RootsChat.Com

Hello, I'm working on the line for my 3x ggf, William Lloyd, b. 1815 in Mathry, Pembrokeshire. I found a baptism on May 2, 1815 for William Lloyd in Whitchurch (about 9 miles from Mathry) to a James Lloyd and Mary (I found a marriage record for William and my 3x ggm, Elizabeth Watkins, and his father's name is listed as James - William also named one of his sons James). I also found an 1809 marriage between a James Lloyd and Mary Phillip in Hayscastle, about 6 miles from Mathry and 9 miles from Whitchurch. I have very little to confirm that James and Mary are my William's parents, but the location and the timeframes mostly match up. My question is whether a child born in Mathry would have been baptized in Whitchurch; 5-10 miles isn't much of an issue today, but I imagine it would have required quite an effort to either walk or find a horse and wagon to make the trip with a newborn (there may have been family considerations that prompted the trip). In short: am I on the right track?

My ggf Michael Casey was born in Tipperary sometime between 1838-52 (there are a lot of variations for his year of birth listed in documents). His parents were Michael Casey and Mary O'Brien. I've done some searches and the only marriage between a Michael Casey and Mary O'Brien I could find was in 1835 in Ballyvistea, Tipperary. I'm not sure if those are my 2x ggps (they might be the only ones with records available online), but one of their children was named Michael (however, they seem to have had two children named Michael, or another couple with the same names in the same tiny townland also had a son named Michael - I suspect the first one might have died and they named another son Michael - the dates are at the far end of the range for my ggf). I drove through Ballyvistea recently and it's mostly empty farmland. Any help with the Casey or O'Brien lines would be appreciated. I have almost no DNA matches from either line and it's proven very difficult to find information.

Patrick McKeon, my great-grandfather, was born in the month of June in either 1855 (1920 US census), 1856 (marriage), 1857 (1900 US census), or 1858 (1881 UK census, Edinburgh).  There is evidence that Patrick's name was spelled "McEwan;" he was also illiterate, so other variations are possible.

Patrick was born to Michael McKeon and Catherine; Catherine's last name was thought to be Dignan, but we are not so sure any longer.  Other records reveal that it could be "Giblin" or something similar - this is currently unconfirmed. 

Patrick self-identified Roscommon on his son's birth certificate, but two other birth certificates reported by his oldest daughter indicated Leitrim as his place of birth.  Since the only self-reported document showed Roscommon, I assume that is correct, but he may have been close to the Leitrim border, or was even born there before moving to Roscommon later in life.

That's all I've got.  I have a lot of information regarding Patrick's time in Scotland and in Boston, but virtually nothing concerning Ireland.  Thanks for any information you can provide.

My great-great-grandmother, Margaret Ward, was born in Mayo around 1834 or 1838.  She was the daughter of Ann (Annie) Maguire and a father by the name of either John, Thomas, or Peter Ward (Margaret's marriage, her daughter's baptism, and her death certificate each listed a different first name for her father).  Margaret had a brother named John Ward (he may have been named after his father, indicating John was his name as well, or he could have been confused with his father on one of the documents). 

She moved to Edinburgh, Scotland by the 1850s and married Thomas Coyne of Longford, where she later gave birth to my great-grandmother, Ann Coyne.  I know I don't have much to go on, but it's all I've got.  Thanks for any help you can provide.

My great-grandfather, Michael Manning, was born around 1867 - his naturalization papers that name Galway as his place of birth also state he was born in 1872, but that was likely so he could claim he was a minor at the time of his emigration in 1889 and avoid paying a fee.

Michael was born to Patrick Manning and Mary Harney.  The Manning surname could possibly be listed as Mannion. I have been unable to determine the names of Michael's siblings, if any.  I received information that a Michael Mannion was married to a Mary Harney in Athenry, but I have nothing to confirm this.  Given the relatively unusual name of Harney in that area, it could be a match.

Mary Barrett may have been from Galway, or possibly Roscommon (the Roscommon connection is speculation).  Her parents were Thomas and Bridget Barrett (Bridget's maiden name was not listed on the only document listing her name).  There are almost no records available on Mary - I can not locate even her marriage certificate for her marriage to Michael - this may be because Michael and Mary were married in Ireland before traveling to America.  However, they arrived in Boston around 1891, the census indicates an 1895 marriage, and they had their first child in 1896.

According to oral history, Mary was illiterate and considered beneath Michael's family, but Michael married her against his family's wishes and was disowned.  I assume this took place in Ireland, but I don't know why they would have left for America and waited 4 years to marry.  In any event, this is a compelling story, and I'm frustrated that I have so little information about Mary and Michael.  Thanks for anything you can do to help.