Dora Caldbeck servant of Obelisk Park
Dora Caldbeck daughter of William Caldbeck, farmer of Queen's County born circa 1841 at Queen's
County worked as a servant for the Goodbody family and was resident at Obelisk Park at the time
of her marriage. She married Sylvester Poff, a RIC constable at Stillorgan Parish Church on
22 Aug 1864. Witnesses William Caldbeck and Mary C Fletcher. Sylvester was the widower of Anne
Bingham and the son of Sylvester Poff, a farmer from Kerry and the grandson of Jacob Poff, a farmer
from Kerry. Dora survived typhus in 1873. Sylvester died 28 Nov 1876 at Ballycumber leaving Dora
with six young children. In 1901 and 1911 Dora was a shopkeeper living at Church Street in Clara
and kept boarders. Dora died 10 Mar 1915 at Clara aged 78.
1 William Robert Poff born 31 Dec 1865 at Ballycumber, Parsonstown was a clerk at
Goodbodys and died a bachelor at Clara on 16 Jan 1891. His brother Francis the
informant.
2 Francis Joseph Poff born 25 Sep 1867 at Ballycumber, Parsonstown was an accountant
and married Mary Ann Wilson 25 Feb 1892 at Clones, Monaghan. Mary Ann was the
daughter of Thomas Wilson, a farmer. They had four children by 1911 all of whom had
survived. Frank worked for the Goodbody family.
1 Dora Elizabeth Poff born 24 Mar 1892 at Charlestown Clara, Kings County.
2 Margaretta Mary Ruth Poff born 14 Sep 1894 at Clara was a secretary and emigrated
to Massachusetts, United State in 1926.
3 Francis Joseph Poff born 14 Nov 1896 at Charlestown, Clara married Kathleen
Gwenifred Adelaide Lowen on 22 Sep 1926 at St Kevin’s Church Dublin. Kathleen
was the daughter of Samuel William Lowen, a house steward and Roberta Caroline
Othinia also known as Robertha Patterson. Kathleen was resident at Chapelizod at
the time of her marriage.
4 Sarah Lucinda Poff born 18 Aug 1897 at Charlestown, Kings County died a spinster
at Sandycove on 11 Jun 1968.
3 Dorah Mary Ruth (Mary Ruth) Poff born 11 Apr 1869 at Ballycumber, Parsonstown unmarried
and living with her mother in 1901 and 1911. Ruth died a spinster at Church Street, Clara on
19 Dec 1931. Her brother Sylvester the informant.
4 Sylvester Poff born 21 Apr 1871 at Ballycumber, Parsonstown was a clerk and married Ella
Jane Smyth at St Bartholomew’s Church, Kings County on 5 Sep 1894. Ella was the daughter of
Thomas Smyth, a garden man and was resident at Charleville Forest, Tullamore at the time of
her marriage. In 1911 he was a clerk in Goodbody’s jute factory and later manager of
Goodbody’s Clara factory. He was Hon Sec of the vestry of Clara parish for many years. Ella
Jane of Mall House, Cahir died in 1948 aged 74. Sylvester died 29 Aug 1953 at The Mall, Cahir.
1 Dora Silvia Beatrice (Dorothy Sylvia) Poff born circa 1896 at Clara was visiting
in Glasnevin in 1901. She was a stenographer and emigrated to the United
States in 1925.
2 William Robert Caldbeck Poff 27 Feb 1898 at Clara.
3 Marguerite Jane (Rita) Poff born 10 Nov 1902 at Clara was a schoolteacher.
She married Walter James Pain at Clara Parish Church on 1 Dec 1931. Walter
as a cashier working at the National Bank, Athlone. They honeymooned in
London.
4 Fredrick Sylvester Poff born circa 1905 at Kings County was a bank official. He
married Dorothy Barrington Allshire on 5 Sep 1936 at St Anne’s Church, Dublin.
She was the daughter of Alexander Samuel Allshire an outfitter of 34 Wicklow
Street. The lived at St Thomas’ Mount Merrion.
5 Henry Frazer Poff born 19 Feb 1872 at Ballycumber, Parsonstown worked for the Goodbody's.
He was an unmarried clerk living with his mother in 1901 and 1911. He was later a farmer and
died a bachelor on 25 Jan 1936 at Clara, his sister Ruth the informant.
6 Hugh John born 10 Oct 1874 at Ballycumber, Parsonstown died at Clara on 10 Jul 1879.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – August 2022
Dora Caldbeck daughter of William Caldbeck, farmer of Queen's County born circa 1841 at Queen's
County worked as a servant for the Goodbody family and was resident at Obelisk Park at the time
of her marriage. She married Sylvester Poff, a RIC constable at Stillorgan Parish Church on
22 Aug 1864. Witnesses William Caldbeck and Mary C Fletcher. Sylvester was the widower of Anne
Bingham and the son of Sylvester Poff, a farmer from Kerry and the grandson of Jacob Poff, a farmer
from Kerry. Dora survived typhus in 1873. Sylvester died 28 Nov 1876 at Ballycumber leaving Dora
with six young children. In 1901 and 1911 Dora was a shopkeeper living at Church Street in Clara
and kept boarders. Dora died 10 Mar 1915 at Clara aged 78.
1 William Robert Poff born 31 Dec 1865 at Ballycumber, Parsonstown was a clerk at
Goodbodys and died a bachelor at Clara on 16 Jan 1891. His brother Francis the
informant.
2 Francis Joseph Poff born 25 Sep 1867 at Ballycumber, Parsonstown was an accountant
and married Mary Ann Wilson 25 Feb 1892 at Clones, Monaghan. Mary Ann was the
daughter of Thomas Wilson, a farmer. They had four children by 1911 all of whom had
survived. Frank worked for the Goodbody family.
1 Dora Elizabeth Poff born 24 Mar 1892 at Charlestown Clara, Kings County.
2 Margaretta Mary Ruth Poff born 14 Sep 1894 at Clara was a secretary and emigrated
to Massachusetts, United State in 1926.
3 Francis Joseph Poff born 14 Nov 1896 at Charlestown, Clara married Kathleen
Gwenifred Adelaide Lowen on 22 Sep 1926 at St Kevin’s Church Dublin. Kathleen
was the daughter of Samuel William Lowen, a house steward and Roberta Caroline
Othinia also known as Robertha Patterson. Kathleen was resident at Chapelizod at
the time of her marriage.
4 Sarah Lucinda Poff born 18 Aug 1897 at Charlestown, Kings County died a spinster
at Sandycove on 11 Jun 1968.
3 Dorah Mary Ruth (Mary Ruth) Poff born 11 Apr 1869 at Ballycumber, Parsonstown unmarried
and living with her mother in 1901 and 1911. Ruth died a spinster at Church Street, Clara on
19 Dec 1931. Her brother Sylvester the informant.
4 Sylvester Poff born 21 Apr 1871 at Ballycumber, Parsonstown was a clerk and married Ella
Jane Smyth at St Bartholomew’s Church, Kings County on 5 Sep 1894. Ella was the daughter of
Thomas Smyth, a garden man and was resident at Charleville Forest, Tullamore at the time of
her marriage. In 1911 he was a clerk in Goodbody’s jute factory and later manager of
Goodbody’s Clara factory. He was Hon Sec of the vestry of Clara parish for many years. Ella
Jane of Mall House, Cahir died in 1948 aged 74. Sylvester died 29 Aug 1953 at The Mall, Cahir.
1 Dora Silvia Beatrice (Dorothy Sylvia) Poff born circa 1896 at Clara was visiting
in Glasnevin in 1901. She was a stenographer and emigrated to the United
States in 1925.
2 William Robert Caldbeck Poff 27 Feb 1898 at Clara.
3 Marguerite Jane (Rita) Poff born 10 Nov 1902 at Clara was a schoolteacher.
She married Walter James Pain at Clara Parish Church on 1 Dec 1931. Walter
as a cashier working at the National Bank, Athlone. They honeymooned in
London.
4 Fredrick Sylvester Poff born circa 1905 at Kings County was a bank official. He
married Dorothy Barrington Allshire on 5 Sep 1936 at St Anne’s Church, Dublin.
She was the daughter of Alexander Samuel Allshire an outfitter of 34 Wicklow
Street. The lived at St Thomas’ Mount Merrion.
5 Henry Frazer Poff born 19 Feb 1872 at Ballycumber, Parsonstown worked for the Goodbody's.
He was an unmarried clerk living with his mother in 1901 and 1911. He was later a farmer and
died a bachelor on 25 Jan 1936 at Clara, his sister Ruth the informant.
6 Hugh John born 10 Oct 1874 at Ballycumber, Parsonstown died at Clara on 10 Jul 1879.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – August 2022