Michael Eustace was born in Rathoe, County Carlow about 1841. He was the son of Edwin Eustace, husbandman (caretaker of farm animals), who had died before 29 November 1860 when Michael enlisted in the British army in Dublin. At the time of enlistment, Michael resided at Rathoe Parish, County Carlow and was 19 years 11 months old. The enlistment document states that Michael measured 5 foot six inches tall, weighed 144 pounds, had brown hair, grey eyes and a mole on the right side of his chest. His occupation is given as a laborer and his religion as Roman Catholic. He received a £2 bounty and a free kit as an incentive to join the army.

Michael Eustace served in the British army for 28 years and was stationed at various locations including India from July 15, 1861 until December 18, 1869, where he served at Bangalore and Madras. This was an incredible time of rapid expansion of the British Empire during the reign of Queen Victoria.

Military records show that Michael suffered a fractured leg on April 22, 1874 when his horse fell with him at the English city of Chester on the Welsh border. The 1881 census shows that Michael was living at Bull Point Barracks, Plympton District, St. Budeaux, Devon. His occupation is listed as gunner, Royal Artillery. Michael reached the rank of sergeant and was honorably discharged on 30 November 1888 after 28 years and two days of active duty. He went to live at Gun Wharf in Devonport, Devon. The discharge record lists his age as 44 years, which is somewhat inconsistent with the enlistment record. Michael worked as a groom in later life and died during the fourth quarter of 1900 at East Stonehouse, Devon at about age 59.

Michael Eustace married (1) Augusta Gray on 10 November 1877 at Stoke Dameral, Devon. She lived with him in the barracks until she died in 1893 at East Stonehouse Barracks.  They had five children;

1. Florence Eustace; born in 1880 at Devonport. She married Arthur Ernest Petherick. Florence Eustace and Arthur Petherick had three children;

    a. Arthur Ernest Petherick; 1902-1981;

    b. James Walter Petherick; 1904-1957;

    c. George Thomas Petherick; 1905 (he later married Amelia Ann Phillips).

2. Annie Eustace; 1882- no other info.

3. James Eustace; on 1911 census he was living with his sister and family and was a coachman.

4. Lily Wilemenia Eustace; 1890-no other information.

5. May Augusta Eustace; 1892-1983. She was born at Stonehouse, Devon and married Patrick Cassidy from Glasgow, Lanarkshire, whose parents were Irish immigrants to Great Britain. May Eustace and Patrick Cassidy were the parents of two daughters. One was Diane Ruff’s husband’s birth mother. May later married an Albert Hendrickson and then divorced him and emigrated to Australia with her grandchildren. May Eustace died in Australia during 1986 at age 91.

Michael Eustace married (2) Hannah Elizabeth Robjohns in Stonehouse, Devon in September 1895 and had two more children.
6. Edith Ellen Eustace;  1897 Devon. She only lived for 3 months.
7. Lily Louisa Eustace; 1897 Devon-no other information.
Diane Ruff is the author of this information. Contact Diane.