James Carey : Short Biography

My GG Grandfather James Carey son of Martin Carey and Rebecca Blackwell born 1825 in Murroe and Boher County Limerick

James Carey my  GG Grandfather was  born around 1825 in the RC parish of Murroe and Boher in the Townland of Moher on the County Limerick /Tipperary border.   His parents were Martin Carey and Rebecca Blackwell. I could not find a baptismal record for him . He was one of 10 children all born in Murroe and Boher . There was a Thomas born 1824, Mary 1826, Bridget 1828 , John 1829,Michael 1832, Patrick 1836 ,Jeremiah 1837 ,Margaret Anne 1839 and Martin 1842.

Thomas married a Hanora Murphy in Newport in 1848 . He eventually lived in Brooklyn NY and raise several children. Mary married a John Murphy in 1845 in Murroe and Boher and lived around Newport. They raised 12 children. Bridget married a Thomas Ryan in 1850 in Murroe and Boher. They raised 6 children and lived around the Silvermines area of County Tipp. John emigrated to Canada and settled in Oil City Pennsylvania around 1851. He married a Mary Murnane in 1852 and raised  7 children. Michael I don't know what  happened to, Patrick married a Alice Young in 1859 in Aughavheir.They raised 11 children and lived in the Killoscully area of county tipp. Some of the children went to Brooklyn. Jeremiah Carey married a Mary Fogarty in 1857 in Newport County Tipp. They raised 10 children. They lived in the Gortnaskeha area of County Tipp. Some of the children went to live in Brooklyn NY. Margaret Anne married a Michael Kennedy in 1860 in Aughavheir County Tipp . They lived in the Kilmore County Tipp  area and had 5 children.  Martin Carey married a Mary Anne Kennedy   in 1872 in Silvermines County Tipp. They went on to raise 8 children and lived in the Silvermines area of County Tipp. 

 Martin Carey and family were  evicted by Lord Cloncurry in 1850 off of the property at nearby Forkeala they leased from him .  This did not sit right with the Carey family ,and some of the Carey family decided to attack the Cattle of the new owners of the property in 1850  in what was called whiteboyism.They  and were  arrested in 1851and sentenced to prison  for 10 years in 1852 but served 7 . One of the attackers was my GG Grandfather James Carey.  Per prison record he  was born 1825 at Abington( Murroe and Boher) County Limerick. He had a house there and lived lived there before being convicted.  His friends live in Newport County Tipperary and he would like to go back there when he gets out. He got out June 1st 1859 and was going to Shallee Newport County Tipperary to be with his wife and family before emigrating.  

Before James went to prison,   he was married to a  Ellen Simms Feb 22 1846 at Murroe and Boher County Limerick. They had two children ,   Martin b aug 14th 1847  and a John b Aug 18th 1849.  James got out of prison in 1859 and went to live with his wife and children near Newport County Tipp.   James and Ellen had another child Patrick born 1860 in Newport Gurtnaskeha County Tipp . Gurtnaskeha was were most of the Carey family lived at the time. James Carey left his wife and kids and came to America around 1862.  He may have had to move to America as part of the terms for being released from prison. He married his second wife Bridget Walsh on  April 2nd 1862 in St Paul’s Church Brooklyn . Per family he had told everybody that his first wife had died in Ireland. His first wife was very much alive and well and in fact married a Edward Ryan  around 1864. They moved to Wigan England around 1865 and Patrick's last  name was  changed to Ryan. Patrick became a well known police officer in Wigan. James’s and Ellen's other sons  Martin and John eventually came over to Brooklyn around 1865.  John became  a Dairy farmer in Queens and raised 10 children.  Not sure what happened to Martin. 

The first actual record that I can confirm as being our James Carey in Brooklyn is a marriage record of James Carey and Bridget Walsh in St Paul’s RC Church in   Brooklyn NY on April 2nd 1862. The church is located in the 6th ward on Congress and Court St in what was then known as South Brooklyn. Today this area is known as Cobble Hill. The church has been combined with St Peters church and is now known as St Peter and Paul our lady of Pilar on 234 Congress st. The witness to the wedding was a Michael and M Slattery and a E Bohen.  This is our James Carey as he did marry a Bridget Walsh and this would be the correct time frame they would have married.   

James Carey's brother Thomas Carey  born 1824 in Murroe and Boher married a Hanora Murphy in Newport County Tipp in 1848. They had a daughter Rebecca born 1849 in Tooreenbrien Newport County Tipp. Thomas was one of the attackers of the cows and went to prison for 7 years with James . He got out in 1859 and went to Brooklyn to be with his wife and daughter already living there.He would live near his brother James Carey in a Shanty on court st. He died in 1866 and is buried in Holy Cross.  

James Carey did not stay out of trouble in Brooklyn. He was sentenced  to Sing Sing for 6  years in 1864  for attacking a woman . He  got out in 1868 and lived 477 13th st in a shanty with his family The family had 7 children Mary, Thomas, Margaret, Delia, Catherine, Katie and Elizabeth.  James worked on the docks as a longshoreman. James died in Feb 9th 1876 at 47713th st and is buried in Holy Cross Cem.  James died of the congestion of the lungs, probably TB.  He worked as a Laborer and was born in Ireland. The death cert says he was 12 years in the country and the city. This is off as we know James was married in 1862 in Brooklyn. He probably came over shortly before he was married.