Seeking my BOBIER and WILLIS families from the Enniscorthy, Wexford area.
The Bobier family is well-documented in Canada, but I have found only a very small amount of documentation on them in Ireland. My 5th great-grandparents were Gregory Bobier and Martha Willis. (The Bobier name is spelled numerous ways in Irish records, but usually Bobier in Canada and the US.) They must have lived near Enniscorthy, Wexford, in the diocese of Ferns because all or most of their ten children were born there. Canadian and U.S. records for the children state their birthplaces as “Wexford” or “Mersea, Wexford.” One child, Arthur, is said to have been born in “Dublin” in 1814. There is a lot of unsubstantiated information about this family on various genealogy sites, some of which states that Gregory belonged to St. Mary's parish. All indications are that the family was Methodist, Methodist Episcopal, or Methodist New Connexion. I found a marriage register listing for Gregory Bobier and Martha Willis in the Public Record Office of Ireland, Marriage License Bonds, Diocese of Ossary, 1792. (I don't understand the religious organizational setup there during that time, so this is very confusing to me.) No details are given, and this is the only mention of my Martha Willis that I have found. (Martha Willis seems to have been a common name.)
On a list of protestants who were killed in the 1798 uprising, I found the name of a John Baubier of Finshoge, near Enniscorthy, who was killed on 28 May, leaving "3 small motherless children," and a William Baubier of Enniscorthy, killed on the Bridge of Wexford on 20 June, leaving a widow and two children. A William Willis, “a corn merchant from Enniscorthy,” was killed at Vinegar Hill 20 June. A Gregory Bobier later made a claim for damage done to John Baubier's farm during the uprising.
I have not found any emigration documentation for Gregory Bobier or his eldest sons, Gregory and John. I found a local publication in Ontario which says that Gregory Jr. and John emigrated in 1816 to near Montreal, where they worked as surveyors until 1825, when they bought land in southern Ontario and established farmsteads. I have found no further documentation regarding Gregory Sr., other than a few individuals stating that he died in Ontario in 1849.
On an 1817 manifest for the ship Jane Allen, five or six of the other children, including my 4th great-grandmother, Margaret Bobier are listed as passengers. No exact date or departure port is given, only that it was bound for Baltimore. Only one Martha Bobier is on the manifest, and she was the one who purchased the “package.” Passenger ages are not given on the ship manifest or on the arrival cards at the port of Philadelphia, so I have no way of knowing whether the Martha Bobier listed is Gregory’s wife or his eldest daughter. A descendant of Arthur Bobier posted a story about how the family was so poor that they had to walk to Canada after they arrived in the US, and John had to carry Arthur on his shoulders. John is not on the manifest, but a Joshua Bobier, who also purchased a “package,” is the passenger before Martha Bobier on the manifest. I found a Joshua Bobier the Quaker records, which state that he removed from the Enniscorthy group to the Dublin group in the early 1800’s.
This is all I know about my Bobier family. I know nothing of my Willis family other than Martha’s name. I’m hoping that William Willis and John Beaubier mentioned above are related and might provide some clues.
charheid
Thursday 23rd May 2019, 10:18AMMessage Board Replies
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Unfortunately the actual records for the Marriage License Bonds were lost in the Civil War, and all that survives is that index you found which gives very basic details. These bonds related to marriages in the established Church, i.e. Church of Ireland, which is also the likely denomination of your Bobier/Willis family in Ireland at this time. In the early 19th century the Diocese of Ossory covered nearly 70 parishes, most in Co. Kilkenny, plus 8 in Queen's County, now Co. Laois. The Diocese of Ossory is located to the west of Ferns Diocese, which consisted of parishes in Co. Wexford plus a few parts of Co. Wicklow and Co. Carlow.
I checked for a possible baptism for Arthur in the Dublin records on IrishGenealogy website, but no matches that I could see. "Dublin" could be a reference to the county or suburbs - the IrishGenealogy website concentrates on the city parishes. At the moment there are only a few Church of Ireland records available online for Co. Wexford, but the Representative CHurch Body Library has recently started a record transcription project of the registers - this will take quite some time. Bear in mind that not all historic Church of Ireland registers survive...
The placename "Mersea, Wexford" is not something I've come across - is this a transcription, or could it be a misreading ?
Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Monday 27th May 2019, 10:39AM -
Thank you very much, shanew147! I am traveling home from my holiday in Ireland right now. I will review my records during the next few weeks and post more information. I only found out about Ireland Reaching Out during my last few days in Ireland. I posted what information I could remember in the hope that someone might be able to help me while I was there. I believe a dedicated research trip will be required next year. Hopefully, more of the surviving records will be available online by then. I greatly appreciate your help!!!
charheid
Monday 27th May 2019, 01:16PM -
I checked a little further into the two locations you mentioned, and found two possible matches... although neither are near to the town of Enniscorthy.
1. “Mersea, Wexford.” - by far the best match is the townland of Mersheen (link is to the placename database) which is in St. James and Dunbrody civil parish along the estuary of the Three Sisters - the Suir, the Nore and the Barrow.
2. "Finshoge" - there's a townland named Finshoge in Old Ross civil parishes, not far to the south east of of the town of New Ross.
A little after your Bobier family seem to have left, the Tithe Applotment records (c1825-1833 for this area) show a number of entries in Co. Wexford for the surname Bobier (or variations thereof). These include several in Tempeshannon civil parish which covered the part of the town of Enniscorthy on the eastern side of the river Slaney.
Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Monday 27th May 2019, 08:49PM -
I'm married into the Bobier family and also manage the local museum where they settled in southwestern Ontario. Its Tyrconnell, part of the Colonel Thomas Talbot settlement. It seems 2 groups came over. Your Bobier group and then in 1869 my husband's group. They must be related in some way to come from the same place and move to the same place in Canada. Looking forward to sharing more information. Angelabobier@gmail.com
Sunday 10th Nov 2019, 05:54AM -
I am so glad I stummbled upon this conversation. I have hit the same bloock in the same tree! You have given me lots of new information! Thank you!
My Mom and I DNA Tested. That led to me testing with numerous companies to give me a large batch of matches to work from. Long story made shorter....Mom is a McLaughlin. (Her half-sister was nice enough to test and confirm it.)John Wesley Bobier was her Great-Great Grandfather.
Any information on them is greatly appreciated.
My email is proudmommyof10@yahoo.com.Thanks,
JulieJackson-Steele
Sunday 4th Apr 2021, 10:09PM