Thompson Keys, Clogher, Tyrone

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Name   THOMPSON KEYS
Date of Birth   10 February 1906
Group Registration ID   292371
SR District/Reg Area   Clogher
Sex   Male
Mother's Birth Surname   KEYS


plus other Keys, Mother's Birth Surname   KEYS   on irishgenealogy site
Mother's Birth Surname   KEYS

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Link to Keys, Mother's Birth Surname   KEYS   on irishgenealogy site
Mother's Birth Surname   KEYS

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01i0j/

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Computer running updates so can't get to see records but here are Key(e)s record on irishgenealogy 1845 to 1919

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01i0k/

[gaffy]

Just heading out, maybe the following will provide a lead.  The 1902 marriage of Thompson Keys to Martha Robinson in Clogher Church of Ireland looks sound because in the civil record, apart from the groom's distinctive name, he was recorded as a carpenter living in Findermore.  The bride was recorded as living in the townland of Mullaghtinny and importantly, her father was given as 'not known'.

(to complete the information, the groom's father was also called Thompson Keys - a labourer - and the witnesses were George McLelland and Maria Leslie)

This may well have been Martha in 1901 under the surname Keys: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Aghintain/Lislane/1726629/

However, there were Keys in Mullaghtinny in the 1901 census (Fleming and Rhoda Keys and family), maybe related: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Clogher/Mullaghtinny/1726117/

In terms of geography, Mullaghtinny is the area immediately east of Clogher village, the townlands of Findermore and Aghintain lie to the other side, about 1.5 miles SW and 2.5 miles W respectively.

Finally, note that a Martha Jane Robinson was born in Clogher Workhouse on 20 August 1878, father unknown, mother given as Rhoda Robinson.  Rhoda isn't / wasn't a hugely common forename in Ireland... it all raises some interesting possibilities.
 
Edited to add: Someone also called Rhoda Robinson, living in Killygordon, had a daughter Elizabeth on 29 April 1876, again the father was unknown. And in relation to Fleming and Rhoda Keys in the 1901 census, while I can't yet find a marriage, there were births registered in Omagh to potentially fit children William and John - the mother's maiden name was Robinson (available online via GRONI website) .
 
Rhoda Keys and sons in 1911: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Cloghan/Mullaghtinny/855919/

[aghadowey]

A word of caution when searching for children with parents both called Keys- the civil index will also list  illegitimate children with mother Keys as Keys so they will appear in your searches.

Here's a very recent death notice which caught me eye as it mentions a Rhoda Keyes and deaceased lived in Clogher-
https://www.funeraltimes.com/janekeys614033879
Wonder if her father John is Rhoda Keys' son John here-
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Cloghan/Mullaghtinny/855919
and does this probate item belong to this family?
Keys Thompson of Station Road Clogher county Tyrone old age pensioner died 1 October 1958 Administration Londonderry 12 January to John Keys gentleman. Effects £127 1s.

[gaffy]

Other siblings of William, Thompson, Mary and Lena Keys:

- Joseph Keys born 25 January 1915; and
- Charles Keys born 2 February 1917.

In both cases the parents were given as Thompson Keys (carpenter) and Martha Jane Keys of Findermore.

[gaffy]

Regarding Thompson Keys himself (husband of Martha Jane Robinson / Keys), the 1901 census shows him as a 30 year old, the son of Mary, the 1911 census shows him as a 50 year old, the 1902 marriage to Martha Jane shows his father was called the same name.

Just a possibility, but a Thompson Keys was born on 12 November 1865 to parents Thompson Keys (labourer) and Mary Patterson living at Daisy Hill (placename and hill in Lisboy townland). This couple also had a daughter Ellenor Keys on 10 December 1867 (same Daisy Hill address) - fast forward to 1891 when an Ellen Elizabeth Keys living in Findermore with father called Thompson Keys (labourer) married a William Buchanan in Clogher Church of Ireland.

Thompson Keys and Mary Patterson got married in Clogher Presbyterian Church on 18 July 1848, the groom was living in the townland of Bolies, the bride in the townland of Cavanacark (all still in Clogher Civil Parish), both fathers were farmers, hers was called John Patterson, his was called... Thompson Keys. 

The PRONI Will Calendars index shows the following administration case, maybe related:

Letters of Administration of the personal estate of Thompson Keys late of Bolies County Tyrone Farmer deceased who died 1 December 1877 at same place were granted at Armagh to Charles Keys of Bolies (Clogher Aughantane) aforesaid Farmer the Son and next of kin of said deceased. (GRONI death record reported age was 86)

[gaffy]

And while the mention of Thompson Keys of Bolies is still fresh, just to note the following marriage. On 14 July 1864 in Fintona Presbyterian Church, Margaret Foster of Draughton (CP of Donacavey), the daughter of farmer Alexander Foster, married someone with the quite singular name of... Fleming Keys, of Bolies, the son of farmer Thompson Keys.

[maisiemo]

I am very inexperienced compared to everyone helping me, so please forgive me if I make wrong assumptions.  To go back to where I started with Mary Keys, I knew her DOB, and Mary had named the first family house in England that she and George owned "Clogher" so I took a chance on that being her home district in Ireland and requested her birth certificate from the Civil Registration Service in Dublin. 

Mary's birth certificate shows her father as Thompson Keys, Findermore (carpenter) and her mother as Martha Jane Keys, formerly Keys.  Mary was born at Findermore on 22 Oct 1908.  Is this document absolute proof that these facts are correct?  This is really all I had to go on, and what I have used as the baseline of my research. 

Gaffy, I am intrigued by your possibility of another Thompson Keys and wife Mary Patterson.  I suppose what I am asking is does the birth certificate I hold mean that Mary Patterson could not have been my Mary Keys mother?