Kathleen Kiely - Cashill Borris Carlow

[jacqui63m]

I am desperately trying to find information on Kathleen Kiely of Cashill Co Carlow.
She was born abt 1879 and her father was possibly Frank or Patrick Kiely. In Mar 1908 she is found travelling to the States with her husband? John Weir (my gt grandfather)
Interestingly, a year later, John married (Apr 1909) my gt grandmother, Sarah Ruxton. They separated about 1920, family stories say Sarah threw him out. What happened to John, or where he went etc., I can't find anything except his death, 16 May 1930, in Glasgow. His death cert cites Kathleen Weir nee Kealy as his wife???
Where John and Kathleen married? And if so, how could he marry Sarah? I can't find any divorce. Bigamy?
Kathleen played a huge part in my gt grandfather's life. I would love to find out about her family, her life, did she have children with John and what happened to her after John's death.
Can you help
Jacqui

[greeneyedgirl]

Jacqui, I have come across a few things which may add a bit to your confusion.

Birth:
John Ruxton Weir
born:20 July 1882  baptised:24 July 1882 at St Mary's Pro-Cathedral
address:51 Jervis St,Dublin
parents:William Weir and Sarah Ruxton
sponsors:Catherine Byrne/Charles Maher

*here's the problem;Sarah Ruxton was John's mother. Its highly unlikely he married her and had children with her.

Marriage:

date of marriage:29 June 1881
place of marriage: St Mary's Pro Cathedral (COI) Dublin
groom:William Weir
groom's address:51 Jervis St,Dublin
groom's occ:commercial clerk
groom's father:Robert Weir-farmer
bride:Sarah Charlton
bride's address:51 Jervis St,Dublin
bride's father: John Ruxton-commercial clerk
witnesses:John O'Dawd(hus)/Jane Ruxton(wife)

Marriage:

date of marriage:18 Aug 1862
place of marriage:St Mary's Pro Cathedral,Dublin
bride:Sarah Ruxton
bride's father:John Ruxton
groom:James Charleton
groom's father:John Charleton
groom's occ:house painter
bride's occ:waistcoat maker
witnesses:William Ruxton(hus)/Jane Ruxton(wife)

Sarah Ruxton died 5 May 1909 in Dublin born @ 1845

Kathleen Kiely and John Weir were married Jan-March 1908 Dublin North

1901 Irish census;
Cashel,Kiledmond,Carlow

Patrick Kealy age 20, head of house,roman catholic,born Carlow,farmer,single
Katie Kealy age 24,sister,roman catholic,born Carlow,single
Ellie Kealy age 24,sister,roman catholic,born Carlow,single
Maria Kealy age 22,roman catholic,born Carlow,single

1901 Irish census;
Rutland Square,Rotunda(which is a hospital in Dublin),Dublin

William Weir age 58,head of house,church of Ireland,born co Sligo,occ:apothecary,married
Sarah Weir age 45,wife,roman catholic,born co Dublin,occ:boarding house proprietress,married
Della Weir age 3,niece,church of Ireland,born co Dublin,scholar,single
John Weir age 18,son,roman catholic,born Dublin,occ:dentists apprentice,single
Jane Ruxton age 33,wife's sister,roman catholic,born Dublin,single
Rose Ruxton age 28,wife's sister,roman catholic,born Dublin,single

Incoming passengers to UK:

John Weir age 29, born @ 1880, 2nd class,departed:NY,arriving at Liverpool and Queenstown,10 April 1909,ship:Lusitania

Catherine Weir age 35,born@ 1874,1st class,departed:NY,arriving at Liverpool and Queenstown,2 November 1909,ship:Lusitania
*reason may be the illness of John's father William

Probate:
William Ormsby Weir
will probated 25 April 1910
died:4 March 1910 Dublin
beneficiary:John R Weir
Administration of the estate of William Ormsby Weir,late of 10 Nelson Street Dublin,medical doctor,who died 4 March 1910,granted at Dublin to John R Weir esquire,effects £280. 1s 2d.

I think I have discovered part of the story " Sarah threw John out".I don't think it was Sarah,I think it was Kathleen.

Valuation rolls 1920 Glasgow:

Kate Weir has a house and loomshop at 33 Lockhart St,Stonehouse,co Lanarkshire
John Weir has a house at 18 Howat Street,Govan,Glasgow,co Lanarkshire

Look all this over and tell me what you think.I believe that John was always married to Kathleen/Catherine and that it was she who probably threw him out.If you can give me names of children I will check census. I do not see how John could have married Sarah as her age,if she was alive,would have prohibited her from having children.Hope this helps,Kim 
 

[jacqui63m]

Hi there,

Thank you so much for getting back to me.

Everything you found I have also found. LOL

To clarify a few things: My gt grandfather, John Ruxton Weir, did in fact marry a Sarah Ruxton. Sarah was his mother's (also called Sarah Ruxton) neice, and John's full cousin.
John 1st married Kathleen Kealy (Kiely, various spellings) as you point out in March 1908. They then left for the States. But then, 29 Apr 1909, John married a Sarah Ruxton (his cousin, my gt grandmother, born 4th Feb 1872)

When we first discovered that he had been married before, we assumed that Kathleen had died.

John and Sarah's daughter, Sarah but know as Vera, (my grandmother) believed she was about 8 when her father 'left' That would be around 1920. He was never heard from again.
I found John's death, 16 May 1930, in Glasgow. His death certificate states that his wife Kathleen Weir, formerly Kealy, was with him.

So:
Married March 1908 Kathleen Kealy - Dublin with family members present
Left for the States Mar 1908
Married April 1909 Sarah Ruxton - England with no family members present
Left family home (Belfast) approx 1920
Died May 1930 (Glasgow) with 1st wife Kathleen present

I think it safe to assume that John and Sarah's marriage was bigamous. I don't know what John said to persuade Sarah to marry him. She would have been well aware of his marriage to Kathleen. Did he tell her, and the family, that Kathleen had died? Did Sarah discover that Kathleen was still alive and her marriage was a sham?

Whatever the story, I would love to find out more about Kathleen.

Thanks again for your help. If you have any more thoughts, or can give me any information, please get in touch

All the very best

Jacqui

[greeneyedgirl]

Jacqui, I have found a marriage for whom I believe to be Catherine's parents and her birth.

Marriage:

date of marriage:12 Feb 1867
place of marriage:Baymalstown,Carlow(probably is Bagnelstown)
groom:Patrick Kealy
groom's father:John Kealy
bride:Catherine Joyce
bride's father:Thomas Joyce

Birth:

Catherine Kealy
23 November 1874
parents:Patrick Kealy/Catherine Joyce

*a sister
Elizabeth Kealy
13 June 1872
parents:Patrick Kealy/Catherine Joyce

*a sister
Anne Kealy
11 Dec 1867
parents:Patrick Kealy/Catherine Joyce

*a sister
Bridget Kealy
23 Feb 1870
parents:Patrick Kealy/Catherine Joyce

1901 Irish census:
Cashel,Kiledmona,Carlow

Patrick Kealy age 20,head of house,roman catholic,born Carlow,farmer,single
Katie Kealy age 24,sister,roman catholic,born Carlow,single (*I believe this is your Catherine)
Ellie Kealy age 24,sister,roman catholic,born Carlow,single
Maria Kealy age 22,sister,roman catholic,born Carlow,single

obviously these are the last children at home.The parents appear to be deceased by this time.

1911 Irish census:
Cashel,Kiledmona,Carlow

Patrick Kealy age 30,head of house,born Carlow,RC,farmer,married
Mary Kealy age 28,wife,born Carlow,RC,farmer's wife,married 2 yrs

Patrick stayed in family home.His sisters that were with him obviously moved or married.

I also found this;

Birth:

April 1840

Patrick Kealy
born to Michael Kealy and Catherine Dwyer
residence:townland of Ballycormick
found in Dunleckny parish registers

Hope this helps,Kim

[greeneyedgirl]

Jacqui,sorry forgot to put this as well.Looked at civil registration lists and found these three births but you would need to get certs to ensure that these are for the correct family but they seem to fit.

Births:

Ellen Kealy  1875 co Carlow
Maria Kealy 1878 co Carlow
Patrick Kealy 1880 co Carlow

Kim

[jacqui63m]

Hi Kim,

This looks so promising. I look forward to seeing if it all fits.

Thank you so much for all your help.

Should you discover anything else, please get in touch.

All the very best

Jacqui