Lydon/Pennsylvania

[Clarro]

My greatgrandfather was Pathrick H. Lydon. His 1865 Civil War (America) records list him as being born in "Gallway" about 1846-1848. Another record lists his mother as Sarah Turner, father as Patrick Lydon. I can find no record of his parents or of family emigration to America. I begin finding records with an 1860 Pennsylvania census. Nothing before then. It seems his mom married again (before 1860) to a Michael McTigue. I know that Patrick had at least one sister, Catherine.

Family settled in Pittston, Pennsylvania (Luzerne County), a coal mining region.

Any help or guidance to finding Patrick's Irish roots would be greatly appreciated,
Clarro

[Sinann]

Hi Clarro and welcome to RootsChat
The problem is you don't know where is in Galway Patrick was from, I was trying to narrow down the search area but wasn't having much luck so I though finding his mother as Sarah McTigue might help but I can't find her in the 1901 Census or a death for her before 1901 in County Galway.

Have you anything other information that could narrow down where in Galway to search.
Also can you tell us what their Religious denomination they were.

[Clarro]

Hi Sinann,
Thank you for trying to help. I do appreciate it. I know the family came to America before 1860 - found them on a 1860 census. The difficulty is that I'm sure "Gallway" is even correct. It was listed on one of his military records, but so many American records from that time, and forward, are so inaccurate. I know they were Roman Catholic. I do know that hismother married twice..first to a Lydon (his father) and then to a Michael McTigue. Since the 1860 census has her already married to McTigue, also from Ireland.

[Sinann]

She went to America as well?

[Clarro]

Yes..don't know when..but she came to America definitely before 1860. Don't know who she travelled with or what name she used, or when she left Ireand, or how etc. I've looked everywhere and on all online sites (FamilySearch, Ancestry, RootsIreand, Famine Immigration Databases, etc) - can't find any record that remotely might be her, or her son Patrick (Lydon). The other difficulty is that she, and others of her generation, never learned to read or write and the census takers in America also may have been slightly illiterate or of a different culture..so names, spelling of names, dates, birthplaces, etc were wildly different from census to census. It's a mystery I'm determined to solve! The only clue is that her maiden name, Turner, is the one consistent thing across some records, e.g. Patrick's obituary and death record, and that of his sister (Catherine).

[Sinann]

There is some hope they could be here
http://registers.nli.ie/
But trawling through all the Galway parishes, if that is where they are from, is a big task and you still might not find them due to missing records.

RootsIreland is another possibility but that is subscription based.

[Clarro]

Yes, it is a big task. I meant to say that I'm not sure if Galway is the correct place of origin, so I'm checking RootsIreland for all counties, not just Galway. I have learned that "Patrick Lydon" is a popular name! Even in America in my small hometown in Pennsylvania..there were so many "Patrick Lydons" it took me several years to find the right one. Thank you for your help.

[Sinann]

Have a look at this one,
Think it might be a Mary (perhaps) parents Pat and  Sarah. No maiden names on the mothers and both sponsers are Lydon so no help
11 of May 1844 bottom left page
http://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634175#page/41/mode/1up

Worth keeping a note of at least.

[Jan_A]

I'm not sure where you all are located, but I'm in PA.  Anyone that died between 1904ish and 1960, I can access their death certificates on Ancestry.com for free.

Please use Findagrave.com as well.  A lot of people in this state document cemeteries and you may find someone on there as well.

If you do find someone and find they died in that timeframe, I would be more than glad to search death certs.  On them, usually you will find the parents names and a death informant that is related to them.

Hope that helps,
Jan A