Looking for possible ancestors in or around Kilskerry

[Tldubie]

I apologize for not giving all the information.  I am still piecing a lot of it together myself.  Somewhere my daughter found the name Laurence Kelly listed for Mary Jane's father.  There has been some confusion because there is a Mary Jane Kelly with the father Laurence Kelly listed but the mother is listed as Catherine Christie.  Mary Jane listed on the ships log that her mother was Jane Kelly in Kilskeery.  We have found a Laurence Kelly and a Jane Heslan from Scotland that migrated to Ireland, then England and back to Ireland.  There are several siblings listed with Mary Jane being the last child born.  I have no idea if this is the right Laurence and Jane Kelly or not, however, on the Marriage certificate of Thomas and Mary Jane the witnesses are listed as John and Alice McAnespy (?), according to the Laurence and Jane Kelly we found there is an older sister names Alice.  You are right in the fact that Kelly is a very difficult name to trace. 

Thank you all for all your help and it has really helped, still hoping to find living relative.

Teresa

[Sinann]

On the ships manifest the address for where born for Mary and the address for her mother Jane is the same.
I believe it is the townland of Realtons, there is a Jane Kelly there in 1911
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Kilskeery/Realtons/869545/
she gives her age as 73 but this may be incorrect as many people increased their age in 1911 in the mistaken hope it would help them get an old age pension.
She also doesn't claim to have any children. I don't see her in Realtons in 1901, but there is a 50 year old Jane Kelly living with her sister Mary in Derryallen, also a niece of Mary's Mary J aged 18, I think this is Jane and her daughter Mary Jane.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Kilskeery/Derryallen/1740609/

[Tldubie]

Oh my goodness, Thank you so very much.  My daughter and I have been following different paths all day yesterday and just not able to connect the dots.  You just may have!!!

[Sinann]

I can't see a birth registration for Mary Jane but it's possible she was not born in the area or not registered, I think the only way to solve this is to see the church registry of her marriage to Thomas and or her baptism. They may be on RootsIreland (subscription site). It's not certain but the priest may have recorded information about her mother on the church registry and it may be recorded on her baptism who she went on to marry, both these would confirm if she is the correct person, the marriage would also hopefully say who Thomas' mother was which would confirm if we have the correct parents for him. It's also possible the priest recorded some information about her father on her baptism if it can be found.
If not on RootsIreland I would be inclined to contact the church although they are not always helpful.

[Kiltaglassan]

I believe it is the townland of Realtons, there is a Jane Kelly there in 1911
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Kilskeery/Realtons/869545/

Good find, Sinann.

Realtons townland.
https://www.townlands.ie/tyrone/east-omagh/kilskeery/realtons/

It borders to the north the townland of Derryallen (see reply #5).

KG

[Sinann]

William Fyffe doesn't appear to be much help (Thomas' uncle in America) a single man so no marriage to look at and I can't find a death record for him.
Had a look at Thomas' ship record again.
His relative at home, notice it's not a brother or sister ( the Thomas we found appears to be an only child) just a cousin without a first name, transcribe as Mr Gahey, I don't think that is correct I think it's McGahey from Bigh Co Fermanagh.

I think Bigh is also Beagh.
McGahey can also be spelt McGaughey

First Bigh, have a look at this marriage of Margaret McGahey from Bigh, see how she signs her name
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1910/09982/5629880.pdf
The couple in 1911
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Fermanagh/Ballydoolagh/Shankill/515314/
Note her name Maggie Jane (could the servant be a relation!)
I think this is the same girl in 1901
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Fermanagh/Newparton/Beagh/1353116/

I haven't found a birth for either Margaret or Michael (yet) but could Michael be Thomas' cousin.
1911 http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Fermanagh/Newporton/Beagh/519217/

[Sinann]

Not who I'm looking for but there is a Michael McGahey and Bridget Fife in Beigh a daughter think it's Maria Joan. 18 Dec 1875
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000632878#page/5/mode/1up