I'm looking for more information (marriage or birth records or land records) on my ancestors John McGrath and Bridget Harris (b. 1834?). Bridget was the daughter of Mary McTeague Harris (b. 1810?) of Kilglass, Co. Roscommon, according to incriptions on Mary's headstone. We think John, Bridget, and many McGrath and Harris family members migrated to the US in or around 1850. We are unsure whether John and Bridget married in Ireland or the US. We have been trying to search Irish records ourselves but are still amateurs at Irish records. We did find a John and a Patrick McGrath in Co. Roscommon in Griffith's Valuation associated with a landowner named Thomas Morton, but wonder if that might have been too late to have been our ancestors. Mary McTeague Harris was married to John Harris b. perhaps 1815 - have found no evidence so far of this family in Roscommon. I would greatly appreciate any help! Thank you!
artemisia12
Thursday 28th Jan 2021, 06:43AMMessage Board Replies
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artemsia12:
If the McGraths and Harris families were from Kilglass then likely church records will not be available. Kilglass RC records start in 1865. Earlier records were lost.
The Griffiths Valuation for Co. Roscommon was published in 1855 so the survey was likely conducted in 1854. If the McGraths and Harris families left in 1850 then the records you found were not for your direct line but possibly relatives. However, if your ancestors were still in Ireland in 1854, there is a good possibility that the John McGrath record is your ancestor. Also there were no Harris records but there was a James Harrison in Moyglass townland https://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/roscommon/kilglass.htm
The 1833 Tithe listings for Kilglass parish showed three McGrath records in Drumman More http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/results.jsp?…
Have you considered DNA testing?
Let me know if you have any questions.
Roger McDonnell
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Thursday 28th Jan 2021, 02:37PM -
Thank you Roger! My thoughts exactly - I just found the three records in Drumman More last night. I appreciate the backup! I do think the Griffiths is too late but I appreciate so much your insight on the Kilglass church records. I had done some unfocused looking through whatever I could find from here and was sad to see no records that matched - now I know why! I have done DNA testing through Ancestry and though my mom is very good at interpreting DNA results, I am not. The sheer number of distant matches seems daunting. Do you have any tips or tricks? Are you in the Roscommon area? Thanks so much for your help! Terri
artemisia12
Thursday 28th Jan 2021, 07:43PM -
Terri:
Actually, I live near Baltimore Maryland. My grandmother was from Castlemore parish in Co. Roscommon.
I've tested with Ancestry and Family Tree DNA and have also updated my data to My Heritage and Gedmatch www.gedmatch.com You want to expand your match pool as much as you can.
Do you have a tree on Ancestry? It is a must for keeping track of your various lines.
Ancestry allows you to see shared matches and also you can categorize your matches by your various lines
Roger
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Thursday 28th Jan 2021, 09:42PM