Search for Ancestors (Staunton Stanton McEvilly)

Well heres the fun...

I have done allot of reading and digesting but i can't seem to tackle the issue of finding anything about my 5th great great grandfather (Name, location, children all unknown).

Another concern, my best lead, my 4th great great grandfather, his convict history shows him as a gamekeeper, where as below as you can read, it was believed that he can from a well off family... not so probable.

Patrick Staunton born abt 1767 makes it hard for any records, sister Sarah, and married abt 1810 to Catherine Mulhare. Convict 1820 to Australia and died 1867 (My linage)

Some background

[RTF]Staunton.rtf - GEOCITIES.ws had made it fairly easy start.

I am hoping to connect Patrick Staunton to the Staunton's of England, but with no parents or location of birth i am quite lost. Even gravestones seem to lead to just a surname without initials or dates.

"There were 80 carriages at the wedding. The Staunton family had a very eminent history including Hervey de Stanton (or Staunton) (1260 – November 1327) Chancellor of the Exchequer in England - back to Sir Malgar de Staunton, the founder of the family, who fought William the Conqueror. George Staunton, was the first Staunton to go to Ireland in 1634, of Smewens Grange, Buckinghamshire. "

http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/staunton/77/
http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.larkin/488.3/mb.ashx

But i cannot find any details about the wedding either. I would have though it would have been an easy start if it was so big.

From English side, http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/books/staunton1911/staunton1.htm does not explain an Ireland connection cleanly as the displayed family tree is very narrow.

I am trying to get this done for my father 80th birthday in a month and a bit away, so any help or direction would be well appreciated.

More info from a relative (but no supporting documents)

(This history was compiled for their family by D A Larkin (1983) on the encouragement of S G Larkin (1909-88).)

Re Ribbon Men: my ancestor Peter Larkin b.1789- d.1879, probably in Gort, Ireland, died in Australia, was a Ribbon Man. He was well-off and well educated. The branch of Ribbonmen that they belonged to was called Hearts of Steel.

My ancestor, Peter Larkin married Bridget Cunningham. Sir Thomas Burke, of Marble Hill, invited disaffected Ribbonmen to his estate - Slieve Aughtey area and the Cunninghams were dairying at Derrybrien. You might be familiar with these areas.

Perhaps Peter Larkin was influenced to become a Ribbonman by his wife, Bridget. At any rate we know she was a feisty woman because after his arrest she walked to Dublin to plead with the Viceroy, whom she knew personally, for his life. Their eldest daughter, Catherine (1818-1865), married Patrick Staunton's son Patrick (1811-1870, which is where the Stauntons come into our family.

(Captain) Patrick Staunton (1767, Galway Ireland - 1851, Moruya NSW) was from Ballinasloe to the north-east near the border of Kings county," but distance was no obstacle to them as they went to any lengths for their cause". Before his arrest Staunton crossed into Tipperary at Lough Derg and back up past Lorrha and into Kings county before crossing the Shannon near Ballinasloe before being arrested. This appears to have been a common route for escapes

In June 1820, a concerted effort was made to capture the Ribbon Captains, Goode, Staunton, Concannon, Connoly and White leaders of their band of insurgents. On June 25th 1820 Captain Patrick Staunton was apprehended by the police, Mr Waters being the Chief Constable. Patrick was found hiding under the slats in the roo of a respectable farmhouse on the 9th October 1820, Patrick who was not indicted on the capital charge but was the constant companion of Captain Michael Goode of Confert, along with Peter Larking, who had been sentenced to death, were removed from Galway Goal.

They were convicted Auguest 1820 and transported from Cork on the 'John Barry' in 1821.

They were imprisoned in Galway Goal. "All alike were garbed in coarse frieze clothing, heavy hobnailed shoes and a round felt cap; all sleeping on a bare plank bed at night, and are intellectually starved, being kept without books or other mental occupation.

In another section: Patrick Staunton Sr came from a very substantial family, his wedding being one of the largest seen in east Galway with 80 carriages at his wedding (my grandmother ne Staunton, also told me this). His ancestors were English Norman gentry in Ireland since 1232, with later emigration of English settled at Claddagh in 1634. The later Stauntons were mainly Protestant Ascendancy but during penal times they became Catholic or were patriotic to their cause. The family were not without influence in Ireland, but this did not prevent Patrick from being deported to Australia.

Apparently, Patrick had a friend Father John Rigney who also taught in the hedge schools, and later came to Australia, marrying Patrick's son Patrick to Catherine Larkin and baptizing his children (11 in all).

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Very open to any thoughts

I cant attach the progress i have made via Ancestry, however I have done some legwork in WikiTree (Patrick Staunton)

Thank you anyone reading this for the time and interest to do so :)