Comerfords in Muckalee/Castlecomer/Clough area

[Silverhawk]

Okay, I've been looking up the RC registers on the NLI site and think I may be progressing with my Irish side, but would like the opinion of you Rootschatters on something before I go any further

My great-great-grandmother was called Anne Comerford.  On her death certificate in 1924, her daughter reports her to be 75 which would give a birthyear of 1849, however on her marriage certificate in 1868, she says she's 27 which is quite a difference, implying an 1841 birthyear.  I'm more inclined to believe the marriage certificate, but of course there's always the possibility that she's made herself seem older so there's less of an age gap on the record - her husband is given as 30 which if she's actually 19 rather than 27 would be more than a decade gap.

I looked at the baptisms for the local parishes but have found nothing promising in the late 1840s.  The latest Anne which has the right father's name (Patrick) was born in 1846.  There's two promising entries in the early part of the decade though, one in 1840, the other in 1841.  The 1841 one jumped out at me right away as the residence is stated to be Coolcullen.  Anne was living in Coolcullen at the time of her marriage.  So that must be it methinks.  Only something else puts a new spin on the situation.

The two witnesses on her marriage certificate are a John Comerford and Johanna Moore who I've discovered married seven days after Anne.  Would it be fair for me to assume that John is her brother?  On his marriage record, John says he's 25 which puts his birth around 1843.  When I looked for a John Comerford born to the parents I found in Coolcullen, I couldn't see an appropriate entry.  However when I looked at the other set of parents for the Anne born in 1840, I found a John in 1843 right where he should be.  They resided in Kill, Clough parish.

So do you think my Anne is the one in 1840 from Kill, or do you think she's the 1841 one from Coolcullen, and the John Comerford at her marriage is a more distant relative (cousin perhaps?).  Or do you think she lied about her age when she married and the younger Anne implied from the death certificate is right?  If you think the third option though, she must be from a bit further afield as there's no-one in the parishes I've checked that really match up.

[healyjfch]

Have you tried to find family on the 1901 and or 1911 census

Dates of birth and ages were not important in the 1800's

Due to high infant mortality a number of children in a family could have same name.

Family headstone ?

[Silverhawk]

I know where my Anne was in 1901 and 1911.  I found her living in Knocknadogue with her two youngest sons.  She's stated as 57 years old in 1901 and 70 in 1911.  Her married name was Regan.  I don't know where Anne or her husband are buried unfortunately, though I'd love to find out and take a trip over to Ireland at some point.

[healyjfch]

Anne is Married on 1901 census, but widow on 1911 census
Have you found husband in 1901.
It might be worthwhile to get Anne's husband death certificate

Old age Pensions began c 1907 so lots of people increased their ages on 1911 census.
Age 70 was pension age.

[Silverhawk]

Anne is Married on 1901 census, but widow on 1911 census
Have you found husband in 1901.

I haven't unfortunately.  I've actually just posted another topic about that.  He's not with the family, and I can't seem to find him anywhere else.

It might be worthwhile to get Anne's husband death certificate

Yep, got that a little while ago.  He died in September 1902 in Knocknadogue, age 62.  Anne reported the death.

[healyjfch]

He might be recorded by his initials if he was held in Jail or barracks

Parts of the 1901 census are missing, (there is a seperate thread on this subject) & perhaps he was working away from home.

[dermo]

Silverhawk
On the basis of the available information, I think you can only go on the balance of probability.  Regarding Anne Comerford's birth year, you have four pieces of information two of which agree - her ages on the marriage record and the 1911 census.  Both point to 1840-1841 so I think you're right to concentrate on the records in those years.  I think that the balance of probability favours John Comerford being her brother.  The 1843 birth record for John gives his mother's name as Catherine but the note to the transcription on rootsireland says "MOTHER GIVEN AS PU--".  Given that the 1840 birth record for Anne shows her mother's name as Catherine Purcell, I think the note points to her being John's mother too.  While these birth records for Anne and John give their address as Kill in Clough parish, John's marriage record gives his address as Coolcullen in Muckalee, just as you say Anne's marriage record does.  Not absolutely conclusive I know but I think it stacks up on balance.  If this is correct, rootsireland shows Anne and John had siblings Rose (bapt. 13 Jul 1841) and Mary (bapt. 22 Jul 1847) both also with Kill, Clough addresses.

[Silverhawk]

I have to admit I'm leaning in that direction, I was just hoping something more definitive might come up.  That might be asking a bit much though given how much of Ireland's records are missing.  I have noticed there's another John Comerford in the area, he and a Bridget Byrne have a child baptised in Castlecomer in 1876.

I've looked at the sponsors of the Regan kids to see if there's any clues there, but no Comerfords unfortunately.  I note an Ellen Moore was second sponsor for my great-grandmother.  A relative of Johanna's perhaps?  The three other kids I've found on the NLI all seem to have members of the Brennan family as their sponsors.  John by Edward & Kate Brennan, James by Thomas & Mary Brennan, and Jane by Patrick and Ellen Brennan.  A lot of Brennans.  Could be just friends of the family, though I'm wondering if there's a connection there too.  If a Comerford married a Brennan, that person could maybe help tie Anne and John together, or otherwise?

[dermo]

You mention the three other children you found.  Rootsireland has records for ten children of Patrick Regan and Anne Comerford, including a second James and two Michaels.  Another couple of Brennans show up as sponsors.  If you haven't got them, I can give you the details if you PM me your e-mail address.  The number of Brennan sponsors suggests a close, probably family, connection.  I found two Brennan/Comerford marriages - Thomas Brennan and Catherine Comerford in Muckalee parish in 1833 and Patrick Brennan and Margaret Comerford in Castlecomer in 1844.  Perhaps one or both of the Comerfords were aunts of Anne?  I couldn't find any Brennan/Regan marriages.