My great grandfather was Edward LEONARD. He came to the northeast of England sometime before 1866 from Ireland. He married a lady called Sarah FEENEY, ten years his senior on 24 Nov 1866 at St. Mary's Catholic Chapel, Birtley, near Chester le Street, Co. Durham. He stated that he was 19 years of age. Father: John LEONARD, a labourer. Witnesses: Michael HIGGINS and Hannah BURKE. For whatever reason, Edward married again in 1873 to Bridget Ann CORRIGAN (KERRIGAN) in Castle Ward, Northumberland (my great grandmother). With the 1911 census, I discovered that Edward was from Galway and that fits in with the only other information that I have, which may concern Edward's early life.
I have a very brief, not too well written note to my Mother and Grandmother from a cousin Walter in 1924. The address is Gortroe, C/O Corrandulla P.O. That communication ended shortly after when Walter asked my Grandmother and Mother not to write any longer.
Recently, in my searches, I have combed the nli Catholic registers and have found in Annaghdown on 2 Mar 1847 a baptism for what looks like Edward of John Leon'd and Mary Staunton. Witness: Mrs Staunton (It's on page 75). I have also found (I think) in both the 1901 and 1911 Irish census a Mary STAUNTON with a son Walter age 26 and 39 respectively. I have also found in the nli Annaghdown Catholic Registers a marriage on 27 Dec 1856 a marriage between a John STAUNTON and a Mary BURKE. If John STAUNTON and Mary STAUNTON are brother and sister that would make Edward LEONARD and Walter STAUNTON cousins. Am I making too much up? If anyone has any suggestions as to what I can consider fact and where I go from here, I would be so grateful. I've been researching my LEONARD for 12 years now and would love to find out more.
