Edward (also
known as Ned) was James and Ann's 5th child and
their 4th son. Ned was born with crippled feet
and was incapable of performing manual labor. So
he was sent to school where he became a brilliant
scholar and was the only child of James and Anne
that was literate.
Ned studied two trades, one a surveyor and the
other a valuator of land. Ned would find plenty
of employment in surveying and valuing; he always
worked for the tenant farmers on the Irish Land
Commission but would never work for a landlord as
he hated them like vermin. It is believed that he
lived out his life with his sister Kate who also
never married and help take care of James and
Anne in the latter days.
Edward never married or emigrated but according
to his nephew Jamie "He was a great reader,
and as to the history of Ireland, since the dawn
of time he could repeat it like he was saying his
prayers".
After Henry died at the age of 63, Ned, then 68,
was left in charge of Henry's children. It was at
this time that Ned, being the family historian,
would impart the McMenamin history to Henry's
children. Many years latter, one of them, Jamie,
would pass on much of this information in A Letter to Joe McMenamin.
