Thys on Family Tree Circles

Dr Geoffrey O'Connell's wife Elizabeth(Ross) O'CONNELL and their three children, Michael b. 1804, John b. 1811 and Elizabeth b. 1813 came to South Africa abt. 1820 after Dr Geoffrey's death in Ireland. The children were all born at Hillgrove,Co. Kerry, Ireland. Here in South Africa they lived at George and Oudtshoorn resepectively. Michael became a prominent businessman in George and John a farmer/landlord in Oudtshoorn. John had a partner, Susanna TOLVEY/TOWEY they had two sons and a daughter William, John and Magritha. John Snr. later married Joanna Eager and had several other children but the children of John Snr. and Sussana were brought up by John and his new bride, Joanna Eager. John's son by Susanna, William O'CONNELL is my ancestor.He married Abigail DE JAGER of Buffelsdrift,Oudtshoorn,they had a son Geoffrey O'Connell, my mother Margaret Mary O'Connell's father.Dr. Geoffrey's wife Elizabeth (Ross) O'Connell remarried a Charles Eager had a daughter Eliza Eager (KRITZINGER). Elizabeth and her two daughters, Elizabeth O'Connell and Eliza Eager (KRITZINGER) are buried next to each other in the Roman Catholic Cemetery at George.JOHN my ancestor is buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery, Oudtshoorn and Michael's headstone is kept in the Museum at George. So far, we are unable to find any information on CHARLES EAGER. If there are any EAGER Family out there that can add any information, I will be grateful. We as the descendants of Dr. Geofrrey O'Connell are eagerly awaiting any information on Dr.GEOFFREY O'CONNELL OF IRELAND and his wife ELIZABETH ANN ROSS of Chatham, Kent, U.K.
Thank you, Marié Claassen de Vries.

I am Marié de Vries a descendant of DR.Geoffrey O'Connell who were captured in France during the Reign of Terror 1793. He apparently was a Cousin/Nephew of Daniel O'Connell and Count Charles O'Connell. (Still to be confirmed). He had a medical practice in France at that time. He was later released from the Bastille and returned to Hillgrove, Kerry, Ireland near the now Cahirciveen Town. He married late in his life to Elizabeth Ann Ross b.in Kent, England. They moved to Hillgrove where their three children Michael 1804, John 1811 and Elizabeth Ann 1813 were born and baptised. We believe that the reason why he moved to Hillgrove, is that his sister Honora was married to John Primrose who owned the farm Hillgrove. Primrose was a land agent for Daniel O'Connell. The Hillgrove house overlooked the birthhouse of Daniel and although Hillgrove House was demolised you can still see the ruin of Daniels Birthhouse at Carhan from where the Hillgrove House was originally built. He died soon afterwards. His wife remarried a Charles Eager who already had family in South Africa and they as a family relocated in South Africa. We are in possession of the death certificates of Michael and John O'Connell his sons, whereupon their place of birth is given as Hillgrove, Kerry, Ireland. On Elizabeth Ross O'Connell's gravestone here in South Africa is inscribed that she is the relict of Dr. Geoffrey O'Connell. On my last visit to Ireland in 2014, I found that Hillgrove was no longer a farm but a suburb near Cahirciveen. My research also led me to believe that our Dr. Geoffrey could possibly be related to a Geoffrey Maurice O'Connell of Ballybracklodge, Waterville b 1728 and died 1820 at the age of 93. If there are any O'Connell Relatives of this remarkable old man, I would be so grateful to make contact. He could have been their grandfather or an uncle. There is also the rumour that Dr. Geoffrey as well as his father were doctors and possibly had practices in Cork. I will be grateful for any help. Thank you.