Parkinson - Madder families

[Harlem]

Hi all, and thank you for your interest.
The note on the back of the quilt says that the quilt may have been made by Eliza Parkinson, but was 'probably' made by her mother Mrs. Madder, and Reeves is crossed out, or by her Grandmother, Mrs. Reeves. To my mind, this confirms Eliza as born Eliza Madder, and her Mother was born Reeves. And that means that the marriage you have found is probably right for Eliza's parents. It doesn't really help with her birth, though. The dates are difficult to reconcile. I cannot find Eliza's birth, and Ancestry trees have her as born either 1787 or, some people have, 1805. I have posted an alleged photo of Eliza in the photo dating thread, but if you look at that, you will see that people doubt the dates, as did the Guild's curator.
I am grateful for all ideas!

[maddys52]

I think that the death certificate for Eliza is probably fairly accurate - the Registrar was her husband. So I would think that a birth date of c 1787 is accurate. Especially if a marriage of likely parents is 1785. As you have found, always take Ancestry trees with a grain of salt!

[maddys52]

I can't find a relative burial record, however there is this death notice in 1791:

"In Limerick, Mr. Henry Madder, merchant"
Monday,  Sept. 19, 1791
Publication: Star and Evening Advertiser

May not be related at all, hard to tell. 

[maddys52]

There are also numerous newspaper advertisements from the Incumbered Estates Commission which mention "JUDGMENTS AGAINST SIR JOHN JUDKIN FITZGERALD VIZ:
... Trinity Term, 1813 - Catherine Madder, £2,000 ..."
eg  Wednesday,  Jan. 12, 1853
Publication: Cork Examiner

So I'm assuming this Catherine MADDER was owed £2000 in 1813, and people were being invited to come forward and make a claim now that an Estate of John BENNETTS and Freeman CROFTS  was being to sold to gererate funds for its creditors? (I may have this wrong, not really an economic or legal mind!)

Again, doesn't help with the creator of the quilt, but at least a possible mention of her, and interesting that it is Catherine who is owed the money rather than a husband, implying she was a widow?

[Harlem]

Thank you, Maddys52.

I rarely look at the name of the registrar! But my husband spotted it too. I think that means we can accept 1787 as Eliza's birthdate, and not the dates in some A*****y trees. It's good to be able to accept something as most probably reliable.

That also means Eliza may well have contributed to the quilt. The Guild dates it to 1790-1810. Girls were taught to sew very young in those days, so I think we can suggest that she helped to make it with help and training, probably, from her mother, perhaps her grandmother and aunts.

Eliza's son seems to have move to Weymouth, so that may account for the quilt being in England. I am much more familiar with English records than Irish, so I can research descendansts i think. My research focus has now switched, though, to Catherine and her mother, because I would like to at least identify some of the women in the family who might have contributed to the quilt. Your find of Catherine receiving a financial settlement suggests they had money and were well connected. I shell press on, and thanks again

[maddys52]

Have found another couple of records that may be related:

There is a Bill book in the Court of Chancery records 31 Oct 1793 which (I think) has Catherine MADDER and Robert REEVES in an action against Richard Ford ROYCE.

Another bill on 7 June 1797 for Cath. MADDER against various names including MAUNSELL and BLACKISTON.

(Someone more knowledgable about these records may be able to explain them better.)

Also a probate for a Catherine MADDER, widow of City of Cork in 1837.

Not sure about the probate record, but the Court of Chancery record does seem related, with the names MADDER and REEVES together.

[maddys52]

I can't find a relative burial record, however there is this death notice in 1791:

"In Limerick, Mr. Henry Madder, merchant"
Monday,  Sept. 19, 1791
Publication: Star and Evening Advertiser

May not be related at all, hard to tell. 

Have found his probate - to "Catherine, the widow".   

[maddys52]

Looking for records of a Catherine and Robert REEVES together, I see that there is a probate for a Grace SPAIGHT, widow of Limerick will dated 21 Feb 1764, probate 8 Aug 1765

"dau Catherine - dau Grace Reeves - son Samuel - eldest son Thomas - son [?]almes - Grandson Robert Reeves - Uncle Robert Burton Esq - Robert Reeves husband of ^gdau Grace - grandchildren Edward and Thomas Reeves"

Grace SPAYGHT married Robert REEVES 29 Nov 1748 at Malew, Isle of Man (transcription on Ancestry).

Robert REEVES baptised 21 Dec 1752 at St Matheus Chapel, Braddan, Isle of Man , parents Robert REEVES and Grace SPAYGHT. A number of other baptisms to this couple, unfortunately I can't see a baptism for Catherine.

I think Robert jnr marries Mary MAUNSELL 19 Sept 1782 in the Diocese of Cork & Ross. Her death notice in 1845 states she was the widow of Robert Reeves, Esq. of Merrion Square, South. A number of mentions of "Messrs. Reeves and Sons, Solicitors, Merrion Square, Dublin".

[maddys52]

I can't find a relative burial record, however there is this death notice in 1791:

"In Limerick, Mr. Henry Madder, merchant"
Monday,  Sept. 19, 1791
Publication: Star and Evening Advertiser

May not be related at all, hard to tell. 

Have found his probate - to "Catherine, the widow".   

Also found these tombstone inscriptions at Kilnarath Graveyard, Tipperary:

"Here lieth the body of Henry Madder of Limerick, son of the Revd John Madder, who depd this life September the 5th 1791 aged 37 years."

Also:
"Here lieth the body of Dorothea Madder, wife of the Revd. John Madder who departed this life Xber [sic] 1777 aged 52 years."

A note with the transcriptions:
"The above two headstones are in the Madder family vault which is very dark and in poor condition, there is possibly a third stone deeper within the vault."

https://tipperarystudies.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/C.%20Vol%205%20Parish%20of%20Kilnarath%20reduced.pdf