Birth family information Mar 1832 and June 1839 please

[ljay]

I am looking for any information on the birth families of two ancestors who were eventually naturalised in Providence, Rhode Island.  Both came from Roscommon.   Details are as follows:

Patrick Hanly born 17 March 1832 - Patrick went to the US arriving on 2 May 1848 and was naturalised on 27 March 1863.  His witnesses at the time were a Patrick Barlow and a Michael Connelly - did all three come from the same area initially perhaps?

John Hanley born 10 June 1839 - John arrived in New York on 1 May 1849 and was naturalised on 1 Apr 1875.  His witnesses were James Hanley and Patrick McDermott - again did John know these two from childhood perhaps?

Thank you for any help or advice you are able to offer and also for taking the time to consider this request.  Ljay

[aghadowey]

Unfortunately to trace the families in Ireland you will probably need a more exact location than 'Co.Roscommon.' Civil registration of births, deaths and Catholic marriages began in 1864 (other marriages from 1845) so you need to search for church records (if they exist) which is why you need to know the parish, if not the townland, in Ireland.
In regard to the question of witnesses- in any Naturalisations that I've found the witnesses were NOT related in any way. I know that on many official forms now (passport, etc.) witnesses must not be related but not sure what the rules were for U.S. naturlizations at that time.

[ljay]

Thank you very much for your quick response and advice.

The only link to a location in Roscommon I have is another birth in Salmons Lane, Ballyleague - would there be any church records available in that area to check out perhaps?

[shanew147]

Ballyleague is about 19km North-West of Roscommon Town

do you know what religion the family were ?

link to Roman Catholic Parishes of Roscommon : http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/browse/counties/rcmaps/roscommonrc.htm

Ballyleague looks to be a very small place, but seems to be in the Roscommon/Kilteevan RC parish




Shane

[ljay]

Hi Shane - thanks for your help with this.  The family were Catholic so I will check out the link you so kindly sent me.  Finding details pre-registration seems quite difficult and it doesn't help that there seem to be an awful lot of Hanlys/Hanleys from Roscommon!!  Ljay

[Coolcam1]

This map shows a chapel being in Ballyleague townland
http://www.leitrim-roscommon.com/MAPS/ballaghRC.html

The Familysearch site has some information but shows no records prior to 1865
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=110065&disp=Parochial+registers+of+Ballagh+%28Roscom%20%20&columns=*,0,0

There was a John Hanley living in Ballyleague in the 1850’s
http://griffiths.askaboutireland.ie/gv4/gv_family_search_results.php?familyname=hanley&firstname=john&countyname=ROSCOMMON&baronyname=&unionname=&parishname=CLOONTUSKERT&submit=Start+Searching
If you click on the map, Ballyleague is at the bottom left of the rectangle. John Hanley lived at 12b which is under the ‘E’ of Cloontuskert.

A mention of the townland should be here
http://www.logainm.ie/Image.aspx?PlaceID=43849&Url=Box+40%5c43849_2.JPG&NoBlock=yes

Hope the links work.

[ljay]

Hi - thank you so much for these links and yes they do all work.  Have also found a John Connolly just round the corner which is interesting as I think my Patrick married a Mary Connolly.  Ljay

[handlemaster]

ijay .. I know this area. If you want more info drop me an email.

[ljay]

Hi - thank you for your response.  My great grandmother Agnes Hanley, who I believe was born in 1862 in Roscommon, had parents Patrick Hanley/Hanly and Mary Connors/Connolly according to her marriage records in Rhode Island.  I think her brother William was born on 20 June 1866 in Salmons Lane, Cloontusket, Ballyleague and I know there was a sister Annie Maria born about August 1867 again in Roscommon.  The family were Catholic but my great grandmother was actually married by a Methodist minister in Rhode Island in 1884 before returning to London, England.  Annie Maria and William did stay in the United States and whilst I have been able to trace the three siblings' lives from that time I have no definite information on the Irish origins of the parents (and death records if they remained in Ireland) or birth records for Agnes and Annie Maria.  Hanley seems to be such a common name in the Roscommon area and I am really at a loss to know how to solve this longstanding brickwall.  Any advice you can offer would be very much appreciated.  Thanks for your help.  Ljay