The first record of William Carle/Carroll, is in the Story of Old Saratoga & History of Schuylerville (1901) by John Henry Brandon. Schuylerville’s earliest fire department is described on page 327 of Brandon’s book.  The fire department was then known as the “Bucket Brigade” because each resident owning a house worth $500 or more was required to own two buckets bearing his initials kept in a convenient place in the house. When an alarm was given the resident was required to appear on the scene of the fire with his buckets filled with water. The village purchased a fire engine in 1836. William Carroll along with some thirty others is listed as a member of the Schuylerville Fire Department.  Captain of the fire department was Mayo Pond.

William next appears as William Carle, age 46, on page 263 of the 1850 US Census for the Town of Saratoga, Saratoga County, New York. His occupation is listed as a watchman. William was born in Ireland as was his wife Bridget, age 48. Also in the household were Bridget Eustice, age 22, and John Eustice, age 17, plus ten others including Elizabeth Carle (16), Catherine Carle (14) and Mary Carle (4). Mary Carle/Carroll was a daughter of William and Bridget. The exact relationship of Elizabeth and Catherine to William and Bridget is unclear.

Based on several pieces of evidence we know that Bridget (Mrs. William Carroll) was a Eustace. She was referred to in John Eustice’s 1916 obituary in the Janesville (Minnesota) Argus, as the un-named aunt with whom he lived with upon his arrival in the United States. In a 1903 letter to his cousin Thomas Eustis of Schuylerville, New York, the same John Eustis asks how are Aunt Bridget and Uncle John? Bridget was a sister to Patrick Eustace who lived in Townland Collum, Cashel Parish, James who lived near Ballymahon, Shrule Parish and John who is identified on census and custodianship records in Saratoga County between 1855 and 1875. The parents of Bridget, Patrick, James and John have not been identified. Patrick Eustace is the ancestor of the Eustis family in Schuylerville/Victory Mills, New York and James is the ancestor through his son John of the Eustice family of Waseca County, Minnesota.

The first Catholic Masses at Victory Mills were held at the houses of different members, conducted at irregular intervals by visiting priests. Sunday school was generally held at the house of William Carroll. May we assume that Bridget Eustace Carroll taught the religion classes?

Bridget Eustace Carroll apparently passed away between 1853 and 1854. No death or burial records have been found. On the 1855 New York state census William Carroll is listed as a grocer man. He appears to have gotten younger and gave his age as 40. At the time of the census, he has been married about one year to a second Bridget who was 25 years old and had lived in the U.S. six years. I have determined that the second Bridget Carroll was Bridget Eustace/Eustis, who was listed on the 1850 census living with William and Bridget Carle. Bridget was the niece of William’s first wife Bridget Eustace. Life during this period was hard and unpredictable. A father suddenly left with small children often married quickly and the fact that the second wife was half his age did not matter. After all, marriages often occurred for economic security rather than for love. William Carroll has the unique distinction of marrying not just one, but two women named Bridget Eustace.

Also living in the Carroll home at the time of the 1855 census were Catherine Carroll, age 6 months and John Ustest (Eustice), boarder, age 45 who was a naturalized citizen and had lived in the U.S. 13 years.

William Carroll died in late 1855; his estate was transferred to his widow Bridget Carroll in Saratoga County records on January 7, 1856.

The Guardianship paper for Mary Carroll and Catherine Carroll processed in 1858 provides evidence of the family relationships.

Guardianship Record of Bridget Gannon, mother of Catherine Carroll and the mother-in-law of Mary Carroll (Saratoga County, New York-1858). The record is as follows:

 Mary is to best information present recollected is 13 years and about 6 months of age that said

Catherine was 3 years on the fifteenth of December; the only relatives of said minors residing in the county are your petitioner (Bridget Gannon) and John Uestis (Eustace) who is the maternal uncle to said Mary—that Thomas Uestis (Eustace) and Mary Uestis (Eustace) are Maternal Uncle and Aunt to said Catherine. (Note: Instead of mother-in-law, let’s try step mother or legal guardian; making William Carroll’s first wife a Eustice/Eustace/Uestis. This provides evidence that the first Mrs. Carroll is Bridget Eustace, the aunt of John and Bridget Eustice, mentioned in the 1850 federal census and that Bridget Gannon is a daughter of Mary Carroll’s mother’s brother.)

Probate records for the estate of William Carroll provide an interesting glimpse of the items necessary to operate of a grocery store during the 1850s. Some of the items listed in the William and Bridget Carroll store inventory;