HAWKSBY/POTTS
Letters
These are very old, dating from 1813-1833. They are from various people, but all are related to Jane HAWKSBY POTTS, the mother of Martha POTTS BURROWS. Some are written to Jane's mother, Frances Jackson ARMSTRONG HAWKSBY, in Sligo Town, County Sligo, Ireland and the later ones are to Jane's brother, Jackson HAWKSBY in Ballymote, County Sligo, Ireland. The letters were kept by his descendents in Ireland.
We are indebted to Joe Eddleman of the USA for sharing transcriptions of the originals which can no longer be located.
Explaining who everyone is is difficult, as the families are 'his, hers and theirs'. Our oldest relative found is George HAWKSBY, b. about 1720 in Little Skreeny, County Leitrim, Ireland. He married and had 5 known children. He then married a widow, Frances Jackson ARMSTRONG of Sligo Town who also had children. Then George and Frances had our Jane and her brother, Jackson, both of whom are prominent in the letters.
Frances' children from her first marriage, ARMSTRONG, COOK and EDWARDS, all emigrated to the USA--to Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York City. The tab marked HAWKSBY-POTTS #1 contains the oldest letters and are written by them to their mother and to their half-brother, Jackson HAWKSBY. Our Jane HAWKSBY POTTS is mentioned in them.
Jane HAWKSBY POTTS left Sligo after her husband's death and visited her son who was in the army in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. She went from there to visit her half brothers and sisters and stayed in New York City. Her children, including our Martha, were left with her brother, Jackson Hawksby, until they emigrated. There is a wonderful letter about their journey. The tab marked HAWKSBY-POTTS #2 contains letters mainly written by Jane or that concern her family and are of tremendous value to us.
A book has been written which covers many of the HAWKSBYs, though not our Jane's branch. It is in print as follows:
Downey: A History of the Protestant Downeys of the counties of Sligo, Leitrim, Fermanagh and Donegal & their descendents, published 1931.
Author: Cairncross Carson Downey
It is his research that produced much of the history of this branch of our family and it was he who located these precious old letters.
***Please click on the links at the top of this page for the letters.***
We have no photos of Jane Hawksby Potts and family, other than one of our Martha which is on the BURROWS page. Jane's brother, Jackson Hawskby, and family are buried at Emlaghfad Churchyard, Ballymote, County Sligo, Ireland. The church is derelict and the cemetery is very overgrown.
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Interior of Emlaghfad Church Tall stone at the back by the fence is for
Jackson Hawksby and family.
Photos courtesy of Sandy and Deb Perceval.