1834/5 Birth/baptism for a John MCDERMOTT, parents Peter and Mary, in Offaly

[Keith Sherwood]

Anne,
I have to admit that I have plenty of those these days, so you're in good company!
But very interesting what you say, and I think this is the first time that I have had confirmation now that Peter MCDERMOTT and Mary EGAN were John's parents.  I've managed (thanks almost entirely to the efforts of Rootschatters on an Australian thread I started) to discover much of the details of John MCDERMOTT's migration to Australia with the military, and his subsequent marriage there and return to England, followed by his return to the Sydney area with his wife Alice once he retired from the prison service.
When I looked up his Civil Service Evidence of Age just now they only give 1st March 1834 as his birth date, place of birth as Philipstown, King's County.
So now we have you descended from John's son Peter, and Janet descended from John's son Thomas to add to the descendants of his firstborn child Ellen.  It's looking like some kind of family reunion could be in the offing!
Very many thanks,
keith

[shanew147]

Dont know if it's already been mentioned but the town of Philipstown (now named Daingean) is in the civil parish of Killaderry - possibly the reference to Kileadeiry could be a a misreading or mishearing of this ?

Kilalderry civil parish also contains a townland of the same name - located just north of Philipstown.
 



Shane

[annep]

Hi Shane

Thanks, I was just looking on a map and noticed that.

I've been at a dead end with this for the last 3 years so I am dead chuffed to find out where my Irish ancestors were from. Plus I now have a bit more information to go on.

Anne 

[annep]

Hi Keith

Karen mentioned a brother and a godmother. Do you have any more information about them?

Anne

[Keith Sherwood]

Anne,
Well, the Findmypast Civil Service Evidence of Age revealed the very bare minimum for my 10 credits, but it seems as though Karen has access to the original document, containing far more interesting information.
We need to hear from her about these details...
keith

[Allnamestaken]

<< it seems as though Karen has access to the original document, containing far more interesting information.>>

Not that good - as my FindMyPast sub has expired I only have the image print I took from there a few years back. It's a printed form for a declaration under the Act of 5 & 6 William IV, c.62 and the handwritten section runs as follows:-

I, Mary Dalton, Sister and Godmother of the applicant, do solemnly and sincerely declare that John McDermott was born at Philipstown, Kings County, Ireland on the 1st of March and was baptized on the 8 of the same month 1834.
And can state to the fact, by his birth and baptizm (sic) been entered in a family Bible, in my possession until the year 1859.

The declaration is given and signed before a JP at Plymouth on the 15th January 1863.

Needlessly to say, as a serving Civil Servant myself I found it fascinating - John is probably the only member of the family whose profession was and is more unpopular than my own 

[annep]

Ah that's interesting as I have found a Mary Dalton living Plymouth on the 1861 and 1881 census. She seems to be married to Michael and has children Ellen and Margaret born County Down and Newport respectively.  The Isle of Wight BMD index gives a Margaret Dalton born 1851 with the mother's surname of McDermott.

I'm still looking for a marriage and any other children. As Karen said, how we would love to see the family bible. 

[Keith Sherwood]

Karen and Anne,
This is becoming a fascinating dialogue, and the Mary DALTON clue might be a significant help in finding out more about the MCDERMOTT family in Ireland.  I have heard before of much older siblings being godmothers or godfathers to their younger brothers and sisters, so this might suggest that Mary was born some time before 1834.  What is her age given as in the 1861 Plymouth Census, Anne?
And no, I suppose it doesn't get any less popular than prison warder as a Civil Servant, Karen, unless we start to think about the Taxman...
regards, keith

[annep]

Haven't got my laptop here but from memory - on the 1861 she is living in East Stonehouse, Plymouth born 1827 in Ireland. Michael is a nurse at the Royal Naval Hospital also from Kings County born circa 1817. On the 1881 they are living in the same area without any children and he is a pensioner. I think he died 1884 and her in 1888 but I may be slightly out on the dates. 

Can't get any further forward or back at the moment.