George Frost of County Clare

[GWhisler]

My great-grandfather George Frost was born in Meelick, County Clare, Ireland in approximately 1808 or 1809. He reportedly had a brother, Solomon, a brother Robert, and a sister Ellen, who were all born in Meelick (there could have been more siblings, but this is the only information that has been passed down).

My George Frost was Roman Catholic, married Anne Gleeson in 1835 and had five children before her death in approximately 1846 or 1847. The children's baptisms are online on the Parteen and Meelick Parish Baptismal Register, compiled by Clare Heritage Centre, from original registers. He and the five children then left Ireland (sailed from Limerick on the Albion) sometime in June or July of 1847 for America--arriving in New York in October of 1847. My grandfather, William Frost, was one of George's eight children with his second wife Mary Kilbride (from Antrim, Ireland, I have been told) where they settled in the state of Michigan, USA.

I am trying to research George Frost's parents, who would have been born probably in the late 1780s in the vicinity of County Clare. Given the custom of naming the first son after the father, it is possible his father's name was Solomon (George Frost's first son, with Anne Gleeson, was named Solomon). Of course I would be pleased to have confirmation of his siblings as well. I live in California, USA, so unfortunately I cannot search in County Clare in person--hopefully someday soon! Thanks for any help anyone can give me! GWhisler

[smcarberry]

Gretchen,

I know you have asked for help here and from the Library directly, to which a local studies librarian has been assigned to respond in detail to your inquiry. I am not a descendant; there are some who have been active with family history research. If you are prepared to participate in family research, the starting point would be to review materials already online (I know you have reviewed online baptismal records) which, on the Library's website, include charts and a family history text donated by Janet Frost. Janet states that her work shows that all Frosts in Clare descend from a Cromwellian settler Thomas Frost of the mid-1600s.

charts: Solomon b. early 1700s, plus Solomon in next two generations, no George listed
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... chart1.htm

donated family history text, starting with Thomas of the Cromwell era (mid-1600s), no George mentioned in any generation
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... frosts.htm

The only online mention of George Frost on the Library's online pages appears in a 30 March 2007 Forum posting of mine, from British Parliamentary Papers providing names and "crimes" of men in the early 1800s:

Insurrection Act committals (pre-trial)
23 June 1823 George Frost crime: being absent from their usual place of abode, one hour after sunset and before sunrise

None of those committals resulted in any conviction and further imprisonment. I do not know if there are existing records that could provide further information on that George. However, at least you have one George in the right time period in the right area.

There are excellent genealogy guide books which can provide direction as to the type of records you need for research on George. Or, you can contact Janet Frost and see if she has more guidance/data to provide.

By the way, I first looked into Solomon Frost last year, to put to rest any possibility that the lawyer of the same name in my hometown (mid-Hudson Valley, NY) was from the Clare line. I found no such possibility, but in doing that my first resort was to run the name Solomon through the Library's Google search engine to bring up any data already on that website. In so doing, I saw two databases in which the forename was spelled Soloman. Since those are the 1825 Tithe Applotments and an 1880 directory, neither is early enough to be of real help with your inquiry.

Good luck with that,
Sharon Carberry
USA

[pwaldron]

Sharon,

I am also looking for a lawyer named Solomon Frost, or Solomon John Frost. There is a discussion about him at http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/t ... 1306065847

This Solomon emigrated from Clare to New Zealand and is probably the Solomon Frost who arrived from London at Lyttleton in New Zealand on board the S.S. Durham on 18 Nov 1880 (Otago Daily Times > * 20 November 1880 > * Page 2 > * SHIPPING).
Solomon J. Frost, Nelson, passed the law examinations in March 1886 (Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 107, 8 May 1886, Page 2). On 7 Dec 1886, a few days after his marriage to Helena Moynihan, his Honor Mr Justice Johnston, on the application of Mr Hoban, admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court, Mr Solomon John Frost (Star > * 8 December 1886 > * Page 3 > * Local & General).

Just over a year later, Solomon J. Frost was charged before Mr F. Bird, R.M., with being of unsound mind (Inangahua Times ># 12 March 1888 ># Page 2). And in 1892, Solomon John Frost was remanded for medical treatment for drunkenness (Star > * 22 April 1892 > * Page 3 > * MAGISTERIAL).

By 1896, Helena was describing herself as a widow (New Zealand Electoral Rolls: 1896 > Wellington). However, there is no sign of Solomon in NZ death or burial indexes.

Any chance he could have started a new life in NY state?

Paddy

[smcarberry]

Paddy, my memory of what I had found on Solomon Frost of the mid-Hudson Valley (NY) would positively exclude him as a possible son in a second family of a Solomon Frost who may have left New Zealand on the sly.

However, I was just reading yesterday a news story of 1887 about a NYC Carberry family (who used the spelling variation Carbrey) whose considerable fortune was amassed by the immigrant John L. Carbrey. His son George was young and in excellent health when he took over the business, only to fairly quickly slide into dementia (with some heavy tippling), resulting in his being institutionalized as insane. The story ascribes his conduct to paranoia, although it seems to me that schizophrenia might be involved, as that tends to blossom in young adults not previously exhibiting symptoms. George apparently stayed in his institution, but his high level of functioning could well enabled an escape and flight from the country, just as your Solomon Frost could have done. So, I will indeed keep an eye out for anything that might point to your man here in North America.

Sharon Carberry

Flour Carbrey's son Geo, NYTrib 1887.jpg (56.15 KiB) Viewed 10203 times

Geo, pt2, 15 Jan 1887.jpg (38.66 KiB) Viewed 10203 times

[pwaldron]

Thanks, Sharon!