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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Laois (Queens) => Topic started by: Cfdm on Saturday 26 July 14 12:11 BST (UK)
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Hello,
I'm hoping someone has information on the Burns family from Maryborough in Laios.
My great-great grandparents were Margaret Burns b. 1820-1822, and Peter Connell b 1820-1822.
They were both from Queen's County, Ireland.
Messages in The Boston Pilot Paper make me believe Margaret had 2 brothers from Maryborough...John and Thomas. They immigrated to the US around 1842.
John married a Miss Cahill (also from Maryborough), before leaving Ireland, and they ended up in New Orleans. Thomas was living in Lower Canada.
I have information that they Margaret and Peter married in 1838, before leaving Ireland, and after spending time in England, they settled in Delaware.
I read in a forum, that Margaret's mother's maiden name was thought to be Barrington.
That would make sense since she gave the middle name of Barrington to her son, Charles.
I know Peter Connel was Catholic, but I'm not sure Margaret was, until she married. She might have been Presbyterian.
I would appreciate any information on this family, since I seem to be stuck.
Thanks,
Colleen
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Hi There
As the details that you are looking for are pre 1864 then you need to look for church records and for that you will need a lot more info that what you have so far.
My first query is with relation to the places that you are working with.
Maryborough is the old name for Portlaoise; you have also mentioned Mountmellick.
While this is also in County Laois (Queen's County) they are two different parts of Laois; not a million miles away but still would be served by different churches.
SO, can you explain where you have gotten the placenames from to see if we can try and narrow down where this couple may have originated from ?!
Tara
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Hi There
Charles' death says that his mother was Scottish !!!!!!!!!!!!
Name: Charles B Connell
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 71
Birth Date: 8 Sep 1844
Birth Place: Pennsylvania
Death Date: 30 Jun 1918
Death Place: London Britain, Chester, Pennsylvania, USA
Father Name: Peter Connell
Father Birth Place: Ireland
Mother Name: Margaret Burn
Mother Birth Place: Scotland
Tara
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Charles on the 1880 Census states that his mother was English !
HUM too much paperwork pointing away from her being Irish.
Have you tried Scotlands People to see can you find a marriage there for Peter & Margaret !
Tara
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1900 Census - again Charles says that his mother was English.
Tara
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Hi Tara,
I've found Birth and Death certificates for many of their children, that list the names and places of both parent's birth, and Peter Connell has consistently shown up as Ireland.
For Margaret Burns though, I've found Ireland, England, Scotland (once) and Canada (once).
From a couple of family stories, Margaret & Peter were married around 16 or 17. it was told they were married around 1838, before they left Ireland. From Ireland, they went to England, and stayed there for a while, before coming to the US.
Their oldest child Mary, was baptized, along with her younger sister Elizabeth, in 1843 at a Delaware RC church. It listed Mary's birthdate as 1841, and Elizabeth's as 1843.
This is first actual documentation I can find that definitely places them in the US. I have found claims of Mary being born in Pennsylvania, they lived there for a few years, but I haven't been able to find her BC.
So, I know they left from Dublin to go to Liverpool. If they left in 1838, I can't find any documentation that places them anywhere between 1838 and 1843.
I only have word of mouth claims, that Mary was born in Pennsylvania, in 1841.
I found an advertisement from the Boston Pilot's Lost Friends and Family. My great-great grandfather Peter Connell, was searching for John Burns. He doesn't state the relationship, but I tend to believe he is related to Margaret. Most likely a brother.
I also found an ad where John Burns was searching for a Thomas Burns who arrived in Canada and who also came from Maryborough, but I can't definitely connect this John to the one Peter was searching for.
So I'm wondering if Peter and Margaret left Ireland, went to England, immigrated to Canada, and then to the US. And this is why all the contradictory information regarding Margaret's birth.
I have no idea where Scotland came from.
Also, Peter was definitely a Catholic, but there was a Burns family in Pennsylvania, that Margaret was rumored to be related to and they were Presbyterian. So I think Margaret was too, before she married Peter.
Here is the ad from the Boston Pilot. It has better information than I gave.
Thanks for the help.
Colleen
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Hi Colleen,
Well, that Boston record does look promising.
So, first thing is that Maryborough (nowadays called Portlaoise) is the area that you need to concentrate on.
All the other areas mentioned on it refer to the larger parish area so can be discounted . . . so the good thing is that at least we have a parish to work with.
So, there is no sign of a marriage in Laois for this couple.
If they were underage AND mixed religion they may not have married at all OR could have married out of their parish . . . I'm still not getting any good leads there.
HUM, they are both such common surnames which doesn't help either.
Our only REAL strong point at this stage is the surname Barrington.
It features in Killeshin, Laois
http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/laois/killeshin.htm
& in Stradbally, Laois
http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/laois/stradbally.htm
Well, I would lean towards Stradbally as it's much nearer to Portlaoise.
Was Charles Barrington Connell their first born son ?
Tara
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This is a list of the townlands that we need to concentrate on !
HA I live in the first one :D
Aghnaharna
Ballytegan
Beladd
Borris Great
Borris Little
Clonminan
Clonreher
Clonsoghey
Cooltoran
Curriersbog
Downs
Gorteen
Knockmay
Knocknagroagh
Kyleclonhobert
Kylekiproe
Kyletalesha
MARYBOROUGH T.
Maryborough
Meelick
Moneyballytyrrell
Ratheven
Rathnamanagh
Rossleaghan
Summerhill
Togher
Tara
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Margaret Connell, baptised 1853 in Pennsylvania has a Godmother called Margaret Connell !
Have you tracked her down to see if there are Irish references and records for her ?!
Tara
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Have you Peter on any census ?
What was his occupation ?
Tara
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Peter Connell was my father's uncle, known as Uncle Tete. (My father was Charles Barrington Williams, son of Bertha Connell). I'm wondering if you ever found answers to your questions. I'm planning to be in Ireland late this month and hope to drive through Maryborough (Portlaois), though I won't have time to do any real research. Regarding Peter Connell's religion, I don't know if he was born RC, but the story my Dad told was that he liked to rile up the other Connells by saying: "Presbyterians, best damned people on earth." So perhaps he adopted his wife's religion.
Since I'm new to rootschat, I'm not sure the etiquette, but would be happy to communicate one-on-one in addition to through the message board.
Best,
Lily Williams
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Actually, let me correct my previous post. Peter Connell and Margaret Burns were my great-great-great grandparents:
Father: Charles Barrington Williams
Grandmother: Bertha Connell Williams
Great Grandfather: Charles Barrington Connell
Great-Great-Grandfather/Great-Great-Grandmother: Peter Connell & Margaret Burns Connell
The Peter Connell I referenced in the last post was Charles Barrington Connell's son (Bertha's brother) Peter (aka Uncle Tete).
Hope that clarifies things.
Lily
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https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0717 Mountmellick
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Maryborough https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0714
Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin | County of Laois
Variant forms of parish name:
Portlaoise
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The above are R.C. REGISTERS!
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Thank you! I look forward to perusing these!