Meath Ancestry

Dear mlseve

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out and apologies for the long delay in getting back to you.

RC records for the parish of Oldcastle begin in 1789 and outside of these you might consider looking at the Irish Newspaper Archive as the family name is not very common. In some cases there is more to be found in records of the adopted country than there are in Ireland.

As an aside Ancestry were running free online webinars on the subject and there is also a utube video that focuses on this too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWG9w1AvAd4

Best wishes
Clare Doyle
Genealogy Support

Miseve, Five and a bit years on,  Lownds is a name that does occur in relation to Oldcastle.  In 1825, there are four listings for Lownds in the Oldcastle :

RichardLowndsTax Assessment1825Big ReedaghOldcastleMeath
RichardLowndsTax Assessment1825Big ReedaghOldcastleMeath  (Note ; repeat entry, not an accidental copy)

RichdLowndsTax Assessment1825KnocknahattinOldcastleMeath
LowndsTax Assessment1825CortshanmoneOldcastleMeath

One difficulty is that the Tax Assessment only includes those holding leases/ownership.  Labourers are not included, as far as I have been able to ascertain ( correct if necessary )  I have not been able to locate much information on my family ( Of Waltons), but they are definitely there.

Hi mlseve,
I wanted to see if you might have any info regarding my family, or if my information can be of help to your research.  My (USA) immigrant family is Hassett (previously Hassen, Hassan, Hafsen, O hOsain, a few others).  My 3x great-grandfather John Hassett, of Brownstown, Castletowndelvin, Delvin, Westmeath married Catharine Battersby of County Meath - both are of Clonmellon Roman Catholic Parish which includes both parts of Meath & Westmeath (including Oldcastle, Meath).  Catharine Battersby  was possibly the daughter of James Battersby (b.c.1770) & Honor Farmer.  Catherine's sister Ann Battersby (b.1808 Meath, IRE) married James Murray (b. Feb 1805, Killua, Meath, IRE).  I have 6 children for James & Ann Battersby Murray - Patrick (b.1821 Dublin), Mary (b.1836 Brownstown, Westmeath), Margaret (b.1838 Loughabrane (??), Matthew (b. 1839 IRE), Ann (b. 1841 Killallon, Meath), John (b.1842 Killallon, Meath), & Honora (b.1844 Killallon).  There was also a Murray priest for Clonmellon RC Parish, I believe.  This is my mtDNA line -- Hassett --> Battersby --> Farmer --> Smyth.    Cheers from Upstate, New York, USA.  Lizzy

misslizzyjohnson56

If you search Ireland Tithes, you should come across two listings for Hassan ( no Given name ) at Brownstown in the 1820s.

Murray is a very common name in this Co. Meath and Westmeath.  Killua may be Killera. There is a James Murray.

Battersby is a name more common in Meath than in Westmeath.

You appear to have depth of knowledge, If you have already done this work, please accept my apologies.

I appreciate the information.  The name you mention in the tithes MIGHT be Phelim / Felix (?) Hassan / Hassett.  I don't think I've ever looked under Hassan/Hassen/etc.  The Gaelic surname had been O hOsain -- > Hassan, Hassen, Hafsen, and a few other spelling varieties.  Phelim was found as Phelim Hassett in the tithes books for Westmeath, and I believe Catharine Battersby was as well, though I don't have enough information to be certain that is my Catharine Battersby Hassett.  I have dragged through the Irish Catholic Parish Registers and there are a significant amount of Hassetts in the Brownstown area - I believe my John Hassett's mother's maiden name may have been Nellie or Eleanor McCormick.  And the registers showed several illegitimate children whose father was John Hassett, also the sons names (like my 3x great-grandfather), hence there were a pile of John Hassetts .  I have that James & Ann Battersby Hassett lived in both Westmeath and Meath, if my information is correct.  I'm holding out for the upcoming registers they promised to publish in the next year or so.  Stay safe & healthy & be well.  Thanks so much for the information.    Liz in (Upstate) NY, USA  

misslizzyjohnson56         You might like to check this site, unless you are the person, who has so kindly posted the information.    https://www.ancestry.com/boards/surnames.hassen/46        Relevant section of a very long entry  :  Married 26 June 1835 John Hassen, Cathe. Batersby, witnesses John Murray and Thomas Batersby, p.98

Additional, having read anotherof your postings.  Attachment, hopefully, is self-explanatory.

I was aware of the Ancestry posting.  Thanks for that Battersby of Killallon, Meath attachment.   I haven't looked at the tree listings lately:

Christening  6 Oct 1804 • Clonmellon Parish, Meath & Westmeath, Ireland:  Baptism 6 Oct 1804, Thomas, parents James Battersby and Honor Farmer; sponsors Pat. Fitzsimmons and Ann Smyth. H***ghan (?). [Page 62].  

Looking at the listing I have for him on my tree I have 3 hints, all of which say SOME Thomas Battersby emigrated from Dublin, Ireland to New York, USA in 1825 - he would be 21 years old.  Keeping in mind that his sister Catharine, my 3x great-grandmother, married in 1835, Thomas Battersby must have gone to the US, then returned to Ireland.  His baptism record states 1804 and hence there is a fair chance this is he.  There is also a listing for Thomas Battersby 1804-1887 in Find-A-Grave for Oldcastle, Co Meath.  

There are multiple Battersby in the same cemetery, Loughcrew Cemetery, Oldcastle, Co. Meath.  Also see Thomas George Battersby, Esq., 1833-1871, which gives excellent on this Battersby family.  I have not yet totally proven relationship to it, but I see periodic Middleton DNA matches which have left me scratching my head.  In light of this Find-A-Grave profile, I believe they are most likely related.  I do not  yet, however, find any George Battersby in my tree.  Keep in mind that Catharine Battersby and Thomas Battersby's father James Battersby was married twice - first to Mary Lynch (4 children, Mary 1786, John 1788, James 1796, & Mary 1798), and Honor Farmer (5 known children, Margaret 1802, Catharine 1803, Thomas 1804, William 1806, Ann 1808 m. James Murray).  William & wife & children also came to Upstate, NY, USA 1850. One son died fighting in the Civil War.  I have to run but more later.  BTW, there were 2 tithe listings for Catharine Battersby before marriage.         https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/130384747/thomas-george-battersby