John O’Donnell was a farmer in Saucestown. He was born a.1807.12 We know from the Griffiths evaluation that he had a substantial holding (64 acres). As there were no O’Donnells in Saucestown in the Tithes List, it is likely he took on land here during the period 1825-1850.
John married Mary Finn on the 2nd March, 1835.13 Mary was born a.1806.14 They paid a 17-pound marriage tithe, which indicated they were rich, which fits with the large house. An Edmond and James O’Donnell were witness, possibly brothers of John. While the marriage record does not connect John to Saucestown, the residence for one of their children was given as Saucestown. Also, 4 of their 5 children were later associated with Saucestown.
John and Mary had children:
A possible death of John the father is for John Donnell died on the 5th December, 1876 aged 69.20 He is shown as a farmer, resident as Main St., Fethard. As there are no farms within the town, this implies this John had a farm outside the town, and Saucestown is 2.7 km from the town centre. It is quite feasible that a well-off farmer would maintain a house in the town, and it was quite common. Other evidence that this is the right John: an Edmond Donnell was present at death, and John’s eldest child was Edmond. John was indicated as “married”, which suggests that Mary was still alive.
Mary the mother died on the seventeenth March, 1894, aged 88.21 She was shown as a widow, and again son Edmond was present-at-death.
Son Michael probably died on the 26th July, 1890. Residence was given as Main St., Fethard, which shows a possible match. Brother John O’Donnell was present-at-death, which also matches. His age was given as 34, 10 years too young, but this family over and over again demonstrates flexible recording of ages. He was shown as a farmer and meal merchant, which is plausible.
After the death of Mary, the three boys, Edmond, Patrick and John managed the farm. The three boys are shown resident on the farm in the 1901 census:
1901 Census: house 2 in Saucestown Lower (Peppardstown, Tipperary)22
I note their ages are way too young, but some people valued their privacy and did not properly report their age. The brothers were not in Saucestown for the 1911 census.
The three brothers died over the next few years:
As the brothers had no offspring, the farm passed to their nephew Thomas Cummins (see below).
Their sister Mary (born 1841) was known as Maria in records after baptism. She married William Cummins on the 29th October, 1875.27 He was 24 (born a.1851), a farmer of Brook Hill, which was an estate in Everardsgrange, 2km east of Saucestown. He was son of John Cummins, a farmer. Edmond O’Donnell was witness, I assume Maria’s elder brother.
Maria and William had children:
Maria died 26th November, 1882 aged 37.34 She died of Dysentery. Address given as Brook Hill. Her real age would have been 41.
The 1901 census showed the household as follows. Maria and William are dead, John, Bridget and Mary are at home, but Thomas is out of the house.
1901 Census: house 1 in Everardsgrange (Peppardstown, Tipperary)35
Bridget possibly married John Randall Covill on the 27th January, 1902.36 Address shown as Fethard, and father as William, which matches. However, the father was shown as a labourer, which does not match. A John Cummins was witness, which would be Bridget’s brother John.
The 1911 census shows William still alive, with John and Mary still at home, but Bridget out of the house. Compare the two censuses to see how wildly this family lied about ages.
1911 Census: house 1 in Everardsgrange (Peppardstown, Tipperary)37
William died on the 26th August, 1920, aged 66.38 Residence given as Everardsgrange. Son John was present-at-death.
As for son Thomas, he was working for a shop in Fethard in 1901:
1901 Census: house 46 in Main Street (Fethard, Fethard Town, Tipperary)39
It seems Thomas left this to look after his dying uncles in the house in Saucestown, as he was present-at-death for his uncle Edmond in 1903.
Thomas married Ellen Prendergast on the 13th March, 1908.40 She was daughter of William Prendergast, a farmer of New Burgess. Witnesses were John Cummins and Margaret Cummins. John was probably Thomas’s brother. I am not sure who Margaret was.
Thomas and Ellen had children:
The 1911 census confirms Thomas’s family:
1911 Census: house 2 in Saucestown (Peppardstown, Tipperary)44
The census said they had been married 3 years, with 2 children, 1 dead, all which matches the above. No records for births after this.
A possible death of son William is given by a grave in Everardsgrange cemetery, showing:45
In loving memory of William Cummins Saucestown Died 25 Jan 1978
also his parents and relatives
Catherine Cummins died 27th June 1989 Aged 80 years
R.I.P.
In summary of this line, all O’Donnells died without issue, and possibly 4 lines of Cummins continued (the children of Mary): John, William, Thomas and Mary.