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Hello,  First thank you so much for your help in trying to break down one of my families Irish brick wall.  Someone in my family has been trying to do so since 1979 when one of my maternal aunts first put together a tree that goes back several generations.  For our O'Sullivan/Sullivan branch, she was only able to go back as far as my 2X Great Grandparents Ellen Jane O'Sullivan (born about 1838) and John D. Sullivan (born about 1839).  Since that original tree, one of my cousins has been able to go back to the mid-1600s on our French/German/Swiss side.  But no luck on the Irish branches.  

Several years ago I found Ellen Jane's death certificate, and we got a bit more information, her youngest daughter Anna indicated on Ellen's death certificate that her parents were Maurice O'Sullivan and (first name unknown) McHahan. 

Mainly I am in search of Ellen Jane and John D's birthplace.  I am not sure which parish they emigrated from in Ireland, but we do know they were from Kerry at some point. If I can find more information about other generations and maybe John's parents' name, that would be wonderful. 

Here is what we know about Ellen Jane and John D. 

John immigrated to the US in 1861 (per the 1900 US census)

Ellen Jane immigrated to the US in 1862 (per the 1900 US census) with a child named either Daniel or David (b 1861).  We are not sure which port either of them arrived in (New York, Boston, Philadelphia or via Canada).

The first time they appear in a US Census is the 1865 New York State Census in a small town in upstate New York, named Maryland. 

They eventually ended up in Pittsburgh, PA, by the time the 1880 US census was completed.   Between 1865 and 1880 they moved from Maryland, NY by way of Albany, NY, Sayers, PA; Athens, PA, and Somerset, PA.  According to some of the censuses, John D was a Stone Mason.  But by the 1900 census, he was listed as 'a day laborer.'  

Between 1863 and 1880 they had eight more children Ellen, Johanna Josephine, John Darrell, Honora, Maurice Francis, Eugene Francis, Mary and Kate (twins). Their last child was born after they arrive in Pittsburgh Anna.  

John D disappears after the 1900 US census. I have not found his death certificate. 

In the 1910 census, it lists a nephew John O'Sullivan living with Ellen Jane in Pittsburgh.  He arrived in 1906 via Philadephia and departed Ireland from Queenstown, Ireland on the Friesland. The passager list indicates he was from Dromin, Louth. He, unfortunately, died in Virginia on February 3, 1919. According to his death certificate, his fathers' name was Morris (I think it should be Maurice), O'Sullivan.  So my 3X Great Grandparents (Maurice O'Sullivan and (first name unknown) McHahan) had at least two children Maurice O'Sullivan & Ellen Jane O'Sullivan.  

Several years ago I did a DNA test with Ancestry I am approximately 45% Irish, right now Ancestry is saying it is highly probable that some of my Irish ancestors were originally from Munster. Specifically the Dingle Peninsula and North Central Clare.  Donegal is also mentioned, but I know one of my paternal great-grandparents was definitely from Donegal and the other was either from Donegal or Tyrone.  

That is all I have.  

Again thank you so much.  Any information anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated.   

Ellen Miller

ME Miller

Sunday 13th Jan 2019, 02:29AM

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  • Ellen:

    Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

    The free site www.irishgenealogy.ie has Co. Kerry church records up to 1880. I did some searching and found that the parents Maurice Sullivan/O'Sullivan and Ellen McMahon married in Castlemaine in 1823. Castlemaine is the gateway to the Dingle Peninsula so that may tie into your DNA results. In any event, I located baptismal records for six children which are below. Sometime between 1826 and 1833, the family moved southwest to Killorglin civil parish to a townland called Dromin. The RC parish is also Killorglin. NOTE: there could be more children and baptismal records beyond what I located. Ellen was baptized May 5, 1841 and John April 10, 1839.

    Let me know what questions you have.

    Roger McDonnell

     

    Area - KERRY (RC) , Parish/Church/Congregation - KILLORGLIN

    Baptism of ELLEN SULLIVAN of DROMIN on 5 May 1841

    NameELLEN SULLIVANDate of Birth5 May 1841 (BASED ON OTHER DATE INFORMATION)AddressDROMINFatherMAURICE SULLIVANMotherELLEN MCMAHON

    Sponsor 1MARY MINGANE

    Area - KERRY (RC) , Parish/Church/Congregation - KILLORGLIN

    Baptism of JOHN SULLIVAN of DROMIN on 10 April 1839

    NameJOHN SULLIVANDate of Birth10 April 1839 (BASED ON OTHER DATE INFORMATION)AddressDROMINFatherMAURICE SULLIVANMotherELLEN MCMAHON

    Sponsor 1ANN QUINLAN

    Area - KERRY (RC) , Parish/Church/Congregation - KILLORGLIN

    Baptism of MAURICE SULLIVAN of DROMIN on 2 February 1846

    NameMAURICE SULLIVANDate of Birth2 February 1846 (BASED ON OTHER DATE INFORMATION)AddressDROMINFatherMAURICE SULLIVANMotherHELEN MCMAHON

    Sponsor 1BRIDGET MANGAN

    Area - KERRY (RC) , Parish/Church/Congregation - KILLORGLIN

    Baptism of JOHANNA SULLIVAN of DROMIN on 19 January 1833

    NameJOHANNA SULLIVANDate of Birth19 January 1833 (BASED ON OTHER DATE INFORMATION)AddressDROMINFatherMAURICE SULLIVANMotherELLEN MCMAHON

    Sponsor 1JEREMIAH CAHANESponsor 1 AddressNRSponsor 2JOHANNA CAHANESponsor 2 AddressNRPriestNR

    Area - KERRY (RC) , Parish/Church/Congregation - CASTLEMAINE

    Marriage of MAURICE SULLIVAN of NR and ELLEN MCMAHON of CURRAGHMOOR on 9 February 1823

    HusbandWifeNameMAURICE SULLIVANELLEN MCMAHONAddressNRCURRAGHMOOR

    Witness 1TIMOTHY SULLIVANWitness 2EUGENE MCMAHON

    Area - KERRY (RC) , Parish/Church/Congregation - CASTLEMAINE

    Baptism of CATHERINE SULLIVAN of CURRAGHMOOR on 5 March 1824

    NameCATHERINE SULLIVANDate of Birth5 March 1824 (BASED ON OTHER DATE INFORMATION)AddressCURRAGHMOORFatherMAURICE SULLIVANMotherELLEN MCMAHON

    Sponsor 1ANDREW GALLAVANSponsor 2HONORA STACKPriestREV. D. O'CARROLL

    Area - KERRY (RC) , Parish/Church/Congregation - CASTLEMAINE

    Baptism of HONORA SULLIVAN of COURAHMORE on 29 November 1826

    NameHONORA SULLIVANDate of Birth29 November 1826 (BASED ON OTHER DATE INFORMATION)AddressCOURAHMOREFatherMAURICE SULLIVANMotherELLEN MCMAHON

    Sponsor 1EUGENE MCMAHONSponsor 2JOANNA MCMAHONPriestREV. D. O'CONNOR

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 13th Jan 2019, 04:11PM
  • Roger, Thank you very much.  I have done some searches on www.irishgenealogy.ie but because I was looking for O'Sullivan I ruled these finds out in the past, but now I am rethinking that.

     

    ME Miller

    Saturday 19th Jan 2019, 03:09PM

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