Thomas Tobin (abt. 1485 - bef. 1541)

Born about 1485 in Compsey, County Tipperary, Ireland

Descendants

Died before 1541 before about age 56 in Ireland

Biography

Known as Thomas Tobin of Killaghy, County Kilkenny. Estimated birth year 1485.

Lord of Compshinagh (Compsey),^[1] County Tipperary ^[2]

His only known wife, Eleanor FitzGerald, was daughter and sister of two different Earls of Desmond. After Tobin's death (ca. 1541) she married John Oge FitzGibbon, 10th White Knight (d. 1569).^[3]

Family Connections

The History of the Tobin family in Ireland indicates the surname was Sancto Albino at the time of the Norman Invasion of Ireland, and later evolved into Tobyne/Tobyn/Tobin. The land (variously spelled Cumsy, Comsy, Compsey) belonged to the family since the 1200s. ^[4]

• A descendant of John de Sancto Albino alias Tobyn of Roston.^[5]

• His son Thomas married Eleanor Butler, niece of James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond.

• The likely father or grandfather of "James Tobyn of the Compsey", from the 1574 Survey of Ireland.^[6]

• Possibly the father or grandfather of James Tobin^[7] and the grandfather of Margaret Tobin, who married James Butler (1540-92), son of the 9th Earl of Ormond.

• Grandfather of Margaret Tobin, daughter of Thomas, who married Nicholas Power, the illegitimate son of Sir Richard le Poer.^[8]

• Grandfather of Joan Tobyn, who married 1) Thomas le Poer "of Culefin" (ca.1530-1564) (son of Sir Richard le Poer) and married 2) Edmond FitzJohn FitzGibbon (ca.1540-1608), the 11th White Knight.

• in 1502 James Tobin (of undetermined relationship) killed Piers Butler,^[9] son of Edmond, 8th Baron Dunboyne.

• Ca. 1500 Johanna Tobyn (of undetermined relationship) was buried in the parish church of Earlstown, in the original townland of Newtown d'Erley, later known as Newtown Baker.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ Compsey is in the Barony of Slievardagh, on the east border of Tipperary, not far from the town of Kilkenny.
2. ↑ "It appears by these presents that I, Thomas Tobyne, have received the whole sum in pledge upon the town of Bryanyre from Edmund Tobyne which was the sum of 22 marks, and have received the total sum according to my satisfaction on the 18th day of April in the year 1531." (Note from historian: 'Bryanyre' appears from internal evidence to be a townland or estate in the Compsey or 'Comsenach' in E. Tipperary. See deed in this volume of September 9, 1542. The Compsey was part of the former barony of Slieveardagh and Compsey; a branch seems to have settled at Ballaghtobin in County Kilkenny.":
   • Irish Manuscripts: Calendar of Ormond Deeds, Ormond Deeds IV, covering the years 1509-1547
3. ↑ Thomas Tobin of the Cumpshenagh [sic] is shown in pedigree (pp.7-8-9) as husband of Eleanor, daughter of "James FitzMaurice [FitzGerald], 13th Earl of Desmond".
   • James Graves, "The Earls of Desmond", The Journal of the Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland. Published by the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. Third Series, Vol. 1, No. 2 (1869):
     • https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/25497799.pdf
     • http://www.jstor.com/stable/25497799
4. ↑ Sources tracing the family history and showing the evolution of the surname in legal documents include:
   • Knights' Fees in Counties Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny, Irish Manuscripts Commission, with commentary by Eric St. John Brooks, Dublin Stationery Office, 1950
   • The History & Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory, by Rev. William Carrigan, member of the Royal Irish Academy, 1905:
     • https://archive.org/details/historyandantiq03carrgoog
   • Calendar of Ormond Deeds: Legal and land transactions, in 6 volumes covering 1172 to 1603:
     • https://archive.org/details/calendaroformond03ormo/page/n5/mode/2up
5. ↑ History of the Tobin family in Ireland
6. ↑ "Men of Name [in the province of Munster]: Earl of Ormond, Count Palatine; Baron of Don Boyen [Dunboyne]; Sir Tobot [Tibbot/Theobald] Butler of Cayer [Cahir]; James Tobyn of the Compsey; Piers Butler of Grallo [Grallagh]; O’Mulreans [O'Mulryan]; O’Kennedy of Ormonde; Purcell, Baron Loughmaye [Loughmoe]; Cantwell." (Carew MSS, Lambeth Palace Library, Vol. 621 p. 106):
   • The Butlers of County Clare by Sir Henry Blackall, Appendix V: Survey of Ireland, 1574
     • http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/butlers/appendix5.htm
7. ↑ Besides being father-in-law of the 9th Earl of Ormond, "Captain James Tobin" was a close ally of his successor Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond, and accompanied him in 1600 to a meeting with chieftain Owmy mac Rory O'More (son of famous Irish rebel Rory Oge O'More). Others who supported the 10th Earl at this meeting were Sir George Carew; Donough O'Brien, Earl of Thomond; Pierce Butler; Brian MacDonough Kavanagh; a lawyer named Philip Comerford of Kilkenny; and other citizens of that town. On the opposing team (accompanying Owny mac Rory O'More) were the Rev. James Archer; Shane Oge MacGillapatrick, nephew of the Earl of Ossory; Melaghlin O'More; and others. Sir George Carew here offers a detailed account of the meeting, at which Owny O'More kidnapped the 10th Earl of Ormond as a bargaining chip in a later exchange of hostages:
   • https://archive.org/details/journalofcountyk06coun/page/56/mode/2up/search/tobin
8. ↑ http://www.thepeerage.com/p35880.htm#i358797
9. ↑ http://www.thepeerage.com/p27248.htm
10. ↑ "Here lie William Swetman, Baron of Erley, who died A.D. 1507, and his wife Johanna Tobyn"
    • The History & Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory, by Rev. William Carrigan, member of the Royal Irish Academy, 1905.
      • https://archive.org/stream/historyandantiq01carrgoog/historyandantiq01carrgoog_djvu.txt
      • https://archive.org/details/historyandantiq03carrgoog/page/n12/mode/2up

• The Peerage: #656540 : Thomas Tobin quoting BP2003 volume 2, page 2811 in Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003