Newtons of Ferbane Parochial House

Dear Martin

Thank you for your post.  We have a few volunteers in the area who may be able to help.  I have forwarded this post to them and you should expect to hear from them within a week or two.

Thank you for your query and please consider creating an Ancestor profile for one of the Newtons under the XO Chronicles tab at the top of this page.  These profiles are widely read by all our members and are updated weekly.  There may be other researchers who are also looking at the same family and may be able to add further information to your research.

Kind regards,

Jane.

I'm not well up on Ferbane parish itself as I, like you, am seeking to find history of family there.

 

However, 'the seat of'' usually means the main baronial or manorial seat (base or estate) of, say the Lord of the Manor, Duke, Squire or King.

A quick Google does not bring up any reference to Newtons as a powerful family, though a fellow did recently become a Baronet - Tony Newton, Baron Newton of Braintree - Wikipedia

Newtons in Ireland http://www.myirishheritage.net/newton-family.html

 

Kevin Murphy

Hi Geraldine - no I've not got any further I'm afraid.  Martin

Hello everyone.

Looking at the (Directory of inhabitants for Tullamore 1823). I see a [Newton, Capt.,Bury Quay] and a Sir W.O.(Judge) Newton.

It looks like the Newton's were in army service. It may explain the the connections between Bury Quay and Holmshill. I see in the 1901 and 1911 where the Newtons were living, and It is very plausible they had acquired the Leonard homestead Holmshill. The Doyles, Helions and Conroy's inter married abt c.1828/30 in Rahan parish and most of their descendants still live in the area today.

Perhaps contact the NLI on military records or Kew Library Archives.

Kind regards

 

 

Geraldine. Thanks so much for your update on the Newtons. I’ll need to go back to my tree and see if I can place all the details and other family members. Best wishes Martin

Geraldine, Thanks again for the information. I've checked and the original text I posted was from a meeting between Jim and Dolly Newton and the daughters of his cousin Kathleen (Helen) Zepf (nee Newton) in 1982 who were visiting from the US ! I can see that Jim is the son of Robert Newton who in turn was the son of William Newton and Maria Doyle - the ancestors I originally mentioned. I can see your information matches some details I have from the US relatives: Denis Newton and wife Mary were from Durrow and Mary Jane Newton married James (Padraig?) Coleman. I have a great picture of the Newtons from around 1898 featuring Jim Newton's uncles and grandfather - see attached I don't know if you still have any contact details for Martin, Phil or even Carole Coleman. But I'd love to share the family tree and photos with them and help to complete the Newton tree if possible. Maybe they could email me on mjdalzell@virginmedia.com. Thanks again for helping out. Best wishes Martin

Geraldine, Thanks again for the information. I've checked and the original text I posted was from a meeting between Jim and Dolly Newton and the daughters of his cousin Kathleen (Helen) Zepf (nee Newton) in 1982 who were visiting from the US ! I can see that Jim is the son of Robert Newton who in turn was the son of William Newton and Maria Doyle - the ancestors I originally mentioned. I can see your information matches some details I have from the US relatives: Denis Newton and wife Mary were from Durrow and Mary Jane Newton married James (Padraig?) Coleman. I have a great picture of the Newtons from around 1898 featuring Jim Newton's uncles and grandfather - see attached I don't know if you still have any contact details for Martin, Phil or even Carole Coleman. But I'd love to share the family tree and photos with them and help to complete the Newton tree if possible. Maybe they could email me on mjdalzell@virginmedia.com. Thanks again for helping out. Best wishes Martin

I'm delighted to say I've found some baptism records for the Newtons of Ferbane and discovered what happened to the families.

It explains why no Newtons were found in Offaly in the 1855 Gritths Valuation.

However it doesn't explain why they are no Newtons in the Tithe Applotment books arounf 1830?

The baptism records I found are for 3 Newton families from Ferbane between 1823 and 1838:
1)    Henry Newton and Mary Bryan – the family emigrated to Ontario, Canada in the 1830s (see also https://www.irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/history-and-genealogy/ancestor-dat…)

(about 1819)    Robert Newton
12-03-1823    Henry Newton
(about 1825)    George Newton
17-03-1826    William Newton
13-05-1828    Maria Newton

2)    Robert and Margaret Newton – the family emigrated to New York 1840s/50s. Son William married Maria Doyle in NY in 1854, became RC  and returned to Holmshill a few years later.

12-04-1824    Robert Newton
10-03-1826    Henry Newton
28-09-1827    William Newton - returned to Holmshill, Offaly between 1858 - 1862
22-05-1829    Mary Newton
21-07-1831    Margaret Newton
(not found)    Jane Newton
30-03-1837    Anne Newton

3)    William Newton and Jane Patrick – the family emigrated to NSW, Australia in 1850 as part of the Protestant Bounty scheme

13-04-1827    Margaret Newton
08-06-1829    Robert Newton
04-06-1832    Daniel Newton
(not found)    Jane Newton
28-03-1836    Henry Newton
11-03-1838    William Newton
(not found)    Alicia Newton
(not found)    Mary Newton

The first born males were all named Robert suggesting the father of these 3 brothers was also a Robert Newton.

Martin

It was great to find the connection between the Ferbane Newton brothers Robert, Henry and William. I am descended from William Newton and Jane Patrick who came with family to Australia.  According to William’s obituary his, Robert and Henry’s parents were Robert Newton and Margaret Aldridge. 

I have been following your exchange with interest. My mother was Margaret Newton who grew up in Hollimshill. There were two households of Newtons in Hollimshill. William had a son Thomas who married Bridget Leonard. Bridget's mother Mary was a widow with two daughters Mary and Bridget. They are listed in the 1901 census living together and Mary Leonard is listed as head of household. In the next census 1911 Thomas Newton is head of household both Mary Leonard snr and her daughter Mary are no longer listed. 

I had heard the story of the brothers returning from America and buying land in Hollimshill. I was told two brother returned and one stayed in America. Some time later the brother in America and his wife died. The brothers in Ireland were asked to take their children but they refused and they grew up in orphanages. As you can imagine there was no contact after that. However, they somehow got a good education and did well. In the late 1980's a descendant of these children turned up at my mother's house in Portlaoise. He was in Ireland looking up his family tree. He was also heading to Sligo where my mother's cousin Janie Coleman was living. Janie Coleman would be the grandmother of Carol Coleman the journalist.