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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Laois (Queens) => Topic started by: beato on Tuesday 27 September 11 07:51 BST (UK)
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Richard WESTMAN and his wife Ellen (nee FURLONG) and 2 yo son Saunders emigrated from Queen's County to Australia in 1840. My research leads me to believe that they came from the area immediately west of Mountmellick in the civil parishes of Rosenallis, Kilmanman and Rearymore. As they were Protestant, I believe it is necessary to focus on the C of I Parishs which cover this area. This seems to be mainly Rosenallis plus Clonaslee after 1814. The C of I Parish of Mountmellick did not start till 1840. Previous research at the National Archives found the baptism of son, Saunders, in the C of I Parish of Clonaslee in Sept 1838 and the baptisms of Ellen's siblings in 1815, 1817 and 1820. There was no success with the marriage of Richard and Ellen (c1837) or of their baptisms (c1809 and c1813 respectively).
I feel that my effort now needs to concentrate on Rosenallis but the previous researcher commented that many pages in the copy held at the National Archives were extremely faint and almost illegible, and I have been trying to confirm that the version held at the RCB Library would be the original, or at least a better copy. Information from the Library is inconclusive. I have also heard a suggestion that the original may be in the custody of the Rector of the Parish.
Can anyone offer any thoughts or suggestions. I am prepared to pay for another researcher if that is what it takes but there seems little point in going over the same copy at the National Archives.
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Perhaps if you can contact the rector of Rosenallis COI, you may get assistance.
The photo below is a sign outside the church in Rosenallis.
Jack
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Contact details on Church of Ireland website-
http://ireland.anglican.org/information/dioceses/parish/15460
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St Josephs Roman Catholic cemetery Mountmellick (Westman)
The list is from County Council Records and listed beside all the names mentioned is RC (Roman Catholic)
Jack
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St Josephs cemetery Mountmellick (Furlong)
Furlong William; 2, (ftr.William) Garoon, 13/5/1931
Furlong Annie; 1 (ftr. John) Main st, (Carers child) 3/1/1938
Furlong Robert; 63, labourer, widower, Garoon, 24/8/1968
Furlong Mary; 68, married, Garoon, 17/3/1948
Furlong Margaret; 80 (COI) widow, Tinnahinch Rosenallis, 14/10/1/974
(I think that is a mistake, Tinnahinch is in Clonaslee)
Furlong Catherine; 70, widow, Derrycloney, 11/2/1979
Furlong William; 76, labourer, Derrycloney, 25/10/1970
Furlong Betty; 52, married, Derrycloney, 12/2/1987
Furlong Leslie; 72, ESB retired, Lord Edward st, 18/3/1995
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Jack
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Thank you Jack for you two messages. It is a good idea to contact the Rector at Rosenallis and I will try to do that.
Regarding the cemetery records, I neglected to give Ellen's parents who were in fact John and Ellen (Eleanor) Furlong and all indications point to them as Protestant rather than RC. Also this seems a new cemetery - all names listed are nearly 100 years after my family.
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A lot of the 'headstones' in Rosenallis COI are flat on the ground and have suffered with the weather over the years and almost impossible to read, but I'm sure the Rector will have records.
Jack
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The Representative Church Body Library in Rathfarnham has Baptism, Marriage and burial records for Rosenallis back to 1801.
Shane
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In the 5 months since my original post I have now discovered Richard's baptism on 1 Jan 1809 in the C of I Parish of Rosenallis, but have still not found his marriage to Ellen Furlong in either Rosenallis or Clonaslee despite the fact that their first child was baptised in Clonaslee in 1838. Also I have now found the marriage of Ellen's parents a few miles across the County border in the Parish of Geashill, County Offaly but cannot find Ellen's baptism despite having found the baptism of her siblings in either Rosenallis or Clonaslee. Any ideas please?
I have also found in the family an interchangeability between the names Alexander and Saunders. Richard's father was christened Alexander but on Richard's baptism is recorded as Saunders. Then Richard's own son, baptised in Clonaslee as Saunders became Alexander after arrival in Australia. Can anyone shed any light on this?
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It's not uncommon for early baptismal records not to record all the children in a family (possibly because details might not have been written into the register at the time).
The name Saunders comes from the name Alexander which is why they were often used interchangeably.
http://www.sandersweb.net/PDF/saunders.html
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Thanks very much for the reference piece on Alexander/Saunders. It was a very interesting read.
I take your point about missing baptisms but surely the same would not apply to marriages. Any thoughts or suggestions on the missing Westman/Furlong c1837 ?
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Which parishes did you search for the marriage ?
Do you know where the bride came from ?
Shane
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Might be worth extending the search to the neighbouring Co. Laois parishes to Rosenallis and Clonaslee / Kilmanman - if they have records back that far. i.e.
Castlebrack to the north,
Rearymore between Rosenallis and Clonaslee / Kilmanman
and maybe
Ardea to the east
Clonenagh/Clonagheen
and Offerlane to the south
Shane
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Thanks Shane.
You are obviously talking about civil parishes. I searched the C of I parishes of Rosenallis which covers the civil parishes of Kilmamman, Rearymore and Rosenallis plus the C of I parish of Clonaslee which covers part of the above but only after 1814. The C of I parish of Mountmellick did not start till 1840 - too late for me.
Re the brides family, as I said in an earlier post her parents were married just across the border in Offaly but their first two children were baptised in Rosenallis, then the missing Ellen, then the three youngest in Clonaslee. So you would have to think I am in exactly the right area but her baptism and marriage are missing.
John
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or before the start of the records for the relevant parish..
Shane
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Hello
Just been speaking (Facebook Messenger) with a likely ancestor in Mountmellick and decided to do some internet searching and came across your posts re Westman / Furlong.
Richard and Ellen were my Great Great Grandparents. Their son John (born in Sydney, Australia) had a son Alexander (my Grandpa) and my Dad, Harold was Alexanders son.
Didn't know anything about my ancestry until my Dad passed away and I did quite a bit of research to trace this back.
Can I ask what your link is to Richard and Ellen?
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Have you looked For Richard Westman/ Ellen Furlong marriage in Roman Catholic registers
It may have been a Mixed marriage.
Jfch
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Dear Westie51.
I am descended from Richard, born 12 Nov 1842 in Sydney NSW, the third son of Richard and Ellen. He married Sarah Ann Roberts at Ipswich, Queensland but lived for many years at Glebe in Sydney. Do you live in Sydney? I live in Brisbane and as you can see from my posts did a lot of work on the Westman family extending back to the area around Mountmellick. I was never able to find the marriage of Richard Sr and Ellen but in answer to jfchaly, I did not consider Catholic registers because I found Ellen's parents and siblings in Church Of Ireland registers.
John
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Hi John
Yes we live in Sydney. I'll have to dig out all the info I discovered as well and share that with you. I know the family lived at Glebe. Before that they lived in the city in Pacific St(I think) which is where the entrance to the harbour Bridge is now. Did you have a copy of the ships records? They came to Australia on the Isabella 18 Oct 1840
My records indicate that your Richard married Sarah Anne?
John and his family moved to Cleveland St near the University and it was there that Richard (snr) passed away after being hit by an omnibus (basically a horse and carriage) - I have a copy of the newspaper report about the accident that I'll dig out and send to you. He passed away aged 65 in 1880.
John then moved to Redfern.
I've been to Mountmellick a couple of times now. I'm in contact with some Westmans over there. It's very interesting tracing your roots back. I do have records for all of Johns siblings and I will try to dig this out.
Are you on Facebook and do you have an email address where I might be able to scan and send some of these artefacts?
BTW - what age bracket are you? Were Richard and Ellen your Great Great grandparents or Great, Great, Great Grandparents?
Sincerely
David Westman
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Dear Westie51,
I have now replied direct to you email which has since been removed.
John