In short, at this time, I don’t know. Remember, Griffiths (1807) references the name DAVIS in County Wexford as early as 1337: ‘In 1337 there was granted to William le Davis, three plough lands and 45 acres.’ There were numerous Protestant, Society of Friends (Quaker) and Catholic DAVIS families in Wexford by the time I pick up the first evidence of our line.
Coolamain connections
While George DAVIS married Maria ATKIN/S in Coolamain there were no DAVIS records in the Tithe Applotment books in 1826, suggesting that any wider DAVIS family, if there, did not engage in farming. (1) There were, however, records for a Thomas DAVIS in nearby Ballynaslaney.
The earliest available Coolamain Catholic parish record of a DAVIS is for a George, as baptismal witness for Larry ATKIN in 1837. This may demonstrate a connection between the DAVIS and ATKIN families before the 1850 marriage of John DAVIS and Maria ATKIN/S.
| Larry | James Atkin + Honor Roche(?) | George Davis | 15 Sept 1837 | Coolamain |
In the Griffiths Valuations (1853) we see there was a John DAVIS who was the Immediate Lessee in nearby Ballynaslaney, probably connected to the aforementioned Thomas DAVIS.
Killinick connections
In the Griffiths Valuation (1853) we see a John DAVIS renting a house from a Patrick JOYCE in Little Assaly, Killinick where our John plied his trade as a cooper. John and Maria (Atkin/s) DAVIS’ daughter Margaret was baptised in this parish in March 1854, so this John may well be our John.
John was the only DAVIS in the Griffiths Valuation records for the area by 1853 but there is evidence of an earlier DAVIS, Church of Ireland, family in the Killinick area. John DAVIS, son of Mathias and Frances (Finn) DAVIS, was baptised 14th September 1811 at Killinick. He had five sisters baptised there between 1809 and 1820. It’s the right age and place – could this be our John? I have DNA connections to descendants of County Wexford Finn families, but as ever, I treat this with caution as they are a long way back in their trees and there may be other ways we are related.(2)
Baptismal records
A search for John DAVIS, County Wexford, from 1800 – 1830 on Find My Past, Ancestry and Family Search databases revealed a handful of Catholic baptisms, one Church of Ireland (above) and one Quaker record. I have what appear to be Wexford-related DNA connections, connecting to known ATKIN/S-DAVIS descendants (i.e. our family), with two different people who descend from two different families who share the surname of two different Catholic John DAVIS’ mothers! It is of course possible that our John DAVIS was not even born in County Wexford though given the next piece of the puzzle I think that unlikely at this point.
Robert Davis
In 1906 a Robert DAVIS, reportedly born around 1819, formerly of Newfort and late of Ballybeg, died leaving Johanna LACY, a spinster, as his primary beneficiary and James WADDING, saddler, as alternative beneficiary. Catherine FURLONG was secondary beneficiary.
Newfort is in the Electoral Division and Civil Parish of Castle Ellis, in the Barony of Ballyaghkeen South (red marker on the map). Small Ballybeg is a townland in Castle-Ellis in the Killisk Civil Parish (blue dot on the map).
James WADDING was the husband, and by 1906 the widower, of Margaret DAVIS – the sister of John and George DAVIS.
Remember, John and Maria (Atkin/s )DAVIS marriage was witnessed by a John LACY.
Robert’s death was notified by his nephew, Nicholas FURLONG.
The 1901 census shows the elderly Robert living with his FURLONG grand- nieces and nephews at Newfort, in the Castle-Ellis district. In the same census a Nicholas Furlong was living with his unmarried uncle – James Leacy – and aunt – Johanna Leacy – at Small Ballybeg, Castle Ellis.
Robert, according to his death certificate, was a bachelor. Therefore, spinster Johanna was likely to be a niece or cousin. Was James WADDING named as he was the widower of Margaret (Davis)? (I have mapped James Wadding’s near ancestry and do not believe Robert DAVIS has any blood connection to James WADDING.) Margaret (Davis) and James WADDING’s marriage was witnessed by Ellen FURLONG and the Waddings reciprocated for Ellen’s marriage. Was Ellen FURLONG a cousin?
I have found no baptism record for Robert DAVIS in County Wexford. There are no Catholic parish records prior to 1837 for the Ballagh and Ballaghkeen area. (3) Robert does not appear in the Griffiths Valuation records of 1853.
Maria (Atkin/s) and John DAVIS’s son John called his first son Robert. Margaret (Davis) WADDING’s second (deceased) and third sons were called George Robert.
I suggest that Robert may have been the brother of John DAVIS and the uncle of Margaret, George and John DAVIS.
DNA Connections
I have a DNA connection to a descendant of James DAVIS b. @ 1828 in Ballaghkeen, Wexford. Ballaghkeen includes the Newfort and Castle Ellis areas connected to Robert DAVIS (above). This relationship provides further evidence of a connection to that area.
The Griffiths Valuation shows that the tithe paying Davis in 1853 in the Ballaghkeen area were Patrick, Jane and Thomas x 2.
Quaker Davis families
Quaker Davis families have been in County Wexford from the late 1600s. As yet, I have found no evidence linking John DAVIS to any of these inter-related families. That said, numerous Davis individuals were disowned by the community and others may have left by their own choice.
I have no proven DNA connections to descendants of Quaker Davis families at this time.
I am actively researching the Quaker Davis families. If a link to 18th and 19th century generations of Quaker Davises can be proven it will open up a rich vein of research as branches are well documented in land records, business, Famine Relief, Petty Session Court register records and Quaker family records.
(1) The National Archives of Ireland description of the Tithe Applotment books: They were compiled between 1823 and 1837 in order to determine the amount which occupiers of agricultural holdings over one acre should pay in tithes to the Church of Ireland (the main Protestant church and the church established by the State until its dis-establishment in 1871)… Because the tithes were levied on agricultural land, urban areas are not included. http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp
(2) Mathias and Frances had a total of six children baptised in Killinick and what looks to be another son, William, baptised elsewhere. The family seemed to have had a connection with the wealthy MEADOWS family, giving their first daughter baptised in Killinick that as a middle name. I have DNA connections to descendants of County Wexford Finn families, but as ever, I treat this with caution as they are a long way back and there may be other ways we are related.
(3) Post 1837 there are two Davis records in the Ballagh parish – marriage of a Thomas in 1841, and the baptism of a Mary Ralph, daughter of a Margaret (1844).
In Search of Thomas Davis 
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