The Gifford Family

Earlier generations of this family spelled their name as Giffard.

Ann Gifford

Birth: 1772

Father: Thomas Gifford

Mother: Jane (French) Gifford

Death: 8 May 1832

Sources:

Anna (Gifford) Bridges

Birth: 1829/30

Father: William Gifford

Mother: Arabella (Stephens) Gifford

Married: Edward Bridges on 27 April 1865, in Whitechurch, county Wexford, Ireland
Anna Gifford is recorded as single. Edward Bridges is recorded as single, the son of Thomas Chas Bridges
The Cork Examiner, 3 May 1865
MARRIAGES.
  On the 27th ult., at Whitechurch, county of Wexford, Edward Bridges, Esq., Lieutenant 48th Regiment, to Anna, eldest daughter of the Rev. W. Gifford, of Ballysop, county Wexford.

Children:
Death: 27 March 1870, in Wilton Miles, Enniscorthy district, county Wexford, Ireland, aged 40
Anna Bridges, aged 40, is married and described as a "Gentleman's Wife".

I am unclear exactly where this "Wilton Miles" is - perhaps it refers to Wilton Mills, near Bree, county Wexford.

Sources:

Anne (Gifford) Glascott 

Father: William Gifford

Mother: Margaret (Milward) Gifford

Married: George Glascott on 4 November 1729.
The marriage settlement was dated 24 October1729.

Children: Notes: In his entry for Anne, John Henry Glascott notes "Exchequer Bill fyled 10 July, 1736, Glascott against Gifford". An exchequer bill was an early form of private lawsuit. It is unclear exactly which Glascott (Anne?, George?) was suing which Gifford (Anne? William?).

Death: 1773

Will: dated 19 March 1772. Probate was granted 13 December 1780.

Sources:

Arabella Gifford

Birth: 1830/1, in Glanworth, county Cork, Ireland

Father: William Gifford

Mother: Arabella (Stephens) Gifford

Death: 1916, in Exeter district, Devon, England, aged 85

Census:
1911: Saltash, Cornwall: Arabella Gifford, head, is aged 80, born in Glanworth, county Cork

Sources:

Dorothy Gifford

Baptised: 21 February 1660, in St. Bride's Church, Dublin, Ireland

Father: Jasper Gifford

Mother: Anne (Ravenscroft) Gifford

Burial: 4 March 1660, in the chancel, St. Bride's Church, Dublin, Ireland.

A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the landed gentry of Great Britain and Ireland p168 (Sir Bernard Burke, 1899)
Dorothy, bapt. at St Bride's Church, Dublin, 21 Feb. 1660, and bur. in the chancel of the same church 4 March following.

Sources:

Elizabeth Gifford

Father: Jasper Gifford

Mother: Anne (Ravenscroft) Gifford

Married (1st): William Dodd, of The Great Island, County Wexford, Ireland

Married (2nd): Richard Cross, of Ballybrazil, County Wexford, Ireland, on 12 May 1718

Sources:

Elizabeth Gifford

Father: William Gifford

Mother: Arabella (Stephens) Gifford

Sources:

Georgina W. Gifford

Birth: 1838/9

Father: William Gifford

Mother: Arabella (Stephens) Gifford

Death: 1898, in New Ross district, county Wexford, Ireland, aged 59

Sources:

Henry Gifford

of New Ross, County Wexford, Ireland

Birth: About 1668

Father: Jasper Gifford

Mother: Anne (Ravenscroft) Gifford

Married: Elizabeth Napper on 24 October 1696

Children: Burke's Landed Gentry says that Henry had two sons, and five daughters, so one child is unaccounted for here.

Death: About 1760

Notes: Henry was attainted in 1689, by James II, for being a Protestant.

Henry's birthdate is given in www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~cricha/index.htm as "about 1668". Since his parents were only married in "about 1682" (according to IGI film), some of the data is incorrect.

Sources:

Jane (Gifford) Jacob

Father: Thomas Gifford

Mother: Jane (French) Gifford

Married: John Jacob on 25 April 1793

Sources:

Jasper Gifford

of Polemaloe (now Pilltown), county Wexford, Ireland

Father: William Giffard

Mother: Dorothy (Scowles) Giffard

Married: Anne Ravenscroft

Children: Notes:
Jasper emigrated from England to Ireland in 1641. He was initially in Dublin, and later, in 1661, purchased land at Polemaloe (now Pilltown), Whitechurch and Ballykelly, in county Wexford, and made his residence at Polemaloe.

A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the landed gentry of Great Britain and Ireland vol 1 p444 (Sir Bernard Burke, 1858)
JASPER GIFFORD, who went over to Ireland in 1641, in the same troop with William Glascote, of Aldertown, and Roger Drake, of Stokestown, got grants of property, in the co. Wexford, by patent dated 18th King CHARLES II., and fixed his residence at Polemaloe, co. Wexford.

A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the landed gentry of Great Britain and Ireland p168 (Sir Bernard Burke, 1899)
JASPER GIFFORD, of Polemaloe, co. Wexford, removed to Dublin, and purchased by deed, dated 20 July, 1661, the lands of Polemaloe (now called Pilltown), Whitechurch and Ballykelly, co. Wexford.

The general armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales p398 (Burke, 1864)
Gifford (Polemaloe, now Pilltown, co. Wexford, emigrated to Canada, 1822); JASPER GIFFORD, brother of Col. JOHN GIFFORD, of Aghern, got grants of Polemaloe, &c., 1660; Reg. Ulster's Office) Same Arms. Crest - A dexter arm in armour embowed, the hand holding a gillyflower all ppr. Motto - Potius mori quam fœdari.

Sources:

Joan Gifford

Father: Ravenscroft Gifford

Mother: Lettice (Greenwell) Gifford

Death: November 1727

Sources:

John Gifford

Birth: 1622

Father: William Giffard

Mother: Dorothy (Scowles) Giffard

Notes: John Gifford was a Colonel in the Army. He got grants of Aghern and other lands in county Cork, by patent dated 28 September 1666. He was a free Burgess of the Borough of New Ross, county Wexford.

The general armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales p398 (Burke, 1864)
Gifford (Aghern, co. Cork; Col. JOHN GIFFORD, eldest son of WILLIAM GIFFORD, and grandson of WILLIAM GIFFORD, Esq. of Northall, got grants in co. Cork, 28 Sept 1666). Same Arms and Crest.

Sources:

John Symes Gifford

Birth: January 1803

Baptism: 23 January 1803, in New Ross, county Wexford, Ireland

Father: Nicholas Gifford

Mother: Margaret (Symes) Gifford

Married: Beata Glascott on 12 April 1845, in Whitechurch by New Ross, county Wexford, Ireland

Occupation: Army Officer, rising to the rank of major in the 1st Native Infantry of the East India Company.
John entered the army of the East India Company as a cadet in 1822 (The India Office and Burma Office list 1823 p110). He sailed aboard the Windsor on 19 February 1823 (Oriental Herald May 1824 p151), and arrived in India on 5 July 1823 and commissioned as an ensign in the 12th Native Infantry on 11 July 1823. He transferred to the 1st Native Infantry in May 1824 and was promoted to lieutenant on 23 August 1824 and captain on 1 February 1837. He retired on 16 May 1846 and was promoted to the honorary rank of major on 28 November 1854 in a realignment of retirement benefits following a new system of promotion (London Gazette 6 February 1855 p438).

Entry from Officers of the Bengal Army p264 (V.C.P. Hodson, 1946)
GIFFORD, John Symes (1803-1867). Major, 1st N.I. b. Jan. 1803. Cadet 1822. Arrived in India 5 July 1823. Ensign 11 July 1823. Lieut. 23 Aug. 1824. Capt. 1 Feb. 1837. Retired 16 May 1846. Hon. Major 28 Nov. 1854. d.s.p. 27 Aug. 1867 bapt. New Ross, co. Wexford, 23 Jan. 1803. 4th son of Nicholas Gifford, of Ballysop; and Margaret his wife. Brother of Thomas Gifford q.v. m. 12 Apr. 1845, Beata, dau. of John Glascott of Killowen, co. Wexford.
Services : Posted as Ensign to 12th N.I. Transfd. to 1st N.I. (late 2/12th) May 1824. Offg, Adjt. 1st N.I. 3 Oct. 1831. Fur. p.a 16 Nov 1843 till retirement. No record, of active service.
refs: Burke's Landed Gentry of Ireland, p. 265, s.n. Gifford, late of Westbrook co. Wicklow.

Death: 28 August 1867 in Delgany, county Wicklow, Ireland, aged 64

Buried: Christ Church, Delgany, county Wicklow, Ireland
John's headstone reads;
Sacred | to the memory of | JOHN SYMES GIFFORD | Major of the Bengal Army | died at Delgany August 28th 1867 | aged 64 years

Sources:

Lucy Stephens (Gifford) Bridges

Birth: 1836/7, in Carinture, county Cork, Ireland

Father: William Gifford

Mother: Arabella (Stephens) Gifford

Married: Charles Bridges on 26 October 1864 in Whitechurch, county Wexford, Ireland
Lucy Stephens Gifford is recorded as single, the daughter of Ludlor Stephens. Charles Bridges is recorded as single, the son of Thomas Charles Bridges.

Children:
Death: 1920, in Plymouth district, Devon, England, aged 83

Census:
1871: Budleigh Salterton, East Budleigh, Devon
1881: Grendon Grange, Grendon Bishop, Herefordshire, England
1891: Bredenbury, Herefordshire: Lucy S. Bridges, wife, is aged 54, born in Ireland
1901: Bredenbury, Herefordshire: Lucy Stephen Bridges, wife, is aged 63, born in county Cork, Ireland. Occupation: Clergyman Church of England
1911: Tavistock, Devon: Lucy S. Bridges is aged 74, born in Carinture, county Cork

Sources:

Margaret Gifford

Birth: February 1770

Father: Thomas Gifford

Mother: Jane (French) Gifford

Death: died young

Sources:

Margaret (Gifford) Bridges

Birth: 1835/6, in Middleton, county Cork, Ireland

Father: William Gifford

Mother: Arabella (Stephens) Gifford

Married: Edward Bridges on 30 October 1871

Edward was previously married to Margaret's elder sister, Anne.

Children:
Death: 1917, in Shaftesbury district, Dorset, England, aged 82

Census:
1891: Gillingham, Dorset: Margaret Bridges, wife, is aged 55, born in Ireland
1901: Silton, Dorset: Margaret Bridges, wife, is aged 66, born in Cork, Ireland
1911: The Rookery, Silton, Dorset: Margaret Bridges is aged 70, born in Middleton parish, county Cork

Sources:

Marianne (Gifford) Groome

Burke's Landed Gentry has her name as Mary Anne

Father: Thomas Gifford

Mother: Sarah (_____) Gifford

Married: Edward Groome on 24 July 1761, in Kilkenny, Ireland

Children: Sources:

Nicholas Gifford

of Ballysop, county Wexford, Ireland

Birth: 1707

Father: Ravenscroft Gifford

Mother: Anne (Crompton) Gifford

Married: Catherine Sweeney on 27 January 1737

Children: Death: 1770

Will: Dated 23 July 1763, proved 10 April 1770

Sources:

Nicholas Gifford

Birth: 28 February 1833

Father: William Gifford

Mother: Arabella (Stephens) Gifford

Occupation: Army Officer
Nicholas was commissioned ensign in the Oxfordshire Regiment of Militia on 9 October 1854 (London Gazette 13 October 1854 p3089) and promoted to lieutenant on 3 March 1855 (London Gazette 6 March 1855 p961), then captain on 20 October 1858 (Edinburgh Gazette 29 October 1858 p1878). Captain Gifford resigned his commission on 16 May 1862 (London Gazette 16 May 1862 p2553).

Notes: Nicholas succeeded to Ballysop House in 1872. In 1878 he is recorded as the owner of 1,892 acres, with a letting value of £1128. Nicholas did not marry.

Arms:
Arms - Arg., ten torteaux, four, three, two, and one.
Crest - An arm embowed in armour, the hand holding a gilly flower, all proper.
Motto - Potius mori quam foedari. (which translates to "rather to die than to be dishonoured" or "death before dishonour")
Seat - Ballysop, Priesthaggard, New Ross, county Wexford.

Death: 31 March 1896, in New Ross district, county Wexford, Ireland, aged 64

Sources:

Ravenscroft Gifford

of Ballysop, county Wexford, Ireland

Birth: 1666 or 1667

Father: Jasper Gifford

Mother: Anne (Ravenscroft) Gifford

New College, Oxford
New College in 1670
image from New College Oxford
Education: Merton College and New College, Oxford where Ravenscroft obtained a B.A. in 1689.
Alumni Oxoniensis: the members of the University of Oxford, 1500-1714 vol 2 p564
Gifford, Ravenscroft, s. Jasp., of "Polmers," near Ross, in Ireland, gent. MERTON COLL., matric. 18 July, 1684, aged 17; B.A. from NEW COLL., 1689.

Married (1st): Lettice Greenwell in March 1693

Children: Married (2nd): Anne Crompton

Children: Occupation: Army Captain; J.P. in County Wexford

Death: 1736

Will: Dated 10 May 1733, was proved 3 November 1736

Sources:

Ravenscroft Gifford

Father: Ravenscroft Gifford

Mother: Anne (Crompton) Gifford

Occupation: Ravenscroft was an officer in the Spanish army

Sources:

Ravenscroft Gifford

Birth: 1726

Father: Thomas Gifford

Mother: Sarah (_____) Gifford

Notes: Died unmarried

Sources:

Sarah (_____, Gifford) Blunt

Married (1st): Thomas Gifford

Children: Married (2nd): Anthony Blunt in September 1741

Death: 1769

Sources:

Sarah (Gifford) Glascott

Father: Thomas Gifford

Mother: Jane (French) Gifford

Married: Adam Glascott on 10 March 1799

Children:
Death: 28 November 1837

Sources:

Thomas Gifford

of New Ross, county Wexford, Ireland

Father: Ravenscroft Gifford

Mother: Anne (Crompton) Gifford

Married: Sarah

Children: Sources:

Thomas Gifford

of New Ross, county Wexford, Ireland

Father: Thomas Gifford

Mother: Sarah (_____) Gifford

Married: Jane French on 30 June 1766

Children: Sources:

Walter Stephens Gifford

Birth: 24 May 1825

Father: William Gifford

Mother: Arabella (Stephens) Gifford

Occupation: J.P. for county Wexford

Notes: Walter succeeded to Ballysop House in 1866. He did not marry.

Arms:
Arms - Gu., three lions, passant, in pale, arg.
Crest - A cubit dexter arm in armour, grasping a gilly flower, all proper.
Motto - Potius mori quam foedari. (which translates to "rather to die than to be dishonoured" or "death before dishonour")
Seat - Ballysop, New Ross, county Wexford.

Death: 8 January 1872, in New Ross district, county Wexford, Ireland, aged 46

Sources:

Wilhelmina G. Gifford

Birth: 1844/5, in Meniss Sudg (?), county Cork, Ireland

The place of birth is from the 1911 census. I cannot find any place with this name. At the time of her birth Wilhelmina's parent's were living in Mogeesha, county Cork.

Father: William Gifford

Mother: Arabella (Stephens) Gifford

Death: 1917, in Exeter district, Devon, England, aged 72

Census:
1911: Saltash, Cornwall: Withelmina Gifford, sister (of Arabella Gifford), is aged 60, born in Meniss Sudg, county Cork

Sources:

William Gifford

of Polemaloe, county Wexford, Ireland

Father: Jasper Gifford

Mother: Anne (Ravenscroft) Gifford

Married: Margaret Milward on 10 December 1699.
Margaret was the daughter of Clement Milward, of Ballyharran, county Wexford. She died on 4 May 1718.

Sir Bernard Burke changes his horse on the issue of who William Gifford married. In the 1858 edition  he has William as marrying "Margaret, dau. of Nicholas Bolton of Brazeel, co. Dublin, by Anne his wife, dau. of Nicholas Loftus, of Loftus Hall, co. Wexford, and by her (who d. 4 May, 1718)", but the 1862 edition has William marrying "Margaret, dau. of Clement Millward, of Enniscorthy, and by her (who d. 4 May, 1718) has issue...". The 1871 and 1875 editions goes back to the Margaret Bolton version and the 1899 edition reverts once more to Margaret Milward!

All of the editions agree that William's eldest daughter was Anne, who married George Glascott, and his eldest son was Nicholas who married Katherine Sweeney. The 1862 editions also includes the name of a second son, Milward Gifford, and the 1899 edition has the information that William and Margaret had a total of three sons and four duaghters.

Children: Death: about 1753

Will: dated 17 June 1743, was proved 4 August 1753

Notes: William sold his estate to his son-in-law, George Glascott.

Sources:

William Gifford

Birth: 5 November 1795

Father: Nicholas Gifford

Mother: Margaret (Symes) Gifford

Education: Trinity College Dublin, graduating B.A. in 1817.

Married: Arabella Stephens on 11 May 1824 in St Peter, Dublin, county Dublin, Ireland
The marriage was witnessed by Adam Lynn Loftus and B. W. Matthias. William is recorded as being a clerk, of Ballyhop, county Wexford.

Children:
Occupation: Clergyman, and magistrate
William was ordained in 1817, and appointed curate of Dunbrody, Ferns. He was also curate of Monaghan, Clogher diocese; and on 19th February, 1828, was licensed to the curacy of Midleton or Castrachore. From 1831 to 1833 he was vicar of Marshalstown. On 20 September 1833 he was appointed Rector of Mogeesha.

Clerical and parochial records of Cork, Cloyne, and Ross vol 2 pp354-5 (William Brady, 1864)
      MOGEESHA. ...
1833. Sept. 20. WILLIAM GIFFORD is admitted to the rectory entire of Mogeesha. [D.R.]
  1834. Protestant population, 19.
  1837. Mogeesha: a rectory with cure; 3½ miles long by l½ broad; containing 3,400A. Gross population, 1,985. No Curate employed. Tithe composition, £809 3s. 9d. Subject to visitation fees, about £3. Diocesan schoolmaster, 10s. No glebe-house. Incumbent, although non-resident for want of suitable accommodation, resides in a hired house, within one mile of the benefice, and considers £50 a-year a reasonable sum to be allowed under the head of house-rent. No church. Divine service is celebrated once on Sundays, and on the principal festivals, in a private house, by order of the Diocesan. The sacrament is administered four times in the year. The benefice is a rectory. [Parl. Rep.]
  The parish books are new. The first baptism registered is in 1852, and the first marriage in 1857.
  On 5th April, 1857, divine service was performed for the first time in the new church of Mogeesha, built by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, aided by local subscriptions to the amount of nearly £300. This church is oblong, with open high pitched roof, porch on the south, and vestry on the north side. The east and west windows are of stained glass; the seats are single, without doors; the pulpit and reading desk are immediately outside the chancel arch; and the font, of stone, with pillar and base, is beside the reading desk. There is a bell turret pierced for one bell. There is no burial ground. The site of the old church is uncertain, for no trace of it remains. There is a pewter alms-dish, inscribed "Mogeesha Church, 1857." Also, a paten of silver, weighing 13 oz. avoirdupois, and a chalice of silver, weighing 16 oz., both of which are inscribed "Mogeesha Church, 1844." There is also a silver chalice, weighing 12 oz., and inscribed "Magouruey Church, 1837."
  1860. W. Gifford, Rector. William Collins, Curate. The church is new, and not yet consecrated. No glebe-house. No glebe. The rector is non-resident. Divine service twice on Sundays, and once on the usual holidays. Sacrament monthly, and on festivals; average of communicants, 6. No school. The Rector contributes £10 annually to Midleton school, which is sufficiently near to serve for this parish. The Protestant population is 40. The rentcharge is £514 1s.
  1861. September 27. The new church of Mogeesha was consecrated by Bishop Fitzgerald.
  W. Gifford (eldest son of Nicholas Gifford, esq., by Anne, dau. of G. Glascott, esq., of Alderton, was born in 1795, and graduated A.B., T.C.D., in 1817.
  He was ordained in 1817, by the Bp. of Ferns, for the curacy of Dunbrody, Ferns.
  He was also Curate of Monaghan, Clogher diocese; and on 19th February, 1828, was licensed to the curacy of Midleton or Castrachore. From 1831 to 1833 he was V. Marshalstown.
  He married, in 1824, Arabella, dau. of Rev. W. Stephens, and has issue, inter alios, an eldest son, Walter Stephens Gifford, esq., born in 1825, a J.P. for Wexford county.
  Rev. W. Gifford succeeded, in 1830, to his father's estates, and is seated at Ballysop, county Wexford. He is a magistrate for that county.

Ballysop House
Ballysop House, county Wexford
image from Scoil Mhuire, Horeswood
Notes: William was of Ballysop House, in county Wexford. Ballysop was a fine house with a drawing room, dining room, large hall, bathroom, bedrooms, pantries and servants' apartments. Outside was a coach house and stables for six horses and a lovely garden. The house was demolished in 1965 to make way for the John F. Kennedy Arboretum and Park. Two monkey puzzle trees now grow where the house once stood.

Arms:
Arms - Gu., three lions, passant, in pale, arg.
Crest - A cubit dexter arm in armour, grasping a gilly flower, all proper.
Motto - Potius mori quam foedari. (which translates to "rather to die than to be dishonoured" or "death before dishonour")
Seat - Ballysop, New Ross, county Wexford.

Death: 26 October 1866, in New Ross district, county Wexford, Ireland, aged 71

Sources:

William James Brownlow Gifford

Birth: 1848/9

Father: William Gifford

Mother: Arabella (Stephens) Gifford

Death: 30 August 1872, in New Ross district, county Wexford, Ireland, aged 23

Sources:
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