Eustace Families of Kilmihil Parish,County Clare

By: Terry Shiely Diebel

KILMIHIL EUSTACE RECORDS – 1820 to present

Kilmihil Generation I:

Robert Eustace Sr. and Elizabeth Keane from Cahermurphy were married about 1841 and had children which included: Robert  Jr.* born about 1847; Anne, baptized July 14, 1850; Catherine, baptized April 9, 1853; Honor, baptized August 4, 1855; Thomas baptized January 31, 1858; and James Joseph baptized May 16, 1860.  James Joseph Eustace married Johanna Connery about 1877 and that they emigrated to the USA. They first settled at Rome, Oneida County, New York (1878), went to Salisbury, Herkimer County, New York (1880), then to Reno (Sugarcreek), Pennsylvania (1882-1890) and eventually settled in Oil City, Venango County, Pennsylvania.
Family of James Joseph Eustace and Johanna Connery:

John Eustace from Kilmihil married Nancy Dillon at St. Senan’s Church in Kilrush in September, 1852.  Their children included: Michael baptized October 20, 1853, Bridget baptized June 6, 1855, Mary baptized June 8, 1859 and John baptized June 25, 1865.  In the 1901 Census, John Eustace, Sr. is listed as a pensioner in Cahermurphy.

Patrick Eustace born about 1821 married Mary (Ann) Galvin also born about 1821 and  their children included:  John born April 5, 1853; Honor born March 23, 1857 (see Kilmaley Eustace family) and Daniel** born August 8, 1861.

James Eustace from Kilmihil married Mary Kean at St Senan’s Church, Kilrush, in January, 1833.

In the 1850 papers of the sale of the Kilmore Estate owned by Letitia Hickman, the descendant of the original English landowner Poole Hickman, one Eustace is listed.  Bridget Eustace widow of Patrick is renting 27 acres of land in “Breaghva, otherwise Breaffa”.  This family can be found there in the 1901 Clare Census. Patrick Eustace from Breaffa married Maria Eustace (possibly a cousin) from Kilmihil on February 26, 1871.  Patrick and Maria live in Breaffa, Parish of Kilmurry in the 1901 census of Clare with their children John age18, Bridget age 14 and Patrick age 11.  Other children of this couple included: Michael (m. Liz McCusker) born 1872, Bridget 1874-1885, Kate (m. Francis McCusker) born 1876, Maria (m. Patrick Lyons), Richard, born 1879, previously mentioned Bridget (Delia) born 1885, previously mentioned Patrick (m. Mary Clerkin) and Annie born 1894.  Some of this family immigrated to Waterbury, New Haven County, CT.  Their destination was the home of their uncle, James Eustace (Patrick’s brother), who lived with his family in Waterbury, CT.  Patrick’s son, Michael migrated to Watertown, CT.  James Eustace’s (Patrick’s brother) son, Edward is living in Albany, NY in 1920. 

Kilmihil Generation II:

*Robert Eustace, Jr.  from Kilmihil Parish was born about 1847.  According to pension records, Robert is the son of Robert Eustace and Elizabeth Keane.  Robert Jr. and Nora McInerny married about 1875 and their children included: Thomas baptized November 18, 1876, Patrick baptized March 15, 1878, John baptized June 2, 1879, Mary baptized February 23, 1881.  Robert and Nora Eustace are listed as farmers in Cahermurphy in the 1901 Census of Clare.  On February 20, 1917, Robert Jr., a general merchant in Castlepark, Kilmihil, applied for a pension.  He had to prove his age to qualify for the pension and the research into an 1841-1851 census showed that he was 3 years old and that his parents were Robert and Elizabeth Keane Eustace.

James Joseph Eustace, son of Robert Eustace and Mary Keane (Kane) was born August 10, 1853 in County Clare and died March 9, 1927 at Oil City, Venango County, Pennsylvania. He married Johanna Connery in 1877. They first settled at Rome, Oneida County, New York (1878), went to Salisbury, Herkimer County, New York (1880), then to Reno (Sugarcreek), Pennsylvania (1882-1890) and eventually settled in Oil City, Venango County, Pennsylvania.
Family of James Joseph Eustace and Johanna Connery:

**Daniel Eustace baptized about 1861 a farmer (son of Patrick Eustace and Mary Ann Galvin) married Sarah Meade (born about 1868) about 1892 and their children included: Bridget baptized November 29, 1893, Margaret baptized July 29, 1895, Catherine baptized February 1, 1897, John baptized March 20, 1899, and Michael baptized 1901.  Daniel’s family with his parents Patrick and Mary are found in the 1901 census of Clare still living in Cahermurphy, Kilmihil parish.  According to Ellis Island records, Catherine Eustace visited her sister, Delia in 1915.  Delia Eustace was living in Yonkers, NY.

Charles Eustace born about 1843, a farmer, and Honor Killeen born about 1846 married about 1868 and their children included: John baptized February 2, 1869, Bridget and Catherine baptized March 20, 1870, Charles baptized July 14, 1871, Cornelius baptized March 27, 1873, Mary baptized February 20, 1875, Michael baptized October 16, 1876, Patrick baptized August 23, 1878 (died 1916), Mary, baptized May 14, 1880, Bridget baptized April 14, 1882, and Daniel baptized July 7, 1884.  In the 1901 Census, Charles and his family live in Cahermurphy, Kilmihil Parish.  Patrick and John are believed to have immigrated to Buffalo, NY.  Charles Eustace born in 1871 arrived in New York May 23, 1892.  He was naturalized in Monmouth, New Jersey in 1906.  He married Bridget “Delia” Carey and they had seven children:  John James 1905-1981, Agnes Christina 1908-1971, Charles Augustine 1911-1930, Francis Patrick 1916-1988, and Mary Margaret 1918-? James Thomas 1921-2005, and Joseph Anthony 1913-1982.  Joseph Anthony’s family was from the Aberdeen/Baltimore/Washington area even though he was born in Atlantic Highlands, NJ.  Today, his son Joseph “Bud” Eustace, Jr. resides in Tampa, Florida.

John Eustace married Margaret Price in Kilmihil on March 5, 1867 and their children included: Mary baptized March 7, 1868, John baptized April 1869, Bridget baptized December 3, 1870, and Patrick baptized November 13, 1872. In the 1901 Census, John Eustace age 66 is listed with his wife Margaret age 60 with their son John age 25 and their grandson, Thomas age 3.  They live in Kiltumper, Parish of Kilmihil.  This possibly could be John Eustace and Margaret Price.  Although there is no record to date for John born about 1876, it is possible that John born in 1869 could have died.  However, to date there is no proof.  In the 1901 Census, Margaret Eustace a retired farmer’s wife is widowed age 89 and living in Kiltumper, Kilmihil Parish.  She may be the mother to John married to Margaret Price.  A Mary Eustace is listed in the 1855 Griffith Valuation.  This is likely the same family.

John Eustace and Ellen Reidy married about 1870 and their children included: Margaret baptized March 1, 1871, Mary baptized March 8, 1872, Anne baptized March 24, 1873, Catherine baptized June 1, 1874, Anne baptized April 10, 1876, Michael baptized August 27, 1877, Thomas baptized December 14, 1878, Jane baptized April 14, 1880, Ellen baptized February 24, 1882, Bridget baptized June 30, 1884, and Teresa baptized September 15, 1886.  In the 1901 Census, Ellen lives in the Townland of Leitrim, Parish of Kilmihil with her children Thomas, Anne, Delia, Teresa and her niece Mary Fitzgerald and Nephew, Patrick Fitzgerald. These are the children of John Eustace’s sister, Margaret who was married to Thomas Fitzgerald in Kilmihil. In the 1906 Ellis Island records, Teresa Eustace from Drumellihy, Ireland visits the US, and in the 1912 Ellis Island Records, there is evidence John and Ellen’s daughter Delia immigrated to the US in 1904, and visits Ireland in 1912 with her sister Tessie Eustace.  They are considered non-immigrant aliens in 1912 on their return to144 Clarkson Street in NYC; they list their brother Thomas as living in Kilmihil, Ireland.

Also in the 1901 Census of Clare is Bridget Eustace born about 1883 living with her grandmother Mary O’Donnell in Kilmihil (probably the grandmother of Mary O’Donnell Eustace living in Coolmuinga in the same census year).   Also in this census is listed Annie Eustace age 14 living in Kilmihil. 

The Index to Biographical Notices 1935-1985 lists the following Eustace death in Kilmihil:  John from Cahermurphy died March 9, 1984.

Eustace Families of Kilmihil

Eustace Families of Kilrush

Eustace Families of Kilmaley

Other Clare Eustace Families