Chapman family of Castle Rheban and Stillorgan
Joseph Chapman of the park of Castle Rheban, Athy, Co Kildare. Castlerheban is the site of
an old ruined tower house. Also on the site was an old house said to have been built from
the rubble and ruins of the tower house. A lithograph by Brocas of the ruins of Rheban
Castle was produced for use in the Anthologia Hibernica in 1793. It was also the house where
some of the GB team were hosted by Henry Large in 1903 for the Gordon Bennett Race. It
was destroyed in 1924 after the thatch caught fire.
1 George Chapman of Rheban born circa 1770 is thought to be the son of Joseph
Chapman and cousin to George Chapman of Castle Mitchell. He married Mary Weldon
of St John’s Athy on 21 Dec 1792. Mary was the daughter of Rev Anthony Weldon of
Rahinderry and the sister of Sir Anthony Weldon. They lived at Castle Rheban and later
rented out the estate of 300 acres, and moved to Janeville in Athy circa 1819. In 1830
he put Janeville and Rath Stewart, both on the banks of the River Barrow up for sale.
His interest in Janeville was acquired as a Glebe house and a site for the new church (St
Michael’s) by the Duke of Leinster in 1835 for £600. George died circa 1836. Mary died
2 Aug 1851 aged 76 and is buried at Stillorgan Graveyard.
1 Joseph Chapman born circa Oct 1793 took Holy orders. He married Mary Ann
Trench in April 1827 at Lea Church. Mary was the eldest daughter of Thomas
Trench of Glenmalyre, Dean of Kildare. Mary died on 9 Jan 1841 at Wyckham
near Bagnalstown.
1 Maria Chapman eldest daughter baptised 22 Mar 1829 in Carlow. She
married Rev Ambrose Cooke on 7 Jan 1857 at Bagnalstown Church. Ambrose
was living at Thomastown, Co Kilkenny and the son of John Cooke of Kiltinane
Castle. Ambrose died at Clane Vicarage in 1888 and Maria died at 2 Auburn
Cottage, Monkstown on 12 Feb 1915.
2 Elizabeth Emma Chapman second daughter baptised 4 Jul 1830 in Carlow.
She died unmarried on 28 Jul 1907 at Vesey Place, Kingstown and is buried at
Deansgrange with her aunt Harriet Swan nee Hamilton. Probate to her sister
Helen Finlay.
3 George Chapman eldest son baptised 16 Oct 1831 in Carlow died 19 Jul 1905
at Richmond, Virginia.
4 Josephine Chapman baptised 28 Apr 1833 in Carlow. She died unmarried on
8 Oct 1887 at Kingstown, Monkstown and is buried at Deansgrange.
5 Frederick Chapman born August 1836 at Bagnalstown. He emigrated to
Australia and was a master mariner. He married Kate Cavanagh in August 1869
at Victoria. Kate was the daughter of George Cavanagh and Margaret Carroll.
Kate died in 1920 aged 77 and Frederick died on 16 Aug 1924 late of ‘Wykeham’,
Canterbury Road, Melbourne. He left various bequests to his nieces.
6 Thomas Arthur Chapman youngest son born circa 1838. He married Alice and
they had at least seven children of whom six survived in 1910. He worked as a
labourer and did odd jobs. He died at Redlands, San Bernadino, California on
16 Mar 1912.
7 Helen Chapman youngest daughter born February 1840 at Wykeham married
the Ven George Finlay, Archdeacon of Clogher on 5 Sep 1889 at Monkstown.
George was a widower and the son of James Alexander Finlay. Helen died a
widow at Clarinda Park 19 May 1928 and is buried with her father.
Joseph was rector of Shankill, Co Kilkenny and married Barbara Elizabeth
Uniacke on 6 Aug 1844 at Stradbally. Barbara was the second daughter of Robert
Uniacke of Woodhouse. Barbara died 4 Feb 1853 at Wykeham. Joseph put Wykeham
on the banks of the barrow up for rent in 1870. He died 12 Dec 1875 at Sidmonton
Cottages, Bray and is buried at Deansgrange.
2 George Chapman, second son died 6 Oct 1847 at Demerara.
3 Elizabeth Catherine Chapman eldest daughter married Archibald Edward Dobbs
in Calcutta on 2 Aug 1836. Archibald died from cholera in Calcutta on
26 Apr 1838 aged 37.
4 Matilda Oliva Chapman third daughter married Henry Torrens Walker on
21 Nov 1842 at Madras. Matilda died in 1869.
5 Frances (Fanny) Chapman was living at Dalkey when she married Rev Henry
Samuel Joseph at Monkstown on 15 Apr 1852. Witness’; Elizabeth Chapman and
A Weldon. Henry was a widower, chaplain of Chester Castle and the son of Michael
Joseph, a silversmith. He died 28 Jan 1864 at Strasburg aged 63.
6 Helen Chapman born circa 1804 died unmarried at Hilton Lodge, Monkstown on
14 Jul 1878 and is buried at Deansgrange. She left Rath Stewart to her nephew
George in Virginia. She also made bequests to her nephews Frederick Chapman in
Melbourne and Thomas Arthur Chapman in California.
2 Joseph Chapman of Castle Rheban.
1 Sarah Chapman born circa 1797 died 17 Oct 1874 and is buried at Mount Jerome
in the Groves family grave.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - September 2026
Return to Stillorgan Graveyard
Joseph Chapman of the park of Castle Rheban, Athy, Co Kildare. Castlerheban is the site of
an old ruined tower house. Also on the site was an old house said to have been built from
the rubble and ruins of the tower house. A lithograph by Brocas of the ruins of Rheban
Castle was produced for use in the Anthologia Hibernica in 1793. It was also the house where
some of the GB team were hosted by Henry Large in 1903 for the Gordon Bennett Race. It
was destroyed in 1924 after the thatch caught fire.
1 George Chapman of Rheban born circa 1770 is thought to be the son of Joseph
Chapman and cousin to George Chapman of Castle Mitchell. He married Mary Weldon
of St John’s Athy on 21 Dec 1792. Mary was the daughter of Rev Anthony Weldon of
Rahinderry and the sister of Sir Anthony Weldon. They lived at Castle Rheban and later
rented out the estate of 300 acres, and moved to Janeville in Athy circa 1819. In 1830
he put Janeville and Rath Stewart, both on the banks of the River Barrow up for sale.
His interest in Janeville was acquired as a Glebe house and a site for the new church (St
Michael’s) by the Duke of Leinster in 1835 for £600. George died circa 1836. Mary died
2 Aug 1851 aged 76 and is buried at Stillorgan Graveyard.
1 Joseph Chapman born circa Oct 1793 took Holy orders. He married Mary Ann
Trench in April 1827 at Lea Church. Mary was the eldest daughter of Thomas
Trench of Glenmalyre, Dean of Kildare. Mary died on 9 Jan 1841 at Wyckham
near Bagnalstown.
1 Maria Chapman eldest daughter baptised 22 Mar 1829 in Carlow. She
married Rev Ambrose Cooke on 7 Jan 1857 at Bagnalstown Church. Ambrose
was living at Thomastown, Co Kilkenny and the son of John Cooke of Kiltinane
Castle. Ambrose died at Clane Vicarage in 1888 and Maria died at 2 Auburn
Cottage, Monkstown on 12 Feb 1915.
2 Elizabeth Emma Chapman second daughter baptised 4 Jul 1830 in Carlow.
She died unmarried on 28 Jul 1907 at Vesey Place, Kingstown and is buried at
Deansgrange with her aunt Harriet Swan nee Hamilton. Probate to her sister
Helen Finlay.
3 George Chapman eldest son baptised 16 Oct 1831 in Carlow died 19 Jul 1905
at Richmond, Virginia.
4 Josephine Chapman baptised 28 Apr 1833 in Carlow. She died unmarried on
8 Oct 1887 at Kingstown, Monkstown and is buried at Deansgrange.
5 Frederick Chapman born August 1836 at Bagnalstown. He emigrated to
Australia and was a master mariner. He married Kate Cavanagh in August 1869
at Victoria. Kate was the daughter of George Cavanagh and Margaret Carroll.
Kate died in 1920 aged 77 and Frederick died on 16 Aug 1924 late of ‘Wykeham’,
Canterbury Road, Melbourne. He left various bequests to his nieces.
6 Thomas Arthur Chapman youngest son born circa 1838. He married Alice and
they had at least seven children of whom six survived in 1910. He worked as a
labourer and did odd jobs. He died at Redlands, San Bernadino, California on
16 Mar 1912.
7 Helen Chapman youngest daughter born February 1840 at Wykeham married
the Ven George Finlay, Archdeacon of Clogher on 5 Sep 1889 at Monkstown.
George was a widower and the son of James Alexander Finlay. Helen died a
widow at Clarinda Park 19 May 1928 and is buried with her father.
Joseph was rector of Shankill, Co Kilkenny and married Barbara Elizabeth
Uniacke on 6 Aug 1844 at Stradbally. Barbara was the second daughter of Robert
Uniacke of Woodhouse. Barbara died 4 Feb 1853 at Wykeham. Joseph put Wykeham
on the banks of the barrow up for rent in 1870. He died 12 Dec 1875 at Sidmonton
Cottages, Bray and is buried at Deansgrange.
2 George Chapman, second son died 6 Oct 1847 at Demerara.
3 Elizabeth Catherine Chapman eldest daughter married Archibald Edward Dobbs
in Calcutta on 2 Aug 1836. Archibald died from cholera in Calcutta on
26 Apr 1838 aged 37.
4 Matilda Oliva Chapman third daughter married Henry Torrens Walker on
21 Nov 1842 at Madras. Matilda died in 1869.
5 Frances (Fanny) Chapman was living at Dalkey when she married Rev Henry
Samuel Joseph at Monkstown on 15 Apr 1852. Witness’; Elizabeth Chapman and
A Weldon. Henry was a widower, chaplain of Chester Castle and the son of Michael
Joseph, a silversmith. He died 28 Jan 1864 at Strasburg aged 63.
6 Helen Chapman born circa 1804 died unmarried at Hilton Lodge, Monkstown on
14 Jul 1878 and is buried at Deansgrange. She left Rath Stewart to her nephew
George in Virginia. She also made bequests to her nephews Frederick Chapman in
Melbourne and Thomas Arthur Chapman in California.
2 Joseph Chapman of Castle Rheban.
1 Sarah Chapman born circa 1797 died 17 Oct 1874 and is buried at Mount Jerome
in the Groves family grave.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - September 2026
Return to Stillorgan Graveyard
