Author Topic: The Forsters of Counties Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan  (Read 9809 times)

Offline mediumsizedgoodbeetleborg

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The Forsters of Counties Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan
« on: Wednesday 18 October 17 01:11 BST (UK) »
I'm looking to find some information about the Forster families who seem to have been particularly clustered around Counties Fermanagh, Monaghan and Cavan!

I've become intrigued since reading that Forster is not a surname native to Northern Ireland, despite ancestors of mine from the County Monaghan area having this surname. A large amount of evidence points towards the Forsters being one of many families that were moved over during the Plantation Of Ulster. However, I was wondering whether anybody knows what region the Forsters came from originally? I'd be curious to know whether my ancestors were rooted in England or Scotland. I believe it may be possible to get a clear answer to this, as there seems to have been a consistent pattern of migration the Forsters who went to Ulster followed?

Research has led me to a few different possibilities. It seems that Clan Forrester were one of the Scottish clans moved during the Plantations, and Forster was an eventual shortening of this surname (from what I've gathered, the same applies to Foster). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Forrester

At the same time, I've found a lot mentioning that the Forster surname was very common around Northumberland and County Durham, which also moved out a large amount of people during the Plantations. Wikipedia's Border Reivers page even notes that England had a Clan Forster in the East March. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Reivers#Border_surnames_and_clan_status

Other sources have continued to state that Ulster's Forster community seemed particularly strong around Counties Fermanagh, Monaghan and Cavan, and my ancestors are no exception to this as this was where they were settled. Here, it says that region had the highest concentration of families with that surname in the 19th Century. https://www.johngrenham.com/surnamescode/grogeochart_full.php?surname=Forster&search_type=full

I found numerous interesting posts from this person some years ago, which certainly suggest that he extensively researched the Forsters in this area and found a correlation between Fermanagh, Monaghan and maybe also Cavan being where they predominantly settled.

"I have several Forsters married Storeys at Clones, Co. Monaghan which borders the Currin/Killeevan/Aghabog Parishes. These names like Forster / Storey / Bell / Crozier / Armstrong / Johnston etc all originated in the English / Scottish Border Region and moved to Ireland at about the same time - they are particularly prominent in Monaghan & Cavan which is where I originated."
https://www.ancestry.ca/boards/surnames.forster/77.1.1.1/mb.ashx
http://newsarch.rootsweb.com/th/read/IRL-MONAGHAN/2005-03/1111065005

Adding some confusion into the mix is a separate claim on this website, which also documents the movements of the Foster and Forster families to Ireland, stating that another branch of this family came from Edinburgh originally. "The Forsters in Fermanagh, by contrast, came originally from Scotland.  John Forster of Edinburgh was one of the original Scottish "undertakers" granted land in Ulster." http://www.fostername.com/sussex.htm

If anybody has researched the origins of the Forsters in this region in detail, it would be great to have some light shed on their history. Thankyou!

Offline hallmark

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Re: The Forsters of Counties Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 18 October 17 01:59 BST (UK) »

Pedigree of Forster of Tullaghan in Co. Monaghan with copy of Patent of Baronetcy, 1716--1794
Dublin: National Library of Ireland, Genealogical Office: Ms.113, pp.26-34
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Offline hallmark

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Re: The Forsters of Counties Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 18 October 17 02:01 BST (UK) »

Pedigree of Forster of Killegh, of City of Dublin and of Tullaghan in Co. Monaghan, Barts., c.1500 -- c.1804.

Dublin: National Library of Ireland, Genealogical Office: Ms.112, pp.82-3
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Offline hallmark

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Re: The Forsters of Counties Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 18 October 17 02:03 BST (UK) »

Copy of confirmation of Arms to the Rev. Thomas Forster of Tullaghan, Co. Monaghan, Jan. 13, 1794.
 Dublin: National Library of Ireland, Genealogical Office: Ms.103, p.133
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Offline Skoosh

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Re: The Forsters of Counties Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 18 October 17 09:39 BST (UK) »
James VI shipped a load of Borderers to Ulster, Scots & English, as part of his pacification prog'. I think the Foster's were from the English side. I used to know a Fermanagh Foster who said they were English.

Skoosh.

Offline hallmark

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Re: The Forsters of Counties Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 18 October 17 11:04 BST (UK) »
Got it under Act of Settlement 1667
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Offline cas649a

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Re: The Forsters of Counties Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan
« Reply #6 on: Monday 26 June 23 10:17 BST (UK) »
Hi, I am a descendant of the Forster family who do indeed originate from Northumberland including the Irish line, which I am now focussed upon.

John Forster was Knighted and given the title of 'Sir' and govenorship of Bamburgh Castle by Knig Richard in 1197, having save the king in the holy wars numerous times. This title carried on. So far I have counted 12 generations of them. There are also many 'Barons'. given land all over the UK.

It seems that the family swing from being exceptionally publically aware going into politics to improve matters for the poor members of society, (one even became a prime minister), to being exceptionally unpleasant individuals.

Sadly, I am getting the feeling that one of these is the father of John Forster of Tullaghan, a colnel in the navy. As idecations are that he was active in land grabbing for the crown and the slave trade in Jamaca, there is no reason to beleave that he was kind to anyone in Ireland!

Ironically, it was a decendant of one of his brothers that fought  in the 1800's for the rights of the Irish and to try to improve their living conditions in parliment standing up to many hard-line condservatives who where happy to let the Irish starve to death in squallid, cold conditions.

I am happy to work with anyone who is interested in this tree, I live in county Durham and have grat access to information, which I fully intend to make use of.

Offline aghadowey

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Re: The Forsters of Counties Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan
« Reply #7 on: Friday 30 June 23 08:52 BST (UK) »
Unfortunately the original poster only made this one post, didn't bother to thank hallmark for all the information posted and didn't log back in since 2017. However, perhaps there might be others interested in the Forster family who will be interested in comparing notes.
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!

Offline cas649a

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Re: The Forsters of Counties Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 01 July 23 09:44 BST (UK) »
Hi, I cannot thank you all enough for your responces, many gaps have now been filled in and questions answered. Maybe I can help some of you in return.

My research goes back to Sir John Forster, knighed by Richard the lion Heart and became first govenor of Bamburgh castle, there were 11 more holding this post both before and after the dissolution.

In order to find my 5xggrandfather, I started with my 4xggrandfather and had to look at every line containing Thomas Forster to eliminate the ones who wern't him, I still have no idea who his father was! In the meantime, I have hoovered up most of them.

I have been intreagued by the social mobility side and how did we spead throughout the UK, how did they get to where they were and how and the careers taken. Tying all the loose ends together has been an iteresting challange, especailly the Irish and Scottish lines. It appears that all roads lead back to 1191 in Northumberland, including the Scottish line.

In short, if you are a Forster, we are all related and come from nobility! There were many that were granted the title of Baronette and allocated land all over the UK to many of the posh line, I presume an excescise in control of the population and enforcing the government line.

This backfired in the 1800's when a John Forster, politician, who had a concience, joined the opposition and fought the conservative land owners on their Irish policies over the cruel treatement of the poor and their living conditions in Ireland during the famin. (let them starve was the party line). He went on to be Prime Minister.
He also fought for, and got reform of the poor in England which improved living standards.

Sadly, there were some who were not so nice people who were activly involved with the slave trade.
Many, many thanks,
Carole