Thomas Smith and Mary McFadden

[Revolution]

Hi

Ive started looking into my two ancestors but have not been able to get far.

Thomas Smith and Mary McFadden may have married in County Cavan. They had at least 4 children who emigrated to Australia. More than likely they had other children

James 1838-1969 had no children
Philip 1839-1913 had no children
Charles 1844-1915 married Catherine Doolan in Australia
Margaret 1845-1909 married John Joseph Robert Culhane in Australia

Only one death record states Charles was born in Mullagh, Co Cavan. All other marriage and death records only say Cavan.

Looking at the parish of Mullagh for Catholics (they were Catholic) there are only baptisms, marriages and death from 1842.

Were earlier records destroyed or were the children baptised in an adjacent parish?

Ive looked on Findmypast and Ancestry for Margarets baptism but cant find a record. Ancestry family trees have some incorrect information. Some have Philip marrying and having children. Some have the parents birth dates around 1796 and both dying in 1850 but with no proof of either of those dates.

There are Smiths in the Griffiths Valuation in Mullagh but no Thomas Smith. There are 107 records in Cavan for a Thomas Smith.

Any help would be appreciated

[Revolution]

Some Cavan death records for Thomas Smith

15 December 1875 in Drummickane. Thomas Smith - married age 80. Philip Smith informant.
3 August 1879 in Stradone. Thomas Smith - widower age 88. Patrick McCormack informant
2 December 1875 in Lislea. Thomas Smith - married age 84. John Caldwell informant
29 November 1876 in Aghaloora. Thomas Smith - married age 60. Daniel Smith informant.
16 April 1876 in Drumkillagh. Thomas Smith - married age 68. James Smith informant. (Not this one clearly)
11 April 1878 in Coroncarry. Thomas Smith - married aged 74. Patrick Smith informant.
25 March 1889 in Mullamagavin. Thomas Smith - married age 65. Ann Smith informant
12 March 1889 in Glencurran. Thomas Smith - widower age 64. Thomas Smith (son) informant
21 November 1889 in Corfad, Thomas Smith - married age 65. Rose Smith (Wife) informant
26 February 1888 in Cavan. Thomas Smith - married age 75. Ellen Smith (daughter) informant
8 December 1887 in Cavan. Thomas Smith - widower age 88. James Smith (son) informant.
7 September 1885 in Drumere. Thomas Smith - married age 75. Catherine Smith (daughter) informant.
14 February 1884 in Reaske. Thomas Smith - married age 64. Bridget Smith (Wife) informant
23 September 1881 in Druminduff. Thomas Smith married age 66. Nicholas Smith informant.
8 April 1881 in Croperlough. Thomas Smith - married age 80. John Smith informant.

[Elwyn Soutter]

Few rural RC parishes kept baptism records before the 1820s and many started much later than that.  It’s unlikely that your family were baptised elsewhere. Simply that the parish wasn’t keeping any records for the period you need. No easy way round that.

You should check Griffiths for Smyth as well as Smith. There are several Thomas Smyths listed for Mullagh c 1856 as well as a couple of Marys (A woman listed in Griffiths was often a widow). Spelling of varied all the time in Ireland and you need to approach names with some flexibility. Also worth remembering that Griffiths wasn’t a census. Not everyone was listed. People working as servants, or sharing a house weren’t listed. Likewise folk in properties too poor to be worth listing.

[Revolution]

Thank you Elwyn. Ive just looked at the records for Smyth.