Family of John Rossiter and Mary Doyle

According to the parish records of the Catholic Basilica in St. John's Newfoundland I have the following information:

John Rossiter (1789 - 1873) of the Parish of St. James, Co. Wexford, Ireland m. Mary Doyle of St. John's Newfoundland on June 8, 1824 in the Catholic Basilica in St. John's Newfoundland.

John Rossiter was born circa 1789 in the Parish of St. James, Co. Wexford, Ireland.  His obituary appears in the July 22, 1873 edition of The Newfoundlander - John Rossiter (Tailor), native of Wexford, Died age 84. Here 63 years resident, Carter’s Hill (Boston Papers please copy). According to his obituary John Rossiter would have emigrated to St. John's Newfoundland circa 1810. John Rossiter was part of the great emigration from south east Ireland between 1750 and 1830. According to the History of the Basilica: From Cornerstone to Consecration exhibition on virtualmuseum.ca "never before in human history had such a large group of people migrated from such a local area in the Old World (within 60 miles of Waterford) to such a local area in the New World (within 100 miles of St. John's) over such a long period of time."

St John's Newfoundland in 1831

courtesy Toronto Public Library

There is a John Rossiter that appears in the 1833 list of jurors for St. John's. There is also a John Rossiter, tailor in the 1864 Hutchinson's Directory for St. John's. 

They had the following children:

• Dorothy, baptized October 3, 1824 in the Catholic Basilica.  Sponsors were Wm Headon? and Margaret Murphy.  Died by 1846. 

• Jane, baptized September 29, 1828 in the Catholic Basilica.  Sponsors were Pam? (Pat?) Kelly and ? Murphy.   She married John Carolan in the Catholic Basilica, St. John's Newfoundland on July 11, 1852 and moved to Toronto a few years later.

• Anne (1830-1905), baptized April 19, 1830 in the Catholic Basilica.  Sponsors were Peter Kehoe and Killy Kelly.  By 1891 Anne had moved to Toronto to live with her widowed sister.  It does not appear that she was ever married.  She is buried in the Carolan family plot in St. Michael's Cemetery, Toronto with her sister Jane.

• William, baptized October 28, 1831 in the Catholic Basilica.  Sponsors were John Kelly and Margaret Kelly.

• James (1833-1888) was baptized on June 12, 1833 in the Catholic Basilica.  Sponsors were William Kelly and Mary Ryan.  Captain James Rossiter of the schooner William J. Parsons died at sea on George's Bank in early 1888.  His obituary in the February 25, 1888 edition of the Harbor Grace Standard and Conception Bay Advertiser indicated that he was the son of John and Mary Rossiter, and brother of Thomas Rossiter at Bowring Bros.  "He leaves a wife and 2 children to mourn the loss of a kind father and affectionate husband."

• John, baptized April 27, 1835 in the Catholic Basilica.  Sponsors were Michael Doyle and Mary Wilese?  I think John became a tailor like his father.  In the 1870-1871 McAlpine's Maritime Provinces Directory there is a John Rossiter, Tailor, living on Limekiln Hill.

• Catherine, baptized May 21, 1837 in the Catholic Basilica.  Sponsors were John Walsh and Catherine Doyle.

• Thomas, baptized August 25, 1839 in the Catholic Basilica.  Sponsors were Michael Boge? and Johanna Walsh.  Died by 1844.

• Thomas (1844-1895) was baptized February 6, 1844 in the Catholic Basilica.  Sponsors were Richard Ryan and Mary Carney.  I think he is the Thomas Rossiter, Porter, listed in the 1870-1871 McAlpine's Maritime Province Directory boarding on Carter's Hill (perhaps still living with his mother?).  According to his brother James' obituary in 1888 he worked at Bowring Brothers in St. John's, Newfoundland. 

Bowring Brothers Shop, Water Street, St. John's, circa 1892
courtesy Memorial University

In the 1894 Directory for St. John's there is a Thomas Rossiter listed as a grocer living at 37 Wickford Street (formerly Courting Lane, present day Livingston Street).  This was very close to his father's home on Carter's Hill.  Thomas died on May 6, 1895, at the age of 50 years, of consumption and was buried in the Belvedere Roman Catholic Cemetery in St. John's.  His will was probated later that year.  It mentions his wife Ann and sons John and William (a daughter May had died aged 10 years on November 16, 1894 and is also buried in Belevdere Roman Catholic Cemetery).  The listing of property includes the house at 37 Wickford Street plus the homes at 33 and 35 Wickford Street.  

Thomas Rossiter Properties - Wickford Street - Goad's Fire Insurance Plan of St. John's Newfoundland, 1893 (revised 1911)
courtesy Library and Archives Canada

The 1898 Directory for St. John's lists Anne, widow, Thomas Rossiter living at 37 Wickford Street.  He is mentioned as the "late Thomas Rossiter of this city" in an article on the wedding of Marcella Carolan and Mr. J.D. Lenehan from the June 26, 1899 edition of the St. John's Newfoundland Evening Telegram.  There is a will of an Ann Rossiter, widow, St. John's Newfoundland probated in 1927.  It mentions a grandson Gerald, a son John J. Rossiter, and Thomas, son of John J. Rossiter.  Other mentions include Catherine Carroll and Mary Ellen Chafe.  This appears to be the widow of Thomas Rossiter.  The 1904 McAlpine's Directory of St. John's shows a John Rossiter as a clerk at R. Callahan but does not list his address.  There are also two listings of a William Rossiter (John's brother) at 37 Wickford Street.  It shows one as the apparent owner (tailor at Jackman) and one as a boarder (carpenter).   I am guessing that the owner is the father and the boarder is his son. The McAlpine 1913 City Directory lists John J. Rossiter, Manager of Rossiter & Co Ltd. (Commission Agents, Incorporated 1910) at 5 Waldegrave Street, as living on Kenmouth Road, and William Rossiter, employee of the Newfoundland Clothing Co. Ltd., living at 35 Wickford Street.  Ann their mother continued to live at 37 Wickford Street.  In the 1921 census John J. Rossiter b. December 1881 is living at 150 Patrick Street, St. John's with wife Margaret (McGrath) b November 1881 with the following children:  Thomas b. Oct 1907, Mary b. September 1908, Austin b. April 1910, Jack b. Oct 1912, Madeline b. January 1916, Stan b. August 1917, Vincent b. April 1918, and Kevin b. January 1921; along with a servant Julia Yetman, aged 21.  They are in the same location in the 1935 census but Thomas, Austin (he appears to have died in 1934 and is buried at Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Cemetery) and Jack (could he be Kevin?) are missing.  There are two new children - Kevin with a birth year of 1912 (suggesting that it is actually Jack and so not a new child) and Francis who was born in 1925 and is 10 years old.  In the 1945 census I think they are still living at 150 Patrick Street but only Kevin (Jack?), aged 22 is living at home with his parents.  John J. Rossiter appears to have died about 1949 as his will was probated that year. I don't have a copy however. He is buried in Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Cemetery in St. John's.

• Dorothy, baptized May 11, 1846 in the Catholic Basilica.  Sponsors were Denis OLeary and Catherine Doly.