The army early 1800s - what regiment would Irishmen have joined?

[MaxD]

Records for those far off days are very thin on the ground and ones that have family details even more rare. The name will appear in one of the Muster Books/Pay lists but which regiment and which year(s)?  If he was serving in 1861 then the worldwide index will have his name (there are 4 John Hobans) but these also don't have family names.  The only pension record I find is for a John Hoban born in Mayo who retired in 1844 but no family information.  The regimental registers of pensioners(WO 120/…..) are arranged in regiments but have no identifying details for family/birth place etc.

Frustrating as it is, the army didn't much care about wives and children and they don't figure in a man's record.

You have been looking for a number of years without success which tends to underline the difficulty (impossibility??) of the task.

The birth registers such as josey and hallmark point to are the way to go rather than the purely military side.

MaxD

[josey]

There are 4 John Hoban deaths on irishgenalogy.com 1855 - 1866. 1 was a baby, the others [1] 1866 age 70 in Waterford [2] 1864 age 60 Loughrea [3] 1865 age 60 Castlerea. Not transcribed yet. Might be worth a €4 punt each to get 'research copies' of these death certificates to see if any were army pensioners. Of course he may have died before the start of civil registration in Ireland....

[vmhp]

Thanks. His son William is very well documented having been in the RIC and the Lancs police where he died of his injuries. Thus the birthdate of 1837/8 is definitive.
However this sort of service often runs in the family so it is possible that another Army man was his brother so if I can find any info on him or his daughter it could be very useful - will look. In the family house I found a treasure trove, every receipt since 1890 under the stairs and more than 500 photos. However one young man is in 2 pics - one his wedding - and he looks like a Hoban and referred to William's widow as Aunt. William must have had other family. My only other clue is someone who rented some land off William's son in Achill for a few years - Lawrence Hoban but again I have got nowhere. Many thanks - I have one extra thought so far!

[josey]

Only 1 Lawrence Hoban birth 1855 - 1890
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1874/03125/2145969.pdf
1874 in Kilkenny.

[hallmark]

Oh dear!!  His name was John Hoban BUT that is all I know. His son William was born in Castleblakeney, Galway 1837/38 and I have evidence of later family contact in Galway via his Grandson who was born in Lancs 1871 and grew up in Achill - so rather distant for those early years. The info I have is on his son's marriage certificate. I have been through everything in recent years and it looks like his is one of the missing records WO47 (or similar). I even approached a professional but he came up with the same so I did not employ him! I have several family on Gedmatch too with no result in that direction. I believe there are still Hobans in the same area of Galway but no evidence on websites. A friend who is ex Army said some regiments have separate records so thought finding the regiment worth a try Not a brick wall - a solid lump of concrete!
Many thanks and any bright ideas most welcome!

ROYAL IRISH CONSTABULARY & PREDECESSOR FORCE WITH NATIVE COUNTY OF GALWAY 1857

21856    HOBAN, Wm  21     27-May  Galway             C      Labr         Donegal 10/9/57

http://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/galway/military/ric-galway-1857.txt

[vmhp]

Yes thanks - the William RIC is mine and well known.
I have a tree of the Lawrence Hobans in Kilkenny but I cannot tie them in. He was paying the Moiety on land in 1940s. Off out now - will check up again the morning.
Very many thanks to all of you!

[Croy Girl]

Hi. My GGGrandfather joined the 60th Rifles in Bandon Co Cork 1802 age 21.It was originally the Kings regiment .Now the Royal Greenjackets.He had a son born Portsmouth 1829 and 2 daughters born Co Clare  1830 and 1833 Ireland when he was stationed there.I found his papers on ancestry.He was signed out at PAISLEY Scotland 1845 with 25 years service and had rheaumatoid Athritis.So maybe you will find something on Ancestry that would help with your search. Marguerite.