Thomas Thompson’s letter, Page 1 of 4. Original held by Kathy Unkel, permission to use received by author.

Thomas Thompson, my 2nd great grandfather, was described by his children on their marriage and death records as a gentleman, a farmer and a man of independent means. However, a letter that he wrote to his daughter, Eliza, dated May 15th 1855 survived, cared for by 3 generations of her descendants, that reveals he was a practising and passionate Irish Catholic, well versed in Catholic tradition and a family man.

Eliza had sailed with her sister, Bridget, from Liverpool, England to New York, USA on the Sarah Hyde in 1852.^[1] By 1855 her mother, especially, was beginning to despair that she would ever see her again. When Thomas received her letter, it does not tell him what he was hoping for, as it gives neither the name of the ship or the date of its arrival. Disappointed he returns home from the town of Naas, takes out his pen and ink and begins to write, offering his fatherly advice and drawing on his religious beliefs and practice to offer encouragement and inspiration.

Making the most of the space on the page, Thomas drew a monogram (top left of page). It was a simple sketch of a crucifix on a stand representing a monstrance, used to display the Blessed Sacrament, in Catholic belief, the Body of Christ and used for Benediction and for perpetual adoration.^[2]

Across it, he wrote the word ‘IHS”. This is another Christian symbol of Greek origin for the name of Jesus.^[3]

Lock No. 17 on the Grand Canal at Landenstown, Co. Kildare – geograph.org.uk – 2479095. cc. Image by JP Wikipedia England.

Around the drawing he wrote the words, “This little motto is the only earthly advice by which we will conquer and live forever in the Kingdom of our Heavenly Father.” Thomas wrote that he visited the chapel daily and, at home, the altar to Mary, the Mother of God at which they prayed the rosary.

The address on the letter was the 17^th Lock, Landenstown.

RC Baptismal records for the children of Thomas and Catherine Thompson of Ticknevin, are all recorded in the Parish of Carbury and Dunforth, County Kildare.^[4]

The mother’s maiden name is not given and the names of the children of Thomas and Catherine, are not listed under the surname of Thompson, but variations of the spelling, from Tomson, Tompson, Tombson and Tompson. The first child, Eliza, was listed as the child of Thomas and Catherina Tomson, baptized, July 1824.

What we do know is that Thomas married twice although there is no record of his marriages or of the death of his first wife, Catherine Dunn. Neither is there a marriage record for his second wife, Catherine Flanagan. Mother’s maiden names were not recorded on the baptismal registers, however, their surnames are revealed in the marriage and death records of their children. Catherine Dunn was the mother of three daughters, Eliza, Bridget and Margaret, while Catherine Flanagan had three sons and a daughter. William, their eldest son, was baptized 10 March 1832, Thomas was baptized on 6 July 1834 and James on 22 January 1837. Elen Tompson, their last child, baptised in February 1840, appears not to have survived infancy.

An overview of the Grand Canal is provided by Thomas James Rawson in his book written for the Dublin Society titled, The Statistical Survey of County Kildare, 1807 and includes a map of the Grand Canal, Page 134/339 providing distance by water.

Sometime after 1840 and before December 1851, the Thompsons moved from Ticknevin at the 20^th Lock to Landenstown at the 17^th Lock both located along the Grand Canal.^[5] While work began on the Grand Canal in 1756, it was not completed until 1803 due to delays caused by the Bog of Allen and other bogs that were part of this region of County Kildare. Although Ticknevin was located beside the Grand Canal, a large part of the area was surrounded by bog where people lived and worked cutting peat for fuel. In 1837, Samuel Lewis in the “A Topographical Dictionary of County Kildare in 1837” described the life of the bog people.

The canal was designed to transport people and produce to market and horses were used to tow the boats along the tow paths that were built alongside the canal. Twenty-five miles of canal ran through County Kildare but with competition from the railway, the canal passenger service was stopped in 1852.^[6]&[7]

It was during this period that Ireland experienced the Great Famine, with 1847 being its worst year. County Kildare did not experience the famine in the same way as other parts of Ireland but Ticknevin being a small rural community would have felt its effects especially amongst the poor.^[8]

An advantage for the Thompson family moving to Landenstown could have been the location further east along the canal to the larger towns such as Newbridge, Naas and Sallins.^[9]

In 1851, the Leinster Express reported that Thomas Thompson of Landenstown had six sheep stolen. The case was held at the Kildare Petty Session Court session on 27 December 1851.^[10]

Thomas’s letter confirmed that his second wife, Catherine, their daughter, Margaret and their sons ‘T and James’ were living at the same house in Landenstown. Already William, his eldest son, had ‘tuck himself a situation at the camp at the Curragh’.

In his letter he named many people who lived in and around the area, referring to them as ‘the Neighbours’ and the cousins who were still living in Ticknevin as living in the ‘far country’.

Eliza Hogan nee Thompson and her granddaughter, Catherine McMahon about 1902. Permission to use received by author.

His daughter, Eliza did return to Ireland and married James Hogan, who was employed as a tailor for the military on the Curragh, on 7 March 1859 in St Conleth’s RC Church, Newbridge, County Kildare.^[11] They returned to the USA in 1867 with three children all born in Ireland.^[12]

In 2015 I walked along the Grand Canal from Sallins to the Digby Bridge at the 16^th Lock, only reaching the 17^th Lock and Landenstown with the help of a young woman, Caroline Daly, who drove me the final distance.

Beside the 17^th Lock was a traditional whitewashed cottage, the home of the Murphys. It wasn’t long before we were invited into their home and offered a cup of tea and cake. They were very interested in the letter I had and especially the names of people that Thomas had written about in 1855.  Michael said he had lived in the area for about 30 years and recalled that people who were employed by the Grand Canal Company all had horses that were used for towing the boats along the canal. As a result, the properties that they lived in had to have some land at the back for the horses

While sitting in their little kitchen, I felt privileged to be there. Even if these people were not my ancestors, I felt a connection back in time to my ancestors. Here was the husband sitting at the table recounting his memories, the interest in the neighbours, the people who had recently died, and I could see in the lounge, a small altar on the wall with a statue of Mary.

Walking from Sallins along the old towpath towards Landenstown in 2015. Authors collection.

[1] New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. ancestry.com
[2] https://www.catholicshare.com/the-meaning-and-power-of-the-monstrance/
[3] Christogram IHS – Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[4] https://www.rootsireland.ie
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ticknevin
[6] http://www.intokildare.ie/walking/gc-details.asp?gcid=23
[7] http://www.iwai.ie/kildare/places-of-interest/places-history/
[8] Great Famine (Ireland) – Wikipedia 
[9] https://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf
[10] Leinster Express file: LEE_1851_12_27_2%20(3)%20.
[11] http://ifhf.rootsireland.ie/
[12] New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 ancestry.com