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Nester/ Nestor from Kilmanaghan and Tubber

OffalyKilmanaghan (Offaly)

I'm looking for Nesters/ Nestors from this area. DNA links us to the family of Silvester Nester b 1816 and Mary Meliff whose descendants were in USA (Rock family is related), but I think my ancestor is a James or Patrick Nestor, possibly brother of Silvester. Wife possibly Jane. I believe the family worked for a Lord Tullamore (or Tullymore), the father a butcher. Two of his children Anne and Ellen left Offaly in 1854 and 1859 for South Australia.

Jenni Kirby Ibrahim

Jenniib

5 replies

Hi Jenni,

Here are some children from www.rootsireland.ie/; each record is duplicated in Tubber & Rosemount parish Westmeath

Name:Patrick NestorDate of Birth:29-Apr-1836
Date of Baptism:Not RecordedAddress:No_recordParish/District:TubberGender:
CountyCo. Offaly
Denomination:
Father:Silvestor NestorMother:Mary MelifOccupation:No_record
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Michael Grinnen Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Mary Grinnen

Name:Kieran NesterDate of Birth:11-Sep-1837
Date of Baptism:Not RecordedAddress:No_recordParish/District:TubberGender:
CountyCo. Offaly
Father:Silvestor NesterMother:Mary MeliffOccupation:No_record
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:John Flannigan Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Mary McLoughlin 

Name:Mary NesterDate of Birth:01-Jan-1845
Date of Baptism:Not RecordedAddress:No_recordParish/District:TubberGender:
CountyCo. Offaly
Father:Christopher NesterMother:Mary MeliffOccupation:No_record
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Patrick Nester Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Bridget Meliff

(Perhaps Christopher sounded like Sylvestor to the person doing the record?)

Date of Marriage:11-Jan-1835
Parish / District:Tubber
County:Co. Offaly
Husband
WifeName:SilvestorNeaster
MaryMelif

No parents' names given!!

No luck with Sylvestor or James's baptisms I'm afraid except this one:

Name:James Martin NestorDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:16-Jul-1819Address:Not RecordedParish/District:ATHLONEGender:MaleCountyCo. Westmeath
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:Patrick NestorMother:Margaret Nestor

The Tithe Applotments (free online 1823-37) have no Nesters. There are 3 Nestors but in Westmeath.

There are 16 in the 1821 Census but all in Galway! None in 1831, 41 or 51.

Griffiths Valuation 1848-64 (free online) has only 2 Nestors in Westmeath & none in Offaly

There were no marriage records of Patrick or James to Jane; here are the Patrick marriages:

Date of Marriage:19-Feb-1835
Parish / District:TUBBER AND ROSEMOUNT
County:Co. Westmeath
Husband
WifeName:PatrickNeastor
JudithFury

Date of Marriage:03-Mar-1835
Parish / District:TUBBER AND ROSEMOUNT
County:Co. Westmeath
Husband
WifeName:PatrickNestor
MaryHaliday

Date of Marriage:03-Mar-1835 (duplicate - Tubber must be a border parish)
Parish / District:Tubber
County:Co. Offaly
Husband
WifeName:PatrickNestor
MaryHaliday

Col

 

 

ColCaffIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Col

Thanks so much for your research, especially your RootsIreland finds. You are so very kind.  Your extended search in Tithes and Griffiths produced similar results to mine.

This family has me stumped. The parents were still alive somewhere in 1864 (not here in Australia); we have a copy of a letter between Anne and Ellen in South Australia mentioning them, saying send regards when you next write. (The women were illiterate but their husbands wrote for them) 

The family story here was that they were from Clare which people in Australia thought meant Co Clare, and there were certainly a lot of Nestors from Co Clare came to Australia. But I wonder if Anne was referring to a townland of Clare - or Clara? I notice there is one very near Kilmanaghan. I 've been hoping a DNA match with someone from Silvester Nester's family might confirm a link to this family. My brother and I have a match with a 4G grand daughter of Silvester Nestor. 

The only other locality reference I have is that on the ship's passenger list of Ellen's trip to Australia, it says she was last resident in Kings County, but born in Ballymena, Antrim. I think the Ballymena parish records for that period (b ~1841) are not available at nli.ie. And passenger lists were not always correct :-(  Maybe the family moved around a lot!

Thank you again for your help.

Best wishes

Jenni Kirby Ibrahim in Australia

Jenniib

Hi Jenni,

No luck with Antrim or Clare record for Ellen but found this:

Name:Ellen NesterDate of Birth:3-Mar-1826

Date of Baptism:Not RecordedAddress:No_recordParish/District:TubberGender:
CountyCo. Offaly
Father:Edward NesterMother:No_recordOccupation:No_record
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Pat Daly Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Mary Fox 

 Col

 

ColCaffIrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks Col. Most kind of you.

 

Jenni

Jenniib

Hi Jenniib,

There are still Nestor families living in the locality of Kilmanaghan / Tubber / Clara area.

I also note that you reference Mary Meliff, the name Meliff, is also  local name but is often written as Mealiffe.  Again there are family members still residing in the surrounding townlands to Kilmanaghan.  There is a William Meliff of Ballycumber (about 4 miles from Kilmanaghan) listed on the Griffith Evaluation 1847-1864.

Regards

Tara

 

 

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