Cosby
Wilton -- Who was he?----- and the answer so far is that I haven't a clue.
The first indication I had to this gentleman's existence was a list of baptisms from Kildrumferton Parish Records:-
a) 12th Feb
1801 Jane to Cosby and Elizabeth
Wilton
Sponsor
George Maxwell (see web page on "Capt" George Wilton)
b) 8th Jan 1802 Richard
Cooke to Cosby and Elizabeth Wilton
c) 19th Jan
1806 Henry to Cosby and
Elizabeth Wilton
d) 20th
Aug 1808 George John to Cosby
and Elizabeth Wilton
Sponsors
George and Rosanna Wilton
e) 4th
Dec 1811 Catherine
to Cosby and Elizabeth Wilton
I am presuming from the above that Elizabeth's maiden name was Cooke
and also from the deaths in the Parish Records , the following :-
a) Wm Richard
Wilton ; Omara cottage; no
age given died 3/10/?1829
b) Wm
Eliz Wilton: Omara: age 63 : died 23/1/1837
c) Wm
Cosby Wilton: Ommara : age -very aged ; died 3/1/1836
d) Henry
Wilton : Omard :age 38 : died 26/7/1838
It was when I was
searching for the grave of my g,g,g,g grandfather Roger Wilton in Kildrumferton
that I was told of the existence of a very old graveyard in the townland
of Kill. This is a mixed catholic and protestant cemetery and the
ruined church dates from early Christian times. Also in Kildrumferton
records I came across the occasional entry of a death to a Wilton which
said "buried in Kill"
As I said Kill is quite an ancient
place and its history is well documented. It contains the graves of many
of the O'Reilly's who were the Irish landlords before the
Plantation of Ulster and it was here that I found the grave of Cosby Wilton
along with other Wilton's. The graves of the other Wilton's lie beside
the tomb of Cosby, they are totally unmarked and their existence is only
obvious whenever the undergrowth is cleared away
I would not have known that they were graves if it was
not for references to various burials in Kildrumferton Parish records
e.g. Eliz Wilton, died 14/7/1908, age
92--- buried in Kill
Wm H. Wilton,
Corglas, died 10/8/1924 age 68---buried in
Kill
Mgt Ellen Wilton, Corglas,
died 15/8/1926, age 14---buried in Kill
Kill cemetary with the ruins
of the ancient church in the background; the graves in the foreground
date back to the late 1600's. The inscriptions on the headstones have
been documented in Breifne Journal Vol 11 No 8 1966 pages 455-459
Cosby Wilton's tomb is quite substantial and it has
been vandalised sometime in the past. Local rumour varies to as why this
occurred and several versions exist as to the cause.
a) He may have been involved in the
hanging of a particularly vocal nationalist priest during the 1798 rebellion.
b) The priest and Cosby had been drinking and
challenged each other to a horse race. During the race whenever the priest
was leading Cosby attempted to hit him with his whip. The unfortunate
priest fell off his horse and was killed.
The truth as ever in Ireland is elusive and I
am led to believe that whatever version is true depends on your particular
religious/political view.
Cosby Wilton's tomb sitting
on top of a crypt. In the background is part of the ruined church and
to the right in a raised area is where various Wilton's are buried.
,
Cosby , Elizabeth and their two sons
The
smashed tombstone says the following:-
This
monument was erected by
Mary the beloved wife of
Henry
Wilton of Omard House Esq.
who
departed this life July 28th 1838
aged 38 years deservedly
? by all who knew him
Richard Wilton October 1st 1830
Mrs
Elizabeth Wilton January 23rd 1832
aged
65 years Cosby Wilton
January
1st 1836 aged 70 years
The following information regarding the family of Cosby Wilton was obtained from Swazy Will Extracts.
1). Henry Wilton, of Omard, m, Silltorits
(?) Mary, daughter of Montray Erskine, of Cavan, 9 July 1833, and d. 28
July 1838, leaving an only son:-
a) Thomas
Henry Wilton, of Omard, Lieutenant, Cavan Militia, d. unmarried 13 June
1862.
2.) George J. Wilton, of Omard, m. 8 June 1831, Mary, daughter of Thomas Eyre Percival (?), of Aunesport (?), Co. Cavan, and d. before 20 April 1875, having had a son and a youngest daughter
a) Henry
Wilton, R.I.C., m. 20 April 1875, Isabella, youngest daughter of the Rev.
Thomas Lindsay, Rector of Upper Comber, Co. Down, 4th son of Robert Lindsay
of Longhry, Co. Tyrone, M.P for Dundalk
b) Mary Frances Wilton, m. at St. Peter's Church, Dublin, 26 Oct 1872, Tyrell Evans, oldest son of the Rev. Tyrell George Evans, Vicar of Corcomshide.
3). Jane Wilton, m. 1835, William Shirley Ball, elder son of Thomas Ball, Master in Chancery, and d. 30 Jan 1866, and having had with him, who d. 31 Dec 1866, two sons and two daughters:-
a)Thomas Shirley Ball, Lieut 10th Hussars Co., 1837 m. Alice Georgina, oldest daughter of the Rev. William. Norton, Rector of Baltinglass, Co.Wicklow. He d.s.p. 6 Sept 1867, and his widow m. 2nd, 11 Sept 1869, Arthur Basil Brooke, youngest son of Sir Arthur Brinsley Brooke, Bart., M.P. of Colebrooke, Co. Fermanagh
b)Arthur Shirley Hall, b. Gerraldson Castle, Co. Meath and Cabbaglair, Co. Longford, Capt. 59th Regt. and 8th Hussars High Sheriff, Co. Longford 1873, 25 Nov 1869, Cecilia, daughter of William Humphreys, of Ballyhouse, Co. Cavan, V.P., D.L., and Mary Clarissa, daughter of Hugh Moore, of Eglantine House, Co. Down, and d. 8 April 1881, having had two sons:-
i)Shirley Arthur William Humphreys Shirley-Ball, b. 21 Aug 1870, and d. 24 Aug 1899.
ii) Cecil Herbert Ball, b. 18 March 1872.
c)Jane Elizabeth Ball.
d) Georgina Ball, m. 4 Dec 1861, Capt. the Hon. Norman Leslie-Melville, Grenadier Guards, 4th son of John Thornton, 9th Earl of Leven and 8th Earl of Melville, and had issue (see Peerage).
4)Catherine Wilton married at Templeport Church 15 August 1849, Lieutenant Colonel Charlton O,Neill, late 97th Reg who died in Dublin Oct 1857
As I have stated, I have absolutely no idea who Cosby Wilton
was and what relation he was to the Wilton's of Corglas. He was obviously
a "gentleman", both socially and economically in a totally different
class to the Corglas Wiltons. His sons and daughters seem to have married
into influential and wealthy people. Despite this, I firmly believe that
there must be a connection if only because the christian name Cosby occurs
in the Corglas Wiltons until recent times.
However Cosby Wilton
is not mentioned in :-
a)
The 1821 census return for Omard
b)
The tithe applotment books of approx 1827 for Omard
It is because of the above I wonder did Cosby
come from Omard at all and in a document regarding the sale of Omard house
in 1869 the owner is given as his son George John Wilton, of Vergemount
Tce, Clonskeagh, Co Dublin.
The lease is dated 30th July 1859 from Thomas Henry Wilton to Alex Kilroy
of 29 acres, 1 rood, 29 perches for 21 years.
" This estate
which is comprised in a ring fence is most conveniently situated within
10 miles of Kilnaleck
1/4 mile of port town of Ballyhelan and about 6 miles Ballywillan station
on Midland Gt Western Railway. Entire estate under grass for 9 years.
The house, which is a
double one, was erected at the expense of £1500 and is a most desirable
residence having ample accomodation for a gentleman's family. The out-offices,
comprising coach-house, stabling for 4 houses and cow-house etc. are all
slated and built in a substantial manner. The Garden, which contains about
1 statute acre, is surrounded by a wall 10 feet high and is furnished
by fruit trees of good description".