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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: markggillen on Wednesday 28 September 22 12:52 BST (UK)
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I'm looking for my Great-great grandfather Luke Gillen. I'm not entirely sure where in Ireland he's from suffice to say he was born about 1825. I've recently uncovered a relative, Thaddeus Gillen, from Drumcliffe Parish, County Sligo, born on 21 June 1853. Which may or may not point to where my GGGF Luke Gillen came from.
He married a Bridget Burns in the US but I suspect the families knew each other in Ireland. Bridget (or Bridgette or Brigida) was born in Feb, 1828, but where precisely in Ireland is unknown to me.
On Ancestry.com my DNA points to Connacht (Mayo, South and West), or Muenster (Cork, Central and East) but I suspect that's more from my maternal ancestors (Sullivan, O'Malley, Gallagher) than Gillen.
I'm really hoping to gather information about Gillen's in Ireland. It may very well be that Luke Gillen was more Scottish but at this point I just don't know.
Thanks,
Mark Gillen
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Hi Mark
Welcome to RootsChat :)
I am sure you have this, but just adding here as it includes additional details that may help others searching www.findagrave.com/memorial/85038778/luke-gillen
Monica
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Hi Monica,
Yes, I did have his grave site information, via another web site. What's interesting is that my great-great grandmother's surname is Berns not Burns. Through an Ancestry.com DNA link to a Peter Lenahan which genetically led me to an ancestor Thaddeus Gillen and his wife Ann Lenghan (Lenahan). Thaddeus was born around 1820 in County Sligo. I mention him since he's a Gillen and it's he's the first Gillen I've found that actually has some background as to where in Ireland he lived. I'm hoping that my Gillen ancestors had some proximity to one another.
Thanks, Monica! It's great to get a reply!
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Hi Mark, and welcome to Rootschat!
It might be worth your while to contact the contributor to the grave information on the link that Monica posted.
The profile of the contributor states the Gillen family are an area of focus for him/her.
The "send message" is on their profile page, found here: https://www.findagrave.com/user/profile/47561859
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Hi Monica,
Yes, I did have his grave site information, via another web site. What's interesting is that my great-great grandmother's surname is Berns not Burns. Through an Ancestry.com DNA link to a Peter Lenahan which genetically led me to an ancestor Thaddeus Gillen and his wife Ann Lenghan (Lenahan). Thaddeus was born around 1820 in County Sligo. I mention him since he's a Gillen and it's he's the first Gillen I've found that actually has some background as to where in Ireland he lived. I'm hoping that my Gillen ancestors had some proximity to one another.
Thanks, Monica! It's great to get a reply!
And a warm welcome from me too.
Further down on the info about the memorial it says the name is Burns and that her father's name was Hugh Burns.
Of course this has variations
Byrne
Beirne
Burn
etc
On Irish genealogy there is this record for a Hugh Beirne who died aged 66 in 1876
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1876/020596/7226509.pdf
and Hugh Byrne who died aged 75 in 1876
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1874/020671/7253075.pdf
Both are from Co Sligo, interestingly.
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Hi Mark, and welcome to Rootschat!
It might be worth your while to contact the contributor to the grave information on the link that Monica posted.
The profile of the contributor states the Gillen family are an area of focus for him/her.
The "send message" is on their profile page, found here: https://www.findagrave.com/user/profile/47561859
Thanks bbart! Yes, the poster of that contributor is my cousin Kevin Gillen. He's been looking for our GGGF for a while as well.
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Hi Monica,
Yes, I did have his grave site information, via another web site. What's interesting is that my great-great grandmother's surname is Berns not Burns. Through an Ancestry.com DNA link to a Peter Lenahan which genetically led me to an ancestor Thaddeus Gillen and his wife Ann Lenghan (Lenahan). Thaddeus was born around 1820 in County Sligo. I mention him since he's a Gillen and it's he's the first Gillen I've found that actually has some background as to where in Ireland he lived. I'm hoping that my Gillen ancestors had some proximity to one another.
Thanks, Monica! It's great to get a reply!
And a warm welcome from me too.
Further down on the info about the memorial it says the name is Burns and that her father's name was Hugh Burns.
Of course this has variations
Byrne
Beirne
Burn
etc
On Irish genealogy there is this record for a Hugh Beirne who died aged 66 in 1876
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1876/020596/7226509.pdf
and Hugh Byrne who died aged 75 in 1876
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1874/020671/7253075.pdf
Thanks! Yes, In my current family tree version I have Hugh Burns down as my GGGM's father. Today I was researching some records that might indicate her father and mother might have been a Michael Burns and Mary Mourew but I'm not certain that, that's correct. They did have a daughter Bridget but she wasn't born until 1842 and my GGGM was already married by then.
Interestingly that Bridget Burns was from Kiltown Cross Roads, Kilkenny, Ireland which also doesn't fit the profile. The other issue I've run into is that my mother's side of my genetics is made up of Sullivan, O'Malley, and Galagher, so counties Connact, Mayo and Munster. Not sure if my dad's ancestors came from Ireland or Scotland (of Irish descent).
Both are from Co Sligo, interestingly.
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I've recently uncovered a relative, Thaddeus Gillen, from Drumcliffe Parish, County Sligo, born on 21 June 1853. Which may or may not point to where my GGGF Luke Gillen came from.
It was Thadeus' daughter who was baptised on that date. Registers survive for baptisms from 1841 and marriages from 1865.
https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0555
https://www.johngrenham.com/records/rc_church.php?churchid=0555&parish=Drumcliff
There was more than one Thadeus GILLEN baptising children there around that time, unless it is the same person with different wives. I haven't looked to see if the dates overlap.
Debra :)
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I've recently uncovered a relative, Thaddeus Gillen, from Drumcliffe Parish, County Sligo, born on 21 June 1853. Which may or may not point to where my GGGF Luke Gillen came from.
It was Thadeus' daughter who was baptised on that date. Registers survive for baptisms from 1841 and marriages from 1865.
https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0555
https://www.johngrenham.com/records/rc_church.php?churchid=0555&parish=Drumcliff
There was more than one Thadeus GILLEN baptizing children there around that time, unless it is the same person with different wives. I haven't looked to see if the dates overlap.
Debra :)
My bad, Debra. You are exactly right. Thaddeus (or Thadeus) was born circa 1820. His daughter, Brigida, was baptized (not born) on 21 June 1853. His wife was Anna Lenaghan (also spelt Lenahan). I tried attaching the baptismal register but it's too large of an upload. In that register you can also see that an Anna Waters was baptized and her mother was a Gillen (Margaret I think - the handwriting was too indistinct) and the Godmother was an Anna Gillen. The surnames of Waters, Gillen, Dunleavy, and Lenahan etc. show up in a Griffith's Valuation for Drumcliff Parish so I'm hoping that somehow Thaddeus is related to Luke Gillen. I bring up Thaddeus because he is a DNA match I have on Ancestry.com so I feel he's a pretty solid lead to Gillens in Ireland. I'm hoping that he will lead to other Gillen ancestors and quite possibly my GGGF Luke Gillen.
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Thaddeus (or Thadeus) was born circa 1820. His daughter, Brigida, was baptized (not born) on 21 June 1853. His wife was Anna Lenaghan (also spelt Lenahan). I tried attaching the baptismal register but it's too large of an upload. In that register you can also see that an Anna Waters was baptized and her mother was a Gillen (Margaret I think - the handwriting was too indistinct) and the Godmother was an Anna Gillen.
Link to Bridget Gillon's baptism
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000633949#page/60/mode/1up
Sponsors Michael Lenaghan, Catherine Waters.
When was Anna Waters' baptism?
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I'm looking for my Great-great grandfather Luke Gillen. I'm not entirely sure where in Ireland he's from suffice to say he was born about 1825. I've recently uncovered a relative, Thaddeus Gillen, from Drumcliffe Parish, County Sligo, born on 21 June 1853. Which may or may not point to where my GGGF Luke Gillen came from.
What definite information do you have about Luke Gillen?
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I'm looking for my Great-great grandfather Luke Gillen. I'm not entirely sure where in Ireland he's from suffice to say he was born about 1825. I've recently uncovered a relative, Thaddeus Gillen, from Drumcliffe Parish, County Sligo, born on 21 June 1853. Which may or may not point to where my GGGF Luke Gillen came from.
What definite information do you have about Luke Gillen?
Honestly, my definitive information is pretty scant. I know that he was married to Bridget Burns in November of 1844 in the United States, specifically New York City, but on the Ireland side I have nothing. Looking at my genetic makeup there's an interesting development as in I may be more English (United Kingdom, specifically Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) than Irish (39% vs 17%). My father's lineage was more Scottish than Irish but again that may do more to confuse the search than bring anything into more specific relief.
Coincidentally Luke's wife, Bridget Burns arrived in 1842 from Northern Ireland. I've always wondered if Luke and Bridget or their families may have known each other in Ireland. Nothing I've uncovered so far indicates they did but it's a thought.
Name Bridget Burns
Age 18
Birth Date 1824
Departure Port Newry, Northern Ireland
Arrival Date 5 Jul 1842
Arrival Port New York, New York, USA
Ship Name Amelia
Thank you for taking the time to aid in my search.
Best regards,
Mark Gillen
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Honestly, my definitive information is pretty scant. I know that he was married to Bridget Burns in November of 1844 in the United States, specifically New York City, but on the Ireland side I have nothing. Looking at my genetic makeup there's an interesting development as in I may be more English (United Kingdom, specifically Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) than Irish (39% vs 17%). My father's lineage was more Scottish than Irish but again that may do more to confuse the search than bring anything into more specific relief.
Coincidentally Luke's wife, Bridget Burns arrived in 1842 from Northern Ireland. I've always wondered if Luke and Bridget or their families may have known each other in Ireland. Nothing I've uncovered so far indicates they did but it's a thought.
Name Bridget Burns
Age 18
Birth Date 1824
Departure Port Newry, Northern Ireland
Arrival Date 5 Jul 1842
Arrival Port New York, New York, USA
Ship Name Amelia
Have you found Luke on censuses?
A few points on which to ruminate.
New York was a melting -pot as you no doubt know. People from all over Ireland went there. It was the destination of some of my relatives from County Mayo.
Genetic percentages. People on the DNA board may be able to help you interpret them. People have been moving back & forth between Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales for more than a thousand years, sometimes in a mass migration or planned large-scale settlement, e.g. the Plantations of Ulster.
English isn't the same as British. Britain isn't the same as the U.K. Scottish and Welsh people aren't English. People in or from the present state of Northern Ireland can be Irish or British or both or might identify as Ulster Scots.
The state of Northern Ireland was created in 1921 when Ireland was partitioned by the UK government. It contains only 6 of 9 Ulster counties. Donegal, the most northerly county of Ulster wasn't included in the new state. Neither were Cavan and Monaghan.
Newry was the port of departure for Bridget Burns but she may not have been born there.
Newry was a major port connected by canal to a large part of the province of Ulster. It had become the premier port in Ulster and the 4th in all Ireland by the end of 18th century, thanks to the canal. The town was transformed into an international trading centre, trading with America and Europe. Newry was a major urban centre in 19th century, population 13,000, with industries. The most successful period for the canal was 1840s. Thackeray, the writer visited in 1842 and wrote a description, mentioning "Steamers to Liverpool and Glasgow sail continuously" ("Irish Sketch Book")
https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/history/pre-1800/old-newry-history-part-1/
https://www.newry.ie/news/newry-in-1842
https://www.newry.com/history/
Article about emigrant ships from Newry Port with description & history of the port
https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/history/maritme-history/emigrant-ships-brothers/
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Honestly, my definitive information is pretty scant. I know that he was married to Bridget Burns in November of 1844 in the United States, specifically New York City, but on the Ireland side I have nothing. Looking at my genetic makeup there's an interesting development as in I may be more English (United Kingdom, specifically Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) than Irish (39% vs 17%). My father's lineage was more Scottish than Irish but again that may do more to confuse the search than bring anything into more specific relief.
Coincidentally Luke's wife, Bridget Burns arrived in 1842 from Northern Ireland. I've always wondered if Luke and Bridget or their families may have known each other in Ireland. Nothing I've uncovered so far indicates they did but it's a thought.
Name Bridget Burns
Age 18
Birth Date 1824
Departure Port Newry, Northern Ireland
Arrival Date 5 Jul 1842
Arrival Port New York, New York, USA
Ship Name Amelia
Have you found Luke on censuses?
A few points on which to ruminate.
New York was a melting -pot as you no doubt know. People from all over Ireland went there. It was the destination of some of my relatives from County Mayo.
Genetic percentages. People on the DNA board may be able to help you interpret them. People have been moving back & forth between Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales for more than a thousand years, sometimes in a mass migration or planned large-scale settlement, e.g. the Plantations of Ulster.
English isn't the same as British. Britain isn't the same as the U.K. Scottish and Welsh people aren't English. People in or from the present state of Northern Ireland can be Irish or British or both or might identify as Ulster Scots.
The state of Northern Ireland was created in 1921 when Ireland was partitioned by the UK government. It contains only 6 of 9 Ulster counties. Donegal, the most northerly county of Ulster wasn't included in the new state. Neither were Cavan and Monaghan.
Newry was the port of departure for Bridget Burns but she may not have been born there.
Newry was a major port connected by canal to a large part of the province of Ulster. It had become the premier port in Ulster and the 4th in all Ireland by the end of 18th century, thanks to the canal. The town was transformed into an international trading centre, trading with America and Europe. Newry was a major urban centre in 19th century, population 13,000, with industries. The most successful period for the canal was 1840s. Thackeray, the writer visited in 1842 and wrote a description, mentioning "Steamers to Liverpool and Glasgow sail continuously" ("Irish Sketch Book")
https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/history/pre-1800/old-newry-history-part-1/
https://www.newry.ie/news/newry-in-1842
https://www.newry.com/history/
Article about emigrant ships from Newry Port with description & history of the port
https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/history/maritme-history/emigrant-ships-brothers/
Yea, very good point. Fact is though my genetics points to being English, say, it has to be noted that we're really talking "English Isles", or North West Europe more generally.
Love the information on Newry. I have information on Gillens in New York city and it's a pretty impressive collection. And I know, based on marriage records, that Luke and Bridget lived there before moving on to Maryland.
Thanks for taking the time to reply. Wonderful info.
Regards,
Mark Gillen