Gerrards in County Westmeath
Doing some work on the Gerrard family to whom I have only the most tenuous connection by marriage, I came upon the Irish
connections of Thomas Fowler Gerrard which posters here may find interesting.
County Westmeath:
A copy of the 'Gentleman's Magazine' from 1817 has this:
"Samuel Gerrard, esq, late of the 3rd (or King's Own) Dragoons, and only son of Thomas Gerrard, esq. of Tally-ho, Westmeath,
to Elizabeth, oldest dau. of T.L. Fowler, esq. of Pendeford House, co. Staff."
Thomas Leversage Fowler was High Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1788. Pendeford Hall no longer exists but is described here:
http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/articles/Pendeford/PendefordHall.htmhttp://www.historywebsite.co.uk/articles/Pendeford/PendefordHall.htm
Tally-Ho House is named not after the hunting call but after the townland in which it sits - Tallyho. It still exists and is
described here:
http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=WM®no=15402619http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=WM®no=15402619
(Likely, the Tallyho Gerrards were related to the Gerrards of Gibbstown in neighbouring County Meath but no clear evidence has
yet emerged.)
The 1830 Tithe Applottment records Samuel Gerrard holding almost 100 acres in the neighbouring townland of Paslogstown (later
Paslickstown)
The estate appears to have been sold in 1852 to clear debts.
Dublin:
Samuel Gerrard had four known children:
Thomas Fowler Gerrard (1818-1892); Harriete Anne Gerrard (1825-1892); Anne Alica Gerrard(unknown dates) and George Samuel
Gerrard (unknown dates)
Thomas Fowler Gerrard married Amelia Sweeny in St Thomas' church Dublin on June 19 1841.
Another son of Samuel, William, was a clergyman and married Anna Alicia Ransford in St Peter's Dublin in 1845.
In 1850, Samuel's youngest son Robert married Frances Barbara Turtle in Dublin. The mariage was performed by the Rev. George
Gerrard.
The archives of the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland has the following entry:
RCPI/4/3/5/4
Bond for appointment of Drainage Inspector
March 6 1854
Extent
: 4 pages
Creator:
King and Queen's College of Physicians in Ireland
Sweeny, Elizabeth, fl. mid-nineteenth century
Gerrard, Harriett Anne, fl. mid-nineteenth century
Gerrard, Thomas Fowler, fl. mid-nineteenth century
Description:
Bond between the College and Elizabeth Sweeny
and Harriett Gerrard for £100 on the appointment of
Thomas Fowler Gerrard as drainage inspector on the
trust lands in county Waterford
Harriete Anne is his sister; perhaps Elizabeth Sweeny is his mother-in-law?
Thomas Fowler Gerrard witnessed Harriete's 1855 marriage in Dublin to George Henry Kinahan. George was become one of the most
promenent geologists in Ireland. He was a member of the Kinahan whisky distilling family and a cousin, Robert Henry Kinahan,
was Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1853.
Abrother, Rev. George Thomas Gerrard is mentioned in adverts at the time of the sale of Tallyho.
George ThomasGerrard was an minister of the Church of Ireland. In 1850 he married Isabella Lucinda Osborne.He was ordained
priest in Kilmore Cathedral, County Cavan on June 15 1851. He was Rector at St Mogue's church Ballycanew County Wexford from
1850-1854.
Their one known child, William John Gerrard was also a Church of Ireland minister. At the time of his marriage to Mary Susan
Wybrants in Irishtown Dublin in 1883, his residence waslisted as Ballycanew Glebe house. He was rectorat St Mogue's church
just as his father had been before him.
London:
Thomas Fowler Gerrard and family moved to Englandsometime before 1857. Their two youngest children were born in
Staffordshire and London. The 1861 Census of England has them living at 150 Bryanston Street in London's WestEnd. His
occupation is stated as Secretary of the Great Northern Coal Company. The children are listed as James S (perhaps Sweeny?),
William Roger, Amelia M, Harriette Ann, Agnes Fowler and George Thomas and all the family members except the youngest two are
described as being born in Ireland.
In early 1863, within a few days of each other, their three youngest children died.
Cleveland:
The U.S. Federal Census for 1880 has the remaining family living in Cleveland Ohio having entered the United States in 1865.
ThomasFowler Gerrard works as a bookkeeper. Son William Roger is a coal dealer.
In the Census return, Thomas states he is Scottish-born and both his parents born in England. Wife Amelia, son William and
daughter Amelia all claim English birth. Perhaps to distance themselves from the Irish Catholic proletariat, the effect of
this was to obscure their deep Irish roots from later eyes.
Amelia Gerrard née Sweeny died in Cleveland in 1890. Thomas Fowler Gerrard died two years later. Son James S Gerrard is buried
in the family plot in Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland but his date of death is unclear.
Son William Roger Gerrard married Lydia Meeks Bartlett. They had six children together.William Roger Gerrard died in 1912.
One son, Roger William Gerrard died in 1915. Amelia M Gerrard died in Cleveland in 1928.
California:
The 1930 Census records members of the family living in Los Angeles. Widowed Lydia was living with her sons Herbert Bartlett
Gerrard and Thomas Meek Gerrard and daughter Lydia - known as Renney.
In 1940, Lydia was living in San Diego - with sons Thomas Meek Gerrard and Harold Fowler Gerrard and daughter Renney who had
been married and widowed in the intervening decade.
Lydia Meek Bartlett Gerrard died in La Jolla California in 1950 aged 93 years.