Then, two years ago my father was keen to do a little family tracing. That's where I came in. I was entrusted with the daunting task of discovering things he didn't know! It seemed overwhelming but exciting too. The questions I had throughout my childhood surfaced once again, "How can so little of your history be passed on", "Why hasn't anyone told me anything before now?", "Is there a secret so big, it would shock if it were discovered?' ....Maybe I would finally get some answers.
So I set about signing up for an ancestry.com account and tentatively began entering the only names I had. I punched the known names into the fledgling tree forming on the screen.
Little green leaves suddenly sprouted. I couldn't believe it!
Something was happening, the tree was growing! I thought is would be harder than this. I expected the results to take a while, the immediate connections were astounding. A few names later and the family tree had grown considerably. Hours turned into days. A long weekend was furiously consumed from dawn to dusk with searching. It became addictive! The more I found out, the more I wanted to know! Dots were connected, dates discovered and ancestors traced back further than I could have ever imagined. I started entering new data into Google, and the information just kept coming. I read old newspaper articles and searched the New Zealand archives. I purchased copies of death certificates and read riveting stories. Bit by bit my history was coming together, alive right before my eyes.
My Great great great grandfather, Georg (1793-1854), married Helena Elisabeth Hansdotter (1797-) against his families wishes. She was a maid working at the family farm in Stor Mellings. Helena was the daughter of Hans Classon, a skolmastare (teacher). Georg lost the family name and his inheritance along with it. He would no longer be known by the name Botelsson (Son of Botel) and took the name Ekstrom instead. They were married in 1817. He had turned his back on his families wealth and set off a poor man, working for twelve days without pay in order to live in the house and grounds of a crofters holding at Ajsarve grund. They had four children. My great great grandmother, Johanna (Johanna Catarina Josephina Pettersson, 1835-1932), was the third of four children, all born in Levide. On October 8, 1842 they moved to Visby. At the age of 21, Johanna gave birth to a son. His father is listed as unknown.
On August 5th, 1858, Johanna married Johan Pettersson. Johan was a labourer and made the candleholders in the Methodist Church on Adelsgatan. Johanna gave birth to a son before her marriage to Johan. Some records indicate his name may have been August Axel. The father of this child is Unknown.
The candleholders are still used in the windows at Christmas. He is buried in an anonymous grave outside the funeral Chapel at Ostra Kyrkogarden, south of Valdemarskorset. Johanna planted a lilac bush on his grave. It was taken down around 2000 as part of the cemetery improvements.
After the death of Johan, Johanna rented a part of the house on Klinten, Norderklint 16, in Visby above the cathedral. At the time only the poor lived in this area. Today it is prestigious realty. From this house she had a good view of the sea and often sat in front of the house watching the waves roll in, thinking of her children who had traveled the oceans in search of a new life. Two of her sons, Carl (Karl Julius) and Frank (Frans Oscar) had settled in New Zealand carving out a new future there. Johanna earned her living selling meat and vegetables for a farmer at Stora Torget, the main market in town. She was well liked and the preferred choice for purchase of farm produce.
In 1910 basic infrastructure was in its infancy in Visby. Electric lights were installed on the streets in 1904. In 1910 they started to deliver gas to individual houses from the gas works at Sodervag. Water was fetched from the pump on Stora Torget. The town folk would traipse down the long stairs by the cathedral, heaving the water back up again when full.
My great Grandfather, Frans Oskar Pettersson (Later changed to Frank Oscar Peterson on his naturalisation certificate) set sail for the new world full of hope and expectation. He followed in the footsteps of his older brother Karl Julius leaving behind his dearly loved Mama on Gotland Island. Little did he know that he would never return to his beloved Sweden. Only a few letters survived this time period and have only recently found their way into my hand. Frank found work on the docks of a ship yard in Auckland, New Zealand. He fell in love with an English girl, Florence Cecilia Jenkin. Her family had originated from Cornwall, England. They had eight children. My grandmother (Olga Violet, 1913-1956) was their sixth child. Olga married John Dignan Stackpole in 1938. They had four boys. My father (Michael Frank, 1947-) was the fourth son and an unexpected surprise. Olga was gravely ill for many years and died of tuberculosis in 1956. My father was nine years old.
.jpeg)
After the death of Johan, Johanna rented a part of the house on Klinten, Norderklint 16, in Visby above the cathedral. At the time only the poor lived in this area. Today it is prestigious realty. From this house she had a good view of the sea and often sat in front of the house watching the waves roll in, thinking of her children who had traveled the oceans in search of a new life. Two of her sons, Carl (Karl Julius) and Frank (Frans Oscar) had settled in New Zealand carving out a new future there. Johanna earned her living selling meat and vegetables for a farmer at Stora Torget, the main market in town. She was well liked and the preferred choice for purchase of farm produce.
In 1910 basic infrastructure was in its infancy in Visby. Electric lights were installed on the streets in 1904. In 1910 they started to deliver gas to individual houses from the gas works at Sodervag. Water was fetched from the pump on Stora Torget. The town folk would traipse down the long stairs by the cathedral, heaving the water back up again when full.
My great Grandfather, Frans Oskar Pettersson (Later changed to Frank Oscar Peterson on his naturalisation certificate) set sail for the new world full of hope and expectation. He followed in the footsteps of his older brother Karl Julius leaving behind his dearly loved Mama on Gotland Island. Little did he know that he would never return to his beloved Sweden. Only a few letters survived this time period and have only recently found their way into my hand. Frank found work on the docks of a ship yard in Auckland, New Zealand. He fell in love with an English girl, Florence Cecilia Jenkin. Her family had originated from Cornwall, England. They had eight children. My grandmother (Olga Violet, 1913-1956) was their sixth child. Olga married John Dignan Stackpole in 1938. They had four boys. My father (Michael Frank, 1947-) was the fourth son and an unexpected surprise. Olga was gravely ill for many years and died of tuberculosis in 1956. My father was nine years old.
Grandparents - John Dignan (my fathers father of English/Irish descent)
and Olga Violet (My fathers mother of Swedish/English descent).
Florence's father James Jenkin was born in Cornwall, England.
and Olga Violet (My fathers mother of Swedish/English descent).
Florence's father James Jenkin was born in Cornwall, England.
Irish ancestors of Mary Furlong (Brown/Brennan - great great Grandmother)
Swedish ancestors of Georg Ekstrom (great great Grandfather)
Swedish ancestors of Helena Hansdotter (Great great Grandmother)
Johan Pettersson (great Grandfather)
Johanna Catarina Josefina Pettersson, nee Ekstrom. Born 1 March in Levide.
Georg (Johanna's father) took the name Ekstrom after being disowned for
marrying against his families wishes. He married a maid from Stora Mellings,
on their family farm. He lost his inheritance for love.
Johanna seated (my great great Grandmother)
Thanks to ancestry.com I have been able to put the pieces together. Now two years later 149 people have been included in my family tree which does not include the one hundred or so descendants currently living and spread out across the earth. Earlier this year I travelled to New Zealand for our first ever family reunion. We were able to embrace the intangible thread that bound all our stories together.
.. // ~ // ..
For my children
A Death Bed Confession - Mary of Templescoby
While searching for details on Mary Ann Stackpole (1842-1910) whose father was a soldier named Brown and her stepfather, a man named Michael Brennan, I came across information about her mother, 'Mary of Templescoby' (1813-1890) via a distant family members online discussion and became aware of a connection with Lord Edward Fitzgerald (1763-1798) as the result of a death bed confession. Mary of Templescoby (nee Furlong) had eloped to India with an English soldier, was then widowed, remarried her second husband, and eventually settled in New Zealand with her new family as NZ Fencibles. Prior to her passing in 1890 in Onehunga, New Zealand, Mary of Templescoby revealed that she was in fact related to Lord Edward Fitzgerald. There are few surviving details about her except for the oral retell about her elopement with a British soldier, which eventually made its way to an online discussion board (link to the discussion).
The exact date of birth for our eloping Mary (of Templescoby / nee Furlong) is difficult to pin point, possibly around 1813-1814 but it could have been later than that. Online conversations can be found (here and here and by clicking the reply heading) thanks to Martin O'Sullivan (descendant of Michael Brennan) and Noelle Irvine for the queries. Ancestry.com confirmed the dates and names.
Interestingly, eloping Mary's mother (Mary Murphy of County Wexford), was born around 1778 or 1779 when Lord Edward FitzGerald was approximately 16 years old, which was about the time that he was commissioned into the service of the British army. Could his sudden departure be the result of a dalliance with a young girl, a maid perhaps? Being sent abroad would stem the flow of gossip running the rumour mill. An illegitimate birth at such a young age would have been something to keep quiet, typical of this time period in history.
We can reasonably assume that a child born out of wedlock would be named after a mother and inherit a family name under such challenging circumstances. Could the child have been named after her mother Mary, with the family name of Murphy? It was also common during this time for discreet arrangements to be provided for a child without acknowledging her noble parentage which may have been a scandal for nobility like the House of Leinster. This arrangement would have provided for the child with a home and a surname while obscuring her true biological origin, especially as Murphy being a common name would have made it difficult to trace her lineage back to the FitzGerald family. The Dukes of Leinster were known for making generous provision for illegitimate children which often strained the coffers. Edwards own mother scandalously married her children's tutor after the death of her husband.
We do know from history accounts that Lord Edward FitzGerald was in the home of a Murphy in Wexford when he was fatally shot. The broader Murphy network was deeply involved in the United Irishmen rebellion. Placing an illegitimate child with a trusted family of the same political movement would be a strategic way to ensure her safety and keep an eye on her. The fact that the revelation was shared 112 years later suggests that it was too scandalous to share any earlier. Edward also had a habit of travelling to far flung places at the end of his numerous affairs and he would later marry a woman born of uncertain origins.
A note about the Furlongs
Mary Murphy of County Wexford (1778 -1865) married Thomas Furlong (1780), the son of John Furlong (1748) and Mary Martin (1740) of County Wexford. Thomas would have been around 18 years of age in 1798 at the height of the Irish Rebellion while Mary would have been about 20 years of age {9.}. We do not know if this was a first or second marriage for either Thomas or Mary, however Mary would have been approximately 35 years of age when eloping Mary was born. If Mary was raised discreetly, she may have sought or been offered a secret dowry to marry into a prominent family.
History records that a Matthew Furlong took the place of Lord Edward FitzGerald at the Battle of New Ross after Edward's arrest. It can be safely assumed that the Furlong's and Fitzgerald's knew of each other. We know that Matthew Furlong was buried at Killurin {7.}, the same place and year that Thomas Furlongs father, John Furlong {8.} was buried before the battle of New Ross. Both Matthew Furlong and John Furlong were buried at Killurin Church. Thomas Furlong was from County Wexford, a horse ride of only 31 kilometres from New Ross. (In 2023, I visited the church at Killurin and discovered a stone monument at the entrance to the church grounds dedicated to Matthew Furlong).
Elopement of Mary Furlong and Soldier Brown to India
Mary (nee Furlong) eloped with her soldier and his regiment from Ireland (Marriage details - here). A John Brown is listed as a private in HM 62nd (Wiltshire) regiment of foot (source here and here). Her father (Thomas Furlong) saw her off at the gate but her mother Mary, refused to say goodbye or witness her departure. Eloping Mary (of Templescoby) gave birth to a daughter in Dinapore, India and named her child Mary Ann. Mary Ann is the only known surviving child of this marriage although once widowed, eloping Mary would go on to start a new family with Michael Brennan. The cause of soldier Brown's death is unknown but the British India regiments suffered greatly in the 1842 massacre, the year surrounding Mary Ann's birth. Mary Ann would eventually travel with her mother and stepfather to England and then on to New Zealand. {11.} on the Berhampore (link to ship manifest) where they would be given a parcel of land in the new colony as the Royal New Zealand Fencibles {12.}. Mary Ann would marry Robert Stackpole (from County Cork, Ireland) in 1859.
Years would pass before a Lord White {10.} would sail to New Zealand along with John Rossiter (Dean of Ferns ....possibly Mary's uncle), in search of runaway Mary. He would attempt to bring her home. Mary however, now remarried to Michael Brennan (See Ellen Brennan) refused to return. It would only be in the hours before her death, that our eloping Mary would finally share the family secret that had surrounded her formative years - revealing her link to Lord Edward FitzGerald.
Lord Edward FitzGerald
Lord Edward FitzGerald was destined for military life and it would seem the sooner the better. When he set off at 16 years of age, he would become an explorer of the new world in the Americas, eventually being adopted by the bear tribe of Hurons on his adventure from Canada, down the Mississippi and on to New Orleans.
Lord Edward Fitzgerald was a staunch member of the society of United Irishmen intent on freeing Ireland from British rule. He was an Irish patriot through and through. Edward was captured while hiding in the house of one Nicholas Murphy of Wexford County. One transcript describing the events leading up to the capture and arrest of Edward (submitted by a Murphy while Edward was awaiting trial), makes mention of a girl opening the door and taking a message from a caller to the house. The relayed message, 'Bid him be cautious' (Source), was dutifully passed on. There was no mention of who this girl was other than being referred to as 'the girl'. Could this have been Mary Murphy?
How did Lord Edward FitzGerald come to be in the house of a Murphy that fateful night? (It is worth noting that a John Murphy and a Michael Murphy of County Wexford were listed as Irish martyrs of the 1798 rebellion dying for the cause of freedom). We can only speculate on who these Murphy's were. There is no doubt that the Murphy's were well known in County Wexford and would have known each other well, and more than likely were all related at some level. The connection between the Murphy's and Furlongs seems strong, even today.
Edward died in prison of wounds sustained on the 4th of June, the very day the rebels assembled outside of New Ross town. The day after Edwards death became known as one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion {6.}. Bagenal Harvey, the United Irish leader attempted to negotiate a surrender of New Ross but Matthew Furlong, the rebel emissary was shot while holding the truce flag and a battle ensued. Was this Matthew Furlong (1769 - 1798) related to our Thomas Furlong of Wexford? (See Online Discussion)
A note for reflection
The English and Irish had a long standing hatred of each other due to the numerous bloody conquests and invasions. If you can imagine yourself for one moment as a daughter of the Irish revolution, is it plausible that you might be so scarred by the British massacre at the battle of New Ross, that you would be blind to an English-Irish love match for your daughter?
And now imagine being the young Irish girl who had fallen in love with an Englishmen. Perhaps, you wanted to distance yourself from the Irish story you were born into. There were always secrets to hide. Why divulge your rebel Irish heritage, especially when you find yourself many years later under British rule in a land that offered you a free parcel of land laden with hope and possibilities. The chances were very good that no one would ever know, now that you were tucked away at the bottom of the world. How could you ever know that the secret you revealed might one day surface on something called the internet.
Mary Ann {13} a girl from the Fencible community, would eventually marry an Irishman, my great great grandfather Robert Stackpole in 1859. The irony of this marriage does not escape me, an Irish - English lass marrying an Irish immigrant! (Mary Ann is listed on Jane's Genealogy pages - 13th position down). Robert sailed from Ireland, arriving in New Zealand around 1853. It is not known how long he had been travelling. His birth certificate lists a Robert Stackpole as his father, mother unknown. He was from County Cork, Ireland.
 |
| Wilton Castle today in County Wexford (Where we stayed in 2023) |
Formerly the lands of Kayer and the Manor of Carrigmanan - Source
 |
| At Leinster House with Dad, Dublin 2023 |
 |
| Inside Leinster House |
.jpeg) |
| Killurin Church and cemetery |
.jpeg)
Notes
'In 1376, Stephen Furlong was granted by Edward 111, the custody of the castle of Kayer during pleasure, receiving part of the issues of lands and tenements in the king's lands for the minority of Foulke Furlong, son and heir of Ismay Denn, in the King's custody. The Furlongs owned all property between Horetown and Carrigmanan but like the Fitzhenrys of Macmine - faithful in all things - sacrificied everything for the sake of their religion. After the Furlongs left Horetown during the Cromwellian confiscations they were probably transplanted to Connaught or elsewhere, but James Furlong moved to a farm at Holmstown, near Glynn and settled there. In 1768, John Furlong left Holmestown to marry Mary Martin of Templescoby, and since that time the Furlong family have lived at Templescoby. During the rebellion of 1798, Matthew Furlong of Templescoby was aide-de-camp to Bagenal Harvey, Commander-in-Chief of the Insurgents army, and was shot whilst carrying a flag of truce at New Ross. He was married to Mary Byrne of Raheen and they had five children. His body was taken to the family burial bround in Killurin, not far from Carrigmanan'. Source (Entry submitted by Alcock 2005)
Further notes
* Lord Edward FitzGerald - Source
- Arrest of Edward FitzGerald and subsequent imprisonment at New Gate Prison, Dublin - Source
* Furlong
[1. Matthew Furlong is listed as an ancestor on the pages of this family tree along with Mary Furlong].
[1.a Matthew Furlong - Source - See the perpetrators].
[2. Furlong Ancestry - Source]
[3. Thomas' parents were John Furlong and Mary Martin of Templescoby. John left Holmestown/Horestown to marry Mary Martin. The Furlong family lived in Templescoby from that time - Source].
[4. King Henry II bestows a tract of land to John Furlong for saving him from a wild boar, hence how they came by the manor of Carrigmanan - Source]
[5. History of Wilton Castle, Carrigmanan - Source]
[6. Scullabogue massacre - source]
[7. Burial of Matthew Furlong of Templescoby at Killurin, not far from Carrigmanan - Source]
[8. Burial of John Furlong at Killurin Cemetery - Source available through Ancestry.com]
[9. Mary Furlong of Templescoby, Wexford - Source]
[10. Thomas Furlong (and John Rossiter's) visit to New Zealand - Source]
* Brennan
[11. Ship manifest - Source]
[12. Royal New Zealand Fencibles - Source]
* Stackpole
[13. Mary Ann (Furlong-Brown-Brennan) Stackpole - Source]
[14. Robert Stackpole - Source]
 |
| Tribute to Matthew Furlong at the entrance to Killurin Cemetery |
