Looking for information on my GG Grandfather

Hi Jed, thanks for posting your message here.  I will look into this for you.  Give me a couple of days and Ill see what I can come up with.    

Regards

Doreen

Thanks Doreen, you're awesome!!

Hi Doreen,

I forgot to attach a document I've found.  You may already have access to this, and maybe you understand it because i don't.  :)  I'm also making arrangement to travel there, looking at this summer.  I'm very excited to see that land.

Thanks,

Jed

Hi Doreen,

Sorry for all the messages, but I have more information regarding Thomas.  In a letter from my grandmother regarding Thomas' journey, she mentioned when he came to America he met his Aunt Ruth in NYC.  Apparently she performed on broadway.  I don't know how they're related, and I'm not sure of her last name but I assume it's Watson.

Thanks,

Jed

Hi Jed,

That document you had, is griffiths' Valuation which was a full scale  valuation of property in Ireland between 1848 and 1864. It is one of the most valuable genealogical sources we have for this period.  I have been speaking with a local historian who is also looking into the Watsons for me so hopefully I will have a bit of information for you shortly.  It may take a week or so, but I haven't forgotton about you.

Doreen.

No worries, Doreen.  My father was here yesterday and today, and he was quite impressed with the things I've come up with through your webiste.  I felt very proud!!  Thomas is his great grandfather, and although he was born when Thomas died, he remembers Thomas' wife Lula quite well.  Our family still owns the land Thomas settled on in East Texas.

So, I can't thank you enough for the information you've helped me find just on the internet.  By the way, I'm coming to find out Watson seemed to be a somewhat popular name around there.  So I'm sure your research will take some time.

Best.....Jed

Hi Jed,

A few questions for you about Thomas.  I am trying to locate the exact place (piece of land) where  Thomas came from so that I can arrange for you to visit when you come over this Summer.  I presume that it was Thomas' parents who owned the land as Thomas was only born in 1851. Thomas' father who is also named Thomas is the person  mentioned in Griffiths valuation???   Do you have any idea  where his parents originally came from or if they were from Liscarroll.  I am also presuming that they were Church of Ireland and not Catholic, as the names Sedgewick and Watson are not local catholic names.  There was a well known family of Watsons living in Ballygraddy,Kilbrin, which is a neighbouring parish to Liscarroll..  Garrett Watson was named in ('Grove White Notes, Cork past and present) and I am pretty sure they were related.(see attachment)  So if you have any idea about Thomas parents and where they were married, I can do a bit more research on that side of things.  You also mentioned an aunt Ruth  who lived in NewYork.  Have you any idea if she immigrated from Ireland and when???   Also I am curious to know how you have the exact date of birth for Thomas?  Do you have documetation.  Sorry for all the questions, but just trying to fit pieces of a puzzle together.

Thanks

Doreen.

http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/northcork/grovewhitenotes/ballyandrewtoballygriggan/ballygrady.

http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/northcork/grovewhitenotes/ballyandrewtoballygriggan/ballygrady.pdf

Sorry Jed, this is the link for Garett Watson,  Have a read of it.  Thanks

Doreen

Hi Doreen, hope you are well. 

I'm attaching a photo of Thomas' grave here in Texas.  I'm pretty sure that's how we got the date of his birth.  Although, his wife Lula lived until 1967 and from what my father said he knew her.  Unfortunatley he didn't know a whole lot about Thomas.  He was about 25 yrs older than his wife.  My grandmother (Thomas's granddaughter) sent me a letter in the late 70's that I still have along with a genealogy book that she had written in the front.  She wrote his date of birth and also; Townland - Moyge, Parish - Liscarroll.  Below is a transcript of the letter she wrote:

"Jed,

Granpa was born July 4, 1851 and died January 8, 1917. He came to USA when he was 14. He was put in a boarding school in France when his parents died. He ran off from the school stowed away on a boat and came to America. A Family in Fort Worth Texas taken him in and raised him. Their name was Collins. He taught school for a while and then went to building railroads. He might be listed with the Census bureau. I checked with the archives in Washington D.C. but you have to go there for your info. It is possible that Sedgewick could be Sedwick. He also had an Aunt named Ruth in N.York who played on Broadway. A cousin from Longview came over Sunday and she has traced the old grandma, I looked for her grave in Ark. She is having us all a copy made.

Love
Granny"

This is all the information I'm going on with the exception of the things I find on ancestry.com, which isn't much.  I'm trying to find out more about Ruth, but it looks like Thomas got to the USA when The Civil War began so things are getting difficult.  I'll read over this information you sent me, but from what I gather from the letter Thomas' parents died sometime between 1851 & 1865, so I'm not sure of the relevance.  Thank you for your help with this!!

best, Jed 

I forgot something I noticed on that tenement sheet.  There is a name listed of Robert Watson as a leaser from Thomas Watson.  I could only assume they would be related.  So there would be a possibility of where Ruth may have been involved.  I'll attached it below....thanks again!!

Hi Jed,

What an amazing story.  I have a local historian looking into the exact farm that Thomas came from with the acerage information from Griffiths Valuation, we should be able to find it.  All North Cork and Cloyne marriages and birth records (Cloyne is the Diocese that Liscarroll is in, and North Cork is the part of Cork where Liscarroll is situated) are housed in Mallow Heritage Centre.  I will send you on the link. Unfortunately this is a fee paying service, but I am pretty sure you would find the marriage record of Sedgewick/Watson, Thomas parents and also Thomas Birth record there if they were married in ;the area. You may also find a record of Ruth.   They have both Catholic and Church of Ireland Records there.  However, there is no record of Watsons living in Moygue in the Tithe Applotment Books of 1833.  There are Watsons in the 1901 and 1911 Census in Knockardbane Liscarroll which is a neighbouring townland to Moygue.  Watson is not a common name in the area so there may be a possible connection here. All the Watsons are buried in Knawhill Cemetery which I will send you a link of also.

   http://historicgraves.com/graveyard/knawhill/co-knhl

http://www.mallowheritagecentre.com/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Cork/Liscarroll/Knockardbane/

Chat soon

Doreen

Hi Doreen,

This is very exciting, it seems we're getting really close to finding my history.  The grave  information was really cool!!  I'm going to petition the Mallow Heritage Center to try and find a date of his birth, or maybe his parents.  If I only knew their name, that would be a big help.  Thank you again for all your help on this.  I look forward to coming to Liscarroll soon, it looks like a beautiful land.

best, Jed