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                                                                                                                                                                  edited version – 14/7/09

                                                                                                                 17 pages, incl. two Addenda, Footnotes and Sources

 

 

CHARLES COOTE MEREDITH

                                       of Reary Valley

                          & HIS DESCENDANTS  

                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

Charles (Coote?) Meredith was born in 1779 or '71, presumably at his father's house, Reary Valley, in Rearymore Parish, Queen's County (now Co. Laois/Leix), Ireland. He married three times (Frances Warburton, Katharine Mann, Lucy Wyly) and died in Dublin in 1852, aged 81. Many of his descendants have been identified.

 

My plan is that this record should eventually be as complete as possible, at least until 1900, with regard to the ancestors and direct descendants of Charles.  When it comes to those lines descending from his siblings and of other related Merediths I have done little, though a considerable amount of information is available from others.

 

                 **********************

 

All text in ordinary type was written by the late Nancy Meredith Clark (hereinafter NMC) of Ontario and comes from the annotated family list she prepared in the 1930's. (1)   Everything in italics was introduced by me, based on research by me and by others. Sources and contributors are identified by parenthetical initials and are described in the section 'Sources' or, occasionally, in 'Footnotes'.

              

                     -   The day/month/year format is used, no matter what the source.             

   -   indicates that I have a copy of the substantiating document.

   -   O.T.P. = of this parish

   -   Text in red identifies uncertainty, holes in the proof or a likely but not fully proven assertion.

   -   Sources are identified in the text by initials, which are explained in the Addenda. (This edited version shows the initials but not the names of the living).

 

For greater BMD detail on the Canadian period of our Merediths, see the considerable data base developed by S.H., who also runs MerArchives, the most inclusive source of Meredith information. For more recent Meredith generations in their respective countries see B. W. and L. J. (Australia, both) and K. W. and P. M. (England, both). For comprehensive charts (incl. 'Descendant Chart for Merediths of Rearymore', 7/09) and for information about the very early period of the family, including informed speculation concerning the 17th century and before, see principally K. W.   For greater detail on many of the Rearymore Merediths, see E. M.   

 

"Research has identified seven distinct pre-1800 Meredith family groupings, based in or around the counties of Dublin, Queen's (2), Wicklow, Sligo, Kerry, Carlow and Down.  Several of these would appear to be the result of separate emigration events from different parts of Wales.  It is possible that some of the different family groupings may be connected by a common ancestor in Wales prior to emigration.  However, the evidence to date indicates that it is only the Wicklow and the two Queen's County groups (viz. those of Reary and Clonenagh) that might be connected, post-emigration. Their possible common ancestor is Rice Meredith, whose name first appears in the 17th century records for Co. Wicklow, and the unusual name Rice reoccurs in future generations of all three groups in Ireland." (KW).

 

L.J. has recently published a book on the Merediths of Sligo and information is available for some of the other Irish Meredith family groupings. 

 

                                                        *****************

 

Here and there in the records there appear references to various Meredith males as "gentleman or "esquire". In his "Life of Samuel Johnson", Boswell has to say this about these terms:

 

"His father is there stiled a Gentleman, a circumstance of which an ignorant panegyrist has praised him for not being proud; when the truth is that the appellation of Gentleman, though now lost in the indiscriminate assumption of Esquire, was commonly taken by those who could not boast of gentility".  

 

 

                                           The summary road to Charles     

 

RICE (d. 1732)                                                                                  see Addendum 1

         ↓

THOMAS (d. 1761)  Rearymore                                          "

         ↓             

RICE (died 1801 or 1817)  Reary Valley *                     "

         ↓

        - Philip John                                                                         Addendum 2

        - Mary                                                                                         "

        - Rice                                                                                           "

        - Charles Coote                                                                 main text

                                                      - other?

                                                                                          * it appears there were two contemporary Rice of Reary Valley:         

                                                                                           (a probate of 1801 and a tombstone of 1817)

 

                                                                        ******************************

 

 

 

CHARLES COOTE MEREDITH & HIS DESCENDANTS

                                                       

1.   Charles Coote Meredith  (CCM). Raree Valley, Queen's County (now Co. Laois), Ireland. Held a    gov't position at Mount Mellick. Was pensioned and lived in Dublin, 'Talka Lodge' and 'Prospect House'.

 

                           born:                        abt 1770

                           married:              1798-1800 (marriage bond 1798: index entry seen by pmk)

                           died:                     1852

                                                           buried: St Jerome Cemetery, Dublin, 20/3/1852, 81 years.

 

BJW reports that a Dorothy A.A. Wyly wrote in a manuscript that CCM. was a solicitor. Perhaps, though we do know, from Internal Revenue documents found in 2008 by KW that he worked from 15/10/1800 until his death in 1852 as a tax Collector, at various levels of authority. (His annual superannuation allowance was ₤134/12/3).  This fits well with the identification provided in the 1850 marriage certificate of his son Philip which states that Charles is a "Revenue Officer"- see entry for Philip, below).  I still do not know where in Ireland Charles worked nor the year of his move from Queen's County to Dublin.

 

The earliest record that I have found for his presence in Dublin appears in Thom's Dublin Directory, 1845,

as a farmer, at Tolka Lodge, an occupation presumably carried out alongside his government employment. He also appears in Griffith's at Ballyboggan, Finglas, Dublin.

 

He died on the 18 March, 1852 (from: Inland Revenue, 'Superannuation Allowance Ceased within the year' ).  Burial: 20 /3/1852, age 81, Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin; died at Prospect Hill (Mount Jerome Cemetery fax to PMK, of 24/9/02). Thus, born 1770 or 1771, presumably at Reary Valley. [I have searched, without success, the very few remaining issues of the Freeman's Journal for1769-1771 (at the British Library's newspaper collection in Colindale, London)  for Charles'  baptism. I also searched, again without success, for his marriage in the almost complete collection of the same paper for1799 and 1800].

 

NMC is the only source I have seen which shows a middle name for Charles; on the other hand, RCB records, newspapers etc. are not consistent in including middle names. There was a Coote, Bt. who was the Meredith landlord for Rearymore and Rearyvale and who appears to have himself at one point occupied adjacent Rearybegs: so might  the ' Coote'  in  Charles'  name be a spot of  timely ingratiation? (There was

a much earlier marriage of a Coote male and a Meredith, but there is as yet no evidence linking Charles' family to these).

 

Charles married three times and fathered between 16 and 21 children from his first two wives. 

 

             = ( i ) Frances Warburton, in 1800, of Garry Hinch and Portarlington (NMC) from Aughrim, Co. Galway (BJW). Marriage date almost certainly earlier since the MLB Index for Kildare (1790-1865) lists their marriage bond for 1798.

Frances was born 1778 (BJW); died 26/2/1823; buried, 21/3/1823 in Mountmellick,  Rosenallis parish. (RCB).  Mother was Ann Elliot, dau. of Col.Elliot of Mountelliot, Co. Wexford ,Parish of St Mary's New Ross . Eldest brother was Bartholomew Boyd (abt 1753-1820), whose son was Major Geo. of Aughrin. Her Father was Rev. Richard, rector of Brittas (?) or Ballybrittas (?) King's Co., whose father, in turn, was Rev. George Warburton of Parsontown and Birr (d. 20/3/1760). This latter apparently had 6 children (est.) (all, after RCB reference, is from BJW).

 

               Charles and Frances had 16 children  "four of which are without record here." (NMC).

                  (Shown here in the order presented by NMC, without regard to subsequent proof of date).

 

2. Nancy (Anne) eldest dau. (b.1801 [? See sister Mary, below]; d 1857 at Fort Dalhousie, Ont.)

= William Wyly (b.1797), in March 1823 at Mountmellick. [according to K. W., based on RCB, marriage, "by license", occurred on April 20, 1823 and William's surname was Wiley. William buried

at Moate Grange, Glassan, on 10/7/1848 (B.J.W). NMC says he died in 1854.  According to BJW, William was the son of Thomas Trueman Wyly and Mary Russell (both of Westmeath?). NMC had wondered whether Wm's father might have been Richard.  And see NMC papers on the Wyly family].  

 3.  8 children (NMC)    (all baptised in Rosenallis Parish)

      -Charles  b.1824 (RCB)  killed. 1862, American Army. Bapt. 1823, Rosenallis. (RCB)

      -Thomas  b. 1826 (RCB)  d. Dublin, 1846

      -William  b. 1828; d. Dublin 1851

      -Robert                       died in US

      -George Henry              "     "    "

 -Frances  (Warburton ?) b.1831(RCB) d. May 10, 1925. Came to Canada in 1848 "with her Aunt Jane of Dublin" (see text for Jane, child of Kate Meredith and CCM).  In 1855 she married John Symington Clark (of Port Dalhousie, Ont). Five children (Beverly, Nancy, (1) Kate, John, Elizabeth).  She was living in 1913 in St Catharines, Ont. at 11 King St .  (St.Catharines Directory, 1913).  See her account, in NC's papers, of her passage to North America in 1848, on the  Brig 'Sarah'  to Staten Island , thence by train to Hamilton).

4. five children  See preceding para. (Also Hugh Clark? BJW).  Nancy lived in St Catharines from at least 1914 to 1930, after which date her name no longer appears in the St. Catherines' Directory. She died in 1937, age 79; ( BJW)         

- Mary b. 1832 (RCB)  [? same as the  Mary  b. abt. 15/7/1833, d.2/12/1916, = Joel Lewis  Ellis (BJW)?

 -Elizabeth (b. 1835) (RCB). Mother given as 'Ann', presumably ' Nancy').  Came to New York in 1855. In 1864, married William Farmer (abt.1822-1911, formerly of Ancaster, Ont.), "who became a celebrated mech(anical) eng(ineer) in USA"( eng. & architect in NYC).  Retired to ' Brockton House', Ancaster, Upper Canada.. (His wealthy father had chartered a ship to Quebec City in 1834 from Brockton Court, Bridgenorth, Shropshire, bringing ten families with him. Farmer's Rapids, on the Gatineau River, four miles from its entering  the Ottawa, is named after him and there is now a Hydro-Qubec dam on the site. The Historical Society of Gatineau, Chelsea, has an on-line article on William).

4.  six children;    Elizabeth (= Rev. Alex. Rich; lived Florida in 1934), William, Mary (= Charles Leith, of Scotland. Went to Ancaster), Frances (= Thomas Leith , Ancaster),Thomas(= Norma Clark, dau of Bishop of Hamilton) and  Florence Warburton . (italicised entries are from BJW)             

2. Mary  b. 29/1/01, Rosenallis. bapt. June 29, 1801 (RCB) = William Jermyn (b.1792 or 1802; d.1855, aged 63? 64?, at Sneem), of  Scart House, which he rebuilt (Castle Cove ,Co.Kerry). Marriage on  5/1/1830  according to B.J.W.;  RCB records show it on Dec 16,1829 in  Mountmellick, by license (two weddings?  banns and marriage? marriage date vs newspaper date?). (sources for this entry: N.C. and, via K.W., the " clancleary" website, citing Irish papers).

3.        6 children (NMC showed only those 3 who came to Canada).

      Wm. David (b 1832) = Anne Jermyn; issue, of which Charles David (b 1872 at Sneem);

      Susan = Rev. Patrick Moinah (issue);

      Charles (died young).

                    and three who came to Canada

           Mary (Matilda?)  = George Farmer of Ancaster ,Ont. 

           Ellen  = Thomas Walker of Hamilton, Ont.

         Thomas (b 18454, d 1904) = Lillie Bell of Hamilton (dau. of Richard).

                                                                               They left children and g. children.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

2. Rice (2)  = Amelia A(i)tkins (3) in Quebec City, 1831 (source for Rice is NMC and for marriage is: ( i) Lower Canada Marriage Bonds 1779-1858, National Archives, Ottawa; bond date 30/7/1831, which shows Rice being from Montreal and Amelia  from Quebec City (The 1871 census shows them both  born in Ireland) and (ii) their marriage record, in the Drouin Collection, showing Rice as a "Merchant's Clerk", batchelor, and Amelia's  father as Thomas, "shopkeeper".  Marriage took place at the Anglican Cathedral in Quebec City on 30/7/1831. ). We also have Amelia's maiden name from the death cert. of one of her daus. (see below).

        Rice was born in either in 1805 or '06 (based on burial record of 4/12/1871 at Ingersoll Rural Cemetery, which says he was 66) or in 1811 or '12 (based on Ont. 1871 census, Ingersol, which says 60).  Rice d. 3/12/1871; burial arrangements made by Charles Meredith, presumably his son. Amelia's death is recorded in Toronto on 30 Nov., 1894, age 80.  (source: SH citing Ont. death reg. # 23466). Rice lived in Toronto (NMC).

        Merchant in Ingersoll (1871 census). Had formerly lived in Guelph, Kingston, Quebec City. and Montreal. He witnessed his sister Kate's marriage in Kingston  in 1855 (see entry for Kate, below).The birth and death dates of dau. Amelia (below) show that the family left Lower Canada (now Quebec) for Upper Canada (Ontario) sometime after mid -1843. There are records of his having attended meetings in Trois-Rivires (1834) and Quebec City (1837, year of the armed Rebellion) in support of the Loyal cause; he went to a couple of these meetings with his brother-in-law, Paul Lepper.

                3.   5 children (NMC). In fact, 7 (4 daus., 3 sons). [1871 Ontario census, Ingersoll, Oxford County, gives Rice 60, merchant, Amalia (sic) 59, Elizabeth 28, Fanny 25, Ellen 20. Parents shown as born in Ireland, Elizabeth and Fanny in Quebec and Ellen in Ontario].

                      - Burial of dau. Amelia in Mount Pleasant Cemetery (Potters Field), Toronto on   18/1/1850, at age 6 yrs 6 mos.(Ont. Archives).

                      - George. died 4/6/1851, 4 yrs, son of R. Meredith (Quebec City Gazette via Quebec                    Family History Society).

   - Frances/Fanny, unmarried, d. in Toronto on 16/11/1913 age 55, (Ont. death reg #7293)                               so born 1858.  Fanny's death cert. names her parents. (seen by S.H.).

   -  Elizabeth/Bessie, with whom Fanny lived at 292 Avenue Rd., d. on Nov 21, 1916, aged 60  (reg. #7295, so b. 1856 or '57).

   -  Ellen, still living in Toronto in 1933 (NMC), presumably b. 1851 in Upper Canada.                                 died, 22/10/1934.

   - Charles  (b. in Lower Canada) = Catherine Ann Brock, 24 May 1864, in Guelph (pub. 27 May 1864); 2 children: Charles, d. age 6, & Albert Brock (lived Kingston. Ont). (source for Rice and Thaomas:  S.H.,  from the 'Elora Observor' 1859-1877).

   - Thomas  =  Hannah H. Crowe, 19 Feb.1866, in Galt (pub. 27 May 1866. He d. before 1901. (dau. Amelia;  son. Harcourt Thomas Atkins, 24, druggist, Grey Co, Toronto m. Cecilia Roode,25, York Co, d/o G.W.Roode, 3/7/1902, at Deer Park:  #019117-02 York Co; son, Rice William (merchant)= Ada Charlotte Banks, of Durham. Had issue).

2. Richard  O.T.P.  baptised 30/1/1803, Rosenallis (RCB).  (OTP: probable meaning is, "of this parish", and would appear to suggest that NMC or the supplier of her info had access to some sort of official or semi-official record. It was very likely this is the Richard who was married, by license, to Letitia Mitchell on 17/9/1835 at the American Presbyterian Church, Montreal. He is shown as a 'Tide Waiter' (i.e. a minor port official) but it is not mentioned whether he is a bachelor.  Their son, William, age 8 months, was buried at Christ Church, Montreal, on 13 March, 1837 (died 11th March).   Richard died in Montreal on Jan 20, 1841, "aged 35". The burial took place in the presence of William ? (signature) at Trinity Memorial Church.  (The Drouin Collection is the source for all three Montreal events - with thanks to S.H.).   Apparently Letitia remarried (S.H.).

             Richard may have immigrated to the Canadas in 1826; there is a record of a Richard Meredith aboard the steamship "Chambly" from Quebec City to Montreal in November of that year. There is also a record of his having attended in Montreal, 1837 (year of the armed Rebellion). a meeting of the 'Loyals'.

2. Elizabeth  O.T.P. Came to Brooklyn,(4) N.Y. in 1846. Died there 25/2/58 (I have a copy of a Hamilton newspaper clipping which refers to Elizabeth as, "formerly of Hamilton, Canada West", and as 'Miss'). The 1851 Canadian census (taken in Jan 1852) shows her in Hamilton with her sister Jane [the widow Wylie]

and Charlotte Meredith.

2. William= Elizabeth French

2. Charity = Senator H.(Harcourt) B. Bull, of Hamilton, Jan 5, 1856, St Luke's Church, Port Dalhousie, Ont. (Hamilton Spectator). His second marriage. She lived her married life in Hamilton, Ont.. Died there in 1884 (source; Record of Burials, Blachford and Sons; National Library of Canada). Senator Bull's family founded and owned the "Hamilton Gazette". It began in 1835 and ceased publication on Sept 1, 1856, when it would appear it was bought by the "Hamilton Spectator". The NAC do not have the "Gazette" numbers of Sept. 1856 (month of the marriage), nor can they locate them elsewhere. And see on file, my note "Charity Meredith", dated 9/2002.    

                 3.    1 child. Dorothy, d. infant. (Bull had 2 sons by 1st marriage; John & George.)

 2.  Frances (+Ruth BJW ??) bapt. Sept 25, 1810 (RCB)  =  Robert Wyly on 2/10/1833 (RCB, Rosenallis). Marriage announced in Freeman's Journal, 7/10/1833, in which she is stated to be the "fourth daughter of Charles Meredith of Mountmellick, Esq.". She died 11/3/1853, one month after their emigration to Australia; age given , 36. buried at St Paul's, Collingwood, Melbourne (Victoria BMD ) though  she was actually 42. He died on Nov 22, 1854 (BJW). (A remote possibility that she is not correctly identified; BJW)

3.   7 children (perhaps 8) eldest child was Ruth (Frances?) Wyly, bapt. Nov, 20, 1834,Rosenallis; = Geo. R. Shadgett, 1854. Their dau. Florence Emily, is BJW's grandmother (b 1870). R.uth Frances died 18/3/1884, Adelaide. The  youngest dau, Adelaide, was  perhaps so named because that was likely the family's Australian destination.

     2. Henry  O.T.P.  Probably the 'Henry' who appears on Charles (Coote?) Meredith's  burial            certificate, 1852. Various Dublin City directories consulted by S.H. show a Henry Meredith Esq. at Whitehall, Finglas for 1863, 1864 & 1866; there is no further record of him there from 1870.   K.W. suggests he may be the Henry who died in Waterford Co.21/10/1874 (County Library records and BMD index) and who was also in Market Square, Waterford in (1851 Griffiths Valuation).

 2. George Thomas (b. ca. 1817, d. 5/2/1897, Navan; source K.W.) = Lillie (Lilias?) Ann Birney, fifth dau. of George, "Ass't  Com. General", B.A., at  Ballymacormack Church,Co. Longford,on 10/9/1857 (source; Hamilton, Ont.  & New York newsclippings in hands of PMK).  He was sub-agent of Bank of Ireland, Drogheda (Co. Lough). Lillie Ann was b. ca. 1826 and d. 1902, age 76. (source K.W., who also found the children and grandchildren, below; those re Chas. George are  to be found in a tree prepared by  Mark Calnan of St. Albans, U.K.).

                   3.  6 children

    -   Frances Alice Meredith  b. ca. 1859 = Harry Vere White (later Bishop of Limerick, Ardfert and  Aghadoe) on Sept 2. 1879.  The Whites had two sons, of whom one was Harry Vere (in the 1891 census a boarder, age 13, at Denstone College, Cheadie, U.K.) and the other, Newport Benjamin White,( b. 1880 in NZ, who became Keeper of Marsh's Library, Dublin, 1930 to 1956 , the year of his death). Daughter of Harry and Frances was Dorothy, who m. Charles Edgar Young].

   -    Elizabeth, b. ca. 1860. Died, 13/1/1909, aged 48 (BMD index). Newspaper death notice refers to her late father George Thomas Meredith, Agent of the Bank of Ireland, Navan. (source: KW, from Weekly Irish Times, 23/1/09).

   -    Charles George Meredith, b.1861, Droheda, d. Ireland 1916. In 1890 married  Agnes Louisa Kingscote.  (Agnes .b 1870, dau of FitzHardinge Kingscote and Agnes Grant Stuart. She d. in Duncan, B.C.).( see site www.the peerage.com, for references to Chas. George -  his father-in-law married 1st, Lady Isabella Anne Francis Somerset, dau of Sir Henry Charles Somerset, sixth Duke of Beaufort, and 2nd ( who was the mother of Geo. Fitshardinge), Hon. Harriott Mary Anne Bloomfield, dau. of Lt-Gen. Sir Benjamin Bloomfield, 1st Baron Bloomfield of Oakhampton and Redwood).

(Chas. George's mother-in-law, Agnes Grant Stuart, was the daughter of John Stuart who was born in 1808 in Brockville, Canada. His father, John, was Sherriff of the Johnstown District, U.C., 1814-1829. Chas. George's parents-in-law were married in Canada. Chas George later emigrated to Canada).

                         4 children. (i) George Fitzhardinge. b. 10/11/1891  (ii) Thomas Joseph, b. 16/12/'93  (iii) Isobel Agnes Mary (b. 9/5/'96 Tralee, d. Feb 1973, Victoria, BC.) = Leonard Calnan of Hertfordshire  (iv) Charles Bloomfield , b.20/ 2/1904, d. 1/1999 in Mill Bay, B.C.) = Mollie Heron     

      -   'male', b. 1865 (???) – possibily confused with birth of son to William Meredyth,                                                                                            Lord Athlumey (KW)

    -   Charlotte Sophia, b.1866 , Navan (Ludlow St.), d.1886

    -   Joseph Henry, b.1868, d. 1889

    -   William Rice, b.8/11/1869, d. after 2/1897. His son Dermot George Deacon                                                  Meredith was b in 1908 and d. 26/12/1988. He married Marjorie Edith                                               Buchanan in All Saints Church, Malabar Hill, Bombay, on 25/9/1935.

                    (sources: from K.W. –The  Times, 26//9/1960   & The  Times 29/12/1988 )

                    In 1960 the couple was living at 18 Hazel Bank, Kings Norton, Birmingham.

2. Bartholomew Elliott   b.1806-07, d. 19/10/1888 = Anne (Anna) Meredith, 1830 (Wills and  Marriage licences, Dublin Diocese 1270-1857: source, Deputy Keeper).  [According to KW, it appears likely, in the light of evidence from various transactions re the property Lackamore, that they were first cousins. Her parents were likely Philip Meredith (brother of Charles Coote M.) & Alica Johnson.]. (For Lackamore, see Addendum 2, under Philip John. Property could have gone to Bartholmew via his marriage. See Griffith's Valuation, 1850; come the update of 1855, Bartholomew is no longer there. According to PM the family moved to Waterford via Kerry).  (Note: Vanstan/Vanstone first appears in this generation. P.M.).

3.     9 children (NMC) (6 accounted for here)

                                            - Fanny  bapt. 30/4/1831, (Rosenallis parish register: PMK). died after 1887, probably  unmarried. (was a witness at her niece Anna Kate's wedding in 1887 as Fanny Meredith) (KW)

 - Philip Henry, b. April or May 1833 at Mountmellick.(P.M. says 1832). Died 14/9/1881(Waterford).  Eldest son. Enlisted in Constabulary , age 20, in 1852 (film # 856061). Later in the Grenadier Guards and apparently served in  B.N.A . Married?

 - William Elliott, 1846-1928, of Waterford.  Married?

 - Charles Warburton  (died 22/10/1911, age 70). = Kate Palmer. Six children but info available only for their son  John Joseph Meredith, born 1869, England. (residence at 1871 and '81 Censuses -  Alverstoke, Hampshire). Married Cecilia F. McCreight, 1900, Cork. (she was born abt. 1867, dau of Wm. H. and Cecilia Flynn). They emigrated to Boston Ward, Suffolk Mass., USA in 1912, when Chas. W. was age 43. Their children,

   all born in Cork: John W. (1903), Cecelia C.(1905), Wm. G.B.(1906), Mary Kathleen H. (1907), Anna Francis B.(1909?) who has living descendants. (K.W.)

 - Rice O'Connell. buried 16/1/1904 , age 59, unmarried clerk (P.M.). Death cert. shows he was an accountant and died at ' The Limes', Johnshill, Waterford City (KW).

 - Anna born ca.1856. She apparently married twice..

               2.  Thomas G. (Green?) Meredith of Clara Hill, Queen's Co (5)

 2.  "and four of which there is no record " (NMC) (5)

                 

                     

             =  (ii) Katharine Mann, 1824.    Born 23 or 26 /6/1807, Dublin (NMC).        (pmk's line)

                                    Burial 17/9/1833,Coolbanagher Parish, Queen's Co.; "Catharine, wife of Charles Meredith of                                                       Killowen" (RCB). ("Killowen is a large house on the Heath between Portlaois and Stradbally."                                                      J.M.). There is also a townland Killowen in King's, near Edenberry. The Tithe Applotment                                               Books place Charles at Ackregar in 1825 ("Parish Ardea, Townland Ackergar, Charles Meredith                                       8 acres 2 roods 32 perches; Irish Plantation Measure").

Children: NMC says 5 but I have been able only to prove 4. We agree on three (Philip, Jane and Kate). The following list comes to 6 because of the Thomas I have added (proved) and two (Ellen and Lillie Ann) provided by NMC but of which I so far find no trace other than the death of an Ellen (see below).

 2.  Philip  bapt. 11/9/1824), Akregar, Coolbanagher (RCB) (possibly misread by me; reported as 1825             by Kay Cole, Australia).  Based on a marriage cert. found by K.W. in 3/07, it appears probable that Philip,"of  full age" = Julia Smith,19, on 11/10/1850, in St. Michan(?) Church, Dublin (North) . Both are shown as living at 30 Beresford St.. Philip is a 'Railway Officer" and his father, Charles, a "Revenue Officer". Julia is identified as "servant" and her father, "farmer".

 2.  Jane bapt. 14/1/1827 , Coolbanagher, Akregar ( RCB) 

(i) =  John Wyly  on  2/?/1844?. (Dublin marriage license 1844; source, Deputy Keeper). He died in 1852  (He must have died earlier, as the 1851Canadian census - taken in Jan 1852 -  shows Jane Wylie, a 23 year old widow living in Hamilton, Ontario, with her sister Eliza Meredith, 27,  and Charlotte Meredith,28, (one of  the unaccounted for children of Charles ???), each identified as a "lady". Indeed, B. W. says John's life was 1806-1847) (the same John Wyly, given the 21 year age difference? BJW bases himself on written evidence from the generally reliable Dorothy A.A. Wyly).

          Jane emigrated to Canada in 1848 (see account by Frances Wyly, above, apparently confirmed by immigration records of Port of New York, 1848 - IERPS). She died 23/9/1897, age 70, "and was taken to Kingston for internment" on Sept 25. (source: S.H. from records).

(ii ) = Lester Putnam of Montreal, at Christ Church, Hamilton , Canada West, 2/7/1852 (publication, "The Church"). She is referred to in a newsclipping as "the dau. of  the late Charles Meredith of Prospect House , Dublin";  Chas. died in 1852, so the marriage took place between 1852 and 1867.  Putnam was "Commander of the Steamer, Ottawa" (sources: family newsclipping, pmk: also info from S.H.)             

                                       3.   7 children: two died in infancy. (five listed here)*

                                              - Charles  Putnam               = ---- McGinnis. He died in 1910

                                              - Henry Lester Putnam        = Elizabeth Sarah Howard (one dau., three sons)

                                                                                                                    (Frances Emily, born 1885; Howard lester, 1887;

                                                                                                                     Edwyn, 1888; all bapt. St George's, Angican,                                                                                                                                        Montreal). More info available.

- Maurice* Putnam  d. 1907, Winnipeg = (i) Miss Archibold (ii)= Kate Totten

                      4. One surviving dau. Norah, now (i.e.1933).  Mrs Plummer of B. C. 

                                                                                                    (died, Penticton, 1955, age 55).     

- Elizabeth Putnam  d. 1928 = Robert Harris, C.M.G., R.C.A.   No issue.  Lived in Montreal (and P.E.I.?). Robert Harris died in 1919. He  was a much celebrated portraitist. Copies of his pastiche "The Fathers of Confederation", are to be found hanging to this day in many public buildings across Canada.

             * 1881 census, Montreal (St Antoine Ward): Jane, 53, widow, b. Ireland; therein, Maurice is Morris, 23; Elizabeth is Bessie, 21; and there is another child, Francis ("female, 17"; she died age 19, Ste Anne de Bellevue). Morris is shown as having been born in Ontario and the two girls in USA.. Some also appear in 1891 census (Winnipeg; Hochelaga, Mtl.)

   2. Ellen ? (see footnote 5) (RCB shows burial of an Ellen Meredith. in Rosenallis  Feb.15,1837

   2. Lillie Ann  ? (see footnote 5 )

   2. Thomas  bapt. l1/10/1828, Coolbanagher. Akregar (RCB) (note: not the Thomas Meredith who married Rebecca Strong, though these two T's were both baptized in Queen's in 1828).

   2. Cathrine ('Kate')  bapt. 1/1/1830, Coolbanagher. 'Akregar' (RCB).  (pmk's line)

         Sailed for N.A. in 1849 (see letter from a Mrs (?) Russell to Kate, May 2, 1849, on pmk  file as well as Lucy Wyly entry, below). My mother said that Kate came out to visit or to live with a married sister, Jane Putnam, in Kingston. (see above). Died: 23/6/ 1907. Buried in C of E Cemetery, Albert  St., Arnprior, Ont.

              =   James Bell at St. John's Church, Kingston, Ont. on 15/9/1855.  She is listed as resident    in Brockville and he in Arnprior. (in fact Belleville?)  Witnesses were Rice Meredith & Donald Fraser.

                   The couple lived in Arnprior after their marriage . (6)  According to census returns, James was born in the USA.   See Bell pedigree.

3.        4 children ( NMC  had thought there were only two)

    - Robert  (in 1907, he was living in Fulton, N.Y., USA:  source – Arnprior newsclipping re his mother's death in 1907). For his wife and children, see Bell pedigree. 

          - Charles  born  ?  died Dec 10, 1866, aged 6 months; buried  in same plot as                                                                 his parents.                                                             

          - Jennie Kate   born ?   died; Dec 21,1878; buried in same plot.

   - Elizabeth ('Eliza') Howard  b. 1862, Arnprior,  d. 1938, Montreal. (pmk's line)

            Eliza's nickname was ' Lydie', pronounced as a Cockney would say ' lady'   (source, Angus Meredith Morris, pmk's uncle, who knew her).

        = (Montague?) John Morris (born 23 /4/1848 at 2 Randall Terrace, East India Rd., Poplar, London. Died 23/2/1914 in Montreal. Buried in the Bell family plot at Arnprior, Ont.  The Morris family is thought originally to have been  from Wales. They were for at least three generations associated with ships and shipbuilding, in London (Poplar) . See Morris pedigree and file in pmk hands).

4.  four children (all born in Montreal); James Meredith, Harold Urquhart, William Alfred (pmk's grandfather), Kathleen Moir

 

 

                 =  (iii) Lucy Wyly, in 1834  (5 November 1834, Westmeath. Entry marked 'disowned' ; LDS. Marriage License, Dublin, 1834; source Deputy Keeper).   Born  4/10/1790  in Moate? Westmeath; notes from family bible (BJW). . She was the eldest dau. of  Irish Quakers Thomas Trueman Wyly (1764-1851) of Co. Kildare and Mary Russell (1763-1855) of Glassan, Co. Westmeath (BJW). Buried  21/1/1880, at Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin. Died  at 'Aged Women Asylum', 21 New St, Dublin, aged 88.(Source; fax from Mount Jerome to PMK, 2/10/2002).   (But, age 90; KW from General Register).  No issue.

 

                                         Lucy apparently had 14 siblings (from bible notes: BJW) (8, acc to NMC) born between 1789 (Fletcher) and 1808 (Alexander). All died in Ireland (most in Moate) except Robert (Melbourne 1854), Jane (India, 1800) and Alexander (Adelaide 1882).  Robert (b. 20/8/1807,  d. 22/11/1854) = (Ruth) Frances Meredith and William (1797-1848) = Nancy (Anne?) Meredith (both daughters of Charles and Frances Meredith). John (1806- 1847) = Jane Meredith, dau. of Charles and Katharine. Other children were Maria, Thomas, Sarah, Joseph, Ruthinda, Mary, Ruth and Alicia.  Alex.'s niece, Ruth (Wyly) Shadgett, g g of BJW, born in Rosenallis abt. 1834 and died 18/3/1884.  A niece, Isabella Alice Wyly, went to Australia in 1851. Some family letters appear in 'Oceans of Consolation', Melbourne, 1995. Also Florence Emily Shadgett (1870-1959), Daphne Violet Ruge (1913-1978), BW (1944 - ). BJW has two children. (all info in this para from BW)  

 

 

                                           *****************************************************

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                     

  ADDENDUM #1:     SOME ANCESTORS OF CHARLES (COOTE?) MEREDITH

 

 

 The Line to Charles

 

? RICE (d.1732) THOMAS (d. 1761) RICE (d. 1801 or 1817) CHARLES (COOTE?) 1770/71 - 1852

 

Charles' parents: Almost certainly Rice Meredith  (of Reary Valley aka Clonygark)  = Mary Hornby, of Deerpark, Queens Co. ( MLB, Diocese of Ossory, 10/1/1759). She was dau. of Wm. Hornby, "late of Clonenagh", Queen's.  Deed 205-577-137145 (R of D.) appears to indicate that Cappagh, Clonenagh etc. eventually ended up in Meredith hands as a later result of this transaction involving  Hornby and Rice Meredith, as witnessed by a Matthew Meredith. This Rice must have been one of the two Rices of Reary Valley whose deaths are referred to in footnote (7), in which case he would have died in either 1801 or 1817.  [For Matthew, a younger brother to Rice (see 1756 Deed #235-544-155623) and founder of the Reary More line of Merediths, see the Addendum. For a detailed record of Matthew and family, see "E.M.'S ACCOUNT OF HER MEREDITH ANCESTORS", updated in 2006 (MerArchives)].

    

Paternal Grandfather: Thomas Meredith  ( = ?). See "Ellen Meredith's account". Also, a deed dated  31/12/1751 (#147-530-101516) whereby the Rt. Hon Diana, Countess Dowager of Montrath, widow and relict of the Rt. Hon. Algernon, late Earl of Montrath, leased Rerymore (the whole parish, apparently) to Thomas Meredith ("farmer") for 99 years, "if the said Countessshall so long live". Also  a 1756 transaction (deed # 235-544-1556231765; recapitulated by a 1765 Memorial - Book 235, p.344, #155623) by which The Right Honourable Charles Henry(Coote), Earl of Montrath, leased Rearymore to Thomas Meredith "During the natural Lives and life of the said Thomas Meredith, Rice Meredith and Matthew Meredith, Eldest and youngest sons of the said Thomas Meredith and the survivors and survivor of them subject to the payment of the yearly rent amounting in the whole to one hundred and forty pounds by two equal moietys on every first day of November and May".  (KW).  Thomas' will (Betham 1761) names his mother, Elizabeth; his cousin John; and his children, Mary (=Collins), Richard (aka Rice?), Elizabeth, Rachel=Henry Greenham; Esther (Easter?); Mary Ann; Matthew.

 

Great Grandparents: Probably Rice  (= Elizabeth). He died 26/2/ 1732, age 72 (old style); (gravestone seen by EM & PMK). So born c. 1660 , modern calendar.  Children; Thomas, Margaret=Jones (from will of this Thomas). Brother, Thomas "of Garr", King's Co. and his sons Wm and John (deed of 1724 & EM).   

 

Earlier: Up to this point, we haven't found a way past Rice (d.1732).  Family tradition has it that our Irish Merediths came from Wales. Some in the Irish Meredith clan have felt that we descend from a 16th century John Meredith and that this same John Meredith was a brother of Bishop Richard.  This tradition of descent from John is recorded by William Rice Meredith in his instructions for the pedigree he commissioned from Betham in the 19th C. (LDS mf. 0100244), though he makes it clear that such descent is conjectural. It is presented as fact in GOMS 174 (date and provenance unknown), but is refuted in GOMS  815 on the grounds of lack of evidence.

 

The mid-ninetheenth century GOM pedigree # 174 either created or re-inforced a view that the Merediths of Queen's were direct descendants of John (d.1596, Dublin), brother to Richard Meredith (d.1597, Dublin), Bishop of Leighlin.  After various exchanges, notably with H. Y. and L.J., and a great deal of research using original documentation, K.W. has been able to track the Bishop's father, Robert, from Wales to London in the 16th century and to find his will, in the process reconfirming  that (Bishop) Richard indeed had a (probably older) brother, John. However, KW points out that there is no credible evidence to date of a link between the Merediths of Queen's Co. and this John. Among other factors, he feels that the very frequency of the name Rice in 'our' family and its apparent absence in the families of the Bishop and his brother, argue against a direct descent. If forced to speculate, Keith's view might be that the Meredith family of Queen's may descend from the 17th century Rice Meredith of "Owghell" in Arklow, Co Wicklow (Arklow Money Rolls, 1669, so  probably born before 1648) and that this Rice  probably came from Wales.

 

E.M. has come up with an interesting list of early Rice Meredith:

Rise (sic) Meredith = Maudlin Smart, 28/1/1599, St Mary Abbotts, Kensington

Rice Meredith of Kensington, born 28/1/1600, married 28 July, 1638

Rice Meredith = Ann Adams 6/2/1661, Old Church, St Pancras

Rice Meredith, died 1664, buried St Giles, Cripplegate, London

                                               (The first three are from IGI, the last from Boyd's Burials).

 

    Matthew, Charles' paternal uncle

The 1765 Memorial cited supra in para. 'Paternal grandfather', establishes that Rice had a brother Matthew, of Reary More (= Lewisa Calcut 1767, MLB); Matthew died 1/9/1793 (gravestone seen by EM & PMK); his will dated 16/7/1793, proved 28/6/94. He (re?) built the current house at Reary More (EM, & see initials MM over front door).

 

What follows is a partial account. For thorough coverage of Matthew & family, see "Ellen Meredith's account". (She shows ten children: Matthew = Mary (possibly his cousin); Ann = Collins?, Catherine = Collins; John = Hannah; Mary(?);  Elizabeth = R. Bell; Thomas Calcutt;  Primrose = Wm. Green(e); Lois = Henry Rowe; Joseph).

 

                        I had written up the following notes on three of the above, not sure at the time whether they were children of Matthew and Lewisa:

 

Joseph  =  Anna (Anne) Meredith, 10/1/1803 (MBL & RCB). children: twins (probable twins) Rice* and Matthew, both bapt 26/2/1810; Ann, bapt 1812; Lois, bapt 22/4/1815 = James Gregg 1836, by license, married by John Baldwin.; Gertrude, born 28/10/1821 ( first two entries are Rosenallis, last two Clonaslee.; all four are RCB).  Died, Anne, aged   40, of the Parish of Reary(Rosenallis), 21/12/1855 (RCB) ( Joseph's dau? if so,three years off). Died, Anne age 84, Rosenallis 30/9/1858 (RCB) (wife of Joseph?). (probables?  Matthew (of Killart)= Frances Biddulph. He died 6 Sept. 1969 (probate record; KW). She was buried 4 Feb. 1901, aged 92 (KW). Children, Joseph b.27/2/1848 (Clonaslee), died 16 July, 1856, aged 8, Rosenallis (KW). Lois Elizabeth, b. 15/12/1851(Clonaslee parish).  "On December 16th, the lady of Matthew Meredith of Killart, Queen's County, a daughter" (EM, from Anglo Celt, 19/12/50).

          *  an article in the June 24, 1871 issue of the Freemans' Journal  and Daily                   Commercial Advertiser shows him at living at Rearymore, a tenant of Sir Chas Coote                   (the house and 400 acres) as well as "possessing very considerable estates in his   own      right."  The article complains that the baronet is being very unfair in his intention to terminate the           Meredith lease. Apparently there is plenty of peat on the property, although this may have been but the pretext –  apparently Rice Meredith voted against Coote in recent elections.  Article notes that Meredith and 'over 50 menwere constantly employed in improving (the land)'. (found by KW – paper copy on my file).

John Esq. (Clara Hill) = Hannah Wilkinson. Sons John & Henry Johnson, born 2/6/1816 & 28/3/1818 and bapt. in Clonsaslee  (KW). Daughter, Sarah Harris = Robert Howard, eldest brother of Dr Henry Howard, at Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal 7/4/1832. witnesses, Wm Greene & Wm. Carre (source: Ref. 1832, Folio 24). Sarah was the second cousin of Charlotte Alicia Meredith , dau. of Rice and Charity,(source?) who married Henry Howard. (for Charlotte Alicia, see Addendum #2, under the entry for Rice)              

                Clara Hill is a Townland of 301 acres, adjoining Rearymore, "Post town, Clonaslea". It appears to have come into the family by way of Thomas Meredith, grandfather of Charles (Coote?) Meredith (see the 1776 Memorial of a deed dated 1768 by which Matthew, John's father, acquired this property "formerly in the possession of  Thomas Meredith".

Primrose = William Green(e), 24/12/1802, Rosenallis (RCB)

 

                                                                       

ADDENDUM # 2     CHARLES' SIBLINGS (& all? some? of their children)

 

             - PHILIP JOHN lived at Rearymoor (NMC).  EM mentions that the name Philip is most often associated with Reary Valley, though deed 553-511-370612 (R of D) shows "Philip of Rerymore" as a witness to a deed involving Rice of Rearymore and Charles Baldwin. (Such place references are not necessarily at odds (8) ).  Likely we are here dealing with Philip = Alicia Johnson of Quarrymont, Queen's, m. Rosenallis, 21(?) /1/1806 (RCB & Deed 582-89-391288). He appears to have moved from his father's home (Deed 553-511-370612) to live at  Lackamore/Lackenmore (Deed 582 etc, above). This is both a house and a 200 acre Townland in Castlebrack, Queen's. Betham states Philip's  will was  proved in 1809; it mentions his wife, a dau Anne, his brothers Charles and Rice, a sister Mary and a 'niece' Mary (note: Rice and Charles each had a dau. Mary). He was buried at Rosenallis Feb. 2, 1809 (RCB). The fact there was only one child would suggest this was an early death.    

              - MARY named in Philip's will, above. Her first name is the same as that of her presumed   mother.

              - RICE (Raree Valley) = Charity (Charitie) ('Cherry') Baldwin, 1803, MLB. (She died at Derrylough, Dec 15, 1865, age 81 (death cert. for Cherry Meredith, widow, informant Eliza Meredith of Derrylough). [Unlike NMC, MMM. identifies Rice as being from Derrylough.  Deed 553-511-370612 (R of D) shows this Rice as being of Rearymore (parish?) in 1803]. Rice apparently also held some property in King's Co. (now Offaly). He died after 6/1846 (and probably before 8/1848 ? see marriage of dau. Harietta, below and deed 1849-9-273 (footnote 9) which deals with a transaction of 8/04, referring to Charitie as his widow). Griffiths has him still at Rearyvalley (Clonegark) in 1842.

Cherry was a dau. of Rev'd John Baldwin of Castlecuff (same deed), Rector of Clonaslee who      married Eliz. Baldwin on 4/2/1777, a dau. of Jonathan Baldwin of Maryborough (source: M.M.).

 

The children of Rice & Charity:       

Seven children (NC); In fact, ten or eleven, of which at least five sons according to obit of their son Joseph – (at least six sons, as per below).

         John (1st son, aged 14 in 1818 – see K.W. note of 8/06 re. life lease of Knocknowl & Rerymore               to Rice, dated 18/10/1818)

         Charles, Ballyburly, Coolville, King's (Griffiths 1854).  "2nd son of Rice Meredith of Reary Valley  = Elizabeth Wilson, dau. of Wm. Wilson Esq, of Gloucester Place, Liverpool, ". 21/6/1843 at Everton (N. Reddan). Marr. cert establishes that - both were resident  at Gloucester Place at the time of the marriage; Wm Wilson was a cattle broker; Charles was a "gentleman?  farmer"; marriage was carried out by Chas' brother, Rev. J.B. Meredith, in St George's Church, Everton, Parish of Walton on the Hill, Lancaster(sic).(source: KW). children: (at least) Charlotte Alicia, who married W.R. Harte (his first marr. was to Susan Harriette Meredith, Charlotte's first cousin and the daughter of William of Derrylough).

             Phil(l)ip  (3rd son; aged 9 in 1818 –  same source as that for his brother John, above).

                           (m.#1)= Isabella Bailey (Cappalough, Castelbrack) on 14/4/1849, Rosenallis. (MLB, RCB, LDS and Freeman's Journal), dau of Christopher, J.P. "of Cappalanne in the parish of Castlebrack". Witness,Thomas  Bailey. Children: Joseph (1848-1886). Isabella ("of Reary Valley") buried 13/4/1852, aged 32, Mountmellick parish.  (C.of I. parish reg., N.A.., by K. W.)

                                (m.#2)= Gertrude Meredith in 1853 (her parents, Anne and Joseph of Reary More). Their children: Philip Edward (b. 30/11/'54. Acc. to 1901 census, he married Eva - 24 at census and born in England; by then they had  daus. Frances and Joan.); Joseph Henry (b.15/8/'57);  Anna Frances (b. 12/3/'59);  Rice (b.20/5/'62.  d.1901). (sources; E.M., & baptism info re the 4 children is from Clonaslee  parish reg., N.A, by K.W.. 1901 census fr. B.W.). Gertrude died in 1914, 93 yrs. (EM & PMK).

                       This may have been the Philip Meredith who, in 1838, was found by a Protestant jury 'not guilty' of the murder of a Roman Catholic in the aftermath of elections of August 11, 1837. The  report of the trial which appeared in the Freeman's Journal of  March 20, 1838  locates the action  close to Rosenallis, refers to Philip as "a young man", names his brother William and refers to his (unnamed) father as a" respectable local landholder". (The news item was seen by me at the British Library's newspaper section in Colindale, London and posted to the Meredith site by KW).

                       There is a gravestone at Rosenallis which refers to Philip E. and some of his family: "Erected by P.E. Meredith in fond and everlasting memory of his brother Joseph Meredith, died Reary Valley, April 1886, age 38 years.Here also lies the body of Thomas Meredithdied 10 July, 1840 and Rice Meredith of Reary More 11th April 1901, age 38 years. Also Gertrude Meredithdied 8 July(?) 1914, aged 93".

     William (later of Derrylough, Townland of Meelick) b. 19/7/1812, Rosenallis (RCB)

                   = Anna Hoyste(a)d, of Waterstown in 1846. He died 31/8/1879, Derrylough (as per will in N.A.). A t least 7 children, all born at Derrylough and baptised in Rosenallis (RCB): John Baldwin Hoysted (1864-1942), mar. 1846; & " illegible" (1859) (source S. H.) &  Susan Hariette (b.1847) =  Wm. Robert Herod Harte of Water Castle, Abbeyleix (30/9/1869, Rosenallis, RCB). Harte was bapt. in 1840, at Durrow (probably Queen's) (in Rathdowney, 14 Sept. 1841?) and  emigrated  to South Africa where he was Curator of Pietermartizburg Botanical Gardens; back in Ireland, he  married his first wife's cousin, Charlotte Alicia Meredith; he died in 1890 (source: Harte, (or he died in 1889 in Durban, Natal?) &  Elizabeth (b.1848) &  Rice (bapt between 11/1849  &  9/50)= Eveline Margaret Johnson, in Dublin, on June 8,1881.  Rice, identified as 'farmer' in his marriage cert., was a trainer of race horses. His death (29/12/1897: B.H.) was reported in the sports section of The Times on 31/12/1897, (9) (K.W.). Eveline Meredith d. 27/1/ 1883, at Derrylough, Mountmellick District (K.W., from BMD index, and B.H.). Rice sold Derrylough to the Deverell family in 1889 (SH & Valuation office) and moved to Curragh, Kildare (KW).  (A son, Evelyn Rice, born at Derrylough, 21/1/1883, became known as Edward Stanley, either before or during his removal to Canada. His wife was Annie Madelaine Brooks. They lived in Lethbridge, Alta.  A driver, he died, "from disease" during WW1, at age 30, on Jan. 6, 1916,  (BH says 1915) regimental # 87208. Buried Shorncliffe Military Cemetery, Kent, U.K. (source: "Members.. of the CEF"). He had  previously served 14 mos. in South Africa. Both names (Evelyn Rice & Edward Stanley) appear in various records. Mystery cleared up in writing (13/12/2004) by NAC in response to a request from PMK, through a comparison of war grave records  of Canadian army and of Commonwealth War Graves Commission) (S.H. has discovered the obits of wife Annie and her two sons and has made contact with a grand-dau., B.H., who was  living in Calgary in May, 2005).  &  William (b.1851-3."Likely the William of Ballycristal, King's Co., deed #1879-55-116", K.W.) &  Elizabeth ( b 1853/4).

     Joseph H.B., Rev. Obit in Cork Examiner of  April 6,1865, as reproduced  on Tiara web site in 8/04 reads " On the 28th ult., south of France, where he resided for the benefit of his health, in the 48th year of his age, the Rev. Joseph H.B. Meredith, fifth son of the late Rice Meredith, Esq., of Rarey Valley, Queen's County."  So, born 1818 or'19.  Also, see Alumni Dublinenses re probably his B.A in 1841. (PMK: but why shown there as from King's Co? was he occupying some of his father's property in that county?). He married twice: (i)     (ii)

     Edward of Reary, buried 29 Sept. 1827 (Rosenallis; K.W.)    ???

     Charlotte Alicia ' of Rearyvale' (RCB).  (NMC says Charlotte. Marler biography, family records of  M H-E and the Howard pedigree by G.T.Howard [GTH] (10)  all say Charlotte Alicia.)

     b. August 18, 1816. Died January, 1871. (sources: both from original manuscript records in hands of M H-).

  = Henry Howard, on May 05, 1840, by license, at Clonaslee (Queen's Co), solemnized in presence of Joseph B. Meredith (presumably her brother, see below) and of Frederick Howard. Henry was living (practicing medicine?) in Drumshambo, Leitrim, at the time of his marriage. (all RCB).

          Henry Howard was born 1/12/15, in Nenagh, Tipperary  ("in Antrim", acc. to American

          Bios. site, but G.T.H. and M. H-E's original manuscript family record states as Nenagh). Died in Montreal, 12/10/1887 ("at his residence, 96 University St."); buried in St John's

           (= today's St Jean- sur- Richelieu), Qubec. According to death notice in Montreal Star, he was "M.D., M.R.C.S., London, England") (source: M .-H).

       Henry's parents were Phoebe Cantrell (of Nenagh)  and Lieutenant Thomas Howard, 31st Foot (of Shinrone, King's Co.), the eldest of five brothers, who retired from the army in 1816, was appointed Sub-Inspector of the Irish Constabulary and died in Carrick-on-Shannon in 1840 (M H-).

              Henry (3rd son, and 4th of 9 children) (11) entered college in Dublin, in 1835 and earned a (presumably) medical diploma in May 1838 (or, a degree from London, according to G. T.H.). He practiced medicine in Drumshambo (?). Their first child (Mary) was born there.

       GTH's book on the Howards includes the following account of that family's removal to  Ireland: "In a previous chapter we saw how two Howard brothers, Thomas and Henry, great-grandsons of the Fourth Duke of Norfolk, left England for Ireland in 1651/2. This was probably a hasty departure after Cromwell's victory over Charles II at Worchester in September of 1651.(The pass was dated 1651 but it appears they actually left early in 1652)."

         The Marler biography says Henry and Charlotte emigrated to Amherst Island, Upper Canada, in 1842 and later to nearby Kingston. According to G.T.H, they came with their first child and with two of Henry's younger brothers,  Contemporary family notes (M -H) say he went to Amherst Island as doctor to the estate of the Earl of Mount Cashel and that he brought with him to Canada, three brothers – Fred, Wm. and Tom. Henry and his family moved to Fort St John's (now Saint -Jean- sur- Richelieu) Lower Canada in 1860. Henry moved to Montreal in 1875, Charlotte having been buried in St Johns, Quebec, in 1871.  He was photographed by Notman in 1874 and died in Montreal in 1887. (M H-).  His descendents living in 1933 in Montreal.  Additional info at  (12)

Harietta (Harriet in LDS index), minor, of Rearyvalley, father Rice gentleman

   = Philip Jackson Welsh on 30 June 1846 in Clonaslee parish church. He is "full age, bachelor, Clerk in the Bank of Ireland, no. 31 (illegible) Parade, Dublin; father James Welsh, solicitor" (KW  from LDS)

        Caroline Elizabeth  "of Derrylough"  = Charles William Carruthers, "widower, of Clontarf, Co. Dublin on June 12th 1861"(Rosenallis parish register: RCB).  The Cork Examiner 18/6/61, as transcribed from "Irish Newspapers" web site in 2004, reads  " June 12, Charles W. Carruthers, Esq, of the Crescent, Clontarf, to Caroline Elizabeth, daughter of the late Rice Meredith, Esq., of Barevalley(sic), in the Queen's County". ( pmk note: some work to be done in sorting out the circumstances of the  apparent move of at least some members of this family from Rarey Valley to Derrylough).

        Elizabeth  (Along with Mary, below, she is among those children named in deed   #1849-9-273 (13) )

        Mary (see preceding entry).

 

-             OTHER siblings?

 

 

 

 

 

FOOTNOTES

 

(1)   Nancy Meredith Clark (NMC) of St. Catharines, Ontario was the daughter of Frances W. Clark and a descendant of Nancy (Anne) Meredith, a daughter of Charles'  first marriage. NMC had stayed in touch with one of my Montreal aunts, as a result of which I have in my possession two versions of her notes, apparently prepared between 1930 and 1933.  Nancy Meredith Clark died in 1937. I also have some of her correspondence with an English Warburton of the Garryhinch line. (It has since been suggested that Frances Warburton was not of that line). It should be noted that NMC notes do not cite sources for her BMD dates, though we have been able to confirm many with RCB and other official records.

(2)  The only RCB Rosenallis birth record so far found for a Rice Meredith in these times was a bapt. on Feb 26, 1810  for a son of  Joseph and Anne Meredith. We know, however, that he was a different Rice because (see SH & K.W.) the Rice b. in 1810 died in Queen's in 1885 & was a Cappagh Meredith].

       (3)   Amelia's parents were Thomas (shopkeeper, d. 1853) and Elizabeth Lindsay (d. 12 June 1846, in the   fire at St-Louis Theatre, Quebec City, along with one of her children and 44 other theatre goers). From the 1871 census (Ingersoll, Ont) which lists Amelia as having been born in Ireland, we assume that Thomas and Eliz. emigrated from Ireland after at least some of the children had been born. They had 7 children (source: L.N., based on Anglican records at Laval University, Quebec).

       (4)  There was a number of other Queen's Co. Merediths in Brooklyn at about the same time. Some, three of whom were Methodist pastors, were the sons of Richard (d. 1850) & Ann (Green) of Cappagh. (KW).  There appear also to have been a Thomas and an Irving, also of Cappagh. What, if any, were the connections between these various families has not to this point been elucidated.

       (5)  The presentation immediately following the entry for Bartholomew Meredith near the bottom of page 2 of      Nancy M. Clark's text on the descendants of Charles Meredith has been a source of  confusion.

      For what it's worth, and despite NMC, my view is that Charles and Frances never had a Thomas, while we know from RCB records that Charles and his second wife, Katharine, had a Thomas who was baptised  in 1828.  In her summary listings on page 1 of her notes, Nancy Clarke identifies Thomas as being from Frances while Lillie Ann, Ellen and Philip she shows as children of Katharine. However, if one respects the lay out of NC's subsequent text, it might seem that she is identifying all  four as being  Bartholomew's children  (though she  elsewhere acknowledges that Philip is from Catharine).

       K. W. (3/09) speculates that Lillie Ann Meredith may in fact have been the Lilly Anne Birney who married George Thomas Meredith and therefore the daughter-in-law of Charles and Frances. 

       B. W. and P. M. feel we should stick with the guidance provided by the summary listings on page 1 of NMC. This approach is internally consistent with NMC's claim that Frances had 16 children "four of which there is no record" and that Catharine had 5, and so I have adopted it in order to preserve the original presentation by NMC.

       Nevertheless, in my view her version is unlikely: we have RCB proof (found by PMK at RCB and presumably not available to NMC) that a Thomas (bapt.1828) was born to Katharine and no similar proof  that Frances had a Thomas. Even  if Frances had  had an earlier Thomas, one would  presume that he died before 1828, thereby making unlikely the identification of Thomas G. as being from Clara Hill, his father Charles never having lived there  as far as we know. And they could not have been one and the same person, since Thomas Green Meredith apparently married in Canada 9 years after the birth of Catharine's Thomas.

       B. W. has raised the possibility that there might have been both a Thomas and a Thomas Green born to Charles, citing other examples of this practice, in his family (and the example of Caroline Elizabeth and Elizabeth, two of the daus. of Rice and Charity?).

 

 My guess would be that Thomas G. Meredith of Clara Hill was either a brother or nephew of Charles (Coote?) Meredith.

 

           In summary, here is all we have to work with so far:

             a) NMC appears to be claiming that Frances gave birth to a Thomas G. Meredith, though it might    merely be that the lay-out of her text is off. If this were the case, one conclusion might be that Thomas G., Ellen and Lillie Ann are children of Bartholmew.

             b) NC does not specify 'Green', only G.  And we know there was a Thomas Graves Meredith in the London, Ont. area. However, family newspaper clippings from 'our' line make it pretty clear that NMC meant 'Green' and evidence from other sources shows that the name Graves name was connected to a branch of the Dublin Merediths which later appeared in London, Ont.

            c) A Thomas Green Meredith married a Jane Disdale in Ontario on 8/4/1837. (Also see their marriage bond, dated 8/4/1837; on-line from National Archives, Ottawa.) They both lived in Prescott, Upper Canada at the time of that bond). A  Louisa Calcutt, baptized  in 1849,  "daughter of the late Thomas Green Meredith,  formerly of Clara Hill, Queens' County, Ireland",  married  Frederick Ollard in Hamilton, Canada West (and therefore before 1867); the Anglican priest was Rev. George A. Bull, brother of the husband of Charity Meredith, dau. of Charles and Frances. (Thomas and Jane appear to have had two daughters of  named Louisa Calcutt, the first one having died shortly before the birth of the second).

            d) The above quotation comes from an undated newspaper clipping that had belonged to Kathrine ('Kate') Meredith, youngest child of Katharine and Charles.

            e) Clarahill (sic) is a 301 acre townland in Rearymore civil parish (C of I parish is Clonaslee).

            f) A William Green married a Primrose Meredith in Rosenallis on 24/12/1802 (RCB).

           g) In 1814, Clara Hill appeared in a book, "Places of Note", as the residence of John Meredith Esq.  Could Thomas G. have been a son or brother of John who might, in turn, have been a brother or uncle of Charles?

(6)   There were other Irish Meredith families in the Ottawa Valley at the time Kate (Meredith) Bell was in Arnprior, but it appears they had emigrated from Sligo and there is no known link to Kate.

(7)   Uncertainty re identities of 2 Rices of Reary Valley. One Rice Meredith, of Clonegark (aka Reary Valley) died 1800 or 1801(source: N.A. - Index to Prerogative Wills 1536-1810 and the Administration Index of the Prerogative Office, 1595-1810. Both entries for Rice are 1801). Unfortunately, Betham's abstracts go only to 1800!  Another Rice Meredith (also of Reary Valley) was buried on 11/7/1817, aged 79, at St Brigid's, Rosenallis (gravestone seen by E.M.) I would guess that this latter Rice, born therefore in 1738/39, was the father of Charles (Coote?)

                           A still earlier Rice, possibly an ancestor of ours, is listed in the Arklow Money Rolls (Wicklow) in            1669 (K.W.) See Addendum 1.

 (8)  This matter of place names is difficult. Referring to the Barony of Tinnahinch in the IreAtlas Townlands data base, one can see that Reary More (585 acres) is only one of 27 townlands in the Civil Parish of Rearymore(sic);  that Rearyvalley is a townland  in the civil parish of Rearymore; and that Derrylough is not a townland (its townland is Meelick) but is also in the civil parish of Rearymore. When a document says Reary Valley, we know it is the townland or, possibly, a house. But when the reference is to Rearymore, the choice is between civil parish, townland or perhaps even a house.. This is further complicated by the fact that RCB and some other references are often just to 'Reary' or 'Rery'. It is  possible there may have been more than one Meredith family in a given townland, such as Rearymore, and we know that there were many Meredith households in the civil parish. This sort of problem suggests we should be careful when it comes to choosing between apparently conflicting place attributions (though some day we may unearth some conventions in this regard.  Perhaps the different spellings provide a clue to which entity is being named? For instance, Rearymore, in one word, appears invariably to be the parish while Reary More, two words, is most often the townland or the house. Recently, reference has been found to Rearymore House). In the case illustrated above, all three locations are in the C of I Parish of Rosenallis.

(9)  "Mr. Rice Meredith, a well known trainer of racehorses, died somewhat suddenly, on Wednesday night, at his residence, the Rath, Kilsallaghan, County Dublin. He fractured his leg recently in the hunting field and never recovered the shock to his system. As a trainer he was very successful, some of his horses passing  from his stables having won the principal races in Ireland and a few of the not least important in England."

(10) "Seven Centuries: The story of one Family HOWARD, with their Pineo, Stevenson and other Connections", by Gordon Taylor Howard (of Montreal and Knowlton, Quebec).  Pub. 1988 by Museum Restoration Service, Bloomfield, Ontario; 185 pages. (There is a copy at the National Archives, Ottawa).     

(11)  According to G.T.H., Henry's parents were Lieutenant Thomas Howard (of Shinrone, Barony of    Clonlisk ( in the extreme south west corner of  Kings Co.) and Phoebe Cantrell (of Roscrea) and that his siblings were:

                - Robert  b. 1810, Shinrone.  (= Sarah Meredith , described as a cousin of Henry's wife, Charlotte Alicia)

                - Eliza.  b 1812 at Shinrone.  d. Montreal 1882. unmarried

                - John Palmer  b. 1814, Dublin Barracks

                - (Henry, b.1815 – see footnote 10)

                - Frederick b. 1818 at Clogjordan, seven miles from Shinrone. Moved to Montreal in 1842

                - Phoebe Jane  b. 1820, Clogjordan.   (= William Richard Wright of Ottawa, in 1844). d. Ottawa 1892

                - William Henderson   b. 1820, Shinrone. Moved to the Canadas in 1842. Ended up in Montreal.                                                                   Unmarried.

                - Thomas  b. 15/9/1826, Shinrone. Moved to the Canadas in 1842 with bros. Henry, Frederick and William.                                 (= Gertrude Sophia David in 1861).  d. in Montreal, 1898

                - Frances Catherine  b. 1818, Shinrone. died in infancy.

                                                             

            

(12)  Additional info re entry for Charlotte Alicia Meredith & Dr. Henry Howard. 

     An entry for an eminent doctor, Henry Howard, on "Virtual American Biographies" (website), seen by PMK in 2004, is certainly him, though  it says he was born in Antrim, Ireland (on 1 Dec.1815). When in Montreal he worked at l'Hpital St Jean de Dieu (mental disorders) and was the Dr. Howard to whom Louis Riel referred during his trial for treason. Dr Howard wrote at least one book on the eye and another on the subject of mental disorder and the criminal mind.

           Charlotte and Henry apparently had 10 children. The first, Mary, was born in Drumshambo, Co Leitrim and the rest in Canada. [What follows has been  uncertainly deciphered by me from notes received  in 2002 from Katharine Howard, of  Knowlton, Que., widow, supplemented by info re the marriages of three children in Saint-Jean, obtained from MCSJ on a visit to the historical society of that town in 2005). Cherry (b.1841, m. Dr Maurice Tracy, "mdecin de rgiment", on 15/7/1868 in main R.C. church, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu); Phoebe (1842-1913, m. Edgar Smith on 12/2/1863 in St James Church, Anglican, Saint-Jean. (This church was established in 1817; for the previous 25 years the settlement's Anglicans used the chaplain at the fort); Sarah (b. 1844); Thomas (1845-1903) (acc. to M. H-, Tom was the heir of Dr Henry. See next para.); Rice Meredith (1847-1887, m. Hurd; see second para, below); Josephine (1849-1893, m. Marler); Dr. Robert (1851-1888 m. Gertrude Eliza MacDonald on 20/9/1877, same Anglican church in Saint-Jean). Eliza  Frederick (1858-1869); Mary Frances (b? m. Bacon?].

              I found, in the 1881 Quebec census (Saint-Jean), Phoebe (age 37, b. in Ontario) and Robert (age 30, b. in Quebec); both state origin as Irish. (NOTE: Interesting that the parents were of two different religions, which is later reflected in the religions of the marriages of the children. However, according to M. H-, it is likely that Dr. Henry was born an Anglican; it is likely that he converted, perhaps late in life. Indeed, the book by GTH reports that it appears that Henry converted to Catholicism in order to qualify for employment at St Jean de Dieu Hospital, Montreal!).

             Further re. Thomas Howard.  According to M. H-., Thomas had a son, Maurice Tracy. The son of Maurice Tracy was Meredith Tracy Howard, father of M. H.-. whose grandmother was Mary Eleanor Howard, died on 20/12/1949, in Montreal - Mtl Star newspaper).

           Further re.  "Rice Meredith Howard, gentleman, born Montreal, 29, s/o Henry and Charlotte Howard  m. Louisa Wynfard Hurd, 22, born Toronto, res. Toronto, dau. of  Thomas Gladwin Hurd and Louisa Pierce, 4/8/1876, St. Peter's Church, Toronto".  (OMR :MS 932, Reel 26 #012899-77). They appear in 1881 census in Winnipeg; he is a barrister & they have 2 children.  Josephine Charlotte Howard (see above) =  Wm.De M. Marler 1/6/1875  in "St. John's", now, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. Marler biography says he remarried in 1898 to Hariet Jamieson, from which 4 children. (Rice died in 1887 and at some point Louisa took her 4 children to England. (UK 1901 census).

           From 1881 census for Montreal, W. De M. Marler 32, C of E, notary: Josephine Charlotte,. age 31: Gertrude E. age 3; Herbert M. age 5: all born in Montreal].  Dr. Robert Howard  and wife Gertrude and 2 children appear in St Jean, Qu. in 1881 census.    [1881Census also shows a household comprising an odd grouping of  Henry (physician, 65, widower and, oddly, Catholic); Eliza (69. Henry's sister?); Annie E.(Scottish, 50, b. Ont; who is this?); George (30; b. Ont. a visiting cousin?) and Phebe E.(24, b. Ont; too young  for Howard's dau of same name). These last three are Church of England].

      (13)   Deed 1849-9-273 cited thus by K.W.  .."further reciting that sd. Rice M. was deceased but before his death duly made and published his last Will and Testament whereby he bequeathed amongst other things the lands of Reary aforesaid to his son Philip Meredith save and except for one half of the house in Reary to his wife Charitie together with one half  the garden and the grass of 2 cows and 1 horse with hay for same during her life and after her decease to her daughters the said Elizabeth, Mary and Caroline that the sd. Philip M. should grant an annuity or yearly sume of 20 to them the sd. Charitie, Elizabeth, Mary and Caroline in lieu of said bequests in said Will".

 

 

SOURCES

 

         Individuals

 

Except for that of the author, the names of the living have been removed.

 

(MMM) Muriel Meredith Martel was a dau. of John Baldwin Hoystead Meredith of Derrylough; she was born  in Australia  but appears to have moved  to England. In a letter she wrote in 1970 to Mrs Betty Meredith (whose son lives at Derrylough) she included a tree back to medieval times and some info for the period starting with Bishop Richard Meredith. This information agrees with much of GOMS 174 which we now know, however, to be quite flawed.. (PMK obtained a copy of this letter and tree and copied it to BJW, PM, EM etc).

 

(NMC) Nancy Meredith Clark of St Catharines, Ontario. (See footnote #1). In about 1933 she prepared the annotated pedigree on which this effort is based, a copy of which is in the possession of PMK who received it in 2000 from his 2nd cousin. All text in the present document which is  in ordinary type (i.e. not italicized) is Nancy's.  She died in 1937.

 

(GTH) Gordon Taylor Howard (d. 1990, Knowlton, Quebec) is the author of 'Howard: Seven Centuries. The story of one family - HOWARD - with their Pineo, Stevenson and other connections", published in  1988 by Museum Restoration Service (Bloomfield, Ontario). A copy of this 185- page book, including several photos, is  at the National Archives (Ottawa). It sets the arrival of two Howards brothers in Ireland at 1652 (refers to the "pass' which permitted their departure from England) and contains much information on subsequent generations. GTH's father was Thomas Palmer Howard, son of the Thomas Howard who was a brother of Dr Henry Howard (who married Charlotte Alicia Meredith).

 

   (PMK)  Peter M. Kilburn, who prepared this document, is a descendent of Charles Coote Meredith and his second wife, Katharine Mann.  He lives in Canada.

       

          Institutions & other

Alumni Dublinenses: List of graduates of Trinity College Dublin from earliest days to 19th C.

 

BMD index:  A compilation prepared by KW of Meredith BMD from the Irish civil registration indexes "for selected years since compulsory registration began".

 

Betham:   Abstracts of Wills, prepared by Sir W. Betham (originals at National Archives, Dublin). In 2003, PMK consulted all Meredith entries and e-mailed them to Meredith researchers. Others have since added further information.

 

   Deputy Keeper: reference is to an Index that was originally published in 1895 as an Appendix to the 26 th Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records and Keeper of the State Papers in Ireland, as seen on "otherdays.com" by K.W. in 2005. As well as the entries for Bartholomew Elliott =Anne ,

    Jane= John Wyly and Charles=Lucy, the names Richard Meredith (2 for 1829 and one for 1855), Thomas Meredith (1832), and Mary (1840) also appear.  Charles (Coote) Meredith had children of these names and we know he had moved to Dublin no later than 1845 and possibly earlier, as he married Lucy in Dublin in 1834.  N.M. says that Charles had four other children, not recorded in her notes; possible that some of the other marriage entries might relate?

 

GOMS  Genealogy Office (manuscript) at the National Library of Ireland (NLI), Kildare Street, Dublin. They have an 1840' ish  pedigree, unauthenticated and containing some obvious errors, of  parts of 'our' Meredith family, going back to the father of Bishop Richard  and his brother John. The reference is:

 Pos 8305/ Reel#975/ GOMS 174/pp64-65.

 

Griffith's: Griffith's Valuation of Ireland 1848-1864. Dates of valuation differ, county by county.

 

Harte: a chart of the Harte family, copied to PMK by J. & R.M., of Derrylough. It contains various Meredith references.

 

IERPS (Irish emigration Research Project), which has recorded and placed on the net many years of Irish and UK emigration to North America via six east coast ports, incl New York. PMK  found at least one entry which was incomplete.

 

IGI  'International Genealogical index', a segment of the  LDS records (see LDS, below). IGI contains both 'extracts' ( which are purported to have been read directly off the original records or transcriptions thereof,  by someone 'authorised' by LDS) and 'submissions' (which come from anyone who wishes to add to the record but who is not obliged to identify the source -  caveat emptor).

 

MCSJ  a compilation of BMD for the County of Saint John's, Quebec – now St Jean sur Richelieu -  ("Mariages du Comt de Saint-Jean"  & "Complment de mariages du Comt de Saint-Jean, 1757-1989"), consulted in '05 at the public library and family history centre in St Jean.

 

LDS  Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) and their genealogy web site.

 

MerArchives:   Site organized and maintained by S.H. and carrying many reference documents and reflexions on the family's history.

 

    Marler Biography:  "MARLER - Four Generations of a Quebec Family", by Howard  Marler. (1987,         Literary and Historical Society of Quebec. Price-Patterson Ltd, Montreal). PMK owns a copy.

 

"Members and former members of the Canadian Expeditionary Force who died as a result of Service in the Great war 1914-1919": compiled and edited by Edward H. Wigney (RG 150, acc. 1992-93/166).  (seen byPMK at NAC).

 

    MLB   Index of Marriage License Bonds (consulted at NLI, Dublin)

 

NA  National Archives, Dublin

 

NAC  National Archives of Canada, Ottawa

 

newsclippings  from Hamilton, Ontario papers. They were found by Kate's descendent, S. R. K., at her Marshall's Bay summer home (purchased in 1900 by James Bell and his wife Kate Meredith, who lived in  nearby Arnprior , where there are a street and a park named after the Bells and where family members are buried in  the Anglican Cemetery).

 

Nick Reddan: His web site carries BMD notices from early editions of Irish newspapers.

 

NLI    National Library of Ireland

 

                      OMR   Ontario Marriage registration

 

R of D = Registry of Deeds, Dublin

 

RCB:  Representative Church Body, in Dublin (archives of the Church of Ireland). Their library/archives have the best collection of original Church of Ireland BMD as well as many other documents, although local parishes still hold some BMD and parish minutes. Of course, many records can not be found at all, having been lost in the Four Courts fire of 1922.  PMK visited RCB in 2000 and 2001 and distributed info on BMD for various Queen's County parishes (Rosenallis, Clonaslee, Coolbanagher etc.), information since been supplemented with info. found by SH, KW etc.

 

 

                                                                                                        prepared by P.M. Kilburn

                                                                                                       Canada     7/2009