McDonalds/McDonnells from Mayo

[Lindyboo]

I've recently learned that my McDonald/McDonnell ancestors came from Co Mayo, but I have no other information.  If you have a possible link with any of the following please get in touch:

Michael McDonald c1787 died Bolton Lancs 1864
Eleanor (maiden name not known) c1789
James c1819 (married Maria Padon in 1842 Bolton Lancs)
William c1821 (some records show 1810) (married Frances Walker 1845 Bolton Lancs)
Alexander c1824
Thomas c1826

Thanks

[gallfour]

I have McDonalds/McDonnells whom I recently found out came from Mayo, according to the 1871 census. They also lived in Bolton---I don't have much information, but would like to share what I have.

I've recently learned that my McDonald/McDonnell ancestors came from Co Mayo, but I have no other information.  If you have a possible link with any of the following please get in touch:

Michael McDonald c1787 died Bolton Lancs 1864
Eleanor (maiden name not known) c1789
James c1819 (married Maria Padon in 1842 Bolton Lancs)
William c1821 (some records show 1810) (married Frances Walker 1845 Bolton Lancs)
Alexander c1824
Thomas c1826

Thanks

[Lindyboo]

Thanks for your reply.  I have the McDonald/McDonnell family listed at:

1841 - Back Barry Row, Turton
1851 - c1859 Back Andrew St
c1860 - 1864 Ormrod St

In 1841 the four sons listed in my first posting were living with their parents Michael and Ellen (or Eleanor); by 1851 Alexander remained in the household, unmarried, along with  Wm who had married Frances (Fanny) nee Walker  (in 1845) and they had their own young children.  James and Thomas are not listed. 

By 1861 Alexander is not listed, but Wm and Frances with children continued to live with Michael and Ellen until Michael's death in 1864. 

I have lots of info on the children (eight by 1864) of Wm and Frances.

We don't know what became of Wm's three brothers, though we have a record of James marrying a Maria Padon in 1842.

Ring any bells with you?

Regards

[gallfour]

What I can tell you on my McDonalds/McDonnells is this: my great-grandfather, Richard McDonald, was born 1863 in Bolton. His father Patrick, according to the 1871 census, was born in Mayo. (Patrick's parents were Richard and Catherine). As Patrick was only about 30 years old in 1871, I think he must have come to Bolton much later than your people.  My McDonalds lived at various addresses in Spring Gardens.  I haven't found a lot of McDonalds in Bolton, however, so I would suspect that both families being from Mayo, there may be a connection.

Patrick came to the US around 1872, to New York. I know his wife's name was Catherine Prendergast (various spellings). I think I've found them on a passenger list (Patrick, Richard and another son John), but no mention of Patrick's wife. Patrick is my brick wall...just to finally discover they were from Mayo was huge!

[Lindyboo]

Hello Gallfour

The info you gave doesn't fit – so far – fit with any of my own details, but I agree that the few McDonalds in Bolton and the county may imply a link.  It may be an indication if you can tell me if your McDonalds were Catholic or Protestant – mine were the latter.  I'm assuming that they would have been unlikely to change their religion from one to the other on arrival in England.

I had a look on the 1861, as you've probably done and found what appears to be your people listed at 43 Spring Gardens:

Catherine (wid) age 30   Lodging house keeper born Ireland
Patrick (son)  age 19      Cotton piecer
Mary (dau) age 14               born Ireland
Thos Wright (lodger) age 59
Martin Burke (lodger) 28
James Burke (lodger) 4 (or 7)

The ages look a bit odd though, since it appears that Catherine is only 11 years older than Patrick.  Also as you'll surmise, Mary's age narrows down further their arrival in England.

I didn't find anything of this family on the 1851 for Bolton, but I may have missed them.

I'll keep these details on hand and please keep mine, in case some connection shows up later.

Regds

[gallfour]

Yes, the ages given are a little odd! In 1871, Catherine is 45, Patrick 25 and Mary 20. My McDonald/McDonnells are Catholic. I have a copy of Patrick's marriage certificate to Catherine Prendergast which states they were married at St. Marie's Chapel in Little Bolton (do you know if that chapel still exists?) in the rites of the Catholic Church, in 1862.

[Lindyboo]

I've no knowledge of St Marie's Chapel, but I'm not familiar with that area, though as you've no doubt already done, I had a quick look on the internet but no current reference to it was found, which, given the tendency of late in the UK to get churches online, suggests it no longer exists.

Your McDon's being Catholic doesn't sound too promising for a connection with mine, but you never know, so do get back in touch if you think something looks promising at a later stage.

[WerriBeau]

Hi, I'm not sure if this post is still active but I thought i'd give it a try. I am a McDonald and am trying to find info regarding my ancestors from Mayo, McDonnell. I seem to get stuck trying to find any info on Mayo. I am genetically linked, quite closely, to another McDonnell family from Mayo that emigrated to the USA. So far I have:

Victoria McDonald b1897 Lancashire
Vincent Clare McDonald b1899 Lancs d1965 Lancs -my paternal grandfather
Ethelbert Leo McDonald b1902 Lancs
Veronica FJ McDonald b1906 Lancs
Felix Claude McDonald b1907 Lancs

James McDonald b1869 Lancs married to Mary Ellen Touhey b1872 Lancs
Michael Mc Donald b1840 Mayo, Ireland d1884
Interestingly with Michael, to search his name I had to put a "space" in the Mc D to find him. On his records it clearly shows him changing his name from McDonnell to McDonald as he came from Ireland to England (Bolton). He married an Ann Dootson b1848 from Lancs, so he came to England between 1840 and 1866. His father is listed as Patrick, but I cannot find anything else about him or any siblings. I do not know if Patrick came to Bolton with Michael, or perhaps left to go to the USA with other family?
Any info anyone might have that could help, or suggestions as to how to find the Irish Mayo family would be welcome. There was also some suggestion he may have come from County Clare, but I do not know where this came from and the documents all shows Michael and Patrick from Mayo.
The family seems to have been Catholic all the way.

[Lindyboo]

Hello

The names you mention are not in my family tree, as far as I know, but the reference to your Michael McDonald and father Patrick seem familiar from one line I researched some time ago, which didn't seem related to me.  My clan were Protestant as far as I've been able to trace them.

I'll have a look through my old files to see if I can link them to the stuff you've mentioned and get back to you, perhaps over the weekend as I won't have time before then.

In the meantime thank you for your contact and if you don't hear from me within a week do drop me a reminder.

Regds