Posted By:	Steve McDonald
	Email:
	Subject:	Widman and Wood families of Rosmead / Rossmead / Rosemead
	Post Date:	June 12, 2007 at 22:03:15
	Message URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/widman/messages/33.html
	Forum:	Widman Family Genealogy Forum
	Forum URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/widman/

I have just begun researching the Wood family of Rosmead (also sometimes spelt Rossmead or Rosemead), in Co Westmeath, Ireland. So far I know about only one branch of this family: 1 Hans Widman Wood m Frances King, twin sister of Edward Earl of Kingston 1.1 Isabella Wood (d 1834) m (6 Aug 1772) Hugh Hamilton DD of Newtown Hamilton (b 26 Mar 1729; d 1 Dec 1805), Bishop of Clonfort and Ossory, son of Alexander Hamilton and Isabella Maxwell 1.2 Margaret Wood (d 27 Aug 1829) m (c1775) Rev Charles Caulfeild (d 2 Dec 1817), Rector of Killyman [my 5G Grandfather] I have been told (although I have not seen any reliable sources cited for this) that Hans Wood also had a son: 1.3 Henry Widman Wood of Rosmead (who is mentioned in a number of English Court judgments concerning the Marquess of Westmeath) m Anne Henry (d 15 May 1798), dau of Joseph Henry of Staffan and Lady Catherine Rawdon (dau of John Rawdon, Earl of Moira) 1.3.1 Frances Elizabeth Wood m (22 Jun 1822) Sir Hercules George Robert Robinson PC Bart GCMG Kt, 1st Baron Rosmead (b 16 Mar 1789; d 15 May 1864), sometime Governor of Ceylon, New South Wales and New Zealand (see Burke's Colonial Gentry) Henry Widman Wood and his family definitely existed; I just don't have any confirmation that he was Hans' son. The name "Widman" was used as a middle name in this Wood family and I believe that this may have been because the family's name was originally Widman and was changed to Wood after a member of the family inherited the estates of a Mr Wood. I would like to know the connection between the Wood and Widman families. The families are mentioned in the book "The Silence of Barbara Synge" (2003, Manchester University Press) by W J McCormack, but I have not yet been able to access a copy of this book. It has been suggested that the Wood family may have come to Ireland from Yorkshire shortly after the 1641 Rebellion. Prior to that, the Rosmead estate apparently belonged to the Moore family (presumably of Drogheda). The Widman/Wood family also seems to be associated with a place called "Hanstown". The family also seems to be mentioned on this web pages: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Flats/4401/appendix3.html Any further information on this family would be of interest to me. Cheers Steve