Michael McGarry from Co. Roscommon, born 1877

[ROC]

Hi, I'm trying to trace where my Great Grandfather Michael McGarry came from.

The 1911 census lists him as being born in County Roscommon, but I can't locate him on the 1901 census and don't know where to begin in tracing him in that county.

A family member believes he came from Ballymoe, which is in Co. Galway near the Roscommon border, but this information may be incorrect.

Here he is in the 1911 census with my Great Grandmother Sara Mary Gordon from Claremorris, County Mayo:  http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Mayo/Claremorris/Claremorris/706703/

I know that Michael was Roman Catholic, he worked as a Railway Foreman and his job on the railway took him to Claremorris where he met Sara.

According to the census, he'd have been born in 1877 and married my Great Grandmother Sara Mary in 1910.

They had two children, Timothy McGarry born in 1912, and Thomas Gerard (known as Ger) McGarry, born 27 April 1916.

He lived the remainder of his life in Claremorris, County Mayo, with his wife and family.

I believe he died sometime in the 1920s, though I am not sure exactly, I have not been able to source a date of death so far.


I have gone through all McGarrys in the 1901 census but can't match him up to any of them. I've tried variations of name spellings, etc, but no luck.


We erected a headstone on his grave at Ballinasmall Friary/Graveyard near Claremorris, but have been unable to put any dates on it so I'm hoping someone here can help me out.

I'd love to be able to find out where in Roscommon he came from and add his parents and family to my tree.

Attached is a large painting we have of Michael.

Thanks!

[shanew147]

Here's possible marriage references for Michael & Sara :

 Name: Sarah Gordon
 Registration district: Claremorris
 Event type: Marriage
 Quarter and year:   Oct - Dec 1909
 Volume : 4 / Page : 73
 
 Name:   Michael J McGarry
 [same index references as Sarah]

a marriage cert would give Michael's current residence and also his father's name and occupation and might help you locate Michael on the 1901 census...

see :
  Introduction to Irish Records
  Ordering Certs from GRO Roscommon
  Details included on a Marriage Cert


Shane

[ROC]

Thanks for this, that's definitely them, the Gordons are the only family of that name in Claremorris.

Nice to be able to narrow down the marriage year, I will go ahead and get a marriage cert for them as I'm really eager to find out more and expand on the family tree.

Are there cases where the marriage cert doesn't contain parents' names?
I know from looking online at the LDS records that you'll often see the columns for parents' names left blank. I wouldn't like to pay for a cert only to find the information isn't contained on it.

[shanew147]

Other than the extracted collections, the Irish familysearch records are indexes only. The certs will usually show all the details - although occasionally there can be items left out. Unfortunately there's no way to know until you see the photo copy of the record..

Irish marriage certs dont include mother's name, just father's name - see the marriage cert link above




Shane

[ROC]

Okay, thanks for the info, hopefully this will help me along to the next stage.

[myluck!]

the marraige cert will give you an address and Father's name which will help

The following may be him in 1901
As this Michael McGarragh is listed living with all railway staff
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0dg8/

[ROC]

I sent off for the marriage cert yesterday evening so hope to hear something back next week!

Thanks so much for that find, myluck, that is very likely to be him. While I searched for Garry, MacGarry, MgGarry, etc, I never tried McGarragh.

I went through loads of railway staff, but never spotted this guy.

The fact that he's from Roscommon matches up also.

Thank you.

[myluck!]

when you think you have every way a name can be written there is still another one out there!
best of luck

[ROC]

I'm back again.

The marriage cert arrived, and unfortunately Michael put down 'Claremorris' for his residence at the time of marriage, so I still don't know where he is from. I assume he was living there for his railway job before he got married.

Michael's father is listed as Patrick McGarry and he is a Farmer.

Michael signs his name 'Michael J McGarry', he and Sara were married on 11th November 1909 and both are listed as age 33. His profession is Railway Porter.

The marriage took place in the presence of Elizabeth Gordon (that's Sara's sister) and a Michael Jolan or Tolan.

Priest was a Patrick Kilkenny.

I've gone through the census just now and there are several Patrick McGarrys that are farmers in Roscommon that are the right age group to be Michael's father, so I'm still a bit lost when it comes to narrowing Michael down to a particular place in Roscommon.

If any of you could offer me any advice, I'd really appreciate it! Thanks.