From: The History of Bandon - George Bennett.
Bennett, Captain Thomas (governor of Baltimore Castle, ancestor of the Bennett’s of Bandon and of Bennett’s Grove, Clonakilty). was second son of Thomas Bennett, of Bandon; which Thomas is believed to have been the eldest son of a younger brother of Thomas Bennett, of Clapcot, the father of Thomas Bennett, who was high-sheriff of London in 1594, and lord mayor upon the accession of James the First (1603), upon which accession he was created a baronet. During the latter part of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the colony of Bandon-bridge was established by Phane, son of Alderman Henry Beecher, of London. Beecher was accompanied to his “new plantation” by the sons of some of the members of the London corporation, as well as the younger sons of families from various parts of England. These together founded the original colony; and amongst them was Thomas Bennett. He died prior to 1632, and three of his sons - Jonathan, Thomas, and George - were appointed “executors of their father dying intestate”. His second son, the governor of Baltimore, was, as we have said, Thomas Bennett. He was an active member of the Bandon corporation, of which he was elected a burgess, June 12th, 1632, in room of Stephen Skipwith, one of the first twelve elected. In 1637, having removed to Baltimore, he resigned his burgesship, to the regret of the corporation, as follows - “Whereas Thomas Bennett, one of the free-burgesses of this borough, has removed himself out of said corporation; and it is now declared in forth and so forth that, in respect of his residence, he cannot be any way of assistance to the provost and free-burgesses of this corporation, and he having desired that he might be deprived of the said office of free-burgess of this borough, we regret his having so desired as aforesaid.” - (Vide Corporation Records.) The year before (1636) he obtained from Walter Coppinger the castle, town, and lands of Baltimore, and part of the lands of Tullough, as appears by an indenture bearing date June 30th, 1636, in which “Walterius Coppinger,” demised to him “castr vill’ er terr’ de Downeshed als Baltimore, an messuag’ et tribus carrucat’ terr’ de Tullough in com’ pred’, “ &c. Governor Bennett, was strongly attached to the Parliament, and took an early opportunity of declaring in its favour. “Baltimore Castle, well-mounted with ordnance, was in the hands and under the command of Thomas Bennett, a Parliamentarian.” - (Vide Carte MSS., Oxford.) Notwithstanding his avowed hostility to the Royalist party after they became united with the Irish, yet his services in the cause of England (478) were too prominent a character to be passed over unrequited; accordingly his name was inserted in the savings under the Act of Settlement for the full amount of his claims, (i.e. £1,099 13s. 6d.) He is also mentioned in the list of 1649 officers. He died, leaving with other male issue, Thomas, his successor, and a daughter Frances, who married Sir Richard Hull, a justice of the Court of Common Pleas (temp. Charles the Second); by whom she had a son William, who inherited the manor of Lemcon and other considerable possessions, and a daughter, who married her cousin Moore of the family of Sir E. Moore, baronet of Rosscarbery. Thomas, his successor, married a Miss Wood, of Baltimore, by whom he had two sons:- Thomas, who inherited the family estates, and resided at Ringrove (alias Bennett’s Grove), Clonakilty; and William, who settled in Bandon where he married (December 27th, 1715,) Dorothy Whelply, by whom he had, with other issue - Thomas, who married Mary, daughter of Captain Smith, and sister of the Rev. William Elliott Mars Smith, of Easingwold, Yorkshire, and died in 1808, leaving numerous issue.