DNA showed that I am Irish - I found my true biological grandfather

[rsippos]

I posted on this site back in February when I was at a dead end in my research to figure out how I was Irish!

Thank you very much to those of you that gave me clues back in February.  I uploaded mine and my fathers DNA to all of the free sites (MyHeritage, GEDmatch, FamilyTreeDNA) as my matches were low on 23andMe and Ancestry.  AND....   I got a great match at 476cM and knew I was about to find out the truth - THAT DAY.

Well, it turns out that I am an O'Leary.  Through a lot of research and deduction, I found that my biological grandfather was James O'Leary (1897 - 1956).  I got a picture of him from a 1C1R on that side.  I actually met with a few O'Learys this summer.  It was great meeting new family members.

I am still not completely sure of the event that occurred with my grandmother, but it points in the direction of an affair and it seems that my father was the only one of seven children.  That is a long story and not really meant for here.

So, my great great grandfather was Jeremiah O'Leary - he actually died in the american civil war.  I think that he arrived in the US some time around 1849 and was living in Massachusetts and New Hampshire for a few years before moving to Pittsburgh, PA, some time before 1860.  I think that he was born around 1827 and most likely his true surname was Leary.  He married Grisham Jefferds (sometimes shows as Grace Jeffers) in Massachusetts I believe.  Also, I believe that Jeremiah's parents were Daniel and Catharine.  I need help finding where in Ireland he came from.  Please help.

My Ancestry pinpoints my Irish roots come from Munster and specifically South West Munster.  See pic.  I am not sure how accurate this is or not.

Any help with finding my roots would be amazing.  If these questions belong in another place, please tell me.

Thank you again for being such a great group on here!

Rich

[rsippos]

Sorry - forgot attachment

[Maiden Stone]

I've just posted on your old thread to suggest that you start a new thread on the Ireland board. I'll ask a moderator to move this thread to Ireland. It will likely be moved tomorrow.
 The area on the map spans parts of 2 counties, Cork and Kerry.
I also suggested a website Irish Genealogy Toolkit http://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com  and resources posted by RootsChat members on the Ireland board.

[Craclyn]

Congratulations on your find and good luck with the rest of your research on your new relations.

[Sinann]

So, my great great grandfather was Jeremiah O'Leary - he actually died in the american civil war.  I think that he arrived in the US some time around 1849 and was living in Massachusetts and New Hampshire for a few years before moving to Pittsburgh, PA, some time before 1860.  I think that he was born around 1827 and most likely his true surname was Leary.  He married Grisham Jefferds (sometimes shows as Grace Jeffers) in Massachusetts I believe.  Also, I believe that Jeremiah's parents were Daniel and Catharine.  I need help finding where in Ireland he came from.  Please help.

Rich

Just picking out the part you need help with.
First it's very common for the O, Mc and Mac on surnames to reappear, usually in Ireland about the early 20th Century but often earlier with people who emigrated.
Unfortunately the information you have so far isn't going to make searching in Ireland fruitful. The names are far to numerous to be sure of finding the correct family.
Ideally you need to find the O'Leary/Jefferds marriage and hope it gives more information on Jeremiah's parents.
There may be some chance if you have the mother's maiden name and can narrow down the search area but records from that period can be sparse or non existence in some parishes.

You can see what records survive (assuming your family were RC) on this site https://registers.nli.ie/
some parishes are searchable by name here https://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/

Almost forgot Jeremiah can also be known as Darby.

[oldohiohome]

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Jeremiah Leary and Gresham Jefferds
married 10 October 1846, Lowell, Massachusetts

no image, so you are depending on someone's transcription of the names, which might explain Grace Jeffers = to Gresham Jefferds.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FCCZ-X89

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Catherine Lary, b Lowell Mass, 9 Jul 1847, parents: Jeremiah Lary and Grace

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZ9B-HFC

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I don't know if the images of the Mass. marriage records for before 1850 are still around. Someone else might know. If so either Lowell might have them, or the Mass State archives.

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Could Grace Jeffers have been the one from Cork or Kerry, not Jeremiah O'Leary? Or both, maybe. I don't know how ancestry gets its results.   Just thinking out loud, right now, Maybe you have eliminated Grace.

[oldohiohome]

here you go:
screen clip attached
In Mass Town and Vital Records, Lowell, Transcripts
Jefferds, Gresham, unmarried, of Lowell, age 22, occupation: operative, daughter of James and Ellen
and
Jeremiah Leary, unmarried, of Lowell, age 25, son of Daniel and Catherine, married 10 October 1846

ancestry link if you have a sub:

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2495&h=81927834&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=fTz2047&_phstart=successSource

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in case you don't have these:
Son Dennis' death record, McKeesport Pa, 20 Feb 1926, says Dennis was born in Concord, NH January 1853 to Jeremiah J O'Leary and Grace Jeffers, both born in Ireland.

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=5164&h=603838696&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=fTz2040&_phstart=successSource

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1860, Mifflin, Alleghany County PA

Jeremiah O'Leary, b 1825,  Ireland
Grace b 1825, Ireland
oldest daughter Catherine, b 1850 Massachusetts
Daniel, b 1851, Massachusetts
Dennis, b 1852, Massachusetts
John, b 1854, Pennsylvania
Mary 3, Nancy, 2, born in Pennsylvania

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=7667&h=3134709&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=5164

[oldohiohome]

Son Dennis and his wife were buried in a Catholic cemetery.
New St Joseph's,

[rsippos]

Thank you!  I have all of this information in my tree so far and images of the marriage as well.  My hope is that I can trace both of these families to Ireland with some help and luck from some sleuths in Ireland.