Thomas Joseph Frain born Mayo bapstised Sligo and Emigrated to the US in 1896

[Cowboy Dan]

I don't want to hijack your thread. If this should be in a new post, please accept my apologies and move it. I'm one of the clumsy Americans behind whose backs I'm sure you laugh. I mean no offense and hope none is taken. 

New post created from this topic on the Frain Family
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=474524.0

I was told most of my life that my grandfather, Thomas Joseph Frain, was born in Connecticut in 1877. I have learned (or so I'm led to believe) that he was actually born in Mayo, baptized in Tobercurrie, Sligo, and emigrated to the U.S. in 1896. If what I've heard is correct, his parents were Dominick and Mary Roper Frain. I'm only saying what I was told. I'm not sure of any of it.

He moved to Minnesota and raised his family there. The anti-Irish sentiments of the day may have led him to say he was born in the U.S. In 1937, times were hard in Minnesota and they moved to Corpus Christi, TX, where he lived out the rest of his days, and where I was born & raised.

I can see the need to tell such a tale if people won't hire Irish fresh off the boat.

We were in Ireland about a year ago, and I learned how very little I knew of my family's history. I met a very kind man at a family history center and was asked questions to which I didn't know any answers.

A lady at the tourist office in Cong was also helpful, such as she could be. Frain is not a common name in south Mayo, more in the east part of the country and in Roscommon. I needed a map to learn that it really wasn't far away.

If anyone can fill in any of the large blank spots, I'll be very grateful.  If you're a kindly amateur, I'll have my son look you up and buy you a pint when he's in Ireland next month.

Well, I'll ask him to do. He's his own man, young and hardheaded, much like his father, and his. I can't promise that he'll get to Mayo; he'll be two nights in Dublin, two in NI, and a few more on the road. Thankfully, the fires should be out by the time he gets to NI.

I'm thinking I'd like to revisit Ireland, probably next April. Yes, I know the significance. One of my uncles was named Robert Emmet Frain.

I'll definitely visit Mayo. I want to top Croagh Patrick. I tried and failed last time. I'd like to visit the chapel and go to Mass. If you'd like to walk with me, please keep in touch.

Thanks for letting me ramble. Have a great day today and a better day tomorrow.

God bless.

Dan

[aghadowey]

If you aren't sure of his parents' names then how can you be sure you've found his baptism in Ireland?

What about the Thomas J. Frayne age 7 in 1880 Census (Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut)? Parents David & Nora born in Ireland but children born in Conn., also a niece Katie Frayne age 17 born South Carolina.

Death certificate does give his parents as Dominick Frain & Mary Roper (Harold Frain informant)

If he was born in Ireland in 1870s there should be a birth registration. There is this extracted birth for a son Martin in Co. Sligo-
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGP7-NQF

[aghadowey]

Have found a family tree which shows the Thomas J. Frain in 1880 Conn. census as the son of a David Frain (born 1829 Co. Cork) & Honoria Roper (born Ireland). Thomas looks to be the same as the one you are looking for so perhaps the death certificate is incorrect- Dominick instead of David & Mary instead of Honoria/Nora.

[heywood]

Hello,

There is a marriage where Dominick Frain and Mary Roper are on the same page in the civil indexes.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FY73-3YW

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FY74-N6R

As Aghadowey has found that information, how sure are you of the Tubbercurry connection?

heywood

[taramcdsmall]

Hi Dan and Welcome to this site !

Can I just stop and say what a lovely introduction to your family story ?

Beautifully Told 

Tara

[taramcdsmall]

Just adding the link to the death :

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KS1B-426

It's an unusual combination of names, so I'd be working on the presumption that it's one and the same couple.

Now, Dominick & Mary are still in Ireland in 1879 based on the baptism for son Martin (already posted)

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGP7-NQX

So, in my opinion, EITHER the immigrant story is the correct one OR the date given as Thomas' birth is incorrect.

Do we know did Dominick & Mary go to the US ?

Could they have emmigrated AFTER 1879, and say Thomas was actually born in the US in 1880 / 1881 or even a few years on from that ?

Ages are notoriously incorrect on Census and death certs !

Tara

[taramcdsmall]

I take it that this is the emmigration record that someone has worked on !

First name(s)    THOS
Last name    FRAYNE
Gender    Male
Age    19
Birth year    1877
Marital status    S
Occupation    LABR
Departure year    1896
Departure day    20
Departure month    6
Departure port    SOUTHAMPTON
Destination port    NEW YORK

Tara

[aghadowey]

Assuming for a moment that Thomas Frain was born in Ireland in 1877- recorded as 14 Nov.1877 in some U.S. records so either reg. Oct./Dec.1877 or Jan./Mar.1878.

Checking the Irish civil registration index shows two 1877 births-
Thomas Frain, Castlereagh district https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FB39-76F
     probably died in infancy- https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FR14-L57
Thomas Frain Swineford district https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FB39-76X

Now, the part I'm struggling with is if Thomas was born in Ireland 1877 and came to U.S. in 1890s why does he consistantly give his birthplace as Connecticut (rather than say New York or some other state).

[cowboydan]

"Now, the part I'm struggling with is if Thomas was born in Ireland 1877 and came to U.S. in 1890s why does he consistantly give his birthplace as Connecticut (rather than say New York or some other state)"

It's argued that there were or were not "No Irish Need Apply" back in those days. Irishmen had a hard time finding work, regardless. My thought is that saying he was an American rather than a recent immigrant made job searches easier. Connecticut, to a less educated person, might not seem as close to the docks as NYC would have.

He probably kept it up because it's hard to untell a lie like it's hard to unring a bell. It's just a guess; I can't ask him. He died when I was six.

Later this month, or next, I'm going to go to Minnesota to look for birth records for my father and his brothers, his parents' marriage certificate and my grandfather's military & naturalization records.

The immigration document you found is the one I've been looking for for YEARS. Thank you.