I am looking for help in getting more information about my ancestor Frances Knowles. She died 10 Jan 1901 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA. Her death certificate says that she was born 25 Dec 1826 in Ballinhassig, Ireland. The death certificate says her father was Maurice Knowles and her mother was Margaret Condon, both born in Bandon. The 1850 US census shows Frances living as a single person in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The 1900 US census says she came into the US in 1849. Frances Knowles married Joseph Hoeffel 20 May 1851 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA. Family tradition says that Frances arrived in North America at Nova Scotia, Canada as a young woman with her mother and two sisters. Her mother was then a widow. One sister was named Elizabeth (Lizzie). Lizzie, tradition has it, married James Murphy, and they lived in Menominee, Wisconsin or Menominee, Michigan. Tradition says Frances taught school for a while in Nova Scotia before coming to the US. Family tradition alleges a link to Sheridan Knowles. Tradition has also passed down that the mother of Frances was Catherine Plunkett, in contradiction to what is stated on Frances Knowles Hoeffel's death certificate.
Thank you for any help.
Bernie English
Carmel, Indiana
Friday 8th Feb 2013, 02:20PM
Message Board Replies
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Hi Bernie,
Thank you for your message.
Have you tried looking for Frances? birth record? If you could find this it would help confirm her mother?s name. Do you know the family?s religious denomination?
Most Catholic records are held locally so you may have to write to the local parish priest for possible assistance. One website which you may find useful however, is the Irish Times where they give an overview of what records are available in specific parishes. For Ballinhassig parish follow this link:
Bandon parish has a great collection of Church records dating back to 1794. So you may even be able to find her parents? birth/marriage record here.
If the family followed the Church of Ireland, check http://ireland.anglican.org/about/42 and http://www.nationalarchives.ie/.
Records from Bandon and Ballinhassig are also available online at www.irishgenealogy.ie/index.html
Family Search also have some church records online. You can search these here:
Have you tried looking into her emigration to Canada? If you could find her passenger record it may list the names of those she travelled with. For information on immigration records in both Canada and the US go to the following links:
The Library & Archives of Canada - http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/index-e.html
US National Archives/Immigration info: http://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/
Some other websites which you may find useful are:
The National Archives of Ireland http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/
The National Library of Ireland http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx
The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/family_history.htm
Failte Romhat: www.failteromhat.com
Genealogy Links: http://www.genealogylinks.net/uk/ireland/cork/index.html
I hope that this is helpful. Please be patient - as our programme has only begun to rollout across the island of Ireland and volunteers in some areas may not yet be organized.
Kind regards,
Genealogy Support
Tuesday 16th Apr 2013, 10:14AM