Keenan Family

[Alma54]

Hi, I wonder if any kind people can help me. I have just had massive setback in my research, which I have spent the last week trying to investigate to no avail.

I have Great Grandparents Patrick Keenan (b. c.1852, Ireland) and Margaret Hughes (b. c.1855, Oldham, Lancashire); I was 100% certain their respective fathers are Edward Keenan (b. c.1828, Ireland) and Malachi Hughes (b. c.1834, Ireland). I have birth and marriage certificates and census documents for my grandmother Alice Keenan (b. 29 June 1888 in Southbank, Middlesbrough and d. 11 March 1918 Happyland, Leadgate, Consett)) which confirm her parents names and origins. I sent for Patrick and Margarets 1874 marriage certificate because I am making a Family History folder for my two sisters. The marriage certificate came back with their fathers names as John Keenan and John Hughes.

Edward Keenan was dead at the time of the marriage and I can't trace Malachi Hughes after the 1861 census. Everything on the certificate appears is correct with the exception of the fathers Christian names, both families are Irish immigrants.

Do you think the fathers names could be wrong on the certificate or am I just clutching at straws and need to do some real digging.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions/help

[rosie99]

Just so we can see the family
1901 census  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSHT-P25

Patrick Keenan   49   Ireland
Margaret    45   Oldham, Lancashire
John Thomas    24   Middlesbro, Yorkshire
Agnes    17   Middlesbro, Yorkshire
Arthur    15   Middlesbro, Yorkshire
Alice    12   South Bank, Yorkshire
Patrick    8   Consett, Durham

How did you establish that Edward Keenan & Malachi Hughes were Patrick & Margarets fathers if you did not have the 1874 marriage certificate

[Rosinish]

I sent for Patrick and Margarets 1874 marriage certificate
The marriage certificate came back with their fathers names as John Keenan and John Hughes.

Edward Keenan was dead at the time of the marriage and I can't trace Malachi Hughes after the 1861 census. Everything on the certificate appears is correct with the exception of the fathers Christian names, both families are Irish immigrants.

Do you think the fathers names could be wrong on the certificate

In a minority of circumstances the info. given on a marriage has been either deliberately wrong or not quite understood (step-father, fall out with parent, made up name if illegitimate etc) but not too often & is believed to be the best source as the info. is given by the couple themselves.

"How did you establish that Edward Keenan & Malachi Hughes were Patrick & Margarets fathers if you did not have the 1874 marriage certificate"

I wondered the same thing?

Annie

[Girl Guide]

Who were the witnesses on the marriage cert and what are the occupations of the fathers?

[Alma54]

Just so we can see the family
1901 census  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSHT-P25

Patrick Keenan   49   Ireland
Margaret    45   Oldham, Lancashire
John Thomas    24   Middlesbro, Yorkshire
Agnes    17   Middlesbro, Yorkshire
Arthur    15   Middlesbro, Yorkshire
Alice    12   South Bank, Yorkshire
Patrick    8   Consett, Durham

How did you establish that Edward Keenan & Malachi Hughes were Patrick & Margarets fathers if you did not have the 1874 marriage certificate

Hi Rosie, through the 1861 census for both Patrick and Margaret, the GRO search for theirs and their siblings mothers maiden name and my grandmother Alice's birth certificate which gave me her parents names and location to search the census.

[Girl Guide]

Alma, can you answer the question I asked you on Reply#3 or do you not have that information?

[Alma54]

Who were the witnesses on the marriage cert and what are the occupations of the fathers?

Hi, thanks for answering. I don't recognise the names of the two witnesses on the certificate and the occupation is correct for Patrick's father (labourer) but not for Margaret's.
My issue is that on my grandmother Alice's birth certificate her parents are recorded as Patrick and Margaret Keenan, formerly Hughes and I can track them both from the 1861 census to the 1901 census but I can't find any evidence of another Patrick Keenan marrying a Margaret Hughes.   

[rosie99]

What was the occupation of Margarets father on her marriage certificate

ADDED Where do you have Margaret Hughes in 1871

[Alma54]

What was the occupation of Margarets father on her marriage certificate

ADDED Where do you have Margaret Hughes in 1871

Hi Rosie, he was a Puddler (stirrer of molten metal) on the marriage certificate, but on the 1861 census he was a Cotton Carder.

Edit: I can't find any of the family on the 1871 census but have Margaret on the 1861/81/91/1901 census. Nor can I find Margaret's parents after the 1861 census.