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Background on this poor house record

Can anyone provide me with some interpretation on this work house record?  Apparently John Austin was paid for 60 yards of broken rock at Casp(?) @ 7p by the workhouse in the Kilrush Poor Law Union.  

First, could the location "Casp" really be Cross, which is where my John Austin was living at the time? If not, do you know what location this might be?

What was breaking rock - was it to create broken rock for some actual purpose or just to make the poor guy do something?

I had been hoping to find some record of John Austin (born apx 1792)  and his three daughters Mary, Ann and Bridget (born about (1827, 1831, 1840) being sent with relief money to the United States approximatley 1851 (per a US County History Book) from County Clare.  I could not find any passenger records for the four traveling together.  Perhaps John's wife accompanied them or she may have died in Ireland.

Through Tithe Applotments (searching for the surname Austin and his wife's maiden surname O'keefe), I landed on the possible townlands of Cross and Kilballyowen in the civil parish of Kilballyowen. The family was Catholic and unfortunately, no church records exist for this parish in this time frame, so I cannot be sure this is the right location.

I apoligize for the small snip of the workhouse record.  I just lost access to the library version of Find My Past and could not get another copy of the entire page.  

Have I missed any possible sources of information?

Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and interest in genealogy.  

Best regards,

Nancy

Nmclist@gmail.com

8 replies

Nancy,

The following may be of interest to you:

It is likely that George was born in the 1820's

Credit: www.findmypast.ie

McCoy

Thank you McCoy and Margo for the files and links.  This gives me some ideas to persue.

Did either of you have any idea of the location mentioned for John Austin's rock breaking?  Casp? Carp? 

Nmclist@gmail.com

Nancy, there were still Austins in Cross in 1855, at the time of Griffith's Valuation. RootsIreland gives the following:

Griffith Austin Patrick Cross Kilballyowen Co. Clare

glanvil3@aol.com

Also, the following from Griffith's:

 

Griffith   Austen John  Kilballyowen  Kilballyowen  Co. Clare

glanvil3@aol.com

Nancy,

Having checked through the various parishes on the Tithe Applotment Records, the only conclusion I have come to is that this word is intended to be "Cross". In old writing where a word ended with a double "S", one letter was made to look like an "f".

The 2nd letter in the word could be an "r"

Regards,

McCoy

Thank you again.

I'm not as versed at exploring townlands, so thank you for the agreement that the townland in the work house record was Cross.

I did see the Austins in Griffiths and spent all day yesterday tracing the family forward in time, so far I am to the 1950's. (On this day before the American Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for IrishGenealogy.ie). I'm hoping to connect with living Austin family members through an Ancestry tree.

Best regards,

Nancy

Nmclist@gmail.com

Nancy,

I hope your are enjoying Thanksgiving Day.

I attach Tithe Records for Cross in 1826 - Handwritten and printed. Your "John Austin" is recorded in a different townland.

Best Wishes,

 

McCoy

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