Hi all,
I would like to research my ancestor Sarah Hopkins. Sarah was born in Ireland in c. 1815. Unfortunately, we don't know which county she came from. I'm from England, and found about my Irish ancestry through census records, which don't list her specific place of birth. She seems to have emigrated before 1841, which is the first mention of her in the censuses. She married an English soldier from Staffordshire called William Walters, born 1805. She was probably Catholic, given that the Walters family is Catholic to this day, and William Walters was baptised in the CofE. I imagine that he either converted or agreed to raise the children in the faith. Could someone please try and help me find her place of birth and parents? I've had a look into the surname, and, unless she was of English stock, which seems unlikely given that she was probably RC, the surname is probably an anglicisation of MacOibicin, a gaellicised Norman surname that seems to be common in County Longford, so maybe that's a good place to start? I've also seen the surname transcribed as 'Hopkin', so that might be a variant worth looking for.
Thanks
Francis
FrancisG
Saturday 27th Feb 2021, 10:24PMMessage Board Replies
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Hi Francis G
Subscription site - www.rootsireland.ie - has a record of the marriage of William Watlers, Capt. in the 90th Regiment to Sarah Hopins in Birr, Co. Offaly (Kings County) in January 1842. No address or parent's names recorded.
Regards,
McCoy
Saturday 27th Feb 2021, 10:49PM -
Hi Francis,
It appears that the spelling -Watlers - was an error in transcription. What information do you have on "William Walters". There are quite few with this surname in the Irish midlands - see Griffith's Valuations c1854 - www.askaboutireland.ie The War Office November 11th 1831, per Freeman's Journal of the 15th, records Ensign William Walters.
In regard to "Sarah Hopkins", there is a Sarah Hopkins leasing a house and land from Captain WB. Ponsoby in the Civil parish of Killaderry in the Union of Tullamore. There is a "Matthew Hopkins" in Tullamore town. Civil parish of Kilbride. The Catholic marriage records in Birr are from 1847. A check of Press reports for 1840-42 do not show any record of the marriage. There may be a connection to either of those families.
Regards,
McCoy
Sunday 28th Feb 2021, 11:38AM -
Hi McCoy,
William Walters served in the 90th Regiment of Foot from 1821-1846. That must be him! He was born in 1805 in the hamlet of Derrington, about 3 miles west of Stafford. He was baptised in the CofE, so I think that Catholicism must have been introduced by Sarah. His final rank was Serjeant Major.
Regards,
Francis
FrancisG
Sunday 28th Feb 2021, 09:29PM -
Hi Francis,
I queried the entry "William Watlers" on Roots Web with Offaly History - info@offalyhistory.com.
I received a reply as follows: A transcript on Roots Ireland for the marriage of William Watlers to Sarah Hopkins has the date as Jan 5th 1842. The Church of Ireland marriage reference entry has the date 23/05/1842 for William Walters and Sarah Hopkins.
William Walters/Watlers occupation in both records is: 90th Reg, both state Birr as the marriage place.
Further research using Walters and Watlers as surnames found no children born in Ireland from this marriage.
There are four children born in Staffordshire England, who have parents named as William Walters and Sara Hopkins.
Elizabeth B. 1847, John B. 1850, Robert B. 1852, Thomas B. 1854
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Apparently the couple had a Roman Catholic and a Church of Ireland cermony on different dates.
If you wish to continue with your search for "Sarah Hopkins", I suggest you contact the email address above,
Best Wishes,
McCoy
Thursday 4th Mar 2021, 02:16PM -
Hi McCoy,
Thanks so much for your help!
Best wishes,
Francis
FrancisG
Friday 5th Mar 2021, 08:06AM