Thomas Francis Meagher, (born Aug. 23, 1823, Waterford, County Waterford, Ire.—died July 1, 1867, near Fort Benton, Mont., U.S.), Irish revolutionary leader and orator who served as a Union officer during the American Civil War (1861–65).
Meagher became a member of the Young Ireland Party in 1845 and in 1847 was one of the founders of the Irish Confederation, dedicated to Irish independence. In 1848 he was involved, with William Smith O’Brien, in an abortive attempt to mount an insurrection against English rule. Arrested for high treason, he was condemned to death, but his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania).
He escaped in 1852 and made his way to the United States. After a speaking tour of U.S. cities, he settled in New York City, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1855. He soon became a leader of the Irish in New York and, from 1856, edited the Irish News.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Meagher became a captain of New York volunteers and fought at the First Battle of Bull Run (July 1861). He then organized the Irish Brigade, and in February 1862 was elevated to the rank of brigadier general. After his brigade was decimated at the Battle of Chancellorsville (May 1863), Meagher resigned his commission, but in December he returned to command the military district of Etowah, with headquarters at Chattanooga, Tenn.
At the close of the war, he was appointed secretary of Montana Territory, where in the absence of a territorial governor he served as acting governor until his accidental death by drowning in the Missouri River.
The whiskey production involved its own malting facilities within the distillery. D. E. Williams Ltd. started supplying malt in the 1950s. Together with F. A. Waller & Co. Ltd. the malting plants in Banagher were build. The Midlands Malting Co. Ltd. was incorporated in 1968. The Williams Group held 51% of the shares.
The barley was purchased via Williams-Waller Ltd. - seed fertiliser and grain merchants founded in 1975 in corporation with F. A. Waller. Suppliers were ca. 4000 local farmers.
The company supplied Guinness and additionally exported malt via Irish Malt Exports Ltd. (the Williams Group held 16% of their shares).
Greencore acquired the Williams Group in 1996 and hence the Midlands Malting Co. Ltd.. The closure of the Maltings was announced in 2005.
Anne Mills married Charles Achmuty Mills of Enniskillen, and was the niece of Margaret Lamb. She died at her aunts home at 37 Clarinda Mount, Kingstown [Dun Laoghaire], County Dublin, on 12 August 1875.
of Ennis Killen