James Wolfe (d. before 1638)

James Wolfe, also known as James Wolfe of Corbally, was born perhaps in the 1570s in Limerick city, County Limerick. He was the son of Richard Wolfe, who was sheriff of Limerick in 1591; the grandson of John Wolfe, bailiff of the city in 1567 and mayor in 1578; great grandson of Thomas Wolfe, city sheriff in 1520; and great-great grandson of Thomas Wolfe, also known as Thomas Wolfe of Ballyphilip, who was sheriff in 1476.

Wolfe was a Catholic merchant of Limerick and Corbally (present-day Longstone, parish of Geran). His wife is believed to have the surname Harold, and the couple had five, possibly six sons: Patrick, George, James, Andrew, Stephen, and Francis, the latter’s relationship remaining unconfirmed. Patrick and George likely became merchants or farmers, while James, Andrew, and Francis joined the priesthood.

Records indicate that, in 1611, Wolfe advanced £108 and twelve three-year-old milch cows to Edmund Burke of Garranekishy toward the purchase of land that had once been in the Wolfe family. He established title to the land three years later. His estate totaled about 1,500 acres.

Wolfe wrote his first will in 1620, awarding the property to his eldest son, Patrick. He twice revoked the will, however, each time leaving his estate to different sons. When he died, sometime before 1638, his will had been amended again, this time in favor of Patrick. Patrick Wolfe died soon after his father, and the estate’s ultimate inheritor was his eldest son, James Wolfe.

Top of the page: King John’s Castle, Limerick, 2016 by David Lee (Flickr)