My name is John Joseph Donnellan and I am trying to find my GGF Patrick Michael Donnellan's extended Family still living in Ireland. PM was born in 1828 & raised in, or around the Townland of Tullamore, Killaspuglonane Parish, County Clare, Ireland. My only proof of this is PM’s obituary, in the Chicago Newspapers, that showed he died on 2/7/1902 and indicated that he was from Tullamore, Ireland. We do have a verified fact that, in the 1900 census report, PM immigrated to America in 1840.This would mean that PM was 12 years old at the time of his sailing from Ireland to America and probably indicates that he sailed with his family, because of his young age. We have not found a record of this yet. We also do not have the name of his parents for sure, but the below listed Irish naming pattern does give us some clews. The 1880 census shows that PM had an older Brother James staying in his household and that his Brother James was 55 years old in1880. This would mean that James was born in 1825 and the older brother of PM by three years. PM also had a younger Brother William who was born in 1832.
More than likely the Donnellan Family landed in New York. The earliest that PM appears in Chicago is when he gets married to Mary Kenealy on April 5,1856 at the Old St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 21 East Van Buren Street, Chicago. The 1858 Directory of Chicago shows PM working and living at the Sherman House Hotel, 54 Sherman Street, Chicago. I am assuming that PM’s wife Mary was also living there with him. This same directory shows that PM’s Brother William is also living at the same hotel. Probably PM’s Brother James was there also.
Patrick Michael Donnellan’s Obituary in the Chicago newspapers shows that PM died on 2/7/1902 in his home at 1409 Harrison Street, Chicago and was to be buried in Calvary Cemetery, Benton Harbor, Michigan. PM’s Wife, Mary Kenealy Donnellan died on 12/14/1909, showing a residence of 4115 North Hermitage Ave., Chicago. Mary was buried beside PM at the Donnellan Family burial plot in Calvary Cemetery, Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Names of Patrick’s children, in order of birth are---Edward Born-1/1860*Patrick Born-11/1863*WILLIAM Born-6/15/1864*Mary Born-3/25/1866**Margaret Born-6/1870*John Born-8/26/1971 *Catherine Born-1/1872*Joseph Born-2/11/1876* All of PM's children were born In the Chicago, Illinois area.
IRISH NAMING PATTERN
Sons
1st son was named after the father's father
2nd son was named after the mother's father
3rd son was named after the father
4th son was named after the father's eldest brother
5th son was named after the mother's eldest brother
Daughters
1st daughter was named after the mother's mother
2nd daughter was named after the father's mother
3rd daughter was named after the mother
4th daughter was named after the mother's eldest sister
5th daughter was named after the father's eldest sister
Irish 1800's
THEREFORE, WE CAN PROBABLY ASSUME THE FOLLOWING:
EDWARD BORN 1/1860 PM’S FATHER WAS EDWARD***************************
PATRICK BORN 11/1863 MOTHER’S FATHER WAS PATRICK
WILLIAM BORN 6/15/1864 PROBABLY THIS IS PM’S ELDEST BROTHER’S FIRST NAME ( since the first name of Patrick was already given )
MARY BORN 3/25/1866 MOTHER MARY’S MOTHER
MARGARET BORN 6/1870 NAMED AFTER PM’S MOTHER*************************
JOHN BORN 8/26/1871 NAMED AFTER MOTHER MARY’S ELDEST BROTHER
CATHERINE BORN 1/1872 NAMED AFTER MOTHER MARY’S MIDDLE NAME
JOSEPH BORN 2/11/1876 PROBABLY NAMED AFTER PM’S 2ND ELDEST BROTHER
Any clews as to PM’s relatives still living in Ireland will be greatly appreciated by his extended Family here in America.
Thank you.
John Joseph Donnellan
Friday 12th Apr 2013, 10:41PM
Message Board Replies
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Hello John Joseph
Thanks for message and your interest in Ireland Reaching Out
You have mentioned in your posting that your GGF Patrick Michael Donnellan’s obituary indicated he was from Tullamore, Ireland. I am asking as there are at least four Tullamores in Ireland and I want to ensure you are looking in the right area. If his obituary didn’t specifically mention Tullamore, Killaspuglonane, County Clare; then I would imagine it is referring to Tullamore, County Offaly. This is a large market town in the midlands.
Tullamore, County Offaly also has its own dedicated page, if you would like to post your message there.
http://www.irelandxo.com/group/tullamore-offaly
You could try checking for Donnellans in both Tullamores in the land records called the Tithe Applotment Books (1823-38) http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp or the later Griffith's Valuation (1848-64) http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/
The Tithe Applotment List might be of use to you, or at least interesting for you. These lists constitute the only nationwide survey for the period, and are valuable because the heaviest burden of the tithes to the Established Church, the Church of Ireland, fell on the poorest, for whom few other records survive. The information in the Tithes is quite basic, typically consisting of townland name, landholder's name, area of land and tithes payable. Many Books also record the landlord's name and an assessment of the economic productivity of the land. The tax payable was based on the average price of wheat and oats over the seven years up to 1823, and was levied at a different rate depending on the quality of land. For Parishes where the registers do not begin until after 1850, this information can be useful, as they are often the only surviving early records. They can provide valuable circumstantial evidence, especially where a holding passed from father to son in the period between the Tithe survey and Griffith's Valuation.
Best regards Michael
Genealogy Support
Monday 29th Apr 2013, 01:38PM