William Swan CROKER's 1Memorandum

I was the only son of Thomas Swan CROKER2. My father was the only son of Edward Abraham CROKER3, Killinalack4 House, Ct Limerick, Ireland. My father was son of Edward Abraham CROKER and nephew of General CROKER [of] India5.

List of my Relations

General CROKER of India was brother to Edward A CROKER. General Sir Eyre COOTE6 was my father's cousin, Queens County Ireland. Lord Castle COOTE7 Chief Commissioner of the Custom House Dublin Ireland - His son (sic) Lord Clentwerd8 was his heir to Lord Castle COOTE (sic), Earl of Limerick9 Ireland cousin to him. Sir Charles COOTE of Queens Co Ireland was my father's cousin. Colonel COOTE10 of Her Majesty's 38th Regiment.

Cap Geo COOTE11 [of the] Grenadiers my father's Cousins. Major SWAN12 uncle to my father.

My father was in Her Majesty's Service 45 years in the Custom House Dublin13.

I W'm Swan CROKER the only surviving son of Thos S CROKER served 7 years in Her Majesty's Service Drogheda14. Born in the City of Dublin.

Signed

W'm S CROKER

  1. This form of the memorandum was written out by my grandmother prior to her death in 1932 and passed down to me. There are a number of other versions of the memorandum in existance.
  2. Born c 1775-80 ? Limerick; m (1) Mary WILSON 7 March 1807; m (2) c17 June 1826 Anne Jane WOLFE eldest daughter of Philpot Rogerson WOLFE (d1821) of Belcamp Cottage Balbriggan, Secretary to Board of Works. Anne CROKER widow was living at Belcamp Cottage in 1838 when she made a deed with her step son William Swan CROKER. Although Thomas Swan CROKER died 26 January 1837 he appears in Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland 1837 as having a seat 'Tankerville' at Balbriggan.
  3. Edward Abraham CROKER appears to have been born circa 1750. He became a grocer in Limerick and was made a freeman there in 1784. He married at Kilmallock on 10 June 1784 Deborah COOTE daughter of Thomas COOTE of Kilfinane, Co Limerick and Eleanor WHITE. Deborah appears to have been his second wife. Thomas COOTE was brother of General Sir Eyre COOTE and Rt Rev Charles COOTE DD, Dean of Kilfenora. Edward Abraham CROKER of Kilmallock was a witness of a deed between Chidley COOTE of Ash hill and John COOTE of Charleville: Registry of Deeds 410.37.265879.
  4. A transcription error for Kilmallock.
  5. Most likely Robert CROKER c1749 - 13 April 1817 who had the following ranks (Local rank in the East Indies) according to various Army Lists. Lieut Col from 1 Jan 1798, Major Gen from 25 April 1808, Lieut Gen from 4 Jun 1813. Died at Masulipatam (Bandar) India. Gen Robert CROKER had a son John Drew CROKER which could indicate that his second wife was a DREW or a connection to John CROKER of Youghal, Glanaboy and Tallow who married Alice DREW of Ballinlough Kilkenny in 1738. Alice DREW was a daughter of John DREW.
  6. The Younger was Thomas Swan CROKER's step mother's cousin.
  7. Charles Henry COOTE in Burkes Irish Family Records.
  8. A transcription error for Lord GLENTWORTH son and heir of Edward Henry PERY the first Earl of Limerick and his wife Mary Alice ORMSBY daughter of Henry ORMSBY of Clogher and Mary HARTSTONGE sister of Sir Henry HARTSTONGE Bt.
  9. Edmond Henry PERY created Viscount 1800 and Earl of Limerick 1 January 1803.
  10. Robert COOTE c1770 - 23 October 1828 Lieut Col 32nd Foot 4 Jun 1815. Another version of the memorandum has "Colonel Coote of the gallant 32nd Regiment". His memorial was erected by his unmarried sister Maria. He is possibly the son of Robert COOTE and Frances MEREDYTH of County Kerry.
  11. Capt George COOTE.
  12. William Bellingham SWAN d 12Jan 1837 (son of William SWAN (d<1791) and Jane LEE (d 12 Jul 1791) the widow of Walter CHAMBERLANE (whom she married by Killaloe licence 1749), Assistant to Major of Dublin Garrison c1798-1830. Wounded in the arrest of Lord Edward FITZGERALD on 18May 1798. See Sir Richard MUSGRAVE Memoirs of the different rebellions in Ireland London 1804 pp206–210. He states that Captain SWAN received "a wound in the hand, and different wounds in the body; one of them under the ribs was deep and dangerous, and bled most copiously. " In the Freeman's Journal he is described as Mr Justice SWAN in their description of the capture and contemporary events see for example issues dated 22 and 31 May 1798. The weapon used by Lord Edward to defend himself was later stolen from Major SWAN's house by Emma Lucretia DOBBIN the daughter of Rev William DOBBIN DD and Catherine COOTE (see J Royal Soc Antiquaries of Ireland Vol 41 (1911) p376-379. Major SWAN is described in Irish Genealogist V6 p489. He was Inspector General of Excise and Licences of Ireland 1817 (Treble Almanack) and Freeman of Dublin Christmas 1797 Goldsmith by birth right. Descended from Sir Daniel BELLINGHAM Kt and Bt goldsmith and banker the first Lord Mayor of Dublin. Half-brother of Edward Bellingham SWAN Prerogative Will 1788, Commissioner for Stamps and Accounts from 1776 (Gentlemans Magazine 1776 p336). His wife Grace COOTE daughter of Thomas COOTE and sister of Deborah who married Edward Abraham CROKER. She was described by Emma DOBBIN's as a relative of her mother. He was trustee for the marriage settlement of Margaret CROKER (probably a sister or more likely a half sister of Thomas Swan CROKER) and Joseph SMITH in 1807.
  13. Joined as a Cadet 20 Aug 1794, was earning £700 pa in 1817 and £1100 pa in 1825.
  14. In the Customs Service prior to coming to Australia in 1840?