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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Wexford => Topic started by: sulaf on Sunday 30 March 08 14:46 BST (UK)
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Hi
I am trying to find out more about John Francis and his wife Mary (nee Darcy). I know they lived in Enniscorthy,Fairfield.Co Wexford and were of the Roman Catholic faith. They had at least four daughters (not sure exactly in what order) -Bridget(who eventually married and went to America), Mary Kate B,1877aprox, Margaret (story is she became a governess) and Eliza b.1883(she called herself Elizabeth). It's known they moved to England (Kent area)but do not know when. It's believed there could be a son or two but this is not certain. Would really love to find more information about John Francis and his wife Mary Darcy and of course if there were any sons.
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Hello Sulaf
Our ancestors were neighbours.
My ancestor, Edward Somers, died in Fairfied in 1871 of TB. He was 32 years old and a miller.
He left a wife, Mary (née Harper) and at least one son, Moses (also known as Aidan - Moses being the usual English translation for Aidan (no, don't ask : ) !).
Fairfield is a lovely spot today, on the edge of Enniscorthy Town, with a mini lake and swans but there is a large paupers graveyard nearby (not sure when it was in use).
I have not been researching this line for very long but intend to remedy that in the next few weeks. I will check out the parish records to try and find siblings for my Moses and maybe Edward and Mary's marriage. If you like, and if you're not in a hurry, I can look for your Francis births at the same time.
Rachel
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Hi Rachel
Just hope I am 'clicking' on all the right things to get a reply to you!
Yes please re your offer to look up details re John Francis and his wife Mary Darcy. Very excited re your news and hope we may at last start getting to know more about our Irish ancestors
kind regards
Sue
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No problem, Sue.
Give me a few weeks.
Rachel
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Sue,
There was at least one brother, John. He was born 7 Feb 1878. Check out the FamilySearch website on line...
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp
If this URL won't take you there, then go to the site and to "advanced search" and put in for the father "John Francis", put in "Mary" for the mother's first name and nothing else. They've messed up the spellings but this is your people.
By the way, there's also the birth of Mary (13 Feb 1876).
The familysearch website has a lot of Irish civil registration births (1864 onwards). It is really useful if you are searching for post 1864 births but, when you get your search results, only look at the category entitled "International Genealogical Index - British Isles" as this is where Irish civil registration records pop up.
Hope this will tide you over for the moment : )
Rachel
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Hi Rachel
You are an absolute STAR! Will give that web site a try
many many Thanks
Sue
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Hello Sue
Thanks for your patience.
I looked up the Enniscorthy baptisms from Jan 1862 to Dec 1880 today and found the following baptisms for John Francis & Mary Darcy :
3 Sep 1874, Bridget, witnesses : Robert Tulwe (?) & Mary Francis
14 Feb 1879, Mary Kate, witnesses : Richard Farrell & Mary Hendriell (?)
18 Feb 1878, John Joseph, witnesses : John Francis & Mary Burke (born on 17th)
12 Mar 1880, Thomas, witnesses : David Flynn & Kate Browne (born on 10th)
There is also a note beside Thomas' birth record which states that he married Ellen Curtis in Bree 18/6/14.
I have copies of 3 of these baptisms and will scan them and post them here later today (or maybe tomorrow). I don't have a copy of John Joseph's baptismal record as it was too dark to print.
The parish records available to me only go up to 1880 so I won't be able to look for the remaining births to this couple. If you bear with me I will take a look for John Francis & Mary Darcy's marriage (probably around 1873) next week when I go back to look for my own ancestor's marriage around 1870.
By the way, the only information on the parish baptismal records is that which I have just given you and the priest's name. The civil registration records would show the father's occupation (if you don't know that already).
You may want to order the marriage record for Thomas Francis & Ellen Curtis in Bree in 1914. You can do this by post for euro 6 (specify you want a photocopy of the register) from the GRO in Roscommon. Here is the form you need to complete and the address to post it to.
http://www.groireland.ie/apply_for_a_cert.htm
Hope this fills in a few blanks.
Best wishes
Rachel
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Hi Rachel,
Massive massive thank you for the information you have so very kindly gathered and will be sending for marriage cert. On Eliza's marrige certificate her father is down as a farmer but a cousin since found out that her birth cert has him down as farm labourer. Also Eliza 'changed' her name to Elizabeth on her wed Cert. The witnesses at the baptisms' would they be godparents do you think? Also, do you know how we could find out when they moved to England. We think we found Mary Francis in Dover on the 1901 English census and we know that Elizabeth was in England in 1907 when she married. We think Bridget may have married in Ireland prior to emigrating to America but that is only supposition. Is there any way of finding out more about Mary nee Darcy and husband John? Are there any census reports I can order do you know please.
Many thanks once again
best wishes -Sue
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Hi Sue
You're welcome.
Yes, the witnesses would be godparents.
Do you know if the parents, John Francis & Mary left Ireland? It seems not from what you write. If not then they should be in the 1901 Ireland census. It just so happens that someone indexed that census for Enniscorthy so I will take a look at that publication in the library next time I go down.
To trace further births to the couple or marriages after 1880, I can't really help.
It is always tricky trying to find out when people emigrated.
By the way, Fairfields is also known as Forgelands.
Rachel
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Hi Rachel
Thanks for further info. Unfortunately we do not know if John and Mary left Ireland as well. We were aware there was at least one son and apparently he did something to cause the family to shun him (ooh we'd love to know what it was and which one it was!)
Where in Ireland is Bree?
Can't believe how quick the baptisms were after the births would confirmations be recorded as well? Just something I read somewhere.
Look forward to hearing fom you again
Sue
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Hi Sue
Bree is 6 miles south of Enniscorthy so he didn't travel too far!
Confirmations would be recorded. I don't, however, have access to any records after 1880 except the 1901 & 1911 census. Irish censuses from prior to these dates have not survived.
Goodness knows what the son did - he could have done anything from marrying a protestant to serious crime.
Rachel
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Hi Sue
you are in luck.
I have some more information for you.
Please send me your email address by private message as the information is in excel format and I can't post it to this forum.
Best wishes
Rachel
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Here are those scans. Sorry for the delay.
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And the third one.
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Hi Rachel
The scans are excellent and thank you. From the previous list you sent noticed another son born to John and Mary in 1882-James. Have been trying to find him and Thomas in familysearch but no luck as yet.
Sue
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Sue
Not all post 1864 births are in family search.
There are also omissions from date ranges which seem to be covered.
For example my great grandmother's 1873 birth in Wexford Town is not listed. However, her siblings, born in the same place in 1864, 1866, 1868 & 1871 are listed and her final sibling born 1875 in Cork is also listed.
I have noticed similar anomalies with other births.
But, hey, it's still about the best free site for Irish genealogy!
You can always order the civil registration birth record from the GRO as you know the birth date now.
Rachel
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A few more children for Francis and Mary.
Bridget 3rd Sept., 1874
Mary Kate 14th Feb., 1876
John Joseph 17th Feb., 1878
Thomas 10th March 1880
James 11th Feb., 1882
Bridget 17th July, 1883
William 17th April 1886
The first Bridget must have died hence Bridget 1883.
The address on one of the above in Monart, Ballindaggin.
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Re reply 13
Thomas Francis marriage to Ellen Curtis i think this is an error by the priest and should refer to Thomas O'Connor son of the couple above Thomas Francis's baptism there are no matches for 1913 other than
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FY67-7JX
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FY6W-6ZW
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Who ever she married this is probably her Nellie Curtis age 24
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Wexford/Bree/Knockduff/676723/