Thomas Revell, Esq of Kaipoi

From Revell Family Notes compiled by C.H Bullot , Hamilton, NZ in 1969:

Thomas [was the] his third son and our forefather was born in 1787 and had a twin sister, Bessie. Thomas was educated at Woolston, near Dublin.

After his father's death, Thomas stayed at "Ballymoney" with his mother and tended the farm and learned the customs of running the estate. During this period he was accidentally shot in the forehead and lost an eye. With his sisters, Bessie and Harriet, he went to Cheltenham to recuperate. While there he met Margaret Elizabeth Braddell, who later became his wife. They married on 24th February 1827. Thomas was 40 and Elizabeth only 16. They lived at "Teighlin" which was rented from Lord Fitzwilliam. He [Thomas?] was farm baliff to the lord. Next they moved to "Castle Timon" where they had a fire so they went to a gome in Marion Square, Dublin. Later they lived at Williamstown and then Criaghport, both near Dublin. In 1844 they returned to "Teighlin" but in the meantime the landlord had sold much of the land and there was not enough of the property left to make a living on.

The family fortune was dwindling. In 1850 when son, Thomas, was born at Stetlarge near "Teighlin" much of the family property had to be sold. Because they were of aristocratic stock there seemed little hope of the sons getting on well in ireland. Margaret persuaded her husband to leave ireland (another branch of the family had already migrated to the USA and this may have influenced her).

[see Margaret's profile for more info about their immigration]