My grandfather was born in 1886 according to most documents I have. My family always knew him as Owen Hughes. His passport and other documents state that he was born in County Armagh, Ireland. I cannot find traces of him there BUT did find records that seem to be his. I think he may have been named Hugh Hughes at birth - named after his maternal grandfather. His marriage documents and death certificate have the names of his parents, Mary McKenna and John Hughes. (I am inferring that he was called Owen rather than Hugh.) I am able to follow the family of John and Mary McKenna from Armagh to Coatbridge, Scotland, which is also where my grandfather lived as a tube worker before emigrating to Pennsylvania to stay with Andrew McShane and later moving to New York where my grandmother, Jessie Bennett Hughes, and his children met him later on.
A discrepancy I have found is that the family of John and Mary moved to Coatbridge before their son Hugh was born. I don't know if that means I have the wrong family attached to my grandfather or if he recorded his birthplace incorrectly for some reason - intentionally or accidentally.
I welcome any connections or thoughts to my research on Owen (Hugh?) Hughes.
*Jessie