Sullivan family - Edward Sullivan 1850-1910

[Sullivanseeker]

Hello, I have hit a brick wall with an Edward O'SULLIVAN, who jumped between calling himself O'Sullivan and Sullivan. The 1851 census shows him as one year old, born in 1850, in Islington to a Mary (unknown). Mary was a widow (aged 30) at the time of the 1851 census and had two daughters, Ann (17) and Mary (16). All born in Ireland (no district given) except for Edward, shown as born "London city". This makes her 13 when she had her daughter, Ann. I know they had children young, but that's pushing it, so either the census is wrong or one of the daughter's is the mother. However,  In 1861 he is still with his mother (45) in London.
Edward remained in London working as a "coachman" and married Rose DAN (or Daw). On their wedding certificate he is an O'Sullivan and gave his father's name as Edward O'Sullivan, deceased. Rose and Edward had several children, Edward, Rose, William, MaryAnn, Ellen, Eliza and Jane. When he was widowed he lived with Rosina Elizabeth NELHAM and had my grandfather, Thomas Alfred SULLIVAN. I would love to get in touch with anyone who has connections with this family to help clear up some stories. I just cant trace his descendants and would love to. looking forward to hearing from anyone with ideas or connections.

[rosie99]

Hi

Welcome to rootschat

For those trying to help
1851 - H0107 /1525 f157 p3   - St Giles Cripplegate - Surname Sullivan
Census possibly gives Mary's age as 39

Edward signed his name as Sullivan when he married

[rosie99]

Are these the family in 1861 - RG09/209 f44 p1

Mary O'Sullivan 45 dressmaker bn Ireland
Edward 10 bn England
Mary Ann Higgins grandaughter age 2 bn England
Jeremiah Flynn 45 -widower -Solicitor retired bn Ireland

[Sullivanseeker]

Yes, that is them. Thank you for your reply. Probably due to the poor quality of the copy of the census, I never notice the grandaughter.cheers

[Sullivanseeker]

Edward's name in the marriage register 26 Dec 1870 is written "O Sulivan" but he signs as "Sullivan". In the 1891 census he is again called O Sullivan. He obviously added the O when convenient, or the remunerater did. 

[rosie99]

I can't see an Edward Sullivan/O'Sullivan dying in the London area  before the 1851 census who could be Edwards father    Maybe he is made up for the marriage

[Sullivanseeker]

Yes, that did cross my mind as well. I also thought that perhaps Edward O'Sullivan might have died in Ireland before following his wife and daughters to England, but the age difference in the girls to makes me suspicious as to who his mother really was. this is proving a real brick wall and probably only DNA will knock it down.   

[Oxtonite62]

Yes, that did cross my mind as well. I also thought that perhaps Edward O'Sullivan might have died in Ireland before following his wife and daughters to England, but the age difference in the girls to makes me suspicious as to who his mother really was. this is proving a real brick wall and probably only DNA will knock it down.   

Hi

I too have a Sullivan brick wall and have taken a DNA test to try and knock it down!  My paternal great grandmother was Eliza Sullivan who was born in Whitechapel in London in 1869.  She married Alfred Jones in 1889.  On her birth certificate her father was stated as John Sullivan but I have found very little information on him, and her mother was Mary Hazel formerly Moore.  Cannot find a marriage between a Mary Moore and unknown Hazel.  On the 1871 Census Mary was a widow with 4 young children!

I would recommend taking a DNA test - my paternal uncle also took one and between us we have managed to discover a cousin in another part of the world (who is also the great granddaughter of Eliza Sullivan) and another 'cousin' with the name Sullivan but in that case we are still working on finding the common ancestor! We now believe that our Sullivan ancestors were from County Cork or Kerry.  Apparently Sullivan is the most popular name in County Cork!!

Best of luck with your search...we may even be related!

[Sullivanseeker]

Hello, yes we could well be related... I did my DNA test through Ancestry and was also able to get my Uncle to do one as well. My Gedmatch DNA number is A356265, and my Uncle (whose father was the son of Edward Sullivan and Rosina Nelham) is A966638. Sadly, we haven't had success tracing any relevant Sullivan DNA. Your reply was most interesting Oxtonite62 as we also have an Eliza Sullivan (daughter of said Edward Sullivan and Rose Dan). She was born 1884, London. Not only that, but you appear to have Fountain's in your line. We do too. My paternal Great Grandmother (Rachel Maria FOUNTAIN b: 1876-1962) descends from Joshua FOUNTAIN (1751-1837) and Sarah AITKEN (1746-1790). He was from Northhampstonshire but went to London as a young boy. Sarah was probably born in London. Both are buried in St Alfredges, Greenwich, London. Would you by chance have anything to do with this Fountain family. cheers.