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There are Rolston/Rolleston/Roulston families in counties Armagh, Fermanagh and Mayo/Sligo that have been unable to trace their earliest ancestors and link up with the major families that originally came into Ireland, mainly during or just after the Plantation of Ulster, 1610. I have some new information that may help us trace those descents and resolve the ancestry issues.
The Rollestons from Staffordshire came to Ireland in 1610. The Franckfort branch descended from Arthur Rolleston 1580-1670. Arthur and his wife Eleanor had 3 sons, Francis, Arthur and Richard. The eldest, Francis c.1620(?)-1694, was army and reached the rank of Colonel. He married Eleanor Fox and from him descended the Franckfort branch. The youngest, Richard, had only one daughter, Eleanor, and she married John Rolleston whom I've not yet identified. I know that they were living in England in 1691 and it's possible that they always did so, that this John may never have lived in Ireland.
Until recently, nobody knew of any offspring from the 2nd son Arthur, even the Franckfort Rolleston papers had nothing about him.
I recently received a copy of the will of Colonel Francis Rolleston from Michael Waller in USA, from a copy amongst the Waller family papers in his possession. This may be the only copy of the will in existence, there was none at Franckfort and the original probably was destroyed in the fire at the Public Record Office in Dublin in 1922. The will was written in 1691 and proved 12 July 1694. It is very detailed in terms of bequests and the potential recipients are listed in age sequence. Francis was mainly concerned with the efficient transmission of his property at Tomlough in county Tipperary within the family. He bequeathed "unto my eldest sonne Captain Francis Rolleston all of my reall Estate whereof I shall dye Seized to have and to hold to him dureing his naturall Life, and after his decease to the eldest sonne of his Body lawfully to be begotten and to the heires Males of such Eldest sonne and soe on to his and their eldest sonne and sonns..."
He then accounts for the possible failure of male heir by bequeathing the land after the death of his eldest son to his 2nd son Arthur. And in case of failure of male heirs by Arthur, then to his brother Arthur Rolleston during his natural life. And after his brother Arthur's decease, to his sons, Francis's nephews who are listed in order as:
Alured,
Toby,
Arphaxad,
Joel,
Francis,
William
And in the event of failure of male heirs by all of them, then to John Rolleston who married his brother Richard's daughter Eleanor, and if no male heirs, then to his grandson Rolleston Humphrey and his heirs forever.
He also mentions in the will his 3 nieces, daughters of Arthur, but does not give their names.
Of the above 6 sons, I know that Arphaxad and William were army. Arphaxad was a captain in the Duke of Marlborough's regiment and died on the field of battle at Blenheim in 1709. His youngest brother William was a cadet and promoted to ensign in Arphaxad's company on the day of battle. I would guess William to be about 20-22 yrs old at that date, he had been a cadet 3 yrs in the regiment. Arphaxad, being a captain, was probably at least 30 yrs old.
At present I know nothing of the other 4 sons, Alured, Toby, Joel and Francis.
Here we have six males, previously unknown, who must have produced issue in Ireland. It's my opinion that these were probably the progenitors of the Fermanagh and Sligo families and probably some or all of the Armagh families. There is some circumstantial evidence, especially for the Fermanagh case. Colonel Francis's daughter Catherine married Henry Humphrey and their son Rolleston Humphrey is mentioned in the will. PRONI at Belfast has Humphreys family, genealogical notes 1600-1900 (Ref T1075/26), also Humphrey papers including some Archdale and Sacheverall documents (Ref: D813). That last is very interesting because the Fermanagh Rolstons were tenant farmers on the Archdale estate. So it appears feasible that the Rolstons could have obtained Archdale tenancy through their Fermanagh contacts in the Humpreys family. I would guess the timespan to be during the first half of the 18th C.
I don't have any idea yet on how to connect in with the Sligo and Armagh Rolstons, although my own Armagh connection was very early and if from one of those sons, it must have been from the eldest, either Alured or Toby I expect, because I have my earliest ancestor in Drumcree parish being Robert Rolleston who took a 31 yr lease in 1685, meaning that he must have been born by about 1660-ish. It is also possible that my Robert could have been a son of John Rolleston and Eleanor, the neice of Francis. The other main Armagh Rolston family was at Eglish parish, but I have nothing on them before the end of the 18th C.
For Sligo and Mayo, we presently have the family back to around 1750 in co. Mayo and know of at least 2 there, Robert Ralston & wife Catherine and Thomas Raulston and wife Ann Ellis whose son Joseph was born in Mayo 1756. These Robert and Thomas could be sons or perhaps grandsons of one or two of the above 6 brothers and either they or their father(s) may have been the first into Mayo.
There are a number of strays that are difficult to fit into the Franckfort Rolleston branch and who could readily be descended from the above 6 brothers.....
1708 Gabriel Rolleston baptised a son Samuel at Armagh City.
1711 Gabriel Rolleston baptised a daughter Elizabeth at Armagh City.
1722 Robert Ralston and wife Margaret baptised a son George at Clones, co. Monaghan.
1736 Michael Rolleston & wife Elizabeth baptised a daughter Elinor at Dublin.
1760 Michael Rolleston & wife Esther baptised a daughter Elizabeth at Dublin.
1761 James Rolston at Drumgreeny, co. Cavan.
1761 Robert Rolleston at Tonyveagh, co. Cavan.
1785 Henry Rolston married Elizabeth Tynan at Dublin.
1811 Henry Rolston at Barrack St, Dublin.
1805-1828 James Rolston, born at Balahaise, co. Cavan was discharged age 40 from 16th Dragoons (Light) & 8th Dragoons.
1836 Samuel Rolston, born at Drumgoon, co. Cavan discharged age 41 from his regiment.
1841 William Rolleston & wife Ruth baptised a daughter Sarah at Ashfield, co. Cavan.
1876 Samuel Ralson held land at Castleblayney, co. Monaghan.
I feel sure that the first listed, Gabriel is probably a son of one of them. Notice the run of biblical names....Arphaxad....Joel....Gabriel.
This gives us a completely new slant on our researches and holds promise of being quite fruitful, assuming of course that we are able to uncover documentary evidence. That's the difficult part.
Meanwhile, if anyone has any supporting information or unearths any interesting connection, please let me know. A combined effort on this could work wonders.
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