(Oliver’s Grandfather.)
Robert, elder of two sons of the Revd. John Goldsmith, of Newton, Co.
Meath, and Jane Madden, of Donore, Co. Dublin, does not appear to
have gone to College or to have exercised any profession. He “married
Catherine, daughter of Thomas Crofton, D.D., Dean of Elphin, and
settled down at Ballyoughter, near the residence of his father-in-law”
(Prior I, 5). By his wife, “who enjoyed a moderate fortune, he had a
family of thirteen children, nine sons and four daughters.” Several of
them died young. John, the eldest son of Robert, “who had been educated
at Trinity College preparatory to studying for the bar, settled down
on the family property at Ballyoughter” (Prior I, 5). The second son
Charles, who also went to Trinity College, was the father of the poet
(_see_ § 2). One of the daughters, Jane, married the Rev. Thomas
Contarine of Oran (_see_ § 4).