SPILLANE John

[nortybaby]

I am looking for information/dates on John Spillane who founded the Spillane Tobacco Company in 1829. I believe he was married to Catherine Purcell. Before this he was a farmer not far from Limerick City.
 
He had a son, William, who married Helena Mulquin. William was, apparently, a fairly well known personage in Limerick - Mayor of Limerick, High Sheriff, first president of the Limerick Boat Club. From what I understand they had 16 children -the ones I know of are William, John A., Ernest (a Jesuit priest), Frank, Patrick, Isabelle, George, Grace.
 
This information comes from a letter written to my mother by her cousin who is the son of William's brother John A. That should be..the son of William Hubert Spillane who was the son of John A Spillane.
I know this sounds somewhat confusing - welcome to my world. I always thought John Spillane was married to Annie Revatta but now suspect this may be wrong (for me). I would really like to untangle it!!
 
Any help/information would be greatly appreciated!!
 
Cheers,
Julie

[aghadowey]

Have you tried searching anywhere for this family yet?
IGI lists 11 children to William Spillane and Helena Agnes Mulqueen (various spellings of her surname):
1. William born 9 Jan.1865 Limerick, Co.Limerick.
2. Anne Isabel born 31 Mar.1866 Limerick, Co.Limerick (perhaps your Isabelle).
3. Agnes born 20 Feb.1868 Co.Limerick.
4. Eily born 7 Jan.1870 Co.Limerick (daughter).
5. Francis born 30 Aug.1871 Co.Limerick (perhaps your Frank).
6. Ethel Mary born 17 Feb.1873 Ireland.
7. Eveleen born 13 Apr.1874 Limerick, Co.Limerick.
8. Louis Ernest born 28 June 1875 Limerick, Co.Limerick (perhaps the Jesuit priest).
9. George Joseph born 10 Aug.1876 Limerick, Co.Limerick (perhaps your George).
10. Mary born 8 July 1878 Co.Limerick.
11. Ada born 28 Mar.1880 Limerick, Co.Limerick.

If you Google 'spillane & limerick' loads of things come up including obituaries on Limerick City Council website (scanned newspaper images):
-Eily Spillane, dau. of William JP, died 8 Nov.1881 Shannon Lawn, Limerick aged 11 years.
-Agnes Spillane, 2nd dau. of William, died 1 Jan.1887 at 67 George St., aged 18 years.
-Catherine Spillane, widow of John and mother of William JP died 1893.
William Spillane died 24 July 1897. Sons John and George are mentioned as attending funeral.
Family plot seems to be a vault in Mount St. Lawrence Cemetery.

[nortybaby]

Hi aghadowey,

I've only just started looking at this end of the family and couldn't find anything on IGI. This would be because I hadn't even thought of alternate spellings for Helena (my bad!!) So thank you for that.

I'd reached a little wall with my g-grandfather William and am trying to come at it from the other end. I knew that the Spillane Tobacco Co was in there but hadn't a clue where.

Now I have loads of things to investigate, thanks to you. Will let you know how I go.

Julie

[aghadowey]

You can do a parent search on IGI (which is how I found the children)- on the search page (not the home page) enter father's Christian and surname and then either the mother's Christian name or her Christian and surname and NOTHING else just click on 'search.' If too many results come up search on IGI page and enter above details as well as 'British Isles' 'Ireland' 'Limerick' but ones listed just as born in Ireland might be missed tht way.

Not sure if you've seen this but there's an aerial photograph of the Spillane Tobacco Company with a bit of its history:
www.limerickcity.ie/media/Media,4134,en.pdf

And a few more references:
www.limerickcity.ie/WebApps/Museum/museum_details.aspx?RowID=3690
www.limerick.com/theroyal/thebook/music.html (with a picture of William)
www.rootschat.com/links/03b4 (about Ethel Spillane who became a nun)

[Christopher]

Tobacco Industry on the Occupation Interests board
www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,270506.msg1576775.html#msg1576775

[GDG]

Hi Julie ,

I am glad to say my parents bought the Spillane farm in the early  80's I think,  at Newtown Crecora , about 6 miles outside Limerick city. Part of the old house still stands and  forms the back wall of the garage and you can still see the blocked up windows . The house was knock by the previous owners , the Kennedy's in the early 70's as it had fallen into bad shape and they built the current house which we lived in , in 1973.
The Spillane's sold the house and a large amount of land to a Michael Healy , he never married or had any children so his closest relation was a niece in a nearby village , Fedamore called Daisy McCarthy. She was the last person to live in the house as she didn't live their long and the Kennedy's bought it. They knocked the house and built a single story house nearby.
The most interesting thing for us is your mention of a priest in the Spillane family . as when my parents bought the house , the Kennedy's said there are 3 statues which came from the big house and were  to stay with the house .. That's what each of the previous owners had said to the next ..They were never to be taken away .
 One  3ft statue of Mary and two 2ft of David and someone else .It is said there was a small chapel built onto the house by the Spillane's and this is where they came from .
Hope this helps,  G.