Eustace Family in County Roscommon,
Ireland
Compiled by Ronald F. Eustice
The Eustace
Family in County Roscommon
The name
Eustace is very rare in County Roscommon. A search conducted in March 2007 by
the County Roscommon Heritage & Genealogical Company located three families that
lived in the entire county between 1850 and the early 1900s, as follows:
John Eustice and Bridget Dufficy
John
Eustace was born circa 1848 in Kings County.
He married Bridget Dufficy, although no record of this marriage was located.
John was at one time an Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) Officer, but had left the
force by 1886 when his occupation was listed as an RIC Pensioner on the birth of
his son Michael Joseph. Bridget
Eustace
died in
Cartron on
23rd
February 1901 aged 48 years.
John and Bridget had issue:
-
Henry Francis
Eustace,
born on 24th February 1883, in Cartron, the
father was listed as a farmer,
and baptised on
28th February 1883 (sponsors: Patrick Lynan and Ann
Dufficy).
He married at Tulsk to Bridget Dockery on
22nd June 1938.
-
Eva Eustace,
born on
26th November 1884,
in Cartron, father’s occupation, farmer.
-
Michael Joseph
Eustace,
born on 22nd September 1886, in Cartron,
fathers occupation, Pensioner
RIC,
and baptised on 26th September 1886
(sponsors: James Callan and Ann Flaherty).
-
Thomas Eustace,
born in Cartron, baptised on 15th August 1890 (sponsors: John Higgins and Mary Conroy).
He died in Carton on
24th December 1890,
aged given as six months.
-
Mary Kate Eustace,
born on
08th February 1892, in Cartron, father’s occupation, farmer,
and baptised on
13th February 1892
(sponsors: Francis Eustance and Mary Keaveney).
Catherine Dufficy, age 45, occupation housekeeper and described as a
sister-in-law is listed with the John Eustace family on the 1901 census which
was taken on 31st March. Catherine Dufficy was probably the sister to Bridget
who had passed away only a week earlier.
John Eustice and Mary Travers
No marriage or death records were
located for this couple, but two baptismal records were located for their
children as follows:
-
William
Eustace,
baptised on 2nd July 1859 (sponsors: Thomas Henry and Sara
Fury).
-
James Eustace,
baptised on 15th February 1861 (sponsor: Mary Eustace).
John Eustice and Margaret Mullins
Again no marriage or death records located for this couple,
although it is possible that John is the same John that was married to Mary
Travers, there were two children of this couple located;
·
Thomas Eustace,
baptised on 11th May 1862 (sponsors: Patrick Daly and Winifred Donohoe).
·
Richard Eustace,
born on 3rd February 1864, in Keeff Street, Athlone, father’s
occupation, baker,
and baptised on 21st February 1864
(sponsors: Martin Beuson and Margaret Mahon).
Thomas Eustace & Ann Fahey
Thomas Eustace (son of Thomas) was
born c1824-1830. He married Ann Fay (Fahey) about 1851 (place unknown). Ann was
believed to be a native of County Westmeath. Thomas and Ann Eustace lived in
County Roscommon. Thomas Eustace was a
shoemaker by trade and went to England probably as a result of the Potato
Famine. Ann Fahey (Fay)’s father was a cheese dealer and later may have owned
several grocers shops. According to their marriage certificate, Thomas’s father
was also named Thomas and was also a shoemaker. Thomas and Ann Eustace lived in
Sutton, near St. Helens in Lancashire, England and had nine children, eight sons
and one daughter.
The 1871 Census
records of Sutton, Lancashire, England |
Name |
Relationship |
Age |
Thomas Eustace
|
Head |
43 |
Ann |
Wife
|
36 |
Michael |
|
18 |
Mary |
|
15 |
James |
|
12 |
Thomas |
|
10 |
Daniel |
|
8 |
John |
|
6 |
William |
|
3 my grandfather |
Francis
|
|
6 months |
The youngest son, Joseph Eustace was born two
years later. The eldest son, Michael was believed to be a weightlifter, and died
quite young due what was reported to be “straining his heart”, - according to my
father.
Two brothers, James and Thomas are believed to
have emigrated to the United States, and were later followed by their younger
sibling William, or Bill as he was known, hoping to make a better life for
himself and his future wife whom he had left behind in England.
He had many adventures and things were going
quite well until his letters from home ceased. Realising that they had been
intercepted by a young lady, there was some trouble and when that was sorted, he
got the first available boat back to England where he and his beloved Alice were
married and had four children, my father, Francis, or Frank, being the eldest.
My grandfather was a great storyteller, but
unfortunately I was too young at the time to take much notice, and like many of
my generation, I found older people rather intimidating. One of my earliest
memories, is when I was about three years old, was sitting between my parents on
a scratchy horse-hair settee, being constantly nudged by my mum to sit still,
intrigued by the flickering gas light, while my grandfather sat in his rocking
chair, smoking his pipe and spun his yarns, as my mum said.
Eustace of Roscommon (1881
Census of England)
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation
Thomas EUSTACE Head M Male 57 Roscommon, Ireland Gen Ag Lab
Maria EUSTACE Wife M Female 44 Westmeath, Ireland
James EUSTACE Son U Male 22 Sutton, Lancashire, England Gen Lab
Thomas EUSTACE Son U Male 20 Sutton, Lancashire, England Gen Lab
Daniel EUSTACE Son U Male 18 Sutton, Lancashire, England Gen Lab
John EUSTACE Son U Male 16 Sutton, Lancashire, England Gen Lab
William EUSTACE Son Male 13 Sutton, Lancashire, England Scholar
Francis EUSTACE Son Male 10 Sutton, Lancashire, England Scholar
Joseph EUSTACE Son Male 8 Sutton, Lancashire, England Scholar
Strokestown Civil Births, vol.
10, p.
41.
Tulsk RC Baptisms, vol.
02, p.
126.
Strokestown Civil Births, vol.
11, p.
46, no corresponding church record located
Strokestown Civil Births, vol.
12, p.
44.
Tulsk RC Baptisms, vol.
02, p.
143.
Tulsk RC Baptisms, vol.
02, p.
157, no corresponding civil record located
Strokestown Civil Births, vol.
14, p.
19.
Tulsk RC Baptisms, vol.
02, p.
163.
Athlone RC Baptisms, vol.
03
Athlone RC Baptisms, vol.
03
Athlone RC Baptisms, vol.
03
Athlone Civil Births, vol.
1, p.
5.
Athlone RC Baptisms, vol.
03
Frank Eustace
|