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Hello,

I have been doing research for several months now and have run into a dead end. Really hoping to find some help! Looking for my great grandmothers family. Her name was Mary A Bowe and she was born in Freshford, Kilkenny. She was born January 23 1896 and died February 1 1976. She moved to America (by herself) passing through ellis island when she was around 14. I was told she lived with an Aunt Bea for a little before getting to, and spending the rest of her life living in Salem, Mass. I found her marriage certificate to my great grandfather, Joseph Joly. Listed were her parents names, Michael Bowe and Mary Fitzpatrick. Their names were also on her SSN death index that I found. I found the 1901 census that has her listed with several brothers and sisters, and then the 1911 census that has just her parents and their granddaughter listed. The 1911 census also confirms what my grandfather had told me, she had 16 siblings. Though it also notes that only 7 of those 16 were still living. I've only been able to locate a potential 7 (most listed on 1901 census). And so this is where I'm hopeful to find help from someone.

Some years back, my grandfather, William "Billy" Joly, visited Kilkenny. If my memory serves my correct, he said he just knocked on some cousins door and stayed for a week or so. So I don't know who he would have gotten actual information from, and I don't remember hearing much about family memeber. Just that he spent a lot of time at the pub getting drunk with tourists (and missing his tours he'd signed up for). He has since passed, so I am left to discover on my own. Not that he shared much anyway...just that he thought his mom was the best. 

I really appreciate any info that anyone can provide!

Jennifer Griffin

 

Friday 18th Dec 2015, 08:40PM

Message Board Replies

  • Jennifer:

    Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

    You may want to look at the Ellis Island site www.ellisisland.org  to see if you find exactly when Mary came to NYC and possibly there is other information regarding her family contact in Ireland as well as more info on where Aunt Bea was living in NYC.

    I checked the online phone book and did not see any Bowe entries in Freshford. The online phone book does not have cell phone users.

    I looked at civil death index records in the Kilkenny registration district which included Freshford and saw the record below for Michael Bowe which might be your ancestor. There were two possible Mary Bowe death index records. One for 1914 and another for 1929. You can get copies of the actual record for around 4 euros each and the name of an informant will be listed.

    I'm wondering if one of Mary's sisters married and her children were visited by your grandfather.

    Let me know if you have questions.

    Roger McDonnell

    First name(s)MichaelLast nameBoweBirth year1846Age at death72Registered year1918Registered quarter/yearJul - Sep 1918Registration districtKilkennyVolume3Page273

    First name(s)MaryLast nameBoweBirth year1850Age at death64Registered year1914Registered quarter/yearJan - Mar 1914Registration districtKilkennyVolume3Page327

    First name(s)MaryLast nameBoweBirth year1854Age at death75Registered year1929Registered quarter/yearApr - Jun 1929Registration districtKilkennyVolume3Page293

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Friday 18th Dec 2015, 09:39PM

  • Hi Jennifer,

    I've been trying to help you but so far to no avail. There were a lot of Bowe(s) in northwest Kilkenny, and still are some. I've been studying the Irish Bowe(s) (some added an 's') since 2004. If you're on facebook you can find my project here https://www.facebook.com/bowesonenamestudy. The worldwide Bowe(s) surname study website is here https://sites.google.com/site/bowessurnames/home. The DNA project is here https://www.familytreedna.com/public/bowes/default.aspx?section=yresults. You can reach me by email at bowessurnames[atsign]gmail.com. Martha Bowes 

    Kilkenny_Home

    Saturday 13th Feb 2016, 05:11AM

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