Elizabeth Carney (aka Murphy) Sharon

According to the family story, Elizabeth CARNEY (b. ca 1869, Ireland, d. 23 July 1943, Detroit, Michigan, USA) arrived in the U.S. as an infant in about 1870-72 with only her mother, also called Elizabeth Carney. By her account, she was born on Christmas Day (1868, 1869 or 1870) in Cork (town vs. county not specified).  Her mother, Elizabeth (daughter of John McGLENN according to her death record, filled out by her youngest daughter, Nellie) then married James J. MURPHY and had two more daughters with him, the first, Annie, in Pennsylvania in 1875 and the second, Nellie, in 1980 in Detroit, Michigan where the family eventually settled.  The younger Elizabeth took the Murphy surname, although she was not formally adopted by her stepfather.  No further mention of Mr. Carney.  Elizabeth Carney (Murphy) married Joseph Sharon in Detroit in 1891. (Despite his name, Joseph was not Irish, but Swiss, the original name likely Scharen or a variant).

DNA evidence links our family to County Roscommon. (1) My my maternal aunt's, sisters' and my DNA all localize to central Ireland, some specifically to Roscommon.  (2) All my sisters, my aunt and I  (as well as multiple known second cousins) have strong DNA links to the McLUEN family of Iowa, who came to Strokestown, Roscommon from Scotland and from there to the USA. We all have slightly more distant links to several Carney families in New York and Baltimore whose immigrants were born in various parts of County Roscommon. Since we all have Scottish ancestry as well as the Irish, I believe that the Roscommon ancestry came from these Carney branches, while the McLuen family supplied much of our Scottish ancestry.

My working theory is that Elizabeth McGlenn (the mother) and the unknown Mr. Carney came from Roscommon to Cork, with the intention of emigrating to America.  Elizabeth (the daughter) may or may not have been born in Cork.  Something happened to Mr. Carney along the way.and the two Elizabeths emigrated alone, as our family story goes, or perhaps James Murphy came along in Cork. Elizabeth the younger was adamant that Murphy was not her biological father, and complained about being treated as a stepdaughter in the family. DNA evidence from Nellie Murphy Goettsch's descendants support a half sibling relationship as well.  I have not found definite marriage records for Elizabeth McGlenn with either Mr. Carney or James Murphy. In the latter case, the names are so common I have actually found too many records in the US with no way to figure out which might be mine.  I am just starting my research in Ireland.

I am hoping someone in County Roscommon can tell me about CARNEY/KEARNEY and McGLENN/McLUEN families in County Roscommon, possibly near or in Stokestown.  Possibly also in Cork, but finding those potential records seems impossible, given the common surnames and the size of the county.   

The McLUEN family in Iowa--which left many more American records than my family--descend from Richard McLuen (1820-1868) and Susan Robertson (1820-1855).  Susan died 10 Feb 1855 in Strokestown.  Their story is that the oldest brother William, already in America, brought several of his siblings over, after the mother died and the father couldn't care for them.  There is a story that 3 younger sisters were sent to a convent (possibly Elizabeth McGlenn/McLuen was one of them?).  Eventually the father came to America also and died in Iowa. I have numerous DNA 4th & 5th cousins descended from William and his siblings, but there is no record of any interaction between the McLuens in Iowa and my family in Detroit.  My Irish family were very poor and left few records.

I would appreciate any help anyone could give me, as I start my research in Ireland.  Thank you

Barbara