Constantia Piers
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About
Constantia Piers married the Reverend Vere Hunt of Curragh in 1712 and brought two considerable inheritances into this family with her. She was the eldest daughter of Sir William Piers, second baronet of Tristernagh Abbey in Westmeath, and through her mother she was a granddaughter of a Lord Kerry, which carries the line back into the Geraldines and the medieval barons of Kerry and Lixnaw. Her own forename is a small piece of evidence in itself: her grandmother was a Constance, and daughters were named backwards in these families as reliably as sons were.
Research notes
*** CURRENT GRADE - READ FIRST (stamped 15 Sep 2026): FILIATION ✓ PROVEN BY PRIMARY RECORD - her mother Honora's REGISTERED WILL (Registry of Deeds, ROD PR/TB/1/8, memorial 1874: 'her Daughter Constance Piers', appointed co-executor; CONSTANCE SEALED THE MEMORIAL HERSELF), identity locked by memorial 1893 (her 200-pound mortgage, same two witnesses, same fortnight). The chokepoint rung for Brian Boru, William the Lion and the Kavanagh descent rests on a fire-surviving legal record. Layers below = audit trail (Burke's-only era, cross-checks, the 14 Sep proof); read to the end. *** UPGRADED 21 Jul 2026 (Burke's Peerage & Baronetage, DE VERE article p.296, photographed by Aynsley): "Constantia, eldest dau. of SIR WILLIAM PIERS, BART., of Tristernagh, co. Westmeath, and granddau. (maternally) of WILLIAM FITZMAURICE, LORD KERRY"; m. Rev. Vere Hunt of Curragh 1712 (also Limerick Archives P22); four sons - Vere (our line), Henry (ancestor of the Cappagh, co. Tipperary branch and "the Hunts of Georgia"), John, William. Direct ancestress. Grade: marriage ✓; parentage per Burke's printed lineage. CROSS-CHECK PASSED 21 Jul 2026 (Burke's Peerage PIERS article): her father = SIR WILLIAM PIERS, 2ND BT (d. 1693), whose wife the Piers pedigree confirms as "HONORA, eldest dau. of WILLIAM, 20TH LORD KERRY" - the Kerry-granddaughter detail matches from both directions; the noble splice (Piers Bts + Fitzmaurice Lords Kerry) is now ✓, with the one caveat that Constantia's own name appears only in the De Vere lineage (the Piers article compresses the 2nd Bt's children to "with other issue"). ONOMASTIC CORROBORATION (Cokayne III, 21 Jul 2026): her maternal grandmother was CONSTANCE LONG - "Constantia" repeats the grandmother's name, exactly as expected in this family. Possible clincher available someday: her mother Honora's will, pr. [I.] 1710, may name her (Betham abstract hunt). Added 21 Jul 2026; upgraded same day. *** FILIATION PROVEN 14 Sep 2026 - PRIMARY, FIRE-SURVIVING RECORD: Registry of Deeds Transcript Book, ROD PR/TB/1/8, MEMORIAL 1874, pp.112-13 (page-imaged at Virtual Record Treasury; printed abstract = Eustace, IMC 1954/RoD/1/1711/41): registered memorial of the WILL OF HONORIA PIERS 'late of the City of Dublin Widow', dated 11 Mar 1707/8, registered 26 Feb 1710/11 - devises [Ho]restowne, co. WESTMEATH, to son William Piers and his heirs, remainder 'to her Daughter CONSTANCE PIERS', remainder to daughter Honoria Piers, remainder to Julia Connor wife of Charles Connor of Dublin; 'does appoint her said Daughter Constance and her said son William Piers Executors of her said Will'; CONSTANCE HERSELF SIGNED AND SEALED THE MEMORIAL ('Seal of Constance Piers'), witnesses Will Westbery and Will Smith. IDENTITY LOCK: the SAME TWO WITNESSES in the SAME FORTNIGHT attest MEMORIAL 1893 (same volume p.120, deed 21-22 Feb, reg. 2 Mar 1710/11): 'Constance Piers of the City of Dublin Spinster' lending 200 pounds to Jeremiah Smith of Maine, co. Louth, on Coolestowne (60a) and Mullincross/Dardis Land (16a), barony of Ardee - her legacy at interest, the year before her marriage (finding aid: Crossle Genealogical Abstracts p.479, findmypast image supplied by Aynsley 14 Sep 2026). Family shape in the will (son William; daughters Constance and Honoria) matches Cokayne exactly - there is NO second Constance. GRADE NOW: filiation to her MOTHER = PROVEN (primary record); father Sir William 2nd Bt stands via Cokayne's identification of Honora - and the whole Kerry/Geraldine/royal ascent runs through the MOTHER, which is precisely the link now proven. The chokepoint rung for Brian Boru, William the Lion and the Kavanagh descent no longer rests on Burke's alone. Upgraded 14 Sep 2026.