Colch ex Tullamore

[louislou411]

I visited Cloncon in RC Killeigh in Oct 2008 and Nov 2008 and managed to view the land that Thomas Colsh and Patrick Colsh lived.  The Colsh family died out in Cloncon in the 1950s.  Colsh relatives of mine in Co Offaly have not been found todate.  About half a dozen are known to have emigrated in the mid to late 1800s.
I read the RC Killeigh baptisms and marriages in Dublin in Oct 2008.  Unfortunately the parish registers were not that helpful.   

[JMallinson]

My grandmother is Annie Colsh daughter of Thomas and Catherine Colsh, of Puttaghan referred to in 1901 census. She was 13 then and left for Scotland shortly after her mother and father died around 1902. Can't find her two brothers William and Patrick in the 1911 census nor Mary Kate Gavin her cousin who was staying with the family in 1901. Does any one know where they went?
 
Also whether as seems likely the Colshes Of Cloncun, Cappincar are of same family; that's Patrick and Kate (brother and sister) and Margaret with her two sons, Thomas and Joseph and daughter Mary Anne, since they only other Colshes in 1901 and live close by. By 1911 Margaret and sons were living in the house previously occupied by Patrick and Kate. By that time their names had changed to Colch. There were no sign of any other Colshes in the County in 1911.

Trying to trace Colsh or Colch relatives. Will be over in Tullamore in May/June for my mothers 90th.
Hope someone can help since I've run into a dead end.
 

[louislou225]

There were two Colch's living at Cloncon in the early-mid 1800s.  They were living on land that adjoined so it is presumed that sometime in the recent past they were the same family.  The Parish records do not exist that prove they were related.   I have spoken with a local historian and have been shown where the houses of the two different families were located.  The were both pulled down in the mid 1900s and new houses are now on the sites.  The house Mary Anne lived in until her death in the 1950s is the house of my ancestors Thomas Colsh and his first wife Mary Shearin.  A local historian showed me Mary Anne's unmarked grave in Killeigh and also told me that of the other house occupied by Colch's at Cloncon the family disappeared about the turn of the century - early 1900s.  It is possible they emigrated - some from Tullamore went to the America's - maybe they did as well.

[louislou225]

There was a William Colch who was a pilot in the US military in WWII who flew in the Pacific theatre of war.  I do not believe he is any relation to myself although there is a William Colch's thought to be in my direct line back around 1800.  Louis

[JMallinson]

Thanks Louis,

Does your research indicate that the Mary Anne, who you refer to as your relative, is the daughter of Margaret and sister of Joseph and Thomas who lived in Cloncon in 1901. They lived a adjacent to Patrick and Kate. I assume that Margaret and Patrick were brother and sister
I was hoping that this family was related to the Colshes at Puttaghan whose name was also spelt with an 's'. These two families were the only Colshes referred to in the 1901 Census.
My great grand father Thomas Colsh lived in Puttaghan not far from Cloncon, so I understand, and he was around the same age as Margaret and Patrick.  Do you know whether they had a brother Thomas. He died on 1902 aged around 71.
After his wife Catherine's death, shortly after, the family left Ireland, my Grandmother to Scotland and William and Patrick elsewhere. In 1901 William was 25 so is unlikely to be the same William you refer to as a pilot in US.
Do you know if there are easily accessible emigration records available?

[louislou225]

Margaret was the second wife of a Tom Colsh.  The Colsh surname in various records is spelt Colch, Colsh and Coulch - in Ireland and in Queensland, Australia.  The children of Tom and Margaret were Tom Jnr, James and John twins who died as babes, Joseph and Mary Anne.  THe children all died intestate.  Only Mary Ann married and her husband deserted her.
I do know that Mary Ann Colsh dau of another Tom Colsh (the one who married Catherine Gavan) emigrated to the USA and died at Steubenville, Jefferson, Ohio.  She was married to a John Colsh too.  I do not know who this John Colsh is - perhaps he was a cousin.  In the Griffiths valuation at townland of Gloncon (Cloncon) a Tom Coulch and John Coulch leased land from Tom Jackson.  Tom is my ancestor & I think that Patrick is a descendant of John.  It is likely Tom and John were either brothers or 1st cousins.  Everyone thinks they were related but how close who knows.  I paid for the Tullamore History Place to do a Colch name search and it didn't reveal much I didn't already know but at least I know there isn't anything else.  I also spent about 20 hours reading the Killeigh RC church registers in Dublin.  Lorraine

[louislou225]

Margaret is the second wife of my ancestor.  Mary Ann is the half sister of my great-great-grandmother.
The death you refer to is quite possibly of Tom Colsh who married Catherine Gavin.  THe age fits.  I have always thought that this Tom Colsh is related to mine.  He might be a cousin.   I think my Tom Colsh had quite a few relatives.  He was a bit unusual in that he had children quite late in his life  I think there was about 35 years between my great-great-grandmother's birth and the birth of her half sister Mary Anne in 1867.   Louis.

[JMallinson]

Hi Lorraine,
Looks like the Mary Anne's are not connected, but thanks for detailing your knowledge of the Colch family. You seem to have spent a substantial amount of time researching. Your helpful advice will save us a lot of time but seems likely that we will run into a dead end like yourself.

You make an interesting point referring to Thomas Colsh who married Catherine Gavan, also the names of my great grand father/mother. Their only daughter was Annie, my grand mother. There was a Mary Kate staying with them in 1901. She was the niece of Margaret.  Margaret and Thomas probably married between 1870 and 1876
Seems a coincidence but looks like there are two families with heads Thomas and Catherine Gavin.

As I said earlier, I am due to spend week in Tullamore end of May with my mother and sister. Would be helpful if you could provide a contact reference for the local historian you previously mentioned.

Hope you can help.

[JMallinson]

Hi Lorraine,
Just read your second message. Sorry, I was hoping that Mary Anne, your relative, was the niece of Thomas Colsh who married Catherine Gavan. From what you have said this doesn't appear to be the case. But likely to be more indirectly related.