1843 Born Leitrim
1866 Jun 27. Married Clifden, Galway
1901 census at Raheen and Cooleen, Blackrock, Cork
1911 census at Spital Lands, Pouladuff Town , Blackrock, Cork
1921 Feb Shot by raiders at night. I cannot get the British Inquest.
The Cork Examiner reported that A shopkeeper at Clonakilty Junction and a farmer, Gilbert Fenton and his son Frederick (aged about 54) were both wounded when the IRA attacked their house at about 2 a.m. on 7 February 1921. The attackers demanded that the Fentons open up their house in the name of the military. The Fentons refused to believe that it was the military and declined to open the door. Gilbert Fenton went to a window, ‘cried out “murder”’, and was shot through the lung. The son rushed at the attackers with a hatchet when they tried to enter through a window. He was struck in the groin.After the attack Frederick Fenton ‘had to fly to England, and the place at Gaggin was closed up’. The Fentons ‘were raided on previous occasions too’.
And there is an online description of events from great-grand-daughter
I will use designations as to my relationship to these folk - Most of the information that I have is from my mother, who is 92, healthy and remembers a great deal of what her (grand)mother told her of the Fenton Family, (grandmother) being the ninth of ten children.
It is my understanding that the Fenton Family, (great grand) father from Leitrim County and (great grand)mother's family originally from Tipperary, met in Galway, where great grandfather was a clerk in a store and great grandmother was living due to her father (great-great grand) being involved in a business, which I think was wood working and cabinet making. Great grandfather and great grandmother were married in 1866 in Omey Methodist Church in Clifden. Over the next 19 years, they managed to have ten children who lived to adulthood, although one died in her early 20's.
Great grandmothers father, the business man in Galway, evidently died sometime between 1862 and 1866, and his partner in the business, took all of the business assets, leaving great great grandmother, with three almost fully grown children but no means of income.
Great great grandmother, sold all personal assets she had in Galway and moved to Ballyconneely where she bought the store and took over the post office. She evidently had some land also, and had cattle on the land. After some time, when she must have been in her late 60's, she looked to my great grandmother, with her growing family for help. It is my understanding that initially, the fifth child, a son Gilbert Recroft (born 1872) and the eighth child, Charlotte Elizabeth (born 1877) were sent to help. Charlotte, better known as "Sylvia", helped with the store and Gilbert worked with the cattle and the outside work.
Sylvia fell in love with George McWilliam Jr. and was married in 1899. Gilbert evidently decided that his work on the farm was completed in 1897, as he emigrated to the United States, entered the US Army duing the Spanish American War and after discharge, took a homestead in Northern Minnesota where he lived the rest of his life.
Anne Frances, the sixth child (born 1874) of the above family was trained as a nurse, but at sometime, during this period of Sylvia marrying, Gilbert leaving and Great great grandmother Anna Brady Lynham getting older or possibly dying, she moved to Ballyconneely to take over the post office. Anne Frances never married.
It was sometime between the birth of my Grandmother (1881 - ninth child) and the birth of her brother (1886 - last child) that their parents, great grandfather and great grandmother Fenton moved to Bantry, and then Bandon, County Cork. At the time of the 1901 census that I find, it is only the last two children who are living at home. Great grandmother became ill and died at home in 1919. Great grandfather, being a protestant and probably an outspoken Methodist, was shot in his bed in Bandon during the "troubles" and died in 1921 of the effects of the gunshot wound. It was Anne Frances who attested to the death of her mother, so Frances must have traveled back and forth to County Cork somewhat freely.
Meanwhile, back in Ballyconneely, Sylvia and George McWilliam had seven children, the oldest son George, who with his wife Una took over the store and the post office and who had five sons of their own. It is some of these boys who are operating the store and post office at this time.
1921 Jun 25 Compensation claim at the Clonakilty quarter sessions and they were granted £3,500 to the son Frederick and £2,000 to the father Gilbert.
1921 Oct 19. Gilbert Fenton died some months later from his GSW
His son Frederick (born 13 JUL 1868 • Roundstone, Union of Clifden, Galway) fled Ireland but at some point returned, and died 14 May 1952 at 27 Charleston Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin
A claim for compensation at the Clonakilty quarter sessions granted £3,500 to the son Frederick and £2,000 to the father Gilbert.