas of Grange , who left only 2 daughters . James was , in fact , his nephew , son of Thomas’ brother , Robert. Extracted from Pedigree notes of the Sligo Sodens in the GO,Dublin.

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Sheriffs of Sligo by E.S.Gray (Sligo Courthouse Library) 1736 JAMES SODEN,of Grange,probably son of EDWARD SODEN,also of Grange (High Sheriff 1730),in which case he may have been the JAMES,son of EDMUND SODEN,who was born at Glaslough,Monaghan,circa 1705 educated by Dr.Blair,Sligo and entered Trin Coll. Dublin in 1724. WILLIAM KNOTT of Knockadoo,Roscommon (whose will was dated 1729) had a grandson named JAMES SODEN,while an EDWARD SODEN of Sligo was husband of MARY (whose maiden name may have been WYNNE),mentioned in the will ,dated 1773,of her grandmother,MRS.SARAH BUTLER (wife of the REV. RICHARD BUTLER),ANN BUTLER,a daughter of RICHARD and SARAH,married (LIEUT.)OWEN WYNNE,evidently he of that name (a nephew of OWEN WYNNE of Hazlewood,High Sheriff of Co.Sligo 1745) whose sister,JANE WYNNE,married 1st – BERNE,and secondly, – ‘SODA’,which latter name should obviously read SODEN. The will of JAMES SODEN,Ballydavit,Donegal was dated or proved 1751. ELIZABETH ,daughter and co-heriess of a JAMES SODEN of Grange,Sligo, married the REVEREND CAIRNCROSS CULLEN (b.ca. 1754),Rector of Manor Hamilton,Leitrim,whose brother,PATRICK CULLEN,of Skreeny (Also in Leitrim),married JUDITH WYNNE,granddaughter of the above-named OWEN WYNNE of Hazlewood. These CULLENS were grandsons, maternally ,of CAIRNCROSS NESBITT,High Sheriff of Co.Sligo in 1748 – see page 274,and also Volume 1, pages 305 and 308. The History of Sligo by T.O’Rorke Volume 11 p.51:- “…../At the Restoration,the whole i.e. Grange parish, was granted to the Earl of Strafford,except the town and castle of Grange, and about three hundred acres in the neighbourhood,which was passed to Thomas Soden.” (Portrait of the Soden Residence,Grange Castle, Co.Sligo) by Gerrard Eccles; courtesy of James Arthur Soden,Toronto,Canada) Page 52:- The Thomas Soden who obtained Grange ,being a persona grata to the Usurpers, was Titulado of the district,under the Commonwealth.Having thus got poss- ession ,he kept so firm a grip of the property,that the shock of the Res- toration was not able to relax the hold,so that he transmitted Grange as well as the island of Dernish (dair-inis,oak island) to his descendants, who ,as thorough-paced Cromwellians,have since occupied a prominent postion in the county,and have had a share of the good things going,some of them being magistrates,some high sheriffs,and one(Thomas Soden) provost of Sligo for several years. The present representative of the Soden family,is Captain G.M.Eccles,J.P., a young gentleman,who is favourably spoken of by those who know him best.” Page 336:- “……….Later ,the Council took in hand the meat and butter markets;more, apparently,in the interests of their own members than in that of the com- munity.Provost Thomas Soden,having erected shambles,in 1785,at the lower end of Knox’s Street,between Quay Street and the Bridge,the Council ordered that all meat should be exposed for sale there,and there only,under a penalty of 10s. fine for every carcass found in any other part of the town.Soden was empowered to charge for every carcass of beef 1s. 1d.;of mutton 3d.;of veal 3d.;of swine 3d.; of lamb 2d.; and of kid 1d. The butchers,,however,who,by the way,have always approved themselves the most spirited portion of the population of Sligo,refused to comply with the order;but the friendly burgesses,in order to get their good brother Soden out of the lurch,and to procure him some return for his expenditure,commanded anew the butchers to make use of the place provided for them,forming them,by way of inducement to do as desired,that there would be no charge for the first half year,from November 1785,to May,1786.The records do not tell how the matter ended. James Soden,like Thomas,wished to turn a penny on the markets.Leaving the butchers to his brother,James took the sellers of butter under his own wing,and provided,in 1787 a market for their accommodation near the shambles at the north end of Knox’s Street.Of course,the Council backed him, appointing him “public weightmaster of butter”,with power to have a deputy,accountable to him for all moneys received.The issue of this job is not stated. Page 184 Chapter 8 The Cromwellian Settlement of Sligo “..the parish of Ahamlish had Thomas Soden and Philip Sulevane” in garrison. Page 328.. A list of the names one meets with most frequently among the members of the Council includes ..Holmes,Soden,…….. Page 329. “.The following is from the election minutes:- “We,The Provost and the burgesses… …the 24th day of June,1802.Thomas Soden,Provost;…” Page 331. On residences in Sligo…”.the residence of Provost Soden,in Quay Street, on the site of the present college;.”

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1832 Tyndall Charles,St.John’s Abbey,Sligo Page ?? 1832 Members of the Local Committee for Irish Distress during the cholera epidemic.. …Abraham Martin,.James Soden,Colonel Parke,…. ——————————– 1838/ Burke’s History of Commoners page 708:- Robert Kendrick Manley of Manley Hall,Lichfield,3rd son of John Manley married Miss Catherine Soden of Sligo,present representative,R.S.Manley of Twycross House,Atherstone,Leicester. R.K.Manley served in the 33rd Regt. in the American War,as did his elder brother. 2 .Crispe’s Visitation,volume 5, on Ireland page 139:- William Morony and Matilda Elizabeth,daughter of Capt.James Nicholson Soden of Moneygold,Sligo ,born at Mount Temple,Sligo ,married 1852, died 1892. See Burke’s Irish Landed Gentry. William was of Fortlawn,Mayo. Address: Odell Ville,Ballygarry,Limerick and present representative of E.Morony. (Crispe’s English Visitations,volume 15,p.31 .Thomas Soden proves the will of Spooner of Edgbaston Hall,1875. 3. James Kirkwood (See Burke’s Irish Landed Gentry) born 1800 J.P. & D/L. High Sheriff 1848 married 7th October,1839 Sarah Mary Dodd,eldest daughter of Capt.James Nicholson Soden (therefore sister of Mrs.Morony) 24th Regt. J.P. & D.L.,only son of Thomas Soden,J.P. of Moneygold,Sligo for 50 years Provost of Sligo and had issue,etc…. Present representative Major C.H. Kirkwood 23,Eaton PLace,SW.1 & Woodbrooke,Roscommon.

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SLIGO PEDIGREES by E.S.GRAY (Sligo Courthouse Library). Notes on the Soden Family of Sligo A. THOMAS SODEN,of Grange,in the parish of Ahamlish,High Sheriff of Sligo 1674,b. ca.1592,m. and d. 3 March 1700 having had issue, 1. JAMES SODEN,of Grange,Sligo (High Sheriff 1706),evidently he of Derry,Sligo ,whose will was pr.1731;b. ,m.Elizabeth Stephens (b.ca. 1647,d.6 March,1704) 2. EDWARD SODEN,of Grange,High Sheriff of Sligo 1730. 3. JAMES SODEN,of Grange (HIgh Sheriff 1736),m. ,and had issue including Elizabeth,co-heiress,who m. ,Rev.Cairncross Cullen,Rector of Manor Hamilton,Leitrim and has issue (See CULLEN of Skreeny) Another descendant of JAMES SODEN and ELIZABETH STEPHENS,his wife was evidently B. JAMES SODEN(or SODON) of Moneygould,parish of Ahamlish,b.ca. 1709,m. , MARY SWEENY,(b. ca.1712,d 16 Sept,1781),and d.10 Feb. 1774,having had issue,. 1. THOMAS,of Moneygould,J.P.,b.ca. 1744,who is stated to have been for 40 or 50 years Provost of Sligo (he was Deputy Provost, 1785-1818),which may have given rise to this tradition. He m. ANNA NICHOLSON (See NICHOLSON of Primrose Cottage)(She died 16 Nov. 1806 and he died 1.Jan.1819. 2. JAMES of Moneygould,b.ca. 1753,which date may not be correct, as he was described as youngest son.) He died 10 April,1838. 3. AMBROSE,Capt. 79th Regt.,b. ca. 1756,d. 18th March,1816. The above – named THOMAS SODEN of Moneygold,and ANNA NICHOLSON,his wife and an only son, C. Capt. JAMES NICHOLSON SODON,D.L.,J.P.., of Moneygould,24th Regt.,who m. LLOYD,and has issue, 1. A daughter (Mrs.Eccles),through whose marriage the Moneygould property was conveyed to the ECCLES family descending therefrom. 2. SARAH,described as the eldest daughter,m. 7 Oct.1839,JAMES KIRKWOOD,D.L.,J.P.,of Woodbrooke,Roscommon and died July,1870,leaving issue (See that family). he died 25 June,1857.. 3. A daughter,MRS.POWELL 4. A daughter,MATILDA,MRS.MURROWNEY,m. 1852,WILLIAM MORONY,of Fortlawn,Mayo and had issue. 5. A daughter,MRS.ELLIS.. Nota bene: I personally hold this pedigree table to be somewhat flawed at point A3,where 2 James’ are listed as sons of Thomas and indeed,other sources show Thomas as having only 2 daughters,Margery and Joane and Robert as being the progenitor of the male line Soden Sligo line.(Fx.S)

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20 NOTE ON THE COAT OF ARMS ASSOCIATED WITH SODENS OF SLIGO (IRELAND) The first time I came across this coat of arms was when I visited the graveyard at Moneygold,Sligo where I discovered it on the newly- renovated grave of the Eccles family,which is the last family name associated with the Sodens in that area.Although the church is only a shell the Soden grave was the best preserved grave in the whole graveyard. I later received a photograph of the crest from James Soden,Vermont , which had been embroidered by Isabella Letitia Soden and given to her son.In March,1996 I received a professional opinion on this crest from Mr.Gerard Crotty,Co.Cork,an expert on Heraldry.These are some of his remarks:- “…..You ask about the meaning and possible origin of the arms and crest. Very often,it is not possible to speculate about the reasons for choosing particular devices. In this case,however,one is tempted to guess,on the basis of the motto,’PALESTINE’ and the scimitar in the crest,that the three mens’ heads are meant to be saracens’ heads. If this were correct it would suggest that the whole compostion alludes to the crusades. Many families have charges in their arms which are explained as referring to crusading ancestors. In a minority of cases there is a factual basis for this but many such stories are purely apocryphal. The arms in your photograph do not appear to be found anywhere in the medieval rolls of arms – as far as I have been able to discover – and the coat may therefore be of relatively late origin. Burke’s ‘General Armory’ gives a red shield with a man’s head,couped at the neck as the arms of SODEN or SODEY, but gives no indication as to where this family was settled. The corresponding crest is ‘a stag lodged at gaze between two laurel branches proper.’ (Illustration) Another SODEN coat from Kent is a simple blue shield with three silver bendlets. This is also from the General Armory. (Illustration) Of course,there is nothing unusual in finding different arms – or similar arms with different crests – borne by different families of the same name. Arms descend only to the legitimate male line descendants of the original grantee. In the case of more common surnames,one finds numerous different coats of arms. This shows the absurdity of the ‘arms of your name’ industry. Faced as we are with three different SODEN crests – a. Three heads; b. A single head c. Three bendlets It is entirely a matter of conjecture whether they were borne by related or unrelated families. It is even possible that (c) was an earlier coat discarded later in favour of one of the others.In the absence of further information one can only speculate. The Irish Sodens (Notes from a letter by Eccles,…) Crest:- in Fox-Davis’ Book of Crests is given as the same as the English one. However , the crest and arms on the grave in Moneygold , Sligo is substantially different from that of the English one . And , of course , the German crest bears no relation to either the Irish or English one , there being two for the Northern and Southern German branches.Heraldry is treated under the chapter of that heading. ——————— THE HERALDIC ARMS OF THE SODENS IN ENGLAND. In the beginning armorial bearings were devices painted on the shields of military knights in armour as a personal mark of identification,whether in battle or at tournaments,and they were probably first used in England between 1135 and 1154. In the 13th century,instead of being confined to use by knights,they became the hereditary propertt of their male descendants,and therefore a symbol of their user’s social status.The hereditary principle led to duplication,which necessitated regulation,at first by heralds who made the first grants of arms in 1389,and by the College of Arms in London from 1483,from which time they have kept a register of the arms they have granted and those whose use was already approved. Today no one can genuinely claim to possess arms unless they are able to prove direct male-line descent from an ancestor who is recorded by the College as being entitled to arms,or a new grant of arms has been made to them. The use of officially approved arms is today regarded by some as a mark of snobbishness,but armorial bearings are a very helpful means of establishing a family’s descent and of unravelling that of families bearing the same name. Though the Warwickshire Sodens of the present day make no claim to having properly authorised arms,those of the same name did possess them from a very early time. Burke’s General Armory (1884) gives the arms of Stephen Sodan of Kent (see Chapter 2) as having been ‘Azure,three bends argent’,and those of another Stephen Sodan as ‘Bend of 6 argent and azure’,while the arms of Percival Sowdan who accompanied King Edward 1 to Scotland and France in 1300 was ‘Argent,quarterly engrailed gules’. All of these different arms are said by the College of Arms to be of very early medieval date,as indicated by their appearance in the Roll of Arms,but the College has been unable to trace any family using them in their early records or the herald’s visitations. Both Burke,and Papworth’s Ordinary of British Armorials,show other arms for the Sodens of both England and Ireland: ‘ Gules,a man’s head couped at the neck argent’,with a crest showing a stag,lodged at gaze,between two laurel branches proper’. These arms and the crest have been used by the Warwickshire Sodens at least for the past hundred years,but their origin and authorisation cannnot be traced. The use of the saracen’s head,however,would seem to indicate its first use by one of the Crusaders. Extract from THE COVENTRY SODENS by RONALD SODEN Appendix III,page 111 (1992) THE SODEN COAT OF ARMS IN GERMANY The Soden coat of arms consists of one shield,which is divided into two equal fields,of which the upper red field contains a four-leaved white rose,and the lower white field contains a similar red rose. Up to the 16th century the field was divided on the bias,the roses upon the shield being five-leaved.The oldest coat of arms which has come down to us with the diagonally divided field,was attached about the 15th century,to a house in Hanover belonging to Merten von Zoide. Later on it was fastened to the present Leibniz house. Another coat of arms was found in the so-called Soden Kloster in Hanover,but has disappeared since this building was razed in 1887.The shield contained in the Saint Annes or Soden Chapel,shared the same fate,and was destroyed with the building. In later times,i.e., about the end of the 18th century,we find a shield which had been attached to the portals of the Wurzburgsstrasse Theatre. About this time this theatre was under the management of COUNT JULIUS VON SODEN,who among others,had his own plays produced on that stage. This is taken from the original German transcribed and translated by JOHN V.SODEN in 1912.The Monograph was entitled :- THE VON SODE(N) FAMILY by JULIUS VON SODEN of STUTTGART,GERMANY.

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From the document by Otto von Soden,Dresden-Blasewitz September,1937 The Sodens and the Rustebergs have in the common arms a double-armed Handlejug, the von Sothen family (a later patrician family in Duderstadt) on the other hand has a mussel,we two roses in our arms. This is however no counterproof of our close relationship,because at this time of heraldry family coats of arms had little standard so branches of families chose their own special signs,according to origin,possession and taste. The town arms of Allendorf in den Soden shows a flag and has the colours white and red – these are also the provincial colours of Hesse. Now we have ,and not just by chance, the same Arms colours. In these colours ,above white (silver), below red,Dietrich von Sode (Nr. 7d Family tree) had these brought to the choir window of the Aegidienchurch in Hannover. As helmet decoration also two small flags and our two roses could perhaps even be an indication of the home double town Sooden-Allendorf, right and left of the Werra.