George Louis Fleury (1741 - 1825)

Descendants

Died 1 Oct 1825 at about age 84 in County Waterford, Ireland

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Biography

Church of Ireland Clergy

George was born in 1741.

Waterford Standard - Saturday 16 February 1867 "George Louis Fleury, BA, (MA, in 1760), Scholar of Trinity College, Dublin, descended from no ancient and honourable family in France, whom the bigotry of Louis XIV, compelled to quit their country, was presented the Crown, by lapse, vice Moore (sequestrator), who surrendered. His patent is dated July 15; was admitted July 20. He was Prebendary of this time; he exchanged his prebend for the treasureship in 1785. After holding his archdeaconry fifty two years, he died at Waterford in 1825. "

He passed away in 1825.

George was born in 1740. He was the son of Antoine Fleury and Marie de Rochebrune. He passed away in 1825.

Born February 1741. He married on 7 October 1785 Isabella Weekes (eldest daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Weekes, born 1767). There were 9 children.

George Louis was admitted to Trinity College Dublin 10 May 1759 and obtained his BA from Dublin University in 1763 and MA in 1776 and was ordained by his father’s good friend and cousin Bishop Chenevix. He was Prebendary of Kilgobinet (Lismore) 1771, succeeding Philip Chenevix who was promoted to Chancellor, Waterford. He came to Waterford about 1764 as domestic chaplain to Bishop Chenevix who was his cousin and friend. The same year he was made curate of the Trinity parish.

He became embroiled in a wrangle with John Wesley about this time which is recorded in Tyermans “Life and Times of John Wesley”. Tyerman writes (referring to publications that Wesley had revised and republished): “...and finally a letter - “a letter to the Rev Mr Fleury, to Waterford in Ireland. Mr Fleury, a young parson who, both in 1769 and now again in 1771 had taken the opportunity of Wesley’s visits to Waterford to preach against him, Wesley writes: “1771, May 28 - at eleven and again in the afternoon, I went to the Cathedral where a young gentleman most valiantly encountered the ‘grievous wolves’ as he termed the Methodists. I never heard a man strike more wide of the mark. However the shallow discourse did good for it sent abundance of people, rich and poor, to hear and judge for themselves. The ‘young gentleman’s two sermons, which were published, were made up of the stale objections and invectives that had been used by his superiors and seniors times without number. Wesley’s letter is a characteristic reply to them.”

It is reputed that George Louis “ran the Wesleyans out of town”. It is rather ironicalthat the church which was his domain for the rest of his life should now have become a United Presbyterian/Methodist church. In later years George changed his views acknowledging that he had been at fault and became increasingly friandly towards the evangelical movement.

George Louis became Archdeacon of Waterford 1773 which position had been dormant from the year 1667. He remained in that position until his death in 1825. He was Rector at St Patrick’s Church Waterford in 1824 where his son, Henry was also Curate. St Patrick’s Church was the Church of Ireland church in Waterford and the congregation amalgamated with the congregation from the “French Church” (Huguenot commuinty in Waterford) disbanded.

Rev Gimlette in his article describes him as being called: “The good old Archdeacon” and “Pleasurably also of one who has but lately passed away from the honourable post of Clerk of the Peace which he for more than half a century so ably filled. There lived not within the City a man of more simple piety, single heartedness, and honest worth; there died not one who was more respected and regretted by men of every class and creed ...”

Dr Sirr’s “Life of the Archbishop of Tuam” of the nineteenth century notes the following of him: “The experienced Archdeacon of Waterford, Rev G L Fleury, was more than fifty years in office, a keen observer of every transgression in the Diocese, an uncompromising censor of every dereliction of duty, a clergyman universally popular for his charitable actions, a friend of the friendless. His goodness and sound practical religion live in memory upon earth while his enduring record is on high.”

Bishop Power Trench had, when quite a young man, been admitted to the see of Waterford and at first the clergy were disposed to animadvert on so many military men being guests at his palace. Archdeacon Fleury ‘who would do and say what no other man would attempt’ being present at the Bishop’s grand reception of his clergy, walked up to him and said ‘I am most happy, my Lord, to see that your Lordship has recovered from your scarlet fever’. The Bishop took the joke with the greatest good humour.”

His grand-daughter Annie Fleury remembered him in his declining years as “a most excellent charitable man” who parted with his own garments in order to clothe the poor. The Limerick Reporter (13 September 1867) describes him as: “Archdeacon Fleury dressed in the clerical style of the last century with three-cocked hat, three buckled frizzled wig, short-shoulder cloak, gold-headed cane, diamond buckles...whose French appearance could neither be mistaken or misunderstood by the least informed.”

George Fleury died at Waterford 1 October 1825 and is buried in St Patricks churchyard, Waterford. His tomb stone reads thus: “To the memory of Rev George Fleury, Archdeacon of Waterford, who during the period of nearly half a century officiated in this church and discharged the sacred duties of his office as one who must give an account of his stewardship. The love of God, by a lively faith in Jesus Christ dwelt richly in his heart, manifesting the fruits of the Spirit during a long life cheerfully and actively employed in doing good to all men in visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction and in keeping himself unspotted from the world. Died at his home at Waterford on the 27th October 1825 in the 87th year of his age.”

Sources

• Bill Darnell
• Waterford Standard - Saturday 16 February 1867
• Bill Darnell
• Fasti ecclesiae Hibernicae: the succession of the prelates and members of the Cathedral bodies of Ireland by Henry Cotton, 1789-1879
• Vol 1 - The Province of Munster, Pg 152, 181,196,