2. Richard Reddigan (Martin ) was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland. He died 1 about Apr 1872 in Caplin Bay, NF. He was buried in Ferryland RC Cemetery.
We do not know how old Richard Reddigan was when he died in 1872, however there is reason to believe that he was born in County Kilkenny before the family came to Newfoundland. His sister Mary, who married John Mullaly, in 1825 was recorded as being from Co. Kilkenny.
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Royal Gazette - September 20,1829
Richard Reddigan petitioned for a grant of land in Caplin Bay.
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Court Records - Southern Circuit minutes - 1830
Thomas Flannagan vs. Richard Reddigan. Action to recover £9. 10. 8 (nine pounds, ten shillings, eight pence). Defendant admits sum is due.
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Crown Lands Records # 3216 - March 31 1871
Richard Redigan, Senior is granted parcel of land (south side of road to Stone Island bounded on the west by land claimed by Thomas Condon and on the east by land claimed by James Walsh).
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April 4 1872 - Will of Richard Reddigan, dictated on his deathbed and witnessed by Andrew Keough and Thomas Condon.
Richard left the waterfront and fishing room to his son Richard and "cousin" Martin Reddigan. He left the land, mentioned in the grant #3216 above, to Richard and John, eldest sons of his son Michael, to be divided equally between them when they came of age. The land on the north side of the road, which had actually being granted under the name of Richard Redigan Jr., he left to his "cousin" Martin Reddigan. To his daughter Ellen Reddigan, he left his bed.
Richard married Catherine Evoy daughter of Michael Evoy and Elenor about 1824. Catherine was born 1 about 1798 in Ferryland, NF. She died after 1858 in Caplin Bay, NF.
There are no records that give the maiden name of Richard Reddigan's wife, however family lore is that the Reddigans were related to the Evoys and this is the only generation in which this was likely. This deduction is supported by the fact that (1) Richard Reddigan settled on the property adjacent to his wife's mother, Nelly, and step-father, James Walsh; and (2) in 1844, Nelly and James Walsh deeded all of their property to "Richard Reddigan, the younger". In return Richard Reddigan Jr. agreed to look after them for the rest of their lives. The implication of this deed is that Richard Reddigan Jr. had a close kinship with the Walshes; in all likelihood he was their grandson.
The only early reference that has been found for the name Catherine Redigan is one in which she is listed as the godmother of Robert Luke Condon, who was baptised at Fermeuse on October16, 1857. Although Micheal (son of Richard) Reddigan's wife was also named Catherine, it appears they were not married untill the 1860s. No other records or family lore identify another Catherine in the Reddigan family. Since Richard Reddigan Sr. makes no reference to a wife in his will of 1872, it is fair to assume that she had predeceased him by that time.
They had the following children:
4 M i Richard Reddigan"Dick" was born 1 about 1825 in Caplin Bay, NF. He died in Caplin Bay, NF. He was buried 2 in Ferryland RC Cemetery.
Crown Lands Records #2830 - May 1, 1869.
Richard Reddigan Jr. granted land north side of road - Caplin Bay. This appears to be the land that was willed to "cousin" Martin Reddigan by Richard Reddigan Sr.
Headstone - Ferryland RC Cemetery - near Johnston family plot.
Richard & Jane Reddigan, 95 yrs and 90 yrs.
Richard lived to be 95 years old. He was supposed to have lived in the U.S.A. at one time. No one knows of any children for Richard and Jane.Richard married Jane Johnston daughter of William Johnston and Ellen Rossiter before 1870. Jane was born in Caplin Bay, NF. She died in Caplin Bay, NF. She was buried 1 in Ferryland RC Cemetery.
No marriage record can be found for Richard and Jane, possibly because they were married before 1870 - the earliest date for the surviving Ferryland RC marriage records. One of the earliest records that mentions a Jane Reddigan is for the baptism of Mary Hynes (dau. of John Hynes and Ann Johnston) in Feb 1876.
Jane lived to be 90 years old according to her headstone. Unfortunately the Vital Statistics records do not show an entry for either Jane or Richard.5 M ii Joseph Reddigan died in 1834 in Caplin Bay, NF.
This individual may be in the wrong generation. The only reference is in Carter's Diary, to the death of a Jas. or Jos. Reddigan at Caplin Bay. No age or other specifics are given. I have recorded the name here as Joseph, son of Richard, since Joseph, usually called Jose, has been used in each Reddigan generation. The name James has never been used in the Reddigan family.+ 6 M iii Michael Reddigan 7 F iv Ellen Reddigan was born 1 about 1830 in Caplin Bay, NF. She died 2 on 6 Apr 1892 in Caplin Bay, NF. The cause of death was dyspepsia. She was buried in Ferryland RC Cemetery.
The Vital Statistics death record says she was 62 when she died.Ellen married 1 Joseph Power son of John Power on 21 Oct 1872 in Holy Trinity Parish, Ferryland, NF. Joseph was born 2 about 1836 in Caplin Bay, NF. He died 3 on 27 Jan 1905 in Caplin Bay, NF. He was buried in Ferryland RC Cemetery.
It appears that Joseph Power was married before but this was the first marriage for Ellen Reddigan. Ellen had been willed her father's bed in April 1872, which according to Tom Reddigan was actually a large feather bed. Although it seems a trival item now, feather beds were considered prized items in earlier days and certainly an attractive part of a dowry.
An explaination of a dowry from the Illinois State Museum states:
"A dowry was the wealth that a woman brought to her marriage. The dowry could take
different forms: land; farm animals, such as cows or chickens; furniture, such as a feather
bed, which was considered a luxury".+ 8 F v Bridget Reddigan