John Connelly & Urisa/Urasa/Ursula *COMPLETED*

[wattonkat]

Hi there,

I'm looking for information regarding John Connelly (born about 1810 in St. Helier) and his wife (whose name I have seen in different places as Urisa, Urasa and Ursula, born in Cornwall). According to various censuses, their children (all born in St. Helier) include John Francis Connelly (b. 1832), Mary/Urisa Connelly (b. 1834), Jane Connelly (b. 1838), Arelia/Amelia Connelly (b. 1839) and Francis Thomas Connelly (b. 17 Sep 1841).

Specifically, I am hoping that someone might be able to find details of their marriage, which I am assuming took place in St. Helier around 1830, but could have been elsewhere.

Thank you,

Katrina Fraser
New Zealand

[Hill]

Hi Katrina

I can confirm that the children were baptised on the following dates in St Helier. The spelling is as is!:

John Francis - 20th May 1832. Parents John and Urasa Connelly, god-parents Francis Connelly and Mary Connelly.

Uriss Mary - 26th Jan 1834. Parents John and Urissa Connelly, god-parents Francis Connelly and Mary Connelly.

Aurelia Jane (Connelley) - 26th Aug 1838. Parents John and Uraf Connelley, god-parents John Gove and said mother.

Francis Thomas - 3rd Oct 1841 (born 17th Sep 1841). Parents John, a seaman and Urrasa Connelly, god-parents William Tickle and Elizabeth Mist.

I could not see a baptism with those parents for Jane, although there was one for Jane Elizabeth Connelly on 12th Sep 1841, the daughter of Francois Connelly and Mary Susan de Ste Croix.



John Conelly of St Martin, Jersey, married Urissa Miles of Guennap, Cornwall at St Helier Church, 29th Oct 1831.

Now you will note that in his marriage, John gives his place of birth as St Martin. There is no John Connelly baptised in St Helier around 1810 but there is a baptism in St Martin 7th Mar 1800 of Jean Connelly, son of John (a corporal) and Francoise Gaudin.


All of this rang some bells. Connelly is not a common name and Jersey and I recall doing some research for this name earlier this year. Have a look at http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,464507.msg3283907.html#msg3283907


Stewart

[wattonkat]

Hi Stewart,

Thanks for replying so quickly. It is wonderful to finally have a breakthrough with Urissa in finding her surname at last - that part of the tree has been a bit of a dead end for a while. Much appreciated!

Cheers, Katrina

[ruatorea]

I am a direct descendant of John and Eurassa Connelly.

[wattonkat]

Hi there - do you have any information you can share on this family? From which of their children are you descended? Thanks, Katrina

[ruatorea]

My father was Walter Henry Connelly jnr, son of Walter Henry Snr. and Horiana Haenga
Walter Henry Connelly snr - of John Francis 1st and Louisa Jane Palmer
John Francis  Connelly 1st - of Jean Connelly and Eurassa Moyle
Jean Connelly                   - of John Conley and Francoise Gaudin

[wattonkat]

Wow...does that mean you are in New Zealand? I knew of your grandparents, but I had no idea whether or not Walter Henry Connelly Jnr had any children. My grandmother was the granddaughter of Louisa Jane Connelly, who was the daughter of John Francis Connelly Snr and Louisa Palmer and Walter Henry Connelly Snr's sister. I guess that means we are distant cousins.

[ruatorea]

Such a small world! My grandfather, Walter Henry jnr had my sister, Mary Gillian and myself, Barbara.  Although  I have drawn a line under my research, I don't think it would take much to start again! We met Margaret Fatima (Maggie) in Texas, a grand daughter of John Francis and a daughter of James Francis. James married an Afghan and was disowned by the family for doing so - as was my grand father who married a Maori (a lovely lady). So I've formed certain opinions about the family and blame it all on the French side. Perhaps I'm wrong!! I'm a very healthy widow of 76 yrs and I've just moved to Taupo. I think Louisa is buried in Rockwood cemetery next to her parents?? Could be wrong. I'd love to hear about you too. Kindest regards, Barbara Brown nee Connelly.

[wattonkat]

Hi Barbara,

That is wonderful to hear from a cousin in New Zealand! I am an Australian and moved here to New Zealand so I never expected to have any relatives here until I started looking into the family tree. We are in Taranaki, perhaps we could meet up one day. I am actually doing my husband's tree at the moment but I am always interested to follow up new leads on my own. Actually I wondered how Walter Henry Connelly's marriage might have been perceived by the family, considering the times, that is awful that he was disowned like that. I personally don't know a lot about the family myself, apart from what I've done in research, as it is my father's side and it was always a bit of a mystery. I went to Sydney earlier this year to visit my family and tracked down the grave of John Francis Connelly Snr and Lousia Palmer, it was very grand! I have a photo I can share with you of it if you like. I would be very interested to hear more about the Afghan side, sounds fascinating. I suppose if you have already done research on our family, you would already know about their gold prospecting. I found a book in Australia mentioning John Francis Connelly Jnr's prospecting in Western Australia.

Nice to 'meet' you Katrina