cross

CROSS

FAMILY

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Number of people in the Cross Family in my tree:

9 male

14 female

Total 25

The Cross Family lived in Fontstown, near the town of Athy, Co Kildare, Ireland.

George Cross who was born in 1692 and died 1788 married around the year 1745,
Elizabeth (1719-1789). They had a daughter Martha.

Martha Cross was born in 1746 and died on 22 Nov 1824. In 1908, Martha laid a
tombstone in the grounds of Fontstown Church in memory of her parents. It reads:

"This stone was laid here by Martha Toomey of Eagle Hill, July 7th 1808 in

memory of her Father, George Cross, who died 11th April 1788, aged 96 years,

also her Mother Elizabeth Cross, died 19th May 1789, aged 70 years."

The Cross family were Protestants but Martha married Anthony Toomey (1746-1797),
a Roman Catholic probably from Tralee, Co Kerry. It is believed that someone in his
family took strong exception to the "mixed" marriage and arranged for him to work for
the East India Company. As Martha was expecting their first child, Anthony went to
India while Martha and the child would follow when they were able to travel.

Shortly after arriving in India, Anthony received a letter to say that both his wife and
child had died in childbirth. At about the same time, Martha received a letter to say that
Anthony had died soon after arriving in India.

Martha then worked as a house-keeper for a local business man who liked to entertain
the army officers from the local garrison in Athy. Some years later, during such an
evening of entertainment, one officer, on hearing of the surname Cross said that it
reminded him of his old general in India After some discussion, Martha having said that
it must be her husband, the officer said: "Oh, No, Madam, it couldn't possibly be,
because shortly after he arrived in India he had a letter to say both his wife and child
had died in childbirth." Enquiries were made and after confirmation of the situation
recieved, Anthony decided to return to Ireland but did die just a month before leaving.

Martha and Anthony Toomey had a son Mark Toomey (1769-1832) of Eagle Hill, Co
Kildare, who married Temperence Hoysted 1781-1819, daughter of John Hoysted and
Anne Richardson. Of their eleven children, Mark Toomey (1812-1864) married Jane
Kelly (1820-1890).

Their son Mark Anthony Toomey (1844-1901) married Julia Adelaide Bourne (1840-
1932) and had with others, a daughter Jane Toomey who married George Thompson in
1901.

There are also many Toomey family members who have the Goslin or Gosselin as first
names being descendants of Jane Kelly, daughter of John Kelly and Alicia Goslin. The
Toomey family is also closely connected to the Fenton Family of Kildare and Wicklow,
Ireland.