I am researching Lieut. Col. William Cuppage who was born in Ireland in 1761 and died in 1819 in India. I do not know where in Ireland he was born. As a young man he went to India and became an officer in the Bengal Army which was part of HEICS. “He was a country cadet but had no local connection with India as he was one of ten young Irish volunteers who arrived in 1781 to join Eyre Coote's army and were given commissions in the Bengal Army.”
Although Cuppage is a relatively unusual name in Ireland, there are several quite prominent Cuppage families that I have researched but I cannot place him. I have read that this William Cuppage "belonged to a well known Irish family, five of whom were officers in the Madras army. William Cuppage died at Fatehgarh on 1st July 1819 and his tomb was in the cemetery at that place.”-Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research. Vol 37 p9.
He did not marry but had at least four illegitimate children by Elizabeth Ramsay his 'housekeeper'. They were Maria (born 26th June 1802 and married to Alfred Leonard Willis in 1826), William (born 2nd August 1807 and married to Sarah Bradshaw in Singapore on the 17th December 1840), (Mary Ann born 17th February 1809 and married to John Reilly Archer Amman on 26th June 1829), Eliza (born 29th January 1813 and married to William Gibson on the 23rd July 1838 at Calcutta Cathedral). William junior is the person who developed a nutmeg plantation in Singapore and ultimately became Assistant Postmaster General of Singapore. There are numerous references to him online. He was also connected to a MIchael Davoren and raised his children when Michael died.
I would be most grateful if anyone could assist me in my search to find out more about William Cuppage's birthplace and family.
Sunday 5th Jan 2014, 04:17AM
Message Board Replies
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Hi,
Thank you for your message. I hope that someone else researching the Cuppages makes a connection with you and helps you to place William. Otherwise it may be difficult to find out more about him without knowing where he came from in Ireland. Most Irish record sources- church records, land records, census records- are based on specific locations. Until you know a specific location within Ireland, preferably a parish or placename, it may be difficult to do anything more with these records.
Some general websites that you may find useful are:
The National Archives of Ireland http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/
The National Library of Ireland http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx
The National Archives UK ? genealogy search: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/
The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/family_history.htm
Irish Times: http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/index.htm
Irish Genealogy Tool kit: http://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/
Best of luck
Genealogy Support
Friday 21st Feb 2014, 12:12PM