John Edward Knox Grogan (1803-1874)
Captain J.E. Knox Grogan, Barrack Master & Military Knight of Windsor
Father
He grew up in Ireland between Dublin and Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford. He was commissioned into the 32nd Regiment and was posted to London in Upper Canada where he began an affair with Mrs Stuart, the wife of John Stuart, brother-in-law of Sir Allan Napier MacNab of Dundurn Castle. She followed him to York (Toronto) and caused a scandal when she was discovered to have passed a night at Grogan's quarters in Osgoode Hall. Stuart sued Grogan for the, "loss of the comfort and assistance of his wife". In order to settle the £671 in damages, he was forced to sell his commission and was left without income nor assets. Once Stuart received the money, he filed for divorce - the first divorce in Ontario. John Grogan and the former Mrs Stuart were married in 1841 at St. James' Cathedral in Toronto.
As a Lieutenant with the 32nd Regiment in the Lower Canadian Rebellion of 1837, he was in command of the leading sections of the advance guard on the second movement upon St. Denis and also the attack on St.-Eustache. After selling his commission, he served as a Captain in the Provincial forces until 1843. He joined the Barrack Department and served on the frontier of the Cape of Good Hope as Barrack Master and Acting Storekeeper during the Kaffir War of 1846-47. He also served in a military capacity, the charge and defence of Fort Beaufort having devolved for a considerable period on the Paymasters of the 7th Dragoon Guards, the 91st Foot, and himself. He served under Captain Ward of the 91st with a small detachment of volunteers and afterwards as a Lieutenant with the 2nd West India Regiment. He returned to Ireland in 1851 as Barrack Master, 4th Class, at Cahir then Limerick. By 1864, he was Barrack Master at Mauritius where his wife died in 1867.
By 1869, when he was still Barrack Master at Mauritius he had become 'destitute'. In 1871, he was appointed a Military Knight of Windsor Castle - usually given to retired officers in straightened circumstances - and given a pension and accommodation at the castle in return for providing support to the Order of the Garter. He died at 11 Castle Yard, Windsor. He and his wife had five children. Their daughter, Elizabeth, married Brigadier-General Herbert Purvis, grand-nephew of the English authoress Jane Austen.
As a Lieutenant with the 32nd Regiment in the Lower Canadian Rebellion of 1837, he was in command of the leading sections of the advance guard on the second movement upon St. Denis and also the attack on St.-Eustache. After selling his commission, he served as a Captain in the Provincial forces until 1843. He joined the Barrack Department and served on the frontier of the Cape of Good Hope as Barrack Master and Acting Storekeeper during the Kaffir War of 1846-47. He also served in a military capacity, the charge and defence of Fort Beaufort having devolved for a considerable period on the Paymasters of the 7th Dragoon Guards, the 91st Foot, and himself. He served under Captain Ward of the 91st with a small detachment of volunteers and afterwards as a Lieutenant with the 2nd West India Regiment. He returned to Ireland in 1851 as Barrack Master, 4th Class, at Cahir then Limerick. By 1864, he was Barrack Master at Mauritius where his wife died in 1867.
By 1869, when he was still Barrack Master at Mauritius he had become 'destitute'. In 1871, he was appointed a Military Knight of Windsor Castle - usually given to retired officers in straightened circumstances - and given a pension and accommodation at the castle in return for providing support to the Order of the Garter. He died at 11 Castle Yard, Windsor. He and his wife had five children. Their daughter, Elizabeth, married Brigadier-General Herbert Purvis, grand-nephew of the English authoress Jane Austen.
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Contributed by Mark Meredith on 30/07/2022 and last updated on 31/07/2022.