The Hodgens family is connected with Wexford by Benjamin Hodgens Esq., Collector of Excise, who died in the Castle on November 12th 1848 having lived there for only a year. There is no other Wexford connection.
(These next 3 paragraphs are also in the Taylor’s Castle post:-
In 1846 Benjamin Hodgens was Collector of Excise in Wexford and had a house in Rowe Street valued at nearly fifteen pounds. The Castle became vacant in 1847 after the death of Mrs Cavenagh. Benjamin Hodgen’s time at the Castle was to be sadly short.
On November 12th 1848 Benjamin Hodgens Esq., Collector of Excise, of the Castle Wexford, departed this life in the 62nd year of his age. The altar tomb in Kilmallock, Wexford, is erected by his affectionate and sorrowing widow.
A few days later the Newry Examiner and Louth Advertiser tells its readers that the collectorship of excise at Wexford is vacant by the death of Benjamin Hodgens, Esq.)
According to the Freeman’s Journal of December 31st 1840 Mr Hodgens was for several years Supervisor of Clonmel, the duties of which situation he discharges with credit and efficiency”. He was, in 1840, “promoted to the office of Surveying General Examiner”. Benjamin Hodgens seems to have been moved to Carlow as he owned a house on Brown Street in 1841 valued at £7.10. In 1842 Benjamin Hodgens, Esq., “late supervisor of Carlow, while on a tour of inspection, was ordered to take charge of the office of Collector of Clonmel, vacant by the death of Mr. Millar” according to the Limerick Chronicle of July 20th. An Excise sale of 1843 places Benjamin Hodgens in the Cork Excise office while in 1843 the Cork Examiner explains that having lately been acting collector of Cork Benjamin Hodgens has been promoted to Oban, Argyleshire. In 1846 Benjamin Hodgens was Collector of Excise in Wexford and has a house in Rowe Street valued at nearly fifteen pounds. The Castle became vacant in 1847 after the death of Mrs Cavenagh who lived there. Benjamin Hodgen’s time at the Castle was sadly short.
Benjamin and Henrietta Hodgens.
Benjamin Hodgens (1786-1848) was married to Henrietta (1795-1876). They married in about 1820. Henrietta died in Carlow at Mount M[…], the same place that Emma Jane married from see below. The death was registered by C E McDowell of 48 Dublin Street, Carlow.
Benjamin and Henrietta had several children:- Their daughters Maria and Frances both died in 1849 in Carlow after a short illness; their son the Rev. Thomas Hodgens remained single; their daughter Jane married Robert McDowell Esq., Governor of Carlow Gaol; their son the Rev. Benjamin Hodgens married Anne Lloyd in Abergavenny.
Jane McDowell nee Hodgens in Carlow.
Benjamin and Harriet’s daughter Jane married in 1834 Robert McDowell Esq., Governor of Carlow Gaol. Benjamin Hodgens Esq., is Supervisor of Excise in Clonmel, the marriage took place in St. Mary’s Church, Clonmel, on the 4th of March.
The McDowell family remained in Carlow. Jane and Robert’s eldest daughter Harriot McDowell married William Jones in 1861, her uncle the Rev. Thomas Hodgens officiated.
Jane and Robert also had a son born in 1834.
Jane and Robert’s daughter Emma Jane McDowell of Mount M[…], Carlow, married in 1895 Thomas Todd, widower, merchant, of 27 Bridgestock Street Bristol. The witnesses were Maria McDowell and Benjamin F. McDowell who might be others of Jane and Robert’s children.
The Rev. Benjamin Hodgens in Abergavenny.
Benjamin and Anne LLoyd had only ten years together. In 1859, aged only 35, the Rev. Benjamin Hodgens died of phthisis in Abergavenny.
Benjamin and Henrietta’s son the Rev. Benjamin Hodgens, it is reported in the Tipperary Free Press of 3rd June 1848, married Anne Lloyd in Abergavenny: Anne’s father was the late John Lloyd of Llantillio, Crossenny, Abergavenny.
Benjamin and Anne Lloyd had a daughter Anna Maria Lloyd Hodgens (1851-1889) remained single and continued to live with her mother in Abergavenny.
Benjamin and Anne Lloyd’s son Benjamin Edgar Hodgens (1853-1910) was a solicitor. In 1901 he lived in a boarding house in Abergavenny run by Frenchwoman Georgina Breillat who he married in 1903. Benjamin Edgar Hodgens died in 1910 aged 57 and left £9,000 to his widow. The Rev. Thomas Hodgens officiated at his funeral - presumably a family member but can’t be his brother. Georgina Hodgens remained unmarried until her death in 1950, she left £8,000.
The Rev. Thomas Hodgens in Somerset.
Benjamin and Henrietta’s son the Rev. Thomas Hodgens (1828-1865) studied in Trinity College Dublin and became a deacon in 1849. In 1851 Thomas was a curate at Melborne Port in Somerset. With him was his recently widowed mother Henrietta. As Henrietta does not appear in later UK census she may have returned to Ireland.