THOMAS EVANS was captain of a troop of horse in the English Army during the reign of CHARLES I. He served in Ireland during the Civil War, and obtained grants of land in County Kilkenny, where he eventually settled, having also obtained estates in the Queen's County. He became an alderman of the city of Kilkenny, and served as Mayor in 1660 and 1666-9.
Alderman Evans married Katherine Weldon, and had issue, an only daughter, Ellen, and an only son,
WILLIAM EVANS (1662-90), of Kilcreene, County Kilkenny, who was created a baronet in 1683, designated of Kilcreene, County Kilkenny.
He married Jane, daughter and co-heir of the Hon Richard Coote, son of Charles, 2nd Earl of Mountrath, by his second wife, Jane, daughter of Sir Robert Hannay Bt.
His daughter and eventual heiress, Catherine, wedded Francis Morres, of Castle Morres.
EDWARD EVANS, brother of the above Thomas Evans, High Sheriff of County Kilkenny, 1665, commanded a troop in the Earl of Arran's cavalry regiment at the battle of the Boyne.
He married and had issue,
Henry, of Balleven, County Kilkenny;EDWARD, of whom we treat.
The younger son,
EDWARD EVANS (1738-), Mayor of Kilkenny, 1732, wedded firstly, Sarah Butler, and had one son, Ambrose.
He married secondly, Susanna Turvan, alias Lofdell, and had issue,
THE REV GEORGE EVANS, Rector of Donaghmore, County Tyrone, 1775-1807, who espoused Priscilla, daughter of Edward Armitage, of Liverpool, and had issue,
Robert (Rev);EDWARD, of whom presently;Mary.
The second son,
EDWARD EVANS JP (1762-1857), of Gortmerron House, County Tyrone, wedded, in 1789, Sarah Maria, second daughter of Thomas Kelly JP, of Dawson's Grove, County Armagh, and had issue,
George (Rev); emigrated with his family to Canada, 1851, and resided at Gortmerron House, Oakville, Toronto;Thomas, of Vesey Place, Kingstown, County Dublin;ROBERT, of Gortmerron;EDWARD, of Gortmerron;Louisa Jane; Priscilla; Alicia; Sarah Maria.
The third son,
ROBERT EVANS JP (1799-1876), of Gortmerron, married, in 1829, Eleanor, daughter of Surgeon-General George Stuart, of Dublin, and died in 1876, when he was succeeded by his only surviving brother,
EDWARD EVANS, of Gortmerron, who died in 1889, and was succeeded by his nephew,
GEORGE EVANS (1828-1905), of Gortmerron House, who espoused, in 1858, Jane, daughter of Major _____ FitzGerald, Military Secretary and Aide-de-Camp to the Governor-General of Canada, and had issue,
GEORGE EDWARD AUGUSTINE, his heir;Arthur Thomas Kelly;Mary Eliza; Mabel Sara; Louisa Evelyn.
Mr Evans was succeeded by his eldest son,
GEORGE EDWARD AUGUSTINE EVANS (1860-1924), of Gortmerron House, Dungannon, County Tyrone, and Holme House, Rusholme Road, Toronto, Canada, a barrister in Canada, who married, in 1897, Maude, second daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Herbert Skill, 11th Regiment, and had issue,
GEORGE, b 1899;Patrick FitzGerald, b 1901;Arthur Armitage, b 1908.
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| (Image: Gareth Archer) |
GORTMERRON HOUSE, near Dungannon, County Tyrone, was a six-bay, three storey Georgian house, likely built in the late 18th century for Edward Evans JP.
First published in January, 2021.
it is my understanding that this house is not still standing. Do you know what happened to the family buried at this location? Thank you, any information would be greatly appreciated!-Amy
ReplyDeleteThe house was standing until the 1950s or 1960s. I remember as a child in the 1950s that part of the ground floor on the left of the photograph was used as a grocer's shop and sub post office. I don't know whether anyone lived in the house but probably not. My grandfather told me that the Evans family left after the Great War. George Edward Evans appears already to have been in Canada and the house may have been occupied by one or more of his siblings. As to where they are buried, the Evans family were Anglicans and so burial details are likely to be held by St Anne's Parish Church in Dungannon. I think the only surviving Evans property is the tennis court which now belongs to the local council. My grandfather told me that he remembered watching his father play on the court in the early 1900s when the Evans family had tennis parties. The house was originally in the townland of Gortmerron (hence its name) but the townland boundaries were altered in the late 18th early 19th century so it is now in Drumcoo. However the area where the house was is still known as Gortmerron.
ReplyDeleteThe house was demolished and became a Pentecostal church. A great shame
ReplyDelete