Myles Staunton – Mary Clarke
of
Koroit, Victoria.
 

Myles Staunton was born at Eyrecourt, County Galway, Ireland in 1826, the son of Peter Staunton, farmer and Catherine Dwon, [Divine?]. His daughter Margaret Staunton was to marry Michael Lane, Junior.

Peter and Catherine Staunton had at least three boys, who all came to Victoria.

Myles Staunton, born 1826, married Mary Clarke and who was to farm at Koroit.

Michael Staunton, born 1836, married Mary Boland in Eyrecourt, County Galway. He and his wife and son farmed at Warrong, near Kirkstall. They died in 1877 in the Warrong tragedy.

James Staunton, born 1836, married Mary Gleeson (nee Loughnane) in1868, was a boundary rider and lived in Penshurst. He died in 1884. Click here for family tree.

The name Staunton often becomes Stanton in the family history.

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Nothing is known about the Staunton family early days in Ireland however, the great famine of East Galway was very severe. Government and local measures were unable to cope with the large numbers who became destitute. There was a large drop in the population over the period of the great famine.

Eyrecourt is a small village in the south east of Co. Galway that was founded by Royal Charter and grew up around the castle built there by John Eyre a soldier of Cromwell who after the Parliamentary war went to Ireland "to put down an uprising" and he paid his army with the spoils of that action.
The Eyre family were granted large tracts of land in East Galway in the 17^th Century. The Eyres’ dispossessed the O’Madden’s who were the local chieftains in the area.

The Irish name for Eyrecourt is Du’n an Ochta, the Parish of Eyrecourt consists of four separate localities Eyrecourt, Clonfert, Esker and Meelick. In the past, there were two separate Parishes, Clonfert and Du’n an Ochta; these were redefined in the last century creating the Parish of Eyrecourt.

We are not certain as to what Civil Parish, which was the group of townlands they belonged to, but it was either Donanaghta or Clonfert, in the Barony of Longford.

The Poor Law Union they belonged to was Portumna.

Ireland was divided into four provinces and Eyrecourt was in the province of Connaught.

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Myles Staunton married Mary Clarke May 12^th, 1857, in County Galway, who was the daughter of John Clarke and Jane Rosengrave.

Whilst the vessel in which they came to Australia is not known, it would have been around 1857 and they began farming at Koroit not long after.

The only road in the 1850’s was the main road from Warrnambool to Belfast (Port Fairy), the rest were simply bush tracks made from bullock drays. Koroit was first surveyed in 1857 but it was some years before it was established.

The 1870 rate book, which was the first list of ratepayers in the Borough of Koroit, showed Miles Staunton as owning a house and 30 acres of land.

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Myles Staunton died July 28^th, 1898 aged 67 years at Rosedale, Koroit, Victoria and is buried at Tower Hill.

The informant was his son Michael James Staunton who stated that Myles had lived 45 years in Victoria..

His obituary in the Warrnambool Standard stated,

Our Koroit correspondent writes -:

The funeral of the late Mr. Miles Staunton took place on Saturday and not withstanding the inclement weather it was largely attended. The funeral service at the Tower Hill Cemetery conducted by the Rev. M. Jones. Mr. Staunton was one of the old residents of this district, he having been engaged in agricultural pursuits here for many years and his valuable property "Rose Vale" is very well known. He was a native of County Clare, Ireland and arrived in this district 44 years ago; he success as a farmer is very well known. During last week, Mr. Staunton had a violent attack of bronchitis to which he succumbed in a few days, to the great regret of his friends, by whom he was highly respected. He leaves a widow, three daughters and a son.

The Koroit Sentinal stated on 30^th July 1898 that Myles Staunton came to the district in 1854 and bought one of the holdings of Mr. Kells’ farm at Crossley.

Mary Staunton died February 9^th, 1915 aged 82 years at Stauntons Lane, Koroit, Victoria.

The informant was her son in law, Michael Downey of Koroit who stated she had lived 54 years in Victoria.

A notice appeared in the Koroit Sentinal newspaper -:

On the 9^th February at her residence Koroit, Mary, relic of the late Miles Staunton.

Refer photograph of Mary Staunton.

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The will of Miles Staunton dated 17^th December, 1894, left the sum of 100 pounds to his son Michael James Staunton.

He left in trust for his wife Mary Staunton and his daughter Catherine Staunton for the rest of their lives known as the homestead and Russell’s paddock, with dwellings, stock and machinery.

On the death of his wife then this was to pass to Catherine.

That piece of land containing 17 acres being the two lower paddocks he left to his daughter Mary Jane Staunton.

The16 acres of land on the Tower Hill lake he left to his daughter Margaret Staunton.

That piece of land comprising 130 acres, stock and improvements in the parish of Warrong known as the Bush Paddock to his wife Mary Staunton and on her death to his daughters Mary Jane and Margaret Staunton.

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Family Tree

of

Myles Staunton - Mary Clarke

 

 

 

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If you can add or correct any of this information

Please email Ray Lane

rjlane@netspace.net.au

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Ray Lane – 24-01-03

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