Ford family, left Westport Co Mayo abt 1847

[JoRuss]

 Hello, I have just found out that my Ford Family left Ireland around 1847, well my 3 x Gt Grandfather Ulick Ford 1803 - 1883, wife Catherine 1800-1882 (no maiden name known), son Patrick 1820-1852, daughter Mary 1828-1895 arrived in New York aboard the 'Finland' 25 March 1847, then moving on to Dixon in Illinois. I have quite quite bit of info on the family that moved to America, thanks to a wonderful man in Dixon at the heritage center there, However, another son, my 2x Gt Grandfather Richard Ford 1823-1882 went to England, Bradford in Yorkshire where he married Ellen O'Donnell, (also from Ireland) 1833-1891 at the catholic chapel in Bradford Yorks. I do not know why he didn't go with them to America, any suggestions would be gratefully received...
As all the early census records in Ireland have been destroyed is there any way I can find out any information about this family?

[oldwestport]

Hi Jo,
You may have a hard time getting any info on the Ford family in the 1840s - that's before births, marriages and deaths had to be registered (1864). But you could still try rootsireland.ie, official site for BMD records, which also has some church records. Ford is a relatively unusual name and not easy to mis-spell, so searching should be straightforward. Have a look at familysearch.org first though, it's free. Also, you could email Clew Bay Heritage Centre in Westport; they have a genealogy service, run by members of Westport Historical Society.
Good luck,
James 

[Skoosh]

Time of the famine, possibly lacked the funds for America.

Skoosh.

[terrilbaby]

Not everyone could go to America...they had a quota system, which only allowed a certain number from each country, and it changed yearly.  My FORD family were married in Ballina 1833 (there are church records for Kilmoremoy), and were in Quebec by 1836, then in Illinois the next year.
I have not been able to find their ship, and I haven't found the rest of my FORDs back in Ireland, but I know at least my ancestor lived in Ballina.  I believe they had family in Lacken, Mayo and maybe other places close by like Claremorris.  They are connected to MEARS, HEALY, HORAN, FOY, MANLEY.
Many went to Scranton PA area from Co Mayo.

[JoRuss]

Hi, Thanks for the added information about the quota's.
Our Ford's could be related, maybe my Ford's followed family out to Illinois, mine settled in Dixon, have only just just found out that they came from Westport, Co Mayo and I got that infomation from the Lee historical society in Dixon, Illionois who put me in touch with the family.
The Fathers name was Ulick quite unusal, still on with the hunt 

[terrilbaby]

We have a very small dna project at FTDNA.com to try to locate our Irish kin.  When my cousin started it, we only knew about FORD & FOY, so she named it "FORY".  Since, we have found some more family and are adding names.  We now know we have MEARS/MEER/MEYERS (same family, different spellings); MANLEY/MUNNELLY; for certain.  Suggested other kin are NAUGHTON/NEACHDAIN; KANE/CAIN; and we are seeing dna matches to individuals who list CARR, COYLE/COYNE, KELLY, FERGUSON, GALLAGHER, GERAGHTY, GARDINER, DAVIS, O'NEILL, CRAIN/CREAN, COX, BRYAN/O'BRIEN, BARRETT, BROWN, MCCARTY, HANLON, HEALEY and many others as ancestral surnames...you are welcome to write to me about the project at Removed if you are interested, or about family in general.  I will try to help!

[terrilbaby]

It is also possible that Westport, which is in the far west of Co Mayo, is the port of departure, but not where they actually lived.  My family arrived in Quebec, then moved on to Illinois, but we have not yet found the ship's record.  Did you find yours?
Your family may have lived further east, near Ballina, or even in Co Sligo.  The city of Ballina used to be split down the middle, with half in Co Mayo and half in Sligo...made lots of confusion for family records and researchers!  I would be interested in hearing more from you about your ancestor, also if you have done dna testing.
email address removed by moderator

[JoRuss]

Hi, Sorry havn't replied sooner couple of late nights at work.
I will write properly at the e-mail address.
I have only fairly recently started to look into my Ford family but find I am getting slightly obsessed with them......
What I do know is they left liverpool and arrived in New York on 25 March 1847 aboard the Finland.
Have to go to work now but should have an earlier finish tonight, so will e-mail when I get home.
Regards
Joanne

[Austin Forde]

Your Ford family offspring still live in the Westport, Louisburgh, area of county Mayo.  My father was also from here
All the best
Austin Ford