Insearch of family

Emma,

I found this family in the 1911 census in the townland of Ballyscally (near Clogher). Frances is of the right age; he has a sister Agnes but the father isn?t Joseph. There is however a Patrick. There is also a Rose (see wills below).

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Cloghan/Ballyscally/855808/

1901 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Clogher/Ballyscally/1726012/

There?s McElroys & McKennas on the same townland, so this sort of feels as though it might be right:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Clogher/Ballyscally/1726016/

Birth registration only started in Ireland in 1864 and so for births before that you need to rely on parish records. Also births, deaths & marriages in Northern Ireland from 1.1.1922 onwards are not on-line, and so for say Agnes & Rose?s marriages, which I assume will be post 1921, you would need to contact GRONI in Belfast and ask them to search for them.

http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/gro

I noticed the birth of Francis John McConnell in Oct ? Dec 1909 Clogher, Vol 3, page 77 (which is presumably the birth in the 1911 census). Also a John Francis McConnell regd Clogher Jul ? Sept 1912 Vol 3, page 74.

A couple of wills:

Full Abstract :

Administration (with the Will) of the Estate of Patrick McConnell late of Ballyscally County Tyrone Farmer who died 12 December 1912 granted at Armagh to Patrick McConnell Farmer. Effects ?151 1s. 4d. The will itself is viewable on-line and mentions a bequest of ?7 to Rose to cover her fare to America.

http://applications.proni.gov.uk/DCAL_PRONI_WillsCalendar/willsSearchResultsDetails.aspx

Full Abstract :

McConnell James of Ballyscally county Tyrone labourer died 30 November 1924 at the Workhouse Clogher county Tyrone Probate Londonderry 2 March to Patrick McCaughey farmer. Effects ?2.

The above will is not on-line yet. It should be held in PRONI.

Elwyn

What I have found for you using The Irish Family History Foundation or www.rootsireland.com is that your Jospeph was infact a Patrick according to the record of the childrens' births.

To make it more confusing Patrick Sr. and Mary McCarron had 2 sons named Patrick I am assuming the first passed away or they went by middle names.

Church Baptism McConnell Patrick 1857 Co. Tyrone 
Church Baptism McConnell Patrick 1858 Co. Tyrone 
Civil Birth McConnell Mary 1869 Co. Tyrone 
Civil Birth McConnell Peter 1871 Co. Tyrone

There was also a Hugh born 1864

https://familysearch.org/search/record/results#count=20&query=%2Bgivenn…

if the links don't work copy and paste them into your browser.

Patrick McConnell and Catherine McElroy were their parents they married in Co. Donegal 1903 and his father is Patrick and her father is Francis.

There children were as follows:

Civil Birth McConnell Mary Ann 1904 Co. Tyrone 
Civil Birth McConnell Rose 1907 Co. Tyrone 
Civil Birth McConnell Agnes 1908 Co. Tyrone 
Civil Birth McConnell Francis 1909 Co. Tyrone 
Civil Birth McConnell Rose 1913 Co. Tyrone

The census records Elwyn has provided are the correct ones. Agnes McElroy was Catherine's sister I am assuming or of some other relation like a cousin.

I'm also assuming Patrick's middle name was Michael based on the 1911 census. His age was 10 years off in the 1901 census. It was more common for people to be honest about their age in 1911 due a social security income which was offered at age 70 and was not in effect in 1901.

This may be Catherine's birth information:

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FPFV-PGZ

Here are all the children of Francis McElroy and Mary Campbell:

Church Baptism McElroy Michael 1857 Co. Tyrone 
Church Baptism McElroy Patrick 1858 Co. Tyrone 
Church Baptism McElroy James 1859 Co. Tyrone 
Civil Birth McElroy Francis Joseph 1865 Co. Tyrone 
Civil Birth McElroy John 1866 Co. Tyrone 
Civil Birth McElroy Francis 1867 Co. Tyrone 
Civil Birth McElroy Jane 1867 Co. Tyrone 
Civil Birth McElroy Roseanne 1868 Co. Tyrone 
Civil Birth McElroy Catharine 1870 Co. Tyrone 
Civil Birth McElroy Joseph 1874 Co. Tyrone

Civil Birth McElroy Roseanna 1874 Co. Tyrone 
Civil Birth McElroy Agnes 1877 Co. Tyrone

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Clogher/Ballysc…

Here is the death information for Patrick Sr. who died in I am assuming Dec of 1912 and was Register in the First Quarter of 1913 which I think Elwyn already shared:

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FRVW-L2N

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KZ5V-M9S

This I believe is Mrs. Mary McConnell's death:

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FRVW-L2F

Mike

Hi Elwyn and Mike

Thank you for the searches you did. Lots of it made sense. It sounds like my great Grandad was known as Joseph but was actually named Patrick. Francis (my grandad always told us his dad was called Joseph) I guess it's a way of identifying between them. I can now continue my searches on the right track. The information you helped me with has given a better richness and depth to their lives and a better chance of finding out more.

Francis also had a sister called Minnie who became a Nun (Sister Auriel) She worked as a missionary in Africa. Do you have any idea how I can trace her information? I dont know if she died out in Africa and is buried there or if she came back and is buried here. It's harder to search for Minnie as I don't know what her complete name was or even if Minnie was a second or a nick name. I can't find anything under Minnie McConnell.

I've ordered a copy of Francis McConnells birth certificate which should .......hopefully confirm his mothers name and Maiden name.

If you come up with any new information please feel free to contact me and once again thank you for your help.

Best bWishes

Emma

Emma,

Minnie is probably Mary Ann M?Connell, birth registered Clogher Jul ? Sept 1904 Vol 3, page 78.

As regards finding out what became of her, I think you would need to know which religious order she joined and/or which country she died in. Could be a tricky one to explore without some clues. If she died in Northern Ireland, then be aware that the death indexes for 1922 onwards are not on-line, and you have to contact GRONI in Belfast to get them to search for you.

http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/gro

However in my experience, most nuns tended to be buried alongside their colleagues in either the overseas location where they worked or at the ?home? convent in Ireland. So, though she might have died in Ireland, she might not necessarily have done so anywhere near Clogher, especially if there were no family there by that time.

Elwyn

It appears according to the 1911 census in Tyrone your great grandfather also went by Michael. It also appears Mary Ann went by Minnie and the first Rose born in 1907 went by Catherine. It may also be possible the first Rose passed away by the time the second was born in 1913. This was a common occurance in families to reuse a name of a deceased child. In your family they may have named children with the same forename but called them by their middle names or nicknames. I did notice many of the children's names came from siblings of Catherine McElroy.

I am glad we were able to help you in your research. I would trust your family to be Catholic and your great aunt Mary (Minnie) to be a Catholic Nun. I would try finding the church your family was baptized in a likely attended. Contact them and see if there is any record of where Mary went in Africa or try to get any information they may have. You may even beable to contact the diocease which their church belonged and get more information regarding Mary. Catholics were and are very good usually about documenting information so I would assume you will be able to find something rather than nothing.

Happy New Year

Mike Kelly

Pennsylvania, USA