St. Leger Family

[msfitz]

Has anyone checked thee Church for records? Destroyed records are the bane of my wall between the UK and Canada - Can we know more about the story?

[kiwipup]

It's hard to check church records when I can't find out exactly which area they were in.  I have managed to get a birth certificate for my great grandmother Catherine Ledger (note sometimes names spelled Ledger and sometimes Leger) which shows her parents as William Ledger (Leger) and Sarah Walker.  I have worked out that William must have been born sometime in the early 1800s i.e probably before 1810.  The fact that there is no further trace of him leads me to believe he may have been the son who was cut off from the family.  My mother recalls seeing a family bible when she was young and it had an impressive family tree in the front but her father didn't like the subject being discussed (jealousy I suspect!) and tore it up!!

It was normal in those days for any children who disobeyed to be disinherited and if the family were powerful they could probably organise destruction of all records.  I therefore wondered if anyone working on St Legers before 1800 could perhaps have worked back in my direction!

[Karennicole]

I am also researching the St leger's and would like to know more about a John who worked at Princetown jail in Devon and later became the publican of the Plume of Feathers - I understand we descend from Donneraile but there are many missing links - help!

[magirl45]

Hi there wondering if you could shed any light on the St Leger's that I am related to - there are so many variations on the spelling of Leger, Ledger adding the St or deleting it! 
My great grandmother's mother was Elizabeth St Leger and she married Bartholomew Egan in Australia.  Her father, was John James St Leger born in Ireland, 1818 and he died in 1854 in Australia - word has it by drowning.  His father, was John St Leger born in Ireland in 1780.  He married Ann Sheercroft and passed in 1850.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[kiwipup]

Sorry don't think I can help.  There are a lot of St Legers (St Ledgers) in Ireland but I haven't yet found a connection to my branch which is from Yorkshire.  Interestingly though there is the St Leger horserace in Doncaster which suggests they were horsey people and, of course, Ireland is notorious for its horses so perhaps if I get back far enough there will be a connection!  Good luck with your search

[Bradders66]

Hi
I have lots of info on John leger who worked at princetown prince and owned the plume of feathers.
I know he came from borrisokane Ireland. With hs wife and young son Edward .
His brother Edward had already gone to Australia and I have been in touch with his decendants.
I believe he had a sister Catherine who went to Canada but this is unconfirmed.
I know his father was also John.
I have yet o prove the connection with the donaraile St.ledgers
It's taken me nearly 10 years to gather the info but I have more on John if you are interested.
How are you connected with John?
My husband decends from his second son William .
Regards
Karen

[Karennicole]

Hi and thank you for your message.  I would be really interested in hearing more.  My maternal family are St Leger's and I will forward you the exact connection with `john once I have spoken to my mother - or I am bound to get it wrong!  I think the connection is through my great grandmother who was Rose St Leger and one of several children (most of them girls).  She married into the Trice family.  I have some photographs and a family bible with all the names and dates of birth.  I have a William Ledger married to Annie Moss in my tree - does this ring any bells?
I look forward to chatting to you more.
Regards
Karen

[Bradders66]

Hi Karen

Yes that's the William in my tree. But I don't have a Rose.
I have never found decedents for  Johns other children Alfred and Amelia.

I have a copy of Johns Will plus a book about the murder trial in Ireland when he was accused  of the murder of 4 catholic men during a funeral!
I recently when to the prison museum at princetown but the records for Johns time there when it was closed as a prison where destroyed in a fire .
I then found the church where he is buried with his first wife and eldest daughter. No headstone but the church did have the records typed up and available to view.
Then I had a drink in the Plume of Feathers where he actually lived and died .

I also have a transcript from a tenant at the prison when John was the caretaker
,she describes him as a hard brutal man.

I'm still working on getting his military records.
My main research now is trying to get back to the next generation . His father
John Leger is described as a 'gentleman' on Johns second marriage cert.
I think, but yet to prove that our John Leger  desends  the Donaraile
St.Ledgers but probably being the youngest son from each descendant there was no money or title to be had.

It's also quite interesting that the ' St' is only added around 1900. And that is the same for Williams brother Edward who went to Australia as well. Which makes me think they stayed in touch .

I'd love to know more about the bible and the photos you have.
Kind regards
Karen

Ps my tree is available for public viewing on ancestry.com. Just search either John Leger or William Ledger

[kiwipup]

Sorry but I can't help.  So far my St Legers are all in Doncaster and I haven't found a connection with Ireland as yet although I suspect it may be there given the St Leger horse race in Doncaster and the fact that Ireland is famous for its horse breeding!