Temperance Toomey nee Hoysted (1781 - 1819)

Temperance was born on the 6th October, 1781, the first child of John and Anne Hoysted of Foxhill (near Athy) , County Kildare, Ireland.


She was named Temperance for her paternal grandmother , Temperance Hoysted nee Bagot who herself had been named for her grandmother, Temperance Browne nee Perry.
It's an unusual name which has continued to be used through each generation although over the years it is more likely to be seen as Tempe or Tempey.

The Hoysted's were an old and well established family and with their connection to the Bagots had an impeccable social standing. Temperance was exactly the sort of woman that Mark Toomey needed to consolidate his newly acquired position and grace Eagle Hill as his wife. I hope it wasn't a completely mercenary contract and the two had an affection for each other.

Temperance Hoysted and Mark Toomey were married in the Ballyshannon Church at Fontstown on the 25th August, 1799. The groom is 30 years-old ...........his bride is a month short of her 18th birthday.

This is the beginning of what would become known as the Regency Era which is so wonderfully described in Jane Austen's novels and if you've seen the film and TV adaptations it's not hard to imagine what Temperance's life would have been like.

Temperance and Mark would have 10 children: (I'll add links to their individual posts as I do them)

1. Martha - 1800
2. Mark Antoney - 1801- 1833 ( Alan Toomey's great-great grandfather)
3. Anne - 1803
4. John Hoysted - 1805 - 1881
5. Elizabeth - 1807 - 1807
6. George - 1808
7. Temperance - 1810 - 1888
8. Mark - 1812 - 1864
9. Jane - 1814
10. Alicia - 1816

At first sight it seems strange that there are two Marks but I think the elder Mark would have been known as Antoney (this is possible a misspelling) or Anthony to avoid confusion with his father . Alan's father and grandfather were both Mark Anthony but his father was always Anthony/Tony.

Temperance Toomey died on the 27th March, 1819 and is buried at the Ballyshannon Church in Fontstown.
She was only 37 years-old and her youngest child was only three. Her mother-in-law Martha who had lived with them throughout the marriage outlived her by 5 years. She didn't live to see her children married or to hold her grandchildren - nor could ever have thought that so many of these young people would leave Ireland and her descendants would be found  in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Temperance Toomey is Alan Toomey's great-great-great grandmother.