James Fetherston

[Chrisandronf]

I am looking for my great great grandfather a James Fetherston/ haugh. He married a Julia Ellen Evans who remarried a John Griffiths in Australia in about 1863. James had a son to Julia in 1852 in Ireland.

This younger James has been located through family folklore to the same property as Montague Fetherstonhaugh and Sir Montague Chapman in the 1850's in South Australia. Montague Fetherstonhaugh and Sir Montague Chapman (close relations) were killed at sea in 1852 off Victoria, and his brother Albany was killed in 1854 in a road accident in South Australia.

A brother to Montague and Albany, William Fetherstonhaugh, has descendants in South Australia. The father was The Reverend John Fetherstonhaugh, son of James Fetherstonhaugh of Westmeath.

William is not generally recorded as part of the family, but there is definite proof of this in Australian newspapers. Family history says that James was the forth brother. Naming conventions would support this.

I note that Albany and Montague went to Elizabeth College.

I also note they had a sister who was christened at ST. PETER'S C.of I. on 24 jul 1832 and lived at DENZILLE STREET  Dublin.

Can anyone give me any information on this James - I assume given only 1 child he died shortly after 1852?

[LH]

Griffiths Valuation (taken around the 1850s) lists several Fetherstons, many in Co Westmeath.  Indeed there is a Rev John listed in Killucan, Co Westmeath.  Take a look at:-

www.failteromhat.com/post1845.php

Do you know where James and Julia married and do you have the name of the church?  Old marriage records, if they exist, should show them with addresses.  The fathers of both bride and groom will probably be given.

[Chrisandronf]

Unfortunately I don't know were they were born or were married.  I cannot find if they ever made it to Australia before he died - there is no death record here.  I note also that the descendent's of another son of the Rev John Fetherston (William) cannot find birth or arrival information. 

Thanks for the link I have found it useful - for other people as well.  (The Rev John seemes to have owned land in lots of places which probably complicates things).

[LH]

If Rev. was Church of Ireland, the RCB Library in Dublin may hold information on him, including his various parishes etc.  It might be worth making contact with them.

[npl]

Hello Chris,
        I don't know if this is of any help to you at all but here goes. I checked the civil registration records for Ireland and I found the death record for a John Fetherstone-Haugh in Dublin in 1875. It says he was aged 80 and the estimated birth year is 1795. I don't know if he is any relation but it was the only Featherstone-Haugh in the list.

        Good luck with your search.

Kindest regards,

Nora

[Chrisandronf]

Nora

Thank you for the information.  This is the John who I think is my missing James's father - I just can't find anything on James.

Thanks again
Ron

[waltzingmatilda]

Hi there, not sure if this is of any help to you , but there was a Theobald fetherson, who worked as an assistant coroner in the Mullingar area in the 1880's.

[Heff2]

Hi Christan,
                  There was James Howard Fetherston Haugh who was shot near Killucan, Co. Westmeath in April 1868 by a man named Coughlan who was later helped by another Landlord, D'Arcy. D'Arcy sent Coughlan away to America to save him from the Constabulary. It appears though, that he did not need to help him. Legend has it that there was 4 or 5 witnesses to the shooting who would not tell the Constabulary or the family who shot him. Even when the family put up a £300 reward (a fantastic amount of money at the time), all the witnesses still swore that they did not know the shooter. this statement rang hollow with the authorities as Coughlan was something of a celebrity as years previously, D'Arcy's son got into trouble while swimming in the canal at a bridge now called "D'Arcy's bridge. D'Arcy was so grateful that he swore to Coughlan that he would be forever in his gratitude.
The Featherstown-Haugh's were detested in Killucan and that feeling was so strong that the witnesses turned down the chance to earn enough to buy a considerable sized farm.

The Featherston-Haugh were the same family as the Featherstons originally but I believe that the Featherston Haugh's believed themselves to be better than the rest of their family. The family home was named Featherston Haugh (Featherstons House) and that was what the break away family called themselves from that point on. The connection between both Families were well and truly severed.

I hope this helps. Although, you state that his wife was in america by 1863. This might still be the same man your looking for.

[Chrisandronf]

Thank you for the information.  I have located my missing James relation - his father was a son of The Rev. John Fetherstonhaugh - so that makes James Howard a 1st cousin to my ancestor.  Your comments don't surprise me.  I would be very interested if you could direct me to any other information on the family or indeed on the politics in that area (my ancestors were here by the late 1840's).

Thanks again
Ron