William B Morris and Ellen Forde family

Background:

During the period 1834 -1870s, my Forde family of teachers lived/worked Glengoole/New Birmingham area. Ellen Forde (of Timothy and Mary Common/Cummins) married William Bourke Morris 1872, Gortnahoe. William was a coal mining manager at Earlshill where their family of six were born (baptized Ballingarry)-their eldest of whom was my great grandfather.

William and Ellen moved their family from coal country in the Slieveardagh hills to Thurles about 1883-4 where he worked as an auctioneer until late 1885 when Tuberculosis overcame him to his death 22 May 1887, Stradavoher St. The couple had buried an infant son Edward Michael 22 Nov. 1886- he passed Jail St. in Thurles. (Church has no burial records for father and son). 

Widow Ellen was in a desperate situation as you can imagine. Their eldest son (maybe his brother) had been sent to live with grandfather Wm Morris in Tuam, Co. Galway where he managed a hotel after leaving Earlshill (coal engineer) about the time son Wm and Ellen moved their family to Thurles. 

So Ellen now had care of a fragile daughter (Mary Ellen - age 11) and daughters Barbara (8), Anna (6) and Florrie (4). From Workhouse records (The Source- kindness of Mary G) I found Mary Ellen was placed there (infirmary? School?) in Oct 1887 due to her fragile health and possible disability...most likely would be unable to make the journey and unable to live with the grandfather in Tuam like her 3 sisters would do. M. Ellen passed 5 years later at age 15 from possible heart failure while in class (Inquiry made 1893 by Workhouse Board. I see by this record from the newspaper that there was a Mrs. Cummins (resident?) present. I would like to know if she might have been related to my Wm Morris-Ellen Cummins-Forde family.

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around how could a mother leave her child in such a place (improved 1887-1893 by this time?). I would have some measure of comfort knowing another family member might have been present during M Ellen's time there.

(M. Ellen's  maternal grandmother was Mary Common/later Cummins. She taught school in New Birmingham with her husband Timothy Forde 1846-1870). Possibly my Common/Cummins family of teachers may have been from the Moycarkey/Thurles area - I would like to find this family as records at the time Tim and Mary Common-Forde married (abt.1828-30 first child born 1830 in Cappawhite where Tim taught school before moving to NB) when they would, seem to be non-existant (pages in NLI records look burnt).

Mother Ellen Forde-Morris immigrated to America with her two sons. They lived in Providence, RI near/with two sisters and their families. Ellen passed at age 44 there, Nov. 1894. 

___________________________

Seeking:*Baptismal record for baby Edward Michael Morris son of Wm and Ellen Forde-Morris b. 01 Oct 1885 Thurles.

               *School records between 1883 -1888 for children of Wm and Ellen: Patrick b. 1875; Barbara b. 1879; Anna b. 1881

               *Marriage record in wider Thurles area for Timothy Ford/Forde to Mary Common/Cummin around the time first child

                             Maria born Feb 1830, Cappawhite, Co. Tipperary (Tim is recorded on baptism record as teacher).

               *to find records for/descendants of teacher family Common/Cummin in wider Thurles area. (Ellen's maternal line)

               *Any sense/thoughts about the Workhouse, Thurles 1880s-90s. Could the woman who witnessed 15 yr old M. Ellen's death be related? (WH Board Inquiry into the incident stated witness Mrs. Common "knew the desceased for a number of years; she always looked upon the deceased as delicate..." - If witness was indeed a relative, wouldn't the report have reflected this?)

I am in the process of writing my family history and if I have to make some assumptions, I'd like to be close to the mark in telling the story. Help me to understand the nuiances and circumstances as you consider helping me write my family story. Thanks! 

kathleen from Oregon, US

PS.(I'll be coming back to Co. Tipperary in May if you make research suggestions or would like to meet up) Blessings!