THE ORIGINS OF EVESTON/EVISON/EVESSON Researched by Brian Kane 6th July 2020

(Birth Certificates from https://www.birthsdeathsmarriages.ie/ are available from 1864 onwards

Death Certificates are available from 1878 onwards)

	(#1) Charles Eveston/Evesson/Eviston born about (Abt.1780-1854) (Stonemason Tinakilly located 3 and half miles north east of Aughrim) married Margaret Magraph (her sisters were Bridget ('Bidy') Magraph and Judith Magraph)
	Children of Charles Eveston/Evesson/Eviston born (Abt 1780) (#1) were: Charles (#4) Born 1805, married Nov 3rd 1829, was a farmer who died in Ireland Abt 1854/55 age 47. Charles was a sponsor for other couples at Baptisms on Oct 8th 1824, Nov 25 1824 and April 8th 1825, Robert (#3) stonemason born 1811 and Thomas (Baptised 30th Nov 1821: sponsors Ned Campbell and 'Bidy' Magraph) (#2),

	GRIFFITH VALUATION REGISTER IN TOWNLAND OF TINAKILLY UPPER (ORD S # 34+#39) No 10 occupier Robert Evesson leasing house and land 8 acres value 2.15 pounds and building 3.10 pounds. Leasing from a big landowner: Earl of Meath No 11 occupier "Robert #3 (Junior) No 15 Thomas Evesson leasing 1 acre from the Earl of Meath. No 16 Judith McDonnell, John Byrne and Thomas Evesson #2 leasing 1 acre from the Earl of Meath.
	Charles Eveston born 1805 and died age 47 in 1855 (#7 first married Margaret approx 1824 and upon her death subsequently married Elizabeth McDonnell Tuesday Nov 3rd 1829). Charles had a least one sister Ellen (married to Terrence Shah and first child Dermos: the sponsor was her brother Charles Eviston April 8th 1825) and a brother John. From the first marriage of Charles Eveston was a daughter: Anne Evesson (born 1825) who came out to Australia with her step mother Elizabeth McDonnell. Elizabeth's father? Peter McDonnell who appears in the notation below at the wedding. Elizabeth subsequently named her 3rd son Peter Eveston.. Nov 3rd 1829 Charles Eveston and Elizabeth (Eliza) McDonnell Tinakilly married at St. Michael's Tinakilly (#4) The Parish Priest from July 4th 1825 - Jan 1835 was Rev. John Kavenagh PP https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0488 Elizabeth McDonnell (Eveston married name) : born 1806 Co. Kerry and married approx 1830 aged 24. Her parents were James and Mary McDonnell.  Came to N.S.W. aged 48 by the ship 'Admiral Lyons' 15/9/1857 with Anne 32 (farm servant Rathdrum) her stepdaughter from the first marriage of Charles Eveston and Margaret. Elizabeth gave her occupation as housekeeper. She came out as a widower since her husband Charles had died in Ireland aged 55 in about 1855. She lived with her son Edward at 38 John St. Woollahra. She was able to read. Elizabeth died on 21st August 1885 of senile decay and exhaustion aged 79. Her son's were Charles (RIP 1878 aged 47), Peter (came to Australia, aged 22, with his mother Elizabeth in 1857. He could read and write and was a farm labourer in Rathdrum before he came out from Ireland. My guess is that he died from the dust of being a stonemason. 'Silicosis is an incurable and often fatal  lung disease  caused by breathing-in dust containing crystalline silica found in manufactured stone. Apprentices and working  stonemasons  are increasingly difficult to retain as the  illness  'rocks the industry' and Peter had died by the time of her death in 1885), https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/collections-and-research/guides-and-indexes/assisted-immigrants-digital-shipping-lists 38 John St. Woollahra Edward (aged 22 in 1855) and James (aged 19 in 1855. He was named James after his mother Elizabeth's father who was James McDonnell).  Originally Elizabeth came from Arklow County Wicklow.  Buried in Waverly Cemetry - R.C. ordinary section 12 graves 75/76/77 - seven graves in all.  Married Charles Evesson (stonemason) when she was 22. The informant on her death was her son Edward who was illiterate and signed with a ''X" James Eveston's mother was given as 'Power' by the informant Charles Eveston at the time of death but this is incorrect. When James Eveston was married his mother's name was given as Elizabeth McDonnell.
	James Eveston (could not read or write) of Coleraine had brothers Edward Evesson (died 19th Sept 1905 of cardiac disease) and Charles (born 1831 and died 1878 aged 47 of consumption.  He was a stonemason.  Buried Waverly Cemetry)  and this is how the Sydney connection began.
	Brian (son of William Evesson who was a brother of Ernie) was in contact with the Evesson connection for many years, mostly though Ernie Evesson and family.
	Evesson Lane Woolahra and there are a block of flats in Edgecliffe Rd. Woollahra named ''Evesson Flats''.

Mrs. Molly (Evesson) Healy on the right and her sister Sheila (#100 on family history chart - I visited her in 1983 and mum corresponded with her for many years. Tinakilly Aughrim Co. Wicklow Ireland

Tinnakilly is located about 3 and half miles north east of Aughrim and it was famous for it's Granite Quaries (see marked on the map). It was referred to 'Granite City'. Many of the older houses in the area are built from local granite which in the early part of the century employed up to a hundred men. Granite from Tinnakilly Rock Quary was used to build many church in Dublin and in 1934 supplied 450 tonnes of granite for the foundations of Liverpool Cathedral. THE ORIGINAL CHARLES EVESTON (born approx 1780) WORKED THERE AS A STONEMASON FROM THE LATE 1700'S onwards.

AUGHRIM has been in existence since 1500. The name translated means 'the horse's ridge'. The real background to Aughrim lies over a mile north of the village - a townland named Macreddin and often known as Carysfort. It was the heartland of the Aughrim country. The O'Byrnes were subdued during the reign of Elizabeth 1. Charles 1, who later was a victim of Oliver Cromwell, granted the rental of teh two Sheenanas (townland in the area) for the purpose of education in Carysfort. Once the LOrd Deputy moved in, Englishe settlers arrived and the population began to grow. A school was built under the control of 'Th Sovereign Burgeses and Free Commons of the Borough of Carysfort'.

This body disappeared in time and was adminstered by Trinity College and later by the Commission of Education until 1887 when the school closed.

Aughrim was a fully developed villaged by 1798

Charles Evesson would have been about 23 at the time of the rebellion in 23rd July 1803 and the rebel leader in Aughrim was Michael Dwyer. His neice Anne Devlin born in Aughrim in 1778 was very active in the rebellion by carrying messages to Michael Dwyer. She was aged about 25 at the time. Her father was imprisoned for being part of the rebellion. He was released in 1801 and then his family moved to Rathfarnham.

Anne was seized by troops, subjected to the torture of half hanging and pricked by bayonets in a fruitless attempt to forcd her to divulve the whereabouts of her master. She was treated with incredible cruely and spent nearly 3 yaers in different prison, often in solitary confinement. Her health broke down and she became an invalid. Later she recovered somewhat and earned her living as a housekeeper. Later, she married a man named Campbell who died in 1845. She died in extreme poverty in Sept 1851 and was buried close to Daniel O'Connell.

Aughrim honoured this brave women on 18th Sept 1951 when a plaque was unveiled in her honour.

Once Catholic emancipation was achieved, O'Connell campaigned for repeal of the Act of Union, which in 1801 had merged the Parliaments of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . To campaign for repeal, O'Connell set up the Repeal Association. Daniel O'Connell, is often referred to as The Liberator or The Emancipator,

From the Book of Wicklow The O'Byrnes were subdued during the reign of Elizabeth 1

DOWN HERE FOR PDF FORMAT OF EVESSON FAMILY TREE TO PRINT

Robert Evesson #3 (1811 - 1884) stonemason married Mary (Kinshela) Evesson (1809 - 1884) had 8 children - of those, Margaret born 1833 aged 20 and Sarah Evesson (born 1834 and baptised on 27th June 1834) aged 18 came out to Australia by themselves on 1st September 1853 on 'David McIver'. They gave their occupation as 'farm servants'and both could read and write. INTERESTINGLY THEIR NAME IS RECORDED CORRECTLY IN THE SHIPPING RECORDS AS 'EVESSON' AND THEIR NATIVE PLACE AND COUNTY AS RATHDRUM CO. WICKLOW.

Robert owned a family Hotel in 1867 in South Head Rd. old Paddington

https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/collections-and-research/guides-and-indexes/assisted-immigrants-digital-shipping-lists

Sarah Evesson Baptism June 27th 1834 daughter of Robert and Mary Evesson - Sponsors: John Cahill and Annie Murphy Tinakilly

The other children were:

	Jane 1837 aged 17 (#11) Baptised 18th April 1837 Sponsor: Jn Eveston and Judith Magraph Tinakilly
	Charles 1840 age 14 Baptised Feb 4th 1840 https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0488 https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0488
	Bridget 1843 aged 11
	Ann Baptised 22nd Sept 1845 aged 9 (died on the voyage) (#19) of Robert and Mary Eviston
	Maria Baptised 25th Feb 1849 aged 6 of Robert and Mary Eviston
	Ellen 1852 aged 2

On 29th July 1854, Robert (Church of Rome: Catholic - could read and write Rathdrum Co Wicklow), his wife Mary (Farm Servant occupation and she could read - Native place Arklow Co Wicklow) and the rest of the children then followed the two daughters and came to Australia as well on "Araminta" in Sydney - 'Assisted'.  Arklow is a town in County Wicklow on the east coast of Ireland, overlooked by Ballymoyle hill. It was founded by the Vikings in the ninth century. Arklow was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion. Population : 13,163 (2016)

They set sail on the ‘Araminta' from Liverpool 0n 3 May and arrived in Sydney on 29 July, 1854. Robert, age 43, is listed as being a stonemason and paid £11 for himself and his family – wife Mary 41, and children, Jane 17 (could read and write - Rathdrum), Charles 14 (Tinnakilly stonemason - could read) , Bridget 11 (Tinnakilly), Anne 9 Tinnakilly (RIP on board the ship), (Tinnakilly) Maria 6, and (Tinnakilly) Ellen 2. The ‘Araminta', on an earlier voyage was called ‘the death ship' because of the number of casualties. The number wasn't as high on this trip but, sadly, little Anne didn't make it and died on board.

Robert & Mary settled in Sydney, living their life in the Paddington area. The two oldest girls who were the Evesson vanguard, also stayed in the Paddington area, but Jane married a farmer from Mudgee as did her sister Maria. In fact they married brothers John & Michael Maloney, maybe Maria meeting Michael through Jane, who got married five years before she did. Charles, Robert and Mary's only son, also stayed in Sydney.

Robert Evesson died 15th May 1884 aged 76.

https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/collections-and-research/guides-and-indexes/assisted-immigrants-digital-shipping-lists

Edward Evesson (#6) and Charles Evesson 1830 - 1878 no children died aged 47 (#7) came to Sydney Australia in 1855 and

James Evesson (Rathdrum Co. Wicklow Ireland), as he was known then, came out to Australia on 15th Sept 1855 with his brothers Charles and Edward. He was only 19 years of age then, his brother Charles 24 and Edward 22. They came on a ship called ‘Eliza', an Assisted Immigration ship bringing labour to the colony. Their £5 each remittance was paid for by Mary Evesson, wife of their big brother Robert.

https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/collections-and-research/guides-and-indexes/assisted-immigrants-digital-shipping-lists

(Rathdrum Co. Wicklow Ireland),

Rathdrum was the original village of the Evesson clan. Robert (born 1811) and his brothers Thomas and Charles were born at Rathdrum. Charles (#4) sons were Charles (1830-1878 stonemason/quarryman died of consumption a wasting disease TB aged 47 was not married), Edward (1833-1905) and our great, grand father James (1836-1904) were also born there.

The brothers Charles, Edward and James could not read or write and signed their name with a 'X'.

Evesson birth place: Tinakilly south of Rathdrum Robert, Charles, James, Edward.

Tinakilly birth place of Bridget Evesson 1843, Ann 1845, Maria 1848, Ellen 1852. https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/4538775#map=12/52.8619/-6.2423

Rathdrum main street Rathdrum ( Irish : Ráth Droma , meaning "Ringfort of the Ridge") is a village in County Wicklow , Ireland . It is situated high on the western side of the Avonmore river valley, which flows through the Vale of Clara. Railway Rathdrum is served by mainline train and bus from Dublin and Rosslare . Rathdrum railway station opened on 18 July 1863, replacing the earlier terminus at Rathdrum (Kilcommon) (opened on 20 August 1861)when the line was extended. Bus Bus Éireann route 133 from Wicklow to Arklow serves Rathdrum twice a day each way (once each way on Sundays) and provides a link to Avoca , Woodenbridge , Glenealy and Rathnew . The Wicklow Way bus service operates two routes linking Rathdrum railway station and Rathdrum with Glendalough and Tinahely respectively. People Born in Rathdrum: Anne Devlin (1780–1851), Irish republican and housekeeper to Robert Emmet . Patrick Moran , First Roman Catholic Bishop of Dunedin , New Zealand Charles Stewart Parnell , nationalist politician once dubbed the "uncrowned king of Ireland" was born at nearby Avondale House . This house is now open to the public and situated in Avondale Forest park. Notable residents: Hazel O'Connor , English singer-songwriter and actress.

Rathdrum; R752 crossing the Avonmore River Photo of Br. Terry Giles taken in 2008 on the hill of the Parish Church overlooking the village The distance between Dublin and Rathdrum is 45 km. The road distance is 57.8 km. Wicklow is famous for its dramatic beauty thanks to the peaceful nature of the Wicklow Mountains and valleys, and the breath-taking scenery along its coastline. Tomnafinnoge Wood is a remnant of the ancient Shillelagh woods that once clothed the mountains and valleys of south Wicklow .

Rathdrum Cemetery

Robert and Mary Evesson had come out a year earlier, in 1854, having sent their two oldest daughters ahead of them. The two girls, Margaret, age 20, and Sarah, age 18, arrived in Sydney in 1853 on the ship ‘David McIver.' The ship was immediately placed in quarantine, having had measles on board since the second day after leaving Liverpool. Luckily, the girls weren't amongst the sick and disembarked at Sydney to await their parents – a thirteen month wait.

Sarah Evesson then married Patrick Erwin.  They had a daughter Catherine in 1862.  Catherine married John James Healy in 1880 in Woolhara.  They then had a son in 1881 - John J Healy.  John (husband of Catherine died) subsequently and so Catherine Healy married Patrick Joseph Daboren in 1888.  They went on to have 6 children (3 died in infancy and three who survived were Freda Josephine 1888, Francis (Frank) 1894 and William 1899.

Born c 1849 Rathdrum, Co Wicklow

Rathdrum is close to the nearby village of Avoca which was the setting for the Television series  Balleykissangel.

Maria’s birth year is calculated from the shipping list of 1855 which show she was 6 years old when she came to NSW, and her age when she died in 1937 was on her death certificate as 88 years which is also on her gravestone in Mudgee Cemetery.

	Jane b 1837, age 17 (#11) on Evesson family tree)
	Charles b 1840, age 14
	Bridget b 1843, age 11
	Anne b 1845, age 9 – died on voyage  (#19 on Evesson family tree)
	Maria b 1848, age 6
	Ellen b 1852, age 2

Brian visited the Evesson relatives in Ireland in 1983 - (#100) Molly Healy (Evesson). Mum wrote to Molly Healy for many years afterwards.

	PARISH OF RATHDRUM
	TOWNLAND OF TINAKILLY
	UPPER TINAKILLY
	AUGHRIM
	CO WICKLOW

HISTORY OF CATHOLIC CHURCH IN RATHDRUM:

On Sunday 22nd July 1860 the Archbishop of Dublin, Most Rev. Dr P Cullen (later to become Ireland's first Cardinal) performed the solemn dedication of the Church of St Mary & St Michael, Rathdrum .

Prior to 1860 there is no tradition of a post-reformation Catholic Church of outstanding importance in Rathdrum. There are several references to a pre-reformation wood church, ‘St Mary's in the Wood' but its whereabouts is unknown. After the 1798 rebellion the then Parish Priest, Fr Kavanagh, was permitted by earl Fitzwilliam to use a corridor in the Flannel Hall (now the RDA Hall) as a church for the people. Here from about 1810 to 1860 Mass was offered, sacraments were administered and children received catechism lessons. Now Rathdrum had its own beautiful church overlooking the Avonmore River. This had been made possible by the zealous devotion of Reverend Richard Galvin, P.P. together with the cooperation of the parishioners.

Father Galvin was born on 1st February 1819 in County Limerick. He was ordained priest on the 1st June 1844 by Archbishop of Dublin, Most Rev. Dr Murray, (who was born at Sheepwalk, – on the Beach Road between Avoca and Arklow in 1768). Fr Galvin first came to Rathdrum as a curate in 1847 and seven years later in 1854 was appointed Parish Priest. Within two years, a man of great energy, impressive personality and sincere conviction, he had secured from Earl Fitzwilliam, the local landlord, a site for the first post-reformation Catholic Church in Rathdrum.

In 1855, Father Galvin began his building programme. The design for the Church was prepared by James Joseph Mc McCarthy (1817 – 1882) an admirer of Pugin. He was also responsible for the design of Maynooth College Chapel and St Kevin's Church in Laragh. The fee which Mr McCarthy received for his work was £247 8s. 0d. The Clerk of Works – a man by the name of Crimmeen – was paid £1 16s. 0d. per week. The first stone of St Mary & St Michael's Church was laid on 3 June 1856. A fine example of Gothic design, the plans consisted of nave and chancel with side aisles and chapel porches, north and south and a sacristy south of the chancel. The chancel arch rises from Columns of Galway marble resting on corbels of Caen stone carved into beautiful figures of the patrons. The twelve granite pillars represent the twelve apostles.

The Church can hold a congreation of roughly 300 people. There is a raised choir and organ area at the back of the Church.

St Mary & St Michael – Rathdrum

22nd July 1821- John baptised (parents Robert Eviston and Madge Keoghan Tinakilly) sponsors Martin and Ellen Byrne.

26th July 1821 - Marg baptised (parents Jo Byre and Tommy Doyle) sponsors Robert Eviston and Bridget McGrath Tinakilly.

30th Nov 1821 - Thomas baptised (parents Charles Eviston and Marg Magraph Tinakilly) Sponsors Ned Campbell and Bidy McGraph.

8th Oct 1824 - Charles Eviston sponsor Tinakilly.

25th Nov 1824 - Charles Eviston sponsor Tinakilly.

8th April 1825 - Dermos baptised (parents Terrence Shah and Ellen Eviston) Sponsor Charles Eviston Tinakilly.

Charles and Robert Eviston (Tinakilly) had an interesting if chequered life.

(Probably related to our family since they came from Tinakilly but not closely on another branch)