Mathew Dillon and Joana Sullivan / O'Sullivan parents of John Dillon born 1873

possible baptism for John on IrishGenealogy - date is a couple of days different, but is probably baptism date rather than date of birth, parish is Duagh, and parents match - see : here  (you may need to enter a Captcha security code to view the details)

Duagh RC parish is just south east of Listowel parish.

some probable siblings to John - based on matching parents names from extracted civil birth records :

Ellen Dillon - born 24 December 1868
James Dillane - 9 February 1871
(John 1873)
Denis Dillane - 27 February 1875
Matthew Dillane - 13 January 1877
Anne Dillane - 9 April 1879

see here (FamilySearch)

The baptisms for these all appear to be in Duagh RC parish. The child born Feb 1871 is shown as Jane rather than James on the transcript of the baptism on IrishGenealogy - so possibly a typo, or one of the records is difficult to read. There are several Matthew Dillon/Dillane in the parish at this time, including another married to a Johanna, her maiden being Murphy.

There are also a couple of later baptisms of children to Matthew & Johanna nee [O']Sullivan not included in the extracted civil birth collection (these cover up to about 1881)

David 20 May 1882
Joanne 24 April 1885
Mary on 24 July 1887

The records for this particular parish dont seem to include godparents, and none of the baptisms seemed to include a more detailed location - e.g. townland name, but the 1901 census shows a probable match for the family in Duagh town - with Matthew, Johanna, two of their children (David's age matches that baptism mentioned above) and and Ellen Dillon, described as 'mother-in-law', I think incorrectly as she appears to be Matthew's mother 

Matthew and Johanna also appear on the 1911 census in the same town, with Matthew now retired - see : here  The household includes a grandson named 'Mathew Emmett', age 4 and born in America...

Thank you so much! Im just not certain why the surname is spelled DILLANE and why his mother is shown as JoHanna Sullivan instead of JoAnna O'Sullivan. When Mathew got married in Boston in 1900, he listed the surname as DILLON and his mother as JoAnna O'Sullivan. What's up the those changes? Why would he add and O etc? I don't understand.
Are there census or school records from his childhood to follow and compare?
How eould I find when and how he sailed to America if I am not sure of the names?

I appreciate your help.
Laura

O' like Mc or Mac are just prefixes, meaning son of, or descendant of - so can sometimes be included, or dropped, but all the same surnames either way. Changes in spelling are common with surnames and firstnames, often depending on who recorded the details - e.g. the particular registrar or priest. Your Dillons have noted that they speak Irish and English on the census returns, so they could have opted, like some others did, put ther details in Irish.

Passenger records were most commonly kept by ports of arrival, so a search of US records would be required for those. I know there are good records kept by Ellis Island for the New York area for this time, but presume there would have been arrivals in Boston or nearby also..

The two complete census returns for Ireland are 1901 and 1911, and both are available on the National Archives website. Only fragments of earlier returns survive.

Thank you Shane. Good luck with your search Laura!

Best wishes
Clare Doyle
Genealogy Support

Hello again,

Wonder if you may be able to help me find anything on the deaths or burials. They lived in Duagh in the 1911 census. Mathew Dillon / Dillane married Johanna Sullivan 1868. He was a weaver by trade , as was his father also named Mathew. Johanna lived on High St Killarney and may have lived in Sneem. I think they died in Duagh area. They had children: Ellen, Jane, Denis, Mathew, Anna, David, Hanna, Mary, and John Mathew born 1-26-1873. 

John taught school in Listowel. Came to Boston around 1895 and married Ellen Teresa O'Connell in 1900 in Boston. How do I find burials or go farther back to Mathew senior etc?

Ideas?

Laura

Matthew Dillon and Matthew Emmett were probably visting Ireland at the time of the 1911 census.  They returned to America on 09/22/1911 on the Celtic, sailing from Queenstown.  I see it is 2 years since you posted your enquiry and my info may not be of any use to you.  I would be very interested if you could share any updated history on Matthew Dillon?

Hi there.   I may have a connection with the dillon family of the 1911 census in Duagh village.  My grandfather , Thomas Roche married the daughter of retired weaver Matthew Dillon.  HANNA.

 I have a photograph of Matthew Dillon, who emigrated to America.  On the reverse it reads, 'FROM MATTHEW DILLON TO HANNA DILLON'.  Hanna Dillon (now Roche) lived in the family home in Duagh.  She died relatively young, I believe during the period of the 2nd World War.  Thomas Roche continued to live in what was the Dillon family home until his death around 1970.  Unfortunately the home was lost to the immediate family and is now demolished and replaced by a kebab shop!  I have a photograph of Hanna seated outside the family home.

Dillane would have been the original spelling of the family name, probably eminating from europe, most likely to be french. This also applies to the Roche family name, often spelt roach.  Possibly arriving with the Norman conquests. 

Hi Michael,

I would love to see those photos!  I have never been able to find much. What is the address of the house? What happened to Hanna's parents Mathew & Johanna? Are there other relatives? I am so rateful for any info.

Laura

apologies for not replying for such a long time.  hopefully the enclosed attachments are of interest. 

 photograph of Matthew Dillon which he sent to his sister Hanna.   Hanna, sitting in front of the house in Duagh.  Plan of the Duagh property which Hanna was allowed to buy after Irish Land Act.  Previously under ownership of the Fitsmaurice's.    Also found a record of hand written letter -   'there was a man living in Duagh who was a weaver.  His loom is still to be seen in his daughter's house, that is Hanna.  He had a house in the middle of the village. He had a hallway in the front where he worked and his kitchen in the rear. His house was burned by the black and tans'.       Hanna died on April 5 1945 at the age of 59. Thomas Roche continued to live their until his death in 1978.  I always assumed the house was the original Dillon home but having found the letter referring to the Black and Tans and the fire, I wonder if the house was actually rebuilt  after fire damage?