Henry Masterson Tomanoole Castledockrell Wexford

[chocolatebar]

I am looking for information on my great, great grandfather Henry Masterson, farmer, and his daughter,my great grandmother Ellen Masterson, who married John Lett, farmer, Clonleigh, New Ross on 24/11/1869.

[cein]

Hi Chocolatebar,
Henry Masterson of Castledockrell, Tomanoule is a relative of ours and could be related to yours.  John Masterson and Elizabeth Byron (Bryon) had a son Henry, born c1842.  Our Henry married Eliza Pembroke (Pembrick) in 1864.  This Henry would therefore be too young to be your Ellen's father.

However, in the Griffith's Evaluation of 1853 there is a John (ours) and a Henry.  Brothers maybe??  They are the only Masterson's in Tomanoule at that time.

I'd love to hear if you have any further information.
Hope to hear from you,
Cein

[chocolatebar]

Hi cein,
Thanks for getting back to me. All I have on my Masterson ancestor is that my great grandmother Ellen Masterson was married to John Lett in St Peters Church, Parish of Monart on 24/11/1869 and her father is stated as Henry Masterson, farmer, Tomanoole Castledockrell They seem to have had three children - Henry, Thomas Henry and Ellen. Unfortunately Ellen Masterson Lett died in 1876 a few months after my grandmother was born. I have copies of birth, marriage and death certificates but know nothing else so far. Looks like Henry and your John could be brothers, maybe St Peters Church could be a connection. Look forward to hearing from you.

[wexfordwanderer]

Hello Chocolatebar and Cein
I too have an indirect interest in the Mastersons. My Great Great Grandfather was Michael Pembroke whose daughter Elizabeth married Henry Masterson in 1864. They had 8 or 9 children, including an Ellen, born 1873 - but obviously a generation later than Chocolatebar's Ellen. She was well down the list of children - 6th I think, so could well have been named after an aunt.

I understand from current descendants of my Masterson family that there was a Catholic Masterson family and a Protestant Masterson family in that area - likely related further back, but they weren't sure how. I believe St Peter's church is Church of Ireland (Protestant) and so this is probably the other Masterson line. The Protestant Masterson family (or descendants of) still live down the road from the descendants of the Catholic ones I think, in Ballywilliamroe, Marshallstown.

[cein]

Hi wexfordwanderer and chocolatebar,
Would you have any info on Henry's siblings or when his parents died?  We know his older brothers and sisters emigrated to Canada and that he was the youngest and stayed in Ireland.  I'd like to find out anything about their life in Ireland before they emigrated.

Also, does the name William Masterson ring a bell with you?  He married an Ellen Jordan in 1866 and they emigrated to the US c1867.  He is mentioned in an old letter my cousin has from 1867 and I'm trying to find out if and how he is related.

You both might know this already but the National Library of Ireland has recently posted Parish registers online that have been very helpful to me.

If you'd like more info on certain people let me know.  Hoping to hear from you,
Cein

[ronnier]

Hi,
I was looking through the Catholic registers for Marshallstown earlier and I think I saw your Mastersons.  They can be viewed  www.registersnli.ie

Sorry I didn't take down details.

Good luck.  Hope you find them

Ronnie

[wexfordwanderer]

Hi Cein, I saw a marriage for William Masterson in 1866 to Ellen "Gratton" - but it wasn't very clear and I wasn't sure if that WAS the last name, so maybe it's Jordan. Witnesses were Moses Forestall and Miss Kehoe. William is also a witness (along with Maryann Kavanagh) in the same year for marriage of Laurence Shannon and Johannah Kavanagh. William is probably a brother of Henry. Yes thanks Ronnie, I have checked out a lot of the parish records already. The baptism and marriage records don't go further back than about 1854 in Marshallstown, and there are very few death records. I have pretty well all of the Henry Masterson & Eliza Pembroke marriage and baptism records, but nothing on his siblings. How great to have a letter from 1867, Cein. Does it mention any other names or events?

Some other names associated with my Mastersons are Comerford and Bent. Have you tried to trace Henry's siblings forward in the U.S. censuses?  Sometimes U.S. records provide a lot more information than the Irish ones!

[wexfordwanderer]

Whoops I just realized you said they emigrated to Canada Cein. But maybe some of them went on to the U.S.? Are you in Canada now? I live in Vancouver.