Griffin/Saunders Family of Knocknaboley Wicklow

Census records of 1861 and 1881 indicate that he was born about 1815, not in 1809 as had been reported on his death record. The Coolatin Estate Residents book puts his birth year as about 1816 as does his immigration record from Coolatin in 1851.

Thomas Griffin(the elder) supplanted John Griffin on his lease in Knocknaboley by 1830. The following justifies the claim that he is our ancestor.

In the 1839 Rental Book (NLI, MS 6082) Thomas Griffin's part of the lease was occupied by Margaret (30 acres) and William (20 acres). Margaret was probably Thomas' widow, age 65 with 2 sons and 1 daughter. William was 60 and had no wife and unknown children.

By 1848 Margaret and William were replaced by Peter and Thomas (junior) respectively. In fact the entries in 1848 were:

Peter Griffin, age 30, wife age 25, 1 son and 1 daughter. Thomas Griffin, age 32, wife age 25, 1 son and 1 daughter. and Samuel Fisher, age 30, wife age 26.

The 1850 Tenant census was similar and shows Thomas' family just before they left for Canada. This record shows that this particular Thomas Griffin is the same man who moved to Durham Co Ontario in 1850, because Samuel Fisher gave his immigration ticket to Thomas, according to the Emigration records of the Coolatin Estate.

By 1848 Thomas and Peter Griffin assumed the old John Griffin portion of the lease on the Coolatin estate. They replaced Margaret Griffin and William Griffin respectively, who had replaced Thomas Griffin on the lease in the early 1840s. It is thought that Margaret was the wife of the elder Thomas and the mother of Peter and Thomas. William was the elder Thomas' brother.

Note: Transcribed from the manuscripts of the Fitzwilliam estate in the National Library of Ireland, as part of Jim Rees's research for his book, SURPLUS PEOPLE.

Fitzwilliam Tenants - Family Group ID: 508 Parish Kilcommon Year Listed: 1851 Surname Griffin Reference No. 57 Group Members: Thomas 35, Jane 29, John 6, Margaret 4, Mary 2. Townland Knocknaboley

Original Record in National Library Ireland, MS 4975, EMIGRANTS ASSISTED 1851.

Thomas' family was listed along with his neighbor John Kimmitt. The Kimmitts and Griffins had shared a 100 acre farm lease for over 70 years in Knocknaboley.

Ship Glenlyon Departure New Ross, Co Wexford, Ireland. April 15, 1851 Arrival Quebec. May 30, 1851 Holding Chest/Graves in side column.

The GLENLYON, a ship of 909 tons, was built in Saint John New Brunswick, by Hugh Irvine and his brothers (?). She was launched in August 1841, and registered in November 1841, at first by R.D. Wilmot, and later in the month by Stephen and AugustusWiggins. Sold by the latter firm to London owners. Samuel Robert Graves registered the GLENLYON in Liverpool in 1851, but the next year re-registered her in Ross [Scotland] for other members of the Graves family. She was abandoned in a sinking state in January 1861, on a voyage from Savannah to Liverpool.

Address: Lot 3 Concession 2

Extract from Archeologist's Report on Cartwright:

West Half of Lot 3 Conc 3

On March 30, 1855, William Darcy signed over the south 50 acres (~20 ha) of the west half of lot 3 to his sister-in-law, Catherine Darcy, who was the widow of his brother Benjamin (Deed #661). She immediately transferred the 50 acres to her son John who, for a number of years, rented it out to area farmers (Deed #663). The agricultural census for 1861 showed THOMAS GRIFFIN occupying and farming 30 (~12 ha) of the 50 acres (~20 ha) while later maps showed James Miller and later Peter Darcy as the occupants. On September 10 1864, John Darcy transferred ownership of the 50 acres to his brother Thomas (Deed #3800) who transferred it on October 7, 1869 to Alice Darcy. William Darcy held title to the north 50 acres (~20 ha) until his death on December 20, 1877 when he bequeathed it to his son Thomas (Will #1272). The census for 1851 shows the William Darcy family occupying a one-story log house and the agricultural census of 1861 shows both the north and south halves of the west half of lot 3. Thomas Darcy is shown as owning part of Lot 3, Concession 2. The northwest half of Lot 3 is owned by William Darcy and the southwest half of Lot 3 is owned by James Miller. No structures are indicated for the study area on the Tremaine map. The east half of Lot 3, Concession 3 is owned by James Saunders. No buildings are depicted on the 1861 Tremaine map.

Thomas bought 1 acre of land in Howick Township, Huron County in 1869.

The marriage record for John Griffin and Mary Giles indicates that either Thomas or John Griffin lived at Conc 13 Lot 22 in Huron Co.