Thomas English of Gullane East

We do not know the birth or death dates of Thomas English, yet we can estimate within a couple of decades. As daughter Margaret was born about 1807 using a date of 1780 as an approximate birth date seems reasonable.  We know that he had probably passed away by 1852 when Griffith's valuations were taken as his supposed four sons were in possession of the land.  There is the remote possibility that he was living with one of them or with a daughter, but it seems unlikely.  We do know that he was living in Gullane East in 1837 when the Tithe Applotments were taken for the area.

This record was supplied by the Kerry Family History Center in 1998.  This record is not among those now available on the National Archives website.  It appears to have been lost. Hopefully it will be found and a better copy made available in the future.

At that time, Thomas was the sole resident listed in Gullane East, although the OSI Name Book implied there were many on small lots. In fact each of the townlands we find in the district lists only one leaseholder. It seems probable that only those with sizable leaseholds were assessed at the time.  Also of note is the fact that Thomas has 113 acres of bog land out of 932 in the parish, while Lewis' Topographical Dictionary, written about the same time states there are only 114 acres of bog in the entire parish of Kilconly.

Griffith's valuations lists 407 acres of land in the townland, using that as a guideline Thomas's holding of 235 acres was over half the available land.

Although we do not know that all the children of Thomas had the same mother, we do know that Margaret, who was born about 1807 has parents Thomas and Catherine recorded on her death certificate.

 (Minnesota District Court Olmsted County, Death Records 1871-1997, Book A page 151 No 2 March 1 1887) 

Her sister Deborah (Gobnet) who was born about 1815, married Dermot (Jerry) Scanlon and also emigrated to Minnesota.  Her death certificate also lists Thomas and Catherine as her parents.

Minnesota District Court Olmsted County, Death Records 1871-1997,
book A, page 116 4 Oct 1884

Unfortunately, the death records for their male siblings in Ireland, if they do exist, do not name parents, we can only use the assumption of relationship based on the land they lived, the many interlinking family relationships, and sponsors on available documents to link them to Margaret and Gobnet.

The children of Thomas and most likely Catherine are

• Dermot (Darby) abt 1810 to abt 1876
• Margaret (1807-1887) m. Jeremiah Lawler
• Gobnet (Deborah) (1815-1883) m. Dermot (Jerry) Scanlon
• Thomas (1817- 1884) m. Margaret Costelloe
• Edmund
• John (1820? - ?) m. Margaret Carroll