Nehemiah Donnellan was third son of Sir James Donnellan, and Sarah, daughter of Jonah Wheeler, bishop of Ossory; was born in Dublin 1649; was given a commission as an ensign in a foot regiment 1662; matriculated in Dublin University as a fellow-commoner 1666; entered Middle Temple 1669; appears as a student there 1671; was fined then for breaking open the doors of the hall, parliament chamber, and kitchen, and for setting up a gaming Christmas; went to practice at the Irish Bar; was appointed a commissioner of appeals in revenue cases 1677; appears as a widower at the time of the Revolution 1688; went to England with his mother and two children; was called to the bar in the Middle Temple 1689; returned to Ireland as one of the King's counsel 1690; was appointed prime serjeant 1692; became member for Galway same year; was elected recorder of Dublin 1693; married Martha, daughter of Christopher Ussher 1694; was appointed third baron of the Exchequer 1695; appears in attendance on the house of lords 1695.1697;acted as a commissioner of the great seal 1697; became then a privy councillor; was granted a fourth part of lands to which he had discovered the crown had title same year; was suggested as a desirable addition to the English bench 1700; became chief baron 1703; appears in attendance on the house of lords same year; resided in Dublin in William-street; died 1705; left issue, including a daughter, Anne, who founded the Donnellan lectures in Trinity College, Dublin [The Irish Builder, 1887, p.202]..............
All of the above was verbatim from pages 62-63 of this book.

Ball,F. Elrington. THE JUDGES IN IRELAND, 1221-1921. Vol. II.
New York: E.P.Dutton and Company, 1927.

Chapter 1 WHIG AND TORY Sovereigns - William III and Mary II.
Years-1690 to 1702

Eighteen months later, in the summer of 1695, when the whigs secured a further advantage by the dismissal of the two tory lords justices, and the conversion of the whig one, Lord Capel, insto a lord deputy, an attempt was made to leaven the toryism of the bench, and Reynell anad Hartstonge, who had been dismissed by James for favouring Protestants, now found themselves dismissed by William for favouring Roman Catholics. The two new judges, Nehemiah Donnellan and Robert Doyne, whom these dismissals brought upon the bench, were both members of the Irish Bar, the former being prime serjeant and the latter a king's counsel, and as they had both sat in the Irish house of commons, where they had presumably given satisfactory proof of their whiggery, which afterwards appeared, however, to be no more than skin-deep. They were also, strange to say, both of Celtic origin, Donnellan having the same descent as Charles the Second's chief justice of the name, of whom he was son by his second marriage, and Doyne tracing his descent from Irish chieftains. (Footnote: Burke's Landed gentry of Ireland, under Doyne of Wells) Although Donnellan was prime serjeant and slightly senior in age, he was given the lower place, being appointed puisne baron in Hartstonge's room, while Doyne became chief baron, a place vacated by the promotion of Pyne to the chief seat in the King's Bench, and of Hely to the chief seat in the King's Bench, and of Hely to the chief seat in the Common Pleas. At the same time, whig malice inspired the removal of Cox and Jeffreyson from the privy council.
Chapter II Tories Triumphant Sovereign - Anne 1701-1714 ....as a consequence of Cox's promotion, advancement came to Chief Baron Doyne and Baron Donnellan who found reason to change their political opinions, and a seat on the bench fell to an Irish barrister, Robert Johnson, whose devotion to the name of tory was fanatical....... Chief Baron of the Exchequer Nehemiah Donnellan, P.C. A year and a half before the close of Ormond's first viceroyalty a contest began between him and the English ministers as to filling a vacancy on the bench caused by the death of Chief Baron Donnellan.
(p.28)
THE IRISH BUILDER, 1887, p.202.

With my personal thanks to Mary Anne Helms for being the first to provide this data. It was supported later by material provided by the King's Inns.

LE10/3 - Baron Nehemiah Donelan's Will

[] = Commentary added by JLD/2001.
[The document LE10/3 are actually notes made by Dermot when the family was being researched in about 1896. They consist of what is purported to be the Will, but from the notes looks to be more of a draft. I do have a certified copy of the codicil to the Will that is also notated hereinunder. In addition to the Will and codicil, the document also includes the notes by Dermot from the Deeds Office located at Henrietta Street].

Copied from the Four Courts circa 1890.
I do bequeath to my wife Martha Donelan the Manor House and lands of Nenagh in the Co. Tipperary now let to Mr. Beardmann at about f 300 a year over and above rent payable to the Duke of Ormond also Manor House and lands of Lacka, etc. in said Co. held by Mr. Moore at about the above rent also payable to the Duke of Ormond. Together with any house where I now dwell in William Street Dublin and the corner house in Castle Street and Fishamble Street held from me by my nephew Dean Reader (or ??) altogether f 500 a year. As long as she shall continue to be a widow and bear my name and no longer and this devise to be for her in lieu of all ??? or jointure settled on her by articles settled with her father Mr. Ussher and I also bequeath to her in trust all my properties for five years. All my properties to pay my debts and also my son Johns debts except the lands of Johnstown, Ross Ballina, Ballinrin, Knocknavilla and the Rectory of Tullaghanague all in the County Meath which are to go to my eldest son James Donelan as the Estate of his mother descended to him besides the rent charges from the City of Dublin bequeathed to him by his Grandfather. And from the expiration of the said five years I do for reasons too well known only bequeath to my said eldest son James Donelan for his life the three houses and back houses in Skinner's Row now called the Pestle and Mortar, held by Mr. Richard Wilkinson and also next house and garden held by Mr. Browne also (several houses held by different people. Doc.D.) and the Rectory in Intahoe(?) in Queens County held by Mr. Dugan to go to my wife and at the decease of my son James if his sons are Protestants and not otherwise. To his eldest son and other sons etc and in default of such sons to my son Nehemiah Donelan my first son by my said now wife, and in default of his issue to my second son Christopher. The etc. to my third son.
And after said lease of five years. I devise unto my said son Nehemiah Donelan (all the names of houses already mentioned ??) also lands at Dolphin's Barn and houses in Kilmainham houses in Lambally near Newgate, houses in College Green and Anglsey Street. Houses in Crow Lane in ??man town and the debt therefrom of f 200 etc.. And the small parcels of land I have in Connaught. I bequeath to my son Nehemiah & so on. To my youngest son Christopher ( and in failure of all ?) and then to James and after the death of James if his sons are Protestants. I give unto my daughter Martha Donelan f 1500. Daughter Anne f 1200. Son Christopher f 1000 and to the child my dear wife now goes with f 1000.
And I bequeath (etc. to my children) from the following mortgages due (to him) from Mr. Edgeworth f 2000 from Lord Limerick f 1660 Captain Forde f 1200 from Mr. Ussher f 300 from Fitzgerald f 100.
[NOTE: This next paragraph was x'd out in the document-JLD].
Codicil: Having bought Nenagh etc. from the Duke of Ormond and I have also acquired an interest in the lands of Brunnosctown and the other lands in Co. Kildare & Dublin from the Corporation of Hollowsword (Make arrangements for the payment of money due on them).
[It continues on as follows:-JLD]
Codicil dated March 30th 1704. Having bought Nenagh and Jaraukturry? From the Duke of Ormond and contracted thereby a great debt of f 5000 to Richard Nutly and Benjamin Burton and also acquired interest in the lands of Braun??? And the rest of the lands in the Cos of Kildare and Dublin from the Corporation of Hollow Sword blades I do bequeath all property to executor for 10 years to pay off debt Brann??town Nenagh Tipperary lands to Nehemiah.
Probate Granted to Martha Donelan January 2nd, 1705
She married Philip Percival brother of 1st Earl of Egmont and died without ?? a second family about 1750.
Above Will and Codicil are in Four Courts.