How to choose a pair of parents

[greeneyedgirl]

Hi,I wonder if anyone can answer this question. I was given a small snippet of info saying James O'Brien was born 1799 St Mullins.So I went through all the parish registers for St Mullins/Borris/Ballymurphy/Old Ross jotting down every birth I could find for James O'Brien/Brien/Bryan.My problem now is, how do I figure out which set of parents/birth belongs to him? He died in the US and I have all records of him there except a death cert/burial record as one doesn't exist.I do not know any of his siblings.I tried the method of naming that was in use at that time but the only pair of parents whose names were same as 2 of James' children was found.But this James was born 1782 which doesn't jib with any other record of him.One of the parents of each birth has a name of one of his children.Also his wife didn't name any of the children after her father either.So the question is how do I decide which birth is his or do I look at more parish registers? I welcome any advice.Thanks,Kim

[ThrelfallYorky]

Sadly, you don't decide. You just carry on hunting, trying to gather together evidence.

Are there sibling lines you can hunt round on? If you have siblings, chart out any possible baptisms for them, rather as you will have done, and keep chipping away. I try tracing every possibility onwards, until they eliminate themselves by comparison with my known/stated records.
It usually doesn't help a lot to look on public trees, as a lot of people don't keep on researching when they hit a brick wall, but just guess - or choose!
I also find that leaving problem people on the "backburner" to simmer for a month or two really refreshes the brain, and often helps. You sound determined - I'm sure you'll get there in the end.

[greeneyedgirl]

Thanks TherlfallYorky, I will keep chipping away at it. My thing is I know no siblings of his and without parents names cannot determine who may be a sibling. I have put it down (again) but will go at it later. Other lines to complete. Thanks for the advice, Kim

[Penholder]

Have you checked the burials in the parishes where you've found children with the right name?   If they died young and are identified as the child of so-and-so then that would eliminate them from your search.

Good luck!

Diana