Nugents of Galway
Ive been researching my husbands side of the family whose great grandfather was Patrick Nugent, a stonemason and builder who lived in Galway. His death record, in 1885, gives his date of birth as 1811 (Galway, Vol. 4, Page 183, Quarter Apr-Jun) but I have been unable to find any details of his parents or siblings. Trawling through Irish newspapers, Icame across this news item in The Galway Vindicator and Connaught Advertiser for Wednesday 27 July 1859 which said:-
A GALWAY MAN IN CALIFORNIA
By the last American mail we have news from San Francisco as to the approaching election in several counties where delegates to the State Convention have been chosen, the contests were quite animated among the friends of the several candidates for offices. So far, Latham and Nugent are ahead: Denver comes next, and Wellers prospects are daily growing more gloomy. In about a fortnight it will be known with some degree of certainty who is to receive the nominations for Governor from the Administration democrats. The fight appears now to be between Latham and Nugent. Denver is strongly objected to on the ground that he was sent here from Washington to be Governor. In other words, that the people of California are directed by certain politicians in the East to select him for the highest position in the state.
Mr John Nugent here mentioned is a Galway man and has been connected with the press. He is the brother of Mr Nugent, a respectable builder in this city.
There was also similar item, in The Galway Mercury, Saturday 30 July 1859
GALWAY MEN IN AMERICA
By the last accounts from San Francisco, California, we are happy to learn that Mr. J Nugent headed the poll as delegate to the State Convention. Mr Nugent is a native of this town and brother to our respected fellow citizen Mr. Patt Nugent, builder.
On looking into John Nugent, I discovered a man of many parts as the first paragraph of this biographical note displays:-
NUGENT, JOHN, journalist and U.S. government agent; b. in 1821 ? in County Galway, Ireland; d. 29 March 1880 in San Leandro, California.
John Nugents parents brought him to the United States at an early age. In the 1840s he served in Washington as correspondent for the New York Herald. At the decades end he travelled overland to California, and in 1851 became owner-editor of the San Francisco Herald. In 1856 he opposed the re-establishment of the Vigilance Committee, a business-supported, extra-legal organization for the preservation of law and order. His failure to support it was an unpopular move which led to his newspapers collapse. It was a blow from which his career never recovered. He continued in journalism, however, and five years later he was Democratic runner-up in an election for the U.S. Senate. He tried, unsuccessfully, to re-establish the Herald in 1868 and, toward the end of the 1870s, worked on his memoirs.
http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio.php?id_nbr=5190 Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Volume X (1871-1880)
John Nugent (1821? - 1880) married Magdalena Estudillo on Tuesday 26th August 1860.She was the daughter of Jose Joaquin Estudillo (1798-1852), a rich land owner, and his wife Juanita Maria Carmen Martinez (1805-1879). The Estudillos were the founders of the city of San Leandro, California. John and his wife, lived with her mother at 550 West Estudillo Avenue which was subsequently the site of St Leanders Church (California Historical Landmark #279 - http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=21388 ) The couple had four children; Sybil G (1862-1909), Maud (1866 -1922), Elsie (1868-1942) and John (1871-1948).
As far as I've been able to find, so far, his father was Timothy Nugent (1785- 7 Jan 1857), also a stonemason and builder, and his mother was Margaret ? (1783-1857). John's siblings include Frances (1818-?), Mary (1820-?), Thomas A (1822-1890) and Abigail Mary. The family, with the exception of Abigail, emigrated to New York in the early 1840s and can be found in numerous state and national census of the time.
However,I've been unable to find is any record, apart from the newspaper reports above, that shows that Timothy Nugent is also the father of my husband's great grandfather, Patrick. If anyone can help, I'd be most grateful.
Rosie