GA-SRMY-0117

Record Date: 
12 November 2016
Exact wording of epitaph: 

Thomas French Esq. of
Moycullen who depar
ted life the 7 of January
1783

Memorial Type: 
Ledger Slab
Grave location
County: 
Latitude: 
53.342316388889
Longitude: 
-9.1564886111111
Additional details
Inscription legible: 
Yes
Number of people commemorated: 
1
People commemorated: 
Name: 
Thomas
Surname: 
French
Date of death - day: 
7
Date of death - month: 
January
Date of death - year: 
1783
Address: 
Moycullen
Notes: 

Article by Martin J Blake in The Tuam Herald, Saturday 14 July 1928

SOME FORMER FAMILIES OF FRENCH
IN COUNTY GALWAY.- PEDIGREES
WITHERTO UNPUBLISHED.- FAMILY
OF FRENCH OF MOYCULLEN.

The founder of this family was JOHN FRENCH
Fitz Stephen who on the 31st May, 1656, was
allotted 2,200 acres of land as a transplanted
person by the Cromwellian Commissioners(1).
He died in 1668. (Will dated 21 June, 1654,
proved at Tuam in 1669.)  He was succeeded
by his son.
THOMAS FRENCH of Moycullen who on the
11th January, 1676, got a Connaught certificate
for the lands to which his father had been
transplanted which was confirmed by a patent
grant under the Acts of Settlement, dated 8th
July, 1678(2).  The lands thereby granted were
the 3 quarters of Moycullen including the town
and castle, Tollekikanbeg, Portdarragh, Gort-
boy, Corrybeg, Tubbermekeane, Killorain,
Ballyquirke and Killcullin, all in Moycullen
barony; the lands of Tollekikanbeg, Portdar-
ragh and Gortboy to be held to the use of said
Thomas French and his wife Nell for their
lives with remainder to the heirs of the body of
said Thomas by his wife Nell, and the rest of
the premises to be held to the use of said
Thomas and his heirs by Nell, with remainder
to the uses declared in two Deeds, each dated
26 November, 1667, made between John French,
the father of said Thomas French of the one
part, and Patrick French Fitz Robert of Corin-
doo, Co. Galway, and others, of the other part.
Thomas French was succeeded by son and
heir, PETER FRENCH of Moycullen, who was;
admitted a law student at Gray’s Inn on the 1st
August 1712.  He had four sons (1) Thomas;
(2) Anthony; (3) Peter; (4) John, (who died
without issue in 1757). (Will proved at Tuam
7th November 1758). He was succeeded by
his eldest son.
THOMAS FRENCH of Moycullen.  He married
(Articles dated 4th November 1751) Anne
Taylor, but had no issue.  His name and place
of residence, Moycullen, are marked on Taylor
and Skinners “Maps of the Roads in Ireland”
published in 1778 at p.90.  He died about 1783.
(Will dated 31st March, 1783, proved P.C. 4th
February, 1785).  His brothers, Peter and An-
thony, having died before him, also without
issue. The family became extinct in the male
line.  His widow, Anne, married Walter Butler.
The French estate of Moycullen was sold
some years after the death of Thomas, in a
creditors suit (3).
(1) List of Transplanted persons in Con
naught.  Hist. MSS. Com.: Ormond MSS. Vol
II (1885).
(2) 15th Report Irish Public Records Com
(1825)
(3) Espinasse v Blake Chancery Bill of Re
vivor, 20th November, 1802.