*Re. Letter from George Unthank living in New York 1831. *The Unthank family were associated with the Society of Friends ( Quakers ). Abel Unthank is recorded in the Pat Purcell Papers living in Carlow in 1797. Thebious [ ? ] Unthank witnessed the purchase of land in Fenagh by Samuel Watson in 1656. Unthank had come to Ireland under the command of Robert Browne as a soldier in Cromwell's Army, some of the soldiers were granted land in Ireland in lieu of pay. Samuel Watson and two of his brothers bought some of the "granted land" from soldiers who wished to return to England as did Robert Browne also bought land from the soldiers and he later settled in the Pollerton area, renaming the acquired land "Brownes Hill". Browne also purchased property in Tullow Street, Cuckoo Lane ( now Browne Street ) in Carlow town and land in Graigue ( now Graiguecullen ) and Sleaty. The Unthanks became involved with the Watson family of Kilconnor, Carlow, in the Milling business and farming interests. I think they are also recorded as witnesses to some Watson marriages. In the Pat Purcell Papers it is recorded that Abel Unthank gave a declaration before Benjamin Bunbury on 24th November, 1797, with Unthank refusing to swear on the Holy Evangelists because he was a "member of the Sect commonly called Quakers", but he "Declared" information regarding- "persons not having the love and fear of God before their eyes assembling nightly in a Evil and riotous manner in the vicinity of New Gardens, Carlow, which Informant truly believes and Declares to be a Party of Rebels under the influence of France in readiness for War against the Crown and Dignity of his Sovereign Lord George, King, Defender of the Faith and so forth and His Majesties Forces in His Kingdom of Ireland" -. Bunbury noted that despite the fact that Unthank was reluctant to swear under Oath his "examination should be presented as a true Testament before the Magistrates sitting in Carlow.". The Carlow family later established a branch in Ballyfin, Queen's County. There is a record of Samuel and Mathilda Unthank buried in the Burial ground in Oak Park. The following is extracted from - "The Onthank Family: Its History and Genealogy" by Arthur Heath Onthank. The Origin of the Unthank or Onthank Family in Ireland is obscure. the only reliable explanation thus far has come from Herbert William Unthank, of Exeter, England. Mr. Unthank, a University Lecturer at the University of Exeter, came from the Limerick branch of the Unthank family in Ireland, and has his family genealogy among the Irish Unthanks accurately recorded for seven generations past. He believed that the earliest Unthank to settle in Ireland was one of the soldiers of Oliver Cromwell, who invaded Ireland in 1650, and subsequently settled many of his soldiers, and others from England, on land in Ireland. Herbert William Unthank's forebears were Quakers and they settled in and near Limerick, Ireland. A branch of the Onthank's from Ballyfin Queens County, Ireland immigrated to in or around the Baltimore, Maryland area around 1850 until 1890. They then moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming and Later Pocatello, Idaho. Further spread includes Butte, Montana, Spokane Washington, Portland Oregon along with possibly California.