O'Briens of Clare

Hi Carol:

If you have not checked out the Clare Library, it is well worth looking at as it is a great resource for Clare genealogy.  I had a quick look for you and I will have a more indepth look again.

The website is here:  http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/genealog.htm

I do see a Jeremiah O'Brien family in Killaloe but the dates are in the 1870s and 1880s, and probably too late.

I also see a death for a Jeremiah O'Brien in 1890 aged 74 from Ogonnelloe, but I did not see any births/baptisms with him as a father.

In Ruan/Dysart baptism parish register, I have found a large family with the parents listed as:

John O'Brien  and Anne Pyne (Pine).

There is a Martin born to this couple and baptised on 16 November 1862.  They are listed as residing in Dysart.  

There is also a daughter Bridget born to this couple and baptised on 24 October 1873.  The family address is Carhue.  This is located in the civil parish of Dysart and is most likely the same family.  

You might start there to see if this area is a possibility.  If you know the date of birth/baptism for Bridget, that would be a big help.  If you also know of any other sibling's names, that would also help.

Please let me know if you need further assistance.

You can email me directly at:  jhalloranryan@irelandxo.com.

All the best,

Jane

I was so excited but alas, I don't think we're there yet.  I did some more research on Bridget.  Her projected birth dates in various documents range from 1855-1860.  She immigrated in June 1874 on Brittania.  The ship's manifest said she was 18.  Her marriage cert to Patrick Rohan, 20 Oct. 1887, says she was 29.  The cert says it was a second marriage for him. The US Census 1880 said she was living with a cousin John O'Brien, age 30, and his widowed 60 y.o. mother Julia O'Brien; says Bridget was 23.  The 1910 US Census said she was 50.  So far, I can't find a death certificate for her.

I don't know of any other sibs, nor do I know that there weren't any.  My guess is if there were others, they remained in Ireland.  I learned of Bridget from an elderly relative, since passed, who actually knew Martin and Bridget.  I am pretty confident if there were other local relatives, she'd have known of and mentioned them.  

Can you think of any way that it might help to have the cousin's name and that of his widowed mother?  I coudn't find any more records on them.

Hi Carol;

That is helpful information that you shared about the 1880 Census.  What state did they live in at this time?  That may be a help.  Let me know and I will assist you.

All the best,

Jane

Hi Jane,

They lived in Holyoke, MA.  She worked in a cotton mill.  One thing I read a few days ago- but there aren't online links to the docs- is that some of the mills paid passage for their workers who then worked off the debt.  They also have the payroll records, somewhere.  Not sure if that would provide info to help trace her family but it would be interesting either way.

Hi Carol:

That's very interesting!  I never heard of that scheme about the mills.  You should be able use the Massachusetts Census records and the other sources online through Ancestry.  Do you have an account?

All the best,

Jane