Thomas JACKSON Kildare farm – some detective work

In my previous post, I mentioned two questions I was pursuing. Working as I normally do, which is in no particular order, here is a start on my second question which was:

Sir Thomas Jackson brought a farm hand up from Jackson’s farm in Co. Kildare in the mid 1890s to run his family’s farm at Cavananore, Co. Louth. Where was this farm in Co. Kildare? The related question here was: was this farm land connected to other JACKSONs of Kildare?

Now, it may be that Thomas Jackson had a farm in Co. Kildare. It may also be that he didn’t. The story that he did have such a farm was handed down through the LYNCH family. Their ancestor – Patrick Lynch - was the farm hand brought up from Co. Kildare to manage the farm at Cavananore, Co. Louth.

Fortunately, it can be proven that Patrick LYNCH was indeed born in Co. Kildare, as was his son. The question is: Did Patrick LYNCH’s origin result in an assumption that Thomas JACKSON also had a farm here? The oral tradition amongst the JACKSON’s has the farm more likely to be in Co. Carlow. Either or both are possible. There are dozens of JACKSONs owning farms in both Carlow & Kildare as well as adjacent counties in the 1890s. Some of them were mortgaged up to the hilt which is great, because then there is a paper trail. The hunt is on.

The next step was: Where exactly did this Patrick LYNCH come from in Co. Kildare? In October 2011, I visited his great grandson, Eugene, and this is what we came up with after ferreting out some birth and death records (all living persons omitted):

 1  James Lynch  +Biddy Coyle 

........ 2  Patrick Lynch b: 24 Mar 1832 in Kill, Parish of Monasterevin, Co Kildare d: 07 Sep 1913 in Cavananore Co. Louth +Julia Coleton d: Bet. 1881 - 1900 NOTE: The townland of Kill contains 262 acres in the Parish of Monasterevin, Barony of  Offaly West, Co. Kildare. Julia LYNCH née COLETON. It would be helpful to find her death record. It is likely that she died where her husband worked and lived as a farm hand.

................... 3  Patrick Lynch b: 04 Oct 1874 in Lughill, Parish of Monasterevin, Co. Kildare d: 1934 +Annie Kirk d: 1954 m: 14 Sep 1897 NOTE: The townland of Lughil contains  275 acres in the Parish of Ballybrackan, Barony of Offaly West, Co. Kildare. Ballybracken is on the southernmost border of the Parish of Monasterevin. Annie KIRK. The 1901 and 1911 Census gives her place of birth as Co. Louth, but the oral tradition is that she came from Liscalgot, Co. Armagh. It would be helpful to see her death certificate for her exact date of death, and age at death. From there, it would be possible to find a birth certificate.

............................. 4  Mary Lynch b: 14 Jun 1898 in Cavananore, Co. Louth

............................. 4  Thomas Lynch b: 26 May 1900 in Cavananore, Co. Louth d: 1951 in Cavananore Co. Louth

............................. 4  Catherine Lynch b: 09 Sep 1905 in Cavananore, Co. Louth

............................. 4  Annie Lynch b: 13 Dec 1912 in Cavananore, Co. Louth

............................. 4  Patrick Lynch b: 24 Jan 1914 in Cavananore, Co. Louth

................... 3  Mary Jane Lynch b: Abt. 1879 in Co. Kildare

................... 3  Bridget Lynch b: Abt. 1881 in Co. Kildare

So, we now know where both Patrick LYNCH senior as well as Patrick LYNCH junior were born – a mere stone’s throw from each other. Here’s a snapshot of the current map.

The distance between the two is a little over 2 km as the crow flies - walking distance.

I have checked out Griffiths, and can see no evidence of JACKSONs in the Parish of either Monasterevin or of Ballybracken. Perhaps they came later. Perhaps they were never there.

At the time of the 1901 Census, the most interesting JACKSON farmer in Kill  – a lead which I suspect is misleading - is that of a farmer George JACKSON, farmer, age 56 (b. 1846), born in Co. Kildare and living in Kill. He is married to a much younger wife, Ellie (b. 1870), and they have a child named Charlotte Emily who is 4 years old. The house is a 1^st class house with 9 rooms – not unlike Cavananore. Unfortunately when it comes to finding a slam dunk, this Kill is on the other side of Co. Kildare in the Barony of South Salt. I just mention it to save others chasing after what is likely a red herring.

One more point: It is probably a good idea not to get too fixated on borders. The Monasterevin and Ballybracken parishes are right on the border with Kings Co, now known as Laois.  Here is a description:

KILBRACKEN, or BALLYBRACKEN, a parish, partly in the barony of UPPER PHILIPSTOWN, an isolated portion of KING's COUNTY, and partly in that of WEST OPHALY, in the county of KILDARE, and province of LEINSTER, 3 ¼ miles (S.E.) from Monastereven, on the road to Athy ; containing 1216 inhabitants. It comprises 2747 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act and valued at £1542.5. per annum. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Kildare, and in the patronage of the Marquess of Drogheda : the tithes amount to £139.9.3. About 100 children are educated in the parochial school. http://www.irishmidlandsancestry.com/content/offaly/a-z/offaly_e-k.htm

In the next few weeks, I will assemble what I know of JACKSON deeds in the region and post them in table format. Since there is a burial ground near Lughil, that may also be worth a gander. I have to leave that kind of work to those who are free to travel to the actual place and do a little look-see. For now, I am limited to looking at what I can suss out from my home on the West Coast of Canada. Forge on!