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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Tyrone => Topic started by: TonyMcGartland on Monday 10 May 21 15:00 BST (UK)
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Original thread
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=680211.msg5247740#msg5247740
Bridget Rabbitt was born in Co. Tyrone and although I have always assumed she was born Bridget McSorley b. 1823 in Mullaghmore, Omagh, there is also a good possibility that she was Bridget McGurk, a sister of Mary McGurk, who married Patrick McSorley. When she returned to Omagh, after 40 years in the USA, she was NOT buried in the McSorley family plot of 12 graves but directly opposite and followed by her deceased nephew and niece Patrick Rock and Bridget McSorley.
If this is the case, it may mean that fresh searches of Bridget McGurk and her husband, Rabbitt can begin......
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A few questions......
1) When did the 40 years away in the US start & finish or is this family lore (ie has a ring of fact)
2) did she have any children?
3) When looking at the death certificate the death appears to have been reported by J Mc Sorley. You say this is a nephew but is this verified in some way? NB her age at death is shown as 90 so a Dob could be as early as 1818 notwithstanding the stone age of 85years. Similarly A James McSorley owns the houses that she and Patrick McSorley reside in as per the 1901 census.
4 Who are the niece and nephew she is buried with? ie names?
5 On her death cert and census entry she is shown as being of independent means ie annuities. This seems to indicate she was a well off person.
6 There is a Mick Rabbit 24,and a 'Mrs Rabbit', 23, who emigrate to the US from Ireland in 1835, he seems to be a farmer. Not sure if he was the farmer from Michigan with wife Bridget, if so he can possibly be disregarded as on Findagrave his wife is shown as being formerly a Hackett and dying in 1888.
7 where has the verification come from that she returned from the US? Could she have returned from England?
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Shanreagh, in answer to your questions.
1. In the local press, her obituary in 1908 states that she returned to Tyrone 14yrs ago, after spending almost 40yrs in the US.
2. Her obituary mentions no children
3.the obituary reports her nephews James, Patrick and Bernard. They were shop keepers and very wealthy - did Bridget pass her wealth on to them?
4. Patrick Rock and his wife Bridget McSorley
Finally, the report stated she was a Tyrone lady.
Hope this answers your questions
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. did Bridget pass her wealth on to them?
No sign of a will at PRONI.
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When she returned James provided her with a house and when she died looked after her buriel. I've never found a will.
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From Ancestry (McMullen family Tree)
https://www.ancestrylibrary.com.au/family-tree/person/tree/103147933/person/352121193601/facts
'When Bridget McGurk was born in 1818, her father, Mr. McSorley, was 38. She married Dennis Rabbitt on 1 September 1862 in White Plains, New York, USA. They had one child during their marriage. She died on 15 February 1908 at the impressive age of 90, and was buried in Omagh, Tyrone.'
This same tree claims that Patrick McSorley 1813-1893 was Bridget's brother or half brother.
Dennis Rabbitt died on 20/4/1893 in New York. According to this source (above).
According to linked census returns the child's name was Margaret. 1870 & 1880
OP not sure if this is your entry on Ancestry.
On a landholders index a transfer of land from Dennis Rabbit to Bridget Rabbit at Westchester New York took place in May 1892. A transfer from Bridget to John J Joyce and others took place in 1895.
If this was your Bridget then it would explain how she was able to live on annuities etc as she could have received a good return for such close-in valuable land in Westchester.
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Shanreagh, thank you for the reply.
The McMullen Framily Tree has drawn all that information from what I have given it's owner. It is all that I researched over ten years. There marriage to Dennis Rabbitt is speculation and I could never find a source of evidence to prove it.
I have been reading this morning in old newspaper archives that Dennis was a contractor, so there are possibilities of wealth worth exploring, especially the transfer of land, which is very interesting.
Thanks
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Shanreagh - On a landholders index a transfer of land from Dennis Rabbit to Bridget Rabbit at Westchester New York took place in May 1892. A transfer from Bridget to John J Joyce and others took place in 1895.
What is the source of this information?
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Shanreagh - On a landholders index a transfer of land from Dennis Rabbit to Bridget Rabbit at Westchester New York took place in May 1892. A transfer from Bridget to John J Joyce and others took place in 1895.
What is the source of this information?
https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?q.givenName=bridget&q.surname=rabbitt&q.anyPlace=ny&f.collectionId=2078654&count=20&offset=0&m.defaultFacets=on&m.queryRequireDefault=on&m.facetNestCollectionInCategory=on
Added- see newspaper record here-
https://fultonhistory.com
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In case it ties in somewhere:
A Dennis Robbitt (as indexed), died in New York on 20/4/1893, with additional note "Note:
Home for Insane; in U.S. & New York City 41years". Birthplace Ireland.
He was apparently married, but no details of a wife noted. Aged 65, so born c1828. Father and mother noted as a Dennis and Bridget C Robbitt.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2W6H-YFR
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The date of death ties in to the info supplied in the 'family story' on Ancestry and also with the transfer of land to Bridget Rabbit in 1892. What is intriguing is that the notice 'seems' to say that he had been in a home for the insane in US & NY city for 41 years ie from about 1852. So they were married but living apart for periods and this may explain some entries where there is a Bridget Rabbitt living with others.
OP I firmly believe that the mystery of Bridget will come from US sources first that may, hopefully open the door to Irish records.
To save going over old ground could you advise if you have explored history of Margaret (Rabbett) aged 16 in the 1870 census.
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Back in 1908 when Bridgets obituary appeared in our local newspaper I can't imagine why her pre-deceased husband wasn't mentioned - and if she had a daughter called Margaret, did she also die. I haven't looked at Margaret but maybe I should. It may reveal some clues.
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Back in 1908 when Bridgets obituary appeared in our local newspaper I can't imagine why her pre-deceased husband wasn't mentioned - and if she had a daughter called Margaret, did she also die. I haven't looked at Margaret but maybe I should. It may reveal some clues.
If in fact her husband did die in a psychiatric hospital then there could be a reason perhaps not to mention him. Or perhaps she had adopted a courtesy title of widow? and possibly could her maiden surname be Rabbitt?
My view is that the key to finding out more in the Irish records is to 'nail down' her life in the US.
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Here is her obituary, you may see clues I don't.......
Her title Mrs. leads me to believe she was married.
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What does UDC mean in relation to one of her nephews?
A word of warning about the use of Mrs. It was used by women who were not in fact married ie in a church or civil registration. Many because they could not ie they may be living with a person but not been able to divorce the previous spouse or because there new spouse had not been able to divorce. Many women working in homes for others took the title Mrs or said they were a widow. More acceptable to the employers and saved harassment by others if they could claim they were married but a widow.
Your Mrs Rabbitt may have been married officially to Mr. Rabbitt and finding a marriage certificate would confirm this. There is a note about an 1862 marriage but no certificate, yet. Where does the idea of a marriage in that year come from? The daughter may be Mr Rabbitt's and not your Mrs Rabbitt's and that may be why the marriage took place after her birth and why the daughter does not feature later. Do you need to ask the church concerned where their records are or ask someone to do a search for them.
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James was a member of the Urban District Council. Also, the surname Rabbitt is one unique to certain parts of Ireland, normally Galway, certainly not Tyrone.
The facts show that she was living 'on the interest on money' (1901 census), in a house provided by James, her nephew.
James was of a farming background though by the 1890s both him and his brother Bernard had moved into town and established a general hardware store and a public house. They owned many properties and land around town.
Her early life, is somewhat of a mystery. I appreciate your assistance to date in trying to unearth her past.
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In the 1860 census at White Plains NY there is an entry with Dennis 35 years , a 10 year older 45 years Nancy and two children, one of whom is Margarett.
Dennis Rabbitt
35
Nancy Rabbitt 45
Margarett Rabbitt
6
Bridget Rabbitt
14
The next census, 1870, Dennis is there, a Margaret/t is there and a new Bridgett, spouse.
What has happened to Nancy and the younger Bridget?
Nancy has possibly died (NB Nancy can be Ann or Agnes) the younger Bridget may have left home. perhaps the younger Bridgett and Margaret, being step children were not close to their father's new wife?
Have you searched for these children and to find what happened to Nancy Rabbitt? White Plains NY has featured with Dennis and possibly your Bridget.
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Shanreagh, believe me I have been round in circles with almost every possibility, which is why the thread is called 'Bridget Rabbitt Revisited.
Around 6years ago, I went through the original parish records in the church offices. Her death was listed with no other clues.
Her grave sits directly opposite the McSorley family plot. She is first to be listed on her headstone followed by Patrick Rock and his wife Bridget (McSorley). The Rock family originated in Co.Armagh.
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If her husband was long dead and she lived most of her married life in America it would not be unusual that there's no mention of the husband.