Question for you regarding returning emigrants-Kilrush O’Dwyers

[Tees]

Hi Rootschatters,

Before I start looking for baptism and marriage records on my great grandfather’s parents, I have a question that your expertise might help me.

The question is: do the returning emigrants usually return to their native (same) homes that they grew up in? Or living in the different part of the same county?

My great great grandparents left Ireland. I am not sure what year but they did return home after the US Civil War. There was a family story that great great grandfather fought in the Civil War and this was the reason for returning home. They had a son who was born in America. Unfortunately, he did not state where in America on the 1901 Census.

Another question is: Did the emigrants get married first before leaving home or got married in America?

Thank you for your expertise!

Kind regards,

Tees

[dathai]

Lot's of Irish American's returned home to fight in the 1867 Fenian Rising both Union and Confederate

[Tees]

Thanks, Dathai, for adding that tidbit. That happened after Civil War ended in 1865. That could explain it why my O'Dwyers returned to Ireland.

But it does not answer my questions.

1. Would Irish return to their native villiages or townlands or settle elsewhere?

2. Would Irish marry before leaving Ireland? (I am hoping that they got married in Ireland before leaving for America--hence, the question.)

Many thanks for your help in advance,

Tees

[Sinann]

No one can answer those questions, each couple is different.
Some marry and leave, some leave and than marry.
Do you know if they knew each other before leaving, if so they may have married first, some couples ran away to marry, some only met on route, some on arrival. Other times the man went first to get work and sent for the woman to join him. They could have married or not before hand.
People would be most likely to try to return to their own area as they would most likely have family support there but depending on work they may not.

[Tees]

Thank you for sharing your insights with me, Sinann.

It certainly help me to organise my thinking and develop new strategies to find out where they were and where their first batch of children were born in America or in Ireland.

I will ask my cousin to check our ancient family bible again to see if there is any further information or clue that as to where we can look in.

Again, I do appreciate your taking time to reply to my questions.

One certainly learnt something new every day. Now I will share with my cousin about the possibility that our great great grandparents left US because of Fenian Rising. I vaguely remember that he told me that our O'Dwyer fought in the Union Army. He kept asking me to look for him in the army.

I told him there are too many O'Dwyer with same name. I have no idea which is ours.

Will keep you posted if I find something on this family. I managed to find our relative who was born America in the marriage record as well as his children. I did not know what happened to them after that.

Kind regards,

Tees

[Maggsie]

Hi,
Names of your people would help. There are various ways of finding information.
And which Kilrush?
There are 3, there maybe more, in Counties Clare, Wexford or Kildare.
In 1901 there are 7 people listed as born in America, with the name O'Dwyer and Dwyer. The eldest being 22 years old.
Maggsie

[Tees]

Hi Maggsie,

I always thought there is one Kilrush? It's in Clare. Learnt something new today.

7 people listed as born in America in 1901? That's wonderful to know.

As to the names, I do have them in 1901 and 1911 Censuses.

Thomas ODwyer
Margaret ODwyer 

They live in Durha, Kilrush.

James ODwyer

I found him living with his parents in 1911.

Not sure about him in 1901 because of birthplace.

BUT I do find his wife and his children.

On 1911 Census, Margaret stated she had 5 children and 2 living.

I know she had:

James living with his parents in 1911 with birthplace of America (we know him because of 1911 Census and a long letter he wrote to Michael in great details about their parents' deaths)
Michael (my great grandfather) in USA
Martin died in USA due to the train accident (we know him because we have a story about him plus I found his birth cert and baptism)

That leaves us with two children that is not known to us.

If I compute the age of James on 1911, that means he was born in 1864-1866 depending on his birth date.

I am waiting for my cousin to confirm the information for me. I think it is a bit odd that Margaret consistently stated she was born in Co Clare on censuses whereas our ancient bible says she was born in Tipperary??

Also, that she married in 1854. That was recorded in the bible? It does not say where. That's a trouble!

I only found a 1860 church marriage record and few days later a marriage record at the registry office in Kilrush?? Not sure if it is ours without knowing two missing children's names first. This record shows her father as Maurice. Forgot to make a note of Thomas' father on this record.

That's why I am hopeful that I could find them in 1860 US Census but I found the family but three children had names that is not known to me if I were to go by traditional Irish naming pattern. BUT this family had sons named Thomas and James born in New York. But James was born in 1853 which is a bit too old for our James?

I am wondering if 1854 marriage was the first marriage for Margaret OR Thomas as they had two children and one daughter with a very unusual forename.

I think Ancestry do not have all Church records for Co Clare. I tried to find Thomas' baptism--found one but his father is Andrew which tied to my Michael as he had a middle name is Andrew (this was not given to him at the birth or baptism--but adopted it much later in his life--in America).

Hope this information helps you. Looking forward to hear how you find their birthplaces in 1901 Censuses. Hope we have good information to work with.

Kind regards,

Tees

[Sinann]

Hope this information helps you. Looking forward to hear how you find their birthplaces in 1901 Censuses. Hope we have good information to work with.

Kind regards,

Tees

When you use the search on the census
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/#searchmore
see the top right of the search area 'More search options' click on that.
You need to be careful with America as further down there is also United States so it's worth trying both.
Also if they put the state rather then country you could miss them so it's worth trying Other

[Tees]

Thanks, Sinann, for the instructions.

It does not come up anything for 1901 Census?

Kind regards,

Tees