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Hi.  

I am searching for information regarding Francis Gormley, my great grandfather.  He was born in (approximately) 1839  He emigrated to the United States sometime before 1860, as his first child was born in New Jersey in 1860 according to the US Census of that year.  

Unfortunately, Francis did not live a long live.  He died on 31 August 1873/4 in South Amboy, New Jersey.  However, he did not forget his Irish roots and his loyalty ran deep, as his tombstone states that he was 35 years old and of "parish Kilbeggan, co Wertmeath" 

Francis married Ann O'Neill, but it is unclear if they were acquainted while living in Ireland as it appears she emigrated when 9 years old. 

Francis's mother is unknown to me, and I have a single (perhaps unreliable) record that his father's name was Nicholas Gormley.  

Any assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated.  i believe that Francis had his tombstone inscribed as he did so that he would be forever remembered, even in the New World, as someone from Kilbeggan.

Thanks

Jerry Ferguson

Tuesday 21st Apr 2020, 02:07PM

Message Board Replies

  • Jerry:

    Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

    I searched on the subscription site Roots Ireland and did not locate any Francis Gormley baptismal records in Co. Westmeath. I searched for any Gormley baptismal records where the father was Nicholas and found two ironically in Kilbeggan parish. See below. Possibly these records are for sisters of Francis. Maybe you can scan the parish register for Kilbeggan and see if you can find a record for Francis. https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0943

    Roger McDonnell

    Name:Mary GormlyDate of Birth:
    Date of Baptism:10-Apr-1830Address:Not RecordedParish/District:KILBEGGANGender:FemaleCountyCo. Westmeath
    Denomination:Roman Catholic
    Father:Nicholas GormlyMother:Bridget BurkeOccupation:Not Recorded
    Sponsor 1 /
    Informant 1:Luke FinertySponsor 2 /
    Informant 2:Margaret Tevelin

    Name:Elenor GormlyDate of Birth:
    Date of Baptism:03-Jul-1839Address:Not RecordedParish/District:KILBEGGANGender:FemaleCountyCo. Westmeath
    Denomination:Roman Catholic
    Father:Nicholas GormlyMother:Bridget BurkeOccupation:Not Recorded
    Sponsor 1 /
    Informant 1:Patrick KinarneySponsor 2 /
    Informant 2:Mary Hardin

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Tuesday 21st Apr 2020, 03:53PM

  • My ggrandmother was Annie Gormley she had a son Francis she married Anthony Daly

     

    anne laverty

    Tuesday 21st Apr 2020, 04:37PM

  • Roger, Thanks for the registry reference.  I checked 1938-1840 with no success.  In the very last entry for April 1838 there seems to be a Gormly but the handwriting is not very readable.  

    Nicholas does not appear to be a common name so I suspect Elenor and Mary are related to Francis. I'll keep digging. 

    Anne, can you tell me about when Francis was born?  

    Jerry Ferguson

    Tuesday 21st Apr 2020, 06:52PM

  • I remember meeting a Mr Gormley - he was a friend of my late Aunty ands her husband. He would have been from the Ballinagore, Westmeath area roughly. He would have died in the late 1980s and had never married. He may have been buried in Castletown Geoghan (Westmeath) 

    Marie Parker

    Sunday 8th May 2022, 11:15PM

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