Ireland XO
Back to Message Board

Looking for Robert Drought family origins

OffalyAghancon (Offaly)

I'm trying to find out from which branch of Droughts my great great grandfather Robert Drought came. I have quite a lot of info on him but can't be sure of his origins. Was in the Royal Irish Constabulary from 1866-1872 and resigned May 26, 1872 to emigrate to America. He married Maria Fanning in Kanturk, Cork, Ireland, in 1872 and both emigrated. All of his documents in the US list his DOB as April 26, 1850, but I believeit's actually April 26, 1846 as this yearmatcheshis RIC record. If so, he was born to a Robert and Jane Drought and baptized in Roscrea (Church of Ireland.) It's possible that his father Robert was also in the RIC and served in Limerick but is from Kings/Offaly. I'm posting in Aghancon because his father may be the Robert Drought on an 1821 census for Ballybritt/Aghancon.

Any ideas most welcome!

Thanks,

Claudia

claudean7@gmail.com

8 replies

Hi Claudia . . . 

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out . . . and the Town of Roscrea.

I am just fresh from researching another " Drought " of Aghencon . . . see below my reply to a request to our Message Board . . dated Jan.31st.2019 . . . 

https://www.irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/message-board/william-drought-rosc…

At this moment . . . NOT having yet begun . . a search for your Robert . . . I cannot say whether these families are related . . . but . . it is most likely that they are one and the same Drought group of families . . who all farmed in the shadow of "Leap Castle " . . . 

I will now begin a search for your Robert . . . and will get back to you . . . soon.

Cheers . . . E.M.H.

Eamonn M. HoranIrelandXO Volunteer

 Claudia . . . 

Some of the findings I found re.your Robert . . (see below)

Birth Cert.... confirming 26th Apr.1846 . . . as you had . . . Mother "Jane" ..Father "Robert" . . . (see below)

C.of Ireland .. Roscrea (St.Cronan's) . . . this being the major Church . .. for the outlying rural country districts . . . 

stretching into Co.Offaly ( a.k.a. Kings Co.) . . incl Killavilla - Ballybritt - Aughincon (Aghincon)  etc. . . 

Census 1821 . . . http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/results.jsp?census_year=18…

Robt. b. 1804 . . Ballybritt

Robt. b. 1788 . . Ballybritt

Robt. b.  1751 . . .  Ballybritt

 

Wedding . . . 1872 Kanturk . . . to Maria Fanning . . . 

Royal Irish Constab.. . . connections . . . (see below)

1858 Sergeant Robt.Drought . . . serving and being paid out of Roscrea ( note spelling - Rosenea - most likely incorrect)

________________________________________________________________

The prior Drought query . . . came in from Australia . . just 10 days apart . . . are we going to connect two branches of the same family . . . U.S.A. and Australia   ??? . . . 

On the same 1821 Census . . . I find .  . .

William --  b. 1785 (36). . . b.1782 (39) . . . b.1812 (9) ..  .b.1821 (4) . . b.1821 (Inf) . . .also all in Ballybritt.

___________________________________________________________________________

Again . . . . Leap Castle ( Google that ) . . . Drought Car Sales Roscrea ( Google that ) . . . . Owain & Richard

____________________________________________________

Hope this adds to the sum of knowledge . . . and is helpful

Cheers . . . E.M.H.

 

Eamonn M. HoranIrelandXO Volunteer

Eamonn,

Thanks very much for all of the information! I wouldn't be surprised if there were an Aussie connection - I've seen a couple matches from DNA sites, so perhaps this is the link.

I''ll review what you've sent. May I contact you again if I have any questions?

Regards,

Claudia

 

claudean7@gmail.com

Hi Claudia . . . 

Glad to be of help . . .anytime . . .   if I can . . .

In the past week . . I have made a local Drought family aware . . of your search .  . . 

So . . here's some more info. . . . there is a " Tax Roll " known as " Tithes Applotment " (1823 -1837)

there are some 90 Droughts listed . . within a 8 mile radius of Leap Castle . . . how to seperate them . . that the problem.

Also . . . there is a fair degree of duplication of names . . . 

http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/results.jsp?…

_________________________________________________________________

And more  . . . another Tax Roll . . . " Griffiths Valuation " (1848 - 1864 ) . . . showing lots of Robert Droughts

https://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/offaly/aghancon.php

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And . . . a few " Williams " as well . . . . 

___________________________________________

So much info. for you to take in  . . . but . . best of good luck with your continued search . . . 

Cheers . . . Eamonn.

Eamonn M. HoranIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi, The marriage record says..........
married 23rd May father of Robert is Robert and is a farmer.
Maria Fanning was stated as Maria Brophy a widow and has her father as Edward.
this is the record
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_re…
I cant find her first marriage record, but did see a marriage in Dublin in 1866 with Edward as Maria's father. 
this is in 
www.familysearch.org

Marriage to a Charles Brophy

Then a death in
https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/

Says ..........he died in Carlow in 1867. You would have to purchase this record to cinfirm.
Margot

 

 

Margot Secrette

Margot,

Thanks very much for the information. Sorting out the Fannings is as difficult as the Droughts! The stories are what intrigues me - so difficult for Marie to lose her husband after only a year. Marrying Robert Drought and emigrating to New York must have been an opportunity for a fresh start for her.

Regards,

Claudia

claudean7@gmail.com

My grandfather's maternal grandfather was William Drought (sometimes written as Drout) b abt 1831 in Birr, or Roscrea, Kings County/Offaly, Ireland.

He arrived on the ship, the Emperor,  in Sydney, Australia in 1851. 

He came via Canada or America, so the story goes, after visiting relatives there.

He married Mary Elizabeth Kilpatrick at Merton, Victoria in 1861 and they went on to have 10 children.

According to his death certificate, his parents were John Drought and Catherine (?).

William's granddaughter and my great Aunt, writes that her mother, William's second daughter, was given by him a set of silver duelling pistols and that upon communicating with a lady in Canada, who was also a  Drought, was told by this lady that she was also given a set of silver duelling pistols. There must be a story in this.....

William was 20 when he arrived in Australia and the story goes that he wore a locket with a tiny painting of Miss Georgina Parsons; the daughter of the Earl of Rosse, Birr Castle.  Perhaps he had to leave Ireland!

He had called his family together in 1891, he said, to tell them his story; however, he died when a horse reared and upended his buggy whilst he was showing horses to buyers before he could tell them.  Thus they were never to know. 

 

Robyn McIntyre

I have just come across a DNA story, that ties in with this Drought family. Robyn McIntyre's story seems to be on point with my DNA.

I am a descendant of Parsons family of Birr, Offaly (Elizabeth Parsons who married Robert Persse) & I am now seeing multiple DNA matches, that tie a Drought name from Birr, Offaly.

Some of these matches tie to Queensland as well. How fitting.

BrettFitz

Reply

Reply
One image file up to 2 MB.