William John Hennessy

William John Hennessy (11 July 1839 – 27 December 1917) was an Irish-American artist.

Life William John Hennessy (originally Ó hAonghusa) was born in Thomastown, County Kilkenny on 11 July 1839. His father, John Hennessy, was forced to leave Ireland in 1848 as a result of his involvement in the Young Ireland movement. He landed in Canada and settled in New York City. Hennessy, his mother Catherine (née Laffin), and brother joined their father there in July 1849. He gained admittance to the National Academy of Design in 1854 and exhibited his first works there. He moved to Normandy in 1875, and continued to visit London frequently. He returned to England in 1893 to live in Brighton, and later Rudgwick, Sussex but visited France often. He died in Rudgwick on 27 December 1917.

Family He was married around 1868 to Charlotte Mather (1842-1940), from New Haven, Connecticut, a descendant of the old New England Mather family, and had by her four children: Marguerite "Moya" (1868-1941) married Léon de Janzé (1848-1910) at the Château de Parfondeval, France. They were the parents of sportsman and writer Frédéric de Janzé. Eleanor "Norah" (1872-1958) married in 1915 Paul Ayshford Methuen, 4th Baron Methuen (1886-1974), at Corsham Court. Philip (1873-1954). Kathleen.