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Jenny, In case you can't get messages yet (technically you need to have replied to three items, I think) this is our paths from John Giles C (1809-1882). For Herbert it is Edwin Charles C (1842-1910), Herbert Augustus C (1865-1938) and Herbert Augustus C (1907-1995). For me it is John Giles C (1809-1882), Henrietta C (1834-1884), William George Tress (1871-1923), Catherine Scott Tress (1902-1942), Mabel Alice Jones (1926-2016) and me (b 1954). Since Herbert is your great uncle I think you must be descended from one of his siblings: Cecily, Dorothy, Kathleen or William (Eric). Unless Zita (nee Turner) was the one you were related to, in which case we are back to square one. My name is Turner and her maiden name was Turner but we are not related, I'm pretty sure. Geoff

James’ daughter Kate was married in Manhattan in 1895, and the 1905 Census shows everyone in Manhattan, so I think that’s where all the action was in the early years. Mary, who never married, was a governess for a Manhattan family in 1905. Geoff

One witness, wife of applicant (see attached). I don't have James in a 1890 Census. I have only ever seen her called Bridget, but some other family members think she may have been called Bessie as well. I was just trying to cover all bases, that's why I said "perhaps". Bridget's parents were both dead when she married James in 1881. I don't know when James' parents died, but I think sending him first was more likely to be decision based on finances. He was a porter and she was a house servant, and they had three extra mouths to feed (not counting the two infants who died). He is listed on the Furnessia in 1887 as a porter with two pieces of luggage, no family travelling with him. He is a porter on the Irish civil registrations. There is an unconfirmed story that he worked on a news stand in New York until he saved enough money to send for his wife and girls. I have not been able to contact the person with that version of the story. Thanks, Geoff

Hi all,

I have been going around in circles trying to find the emigration of a mother and her daughter and two step-daughters from Ireland to New York. James Doyle and Bridget Brennan (my 2nd great aunt) were married on 7 Aug 1881 in Dublin. It was Bridget's first marriage but James had been married before. His first marriage (from 1875 until 1880 when his first wife died) resulted in three children -- a boy who died as an infant and two girls, Mary (b 1877) and Katharine (b 1878). James and Bridget had two daughters, Annie (b 1883) and a girl who died.

James went on ahead, catching the Furnessia from Moville and arriving in New York on 5 Sep 1887. He then sent for Bridget, perhaps also called Bessie, and the three girls. It is the crossing of the wife and three daughters that I can't find.
 
Katharine married George Worden Keefe in Manhattan in 1895 and died in 1965. Mary never married but was a governess in Manhattan in the 1905 Census. Annie married James Floyd Sloan in Manhattan in 1900 and died in 1936.

James was naturalised in the Superior Court, New York County, on 29 Sep 1892, with Bridget as witness, so I think it safe to assume Bridget and the girls emigrated between Sep 1887, when James arrived, and Sep 1892, which is when we first find Bridget in the US, witnessing the naturalisation.

Annie's death certificate in 1936 says she had been in the US for 47 years, meaning she came to the US in 1889 -- which fits nicely into the target range of 1887 to 1892. So we are looking for Bridget, Mary, Kate (Kitty) and Annie Doyle on a ship in that period.

I have had limited success trying to track down transatlantic voyagers (I'm in Australia). Can anyone tell me the best (free) site to help us track down this group's emigration?

I subscribe to Ancestry.com but my membership level (and geographical focus) does not seem to give me access to the relevant information.
 
All help gratefully received,
Thanks,
Geoff Turner.

Hi all,

This all relates to Castlejordan, which is in a corner of Meath, near Offaly and Westmeath. We have found a baptism of interest for Michael Gaffney on 17 Mar 1834, son of Patrick and Margaret.

https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000635070#page/50/mode/1up

Working backwards to discover the mother's maiden name, we found the marriage on 23 Jan 1827

https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000635071#page/5/mode/1up

The bride's name seems to be HAVY or HARRY. My main question is, which of those seems more likely?
We also found a baptism for John Gaffney on 7 Dec 1827 at Castlejordan, son of Patrick and Margaret, which doesn't help much, except to tell us Michael Gaffney had a brother.

https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000635070#page/12/mode/1up

There is a James Gafney baptism 1 Dec 1843, same place, for which the parents seem to be Patrick Gaffney and Margaret HEANEY

https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000635070#page/83/mode/1up

Finally there is a baptism on 20 Mar 1848 for Joseph. It looks like the parents are Patrick Gaffney and Margaret HENRY.

https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000635070#page/100/mode/1up

It may be that there are two Patrick Gaffneys, one married to Margaret  Havy/Harry and one married to Margaret Heaney/Henry, but both marrying and baptising their children at Castlejordan.
It is 21 years between the first and last baptisms, so it is possible it is all the one couple, and the handwriting is fooling us all along.
We really just want to know the name of Michael Gaffney's mother. Any ideas?
All help gratefully received.
Thanks,
Geoff Turner