Thomas Meagher (1796–1874) was an Irish businessman and politician, born and raised in St. John's, Colony of Newfoundland.
Thomas Meagher | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1796 |
| Died | 1874 |
| Occupation | Mayor of Waterford |
| Spouse | Alicia Quan |
| Children | 5 |
His father, also named Thomas Meagher (1763–1837), had emigrated from Tipperary to St. John's, Colony of Newfoundland, where he became a successful businessman.[1] The younger Thomas was born in St. John's and returned to Ireland in his 20s to represent his father's business interests, where he prospered.
Meagher was Mayor of Waterford in 1843 and 1844,[2] the first Roman Catholic mayor of the city since the penal laws. He was elected at the 1847 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Waterford City.[3] He was re-elected in 1852, and held the seat until he stood down at the 1857 general election.[3]
Meagher and his wife (Alicia Quan Meagher) had five children, only two of whom survived childhood. One of these, Thomas Francis Meagher (1823–1867), would garner renown as a leader of the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848. The death sentence for his role in the rebellion was commuted to transportation to Australia. He escaped and went to United States, where he rose to the rank of brigadier general in the U.S. Army during the American Civil War, and later became acting governor of the Montana Territory.
Death
editThomas Meagher, who died in 1874, having been predeceased by all save possibly one of his children; the year of death of his daughter, Christine Mary Meagher, is unknown. [citation needed]
Thomas Meagher's grave is located at Faithlegg Church cemetery, Checkpoint, County Waterford.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ "Meagher, Thomas". Dictionary of Canadian Biography (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. 1979–2016.
- ^ Hansard, Joseph (1870). The History, Topography and Antiquities (natural and Ecclesiastical) with Biographical Sketches of the Nobility, of the County and City of Waterford. Dungarvan. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b Walker, Brian M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland 1801–1922. A New History of Ireland. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 317–18. ISBN 0901714127. ISSN 0332-0286.
External links
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