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Brigid Dowd (1830-1909)

Roscommon

Hello! I am seeking information on my 2nd great grandmother, Brigid Dowd. Here is what I know about her, from her obituary:

It states that she was born in County Roscommon on Feb. 2, 1830, and immigrated to America with her parents at the age of 7. At some point she ended up in Hamilton County, Ohio, and married her first husband there, a Patrick Giblen, in 1852. They had one son, John. Patrick died in 1854. She then married my 2nd great grandfather, Joseph McNulty. They moved to Olathe, Kansas. Brigid died on Jul. 1, 1909. Her subsequent children were named: William H., Anna Josephine, Mary Ellen, Francis Bernard, Catherine Dowd, and Harry Alfred.

I have been trying to hone in on her Roscommon location. There are a number of Brigid Dowds/Douds born around that time, mostly in the Killucan and Boyle areas. So far with DNA testing I have located one possible Roscommon link, to a Barrett. I am awaiting replies from other matches. I would appreciate any advice on how to proceed next. I am wondering if there are any records (newspapers perhaps?) or local documents that might tell us who left for America.

thanks for your help!

Peg McCarthy

Peg McCarthy

4 replies

Peg:

Welcome back to Ireland Reaching Out!

The surname Dowd was very common surname in Co. Roscommon in the mid-19th century based on Griffiths Valuation data (126 heads of household) and found in many civil parishes. There would not be any local documents available which would provide information regarding people leaving for America or other countries.

Do you have the death record from Kansas and does it show parents names? If we had the parents names, we could determine if a baptismal record is available.

You can also upload your DNA data to the volunteer site Genesis Gedmatch www.genesis.gedmatch.com ;  You will get additional matches with people who tested with other companies and also loaded their data to Genesis Gedmatch.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Well, not soon after posting this query, I went back through the U.S. censuses, newspapers, and cemetery records and struck gold. I was able to identify Brigid's parents as Bernard Doud and Eleanor (Ellen) Cox. Brigid died before Kansas kept official death records, so I couldn't find the names there. However, a newspaper article about her 50th wedding anniversary mentioned a sister in Ohio, and from there I was able to locate the whole family. It looks like there were a passel of siblings who came over as well from Ireland, and most are buried in Middletown, Ohio. Interestingly, I could not find a record yet for Brigid's birth, but did for siblings Catharine, Eleanor, Mary, Martin, and Bernard. There should also be a Thomas and perhaps a Patrick, as well as Brigid. I looked on the Family Search site.

Is the Genesis Gedmatch site different from gedmatch.com? I have my results uploaded there already.

Peg

 

Peg McCarthy

Peg:

The site managers for Gedmatch had to build a new data base to accommodate some of the record files coming from certain DNA companies. All of the Gedmatch data was migrated last December to the new Genesis Gedmatch site. The address is www.genesis.gedmatch.com ; You should be able to log in with your prior Gedmatch log in details.

I checked the subscription site Roots Ireland and found five baptismal records for children of Bernard Dowd/Doud and Eleanor Cox: Mary Feburary 24, 1828  Bernard February 6, 1829 Bartholomew February 4, 1830 (NOTE mother was Elizabeth Cox) Eleanor March 12, 1833 Martinn December 6, 1835 All five records were in the Killucan/Croghan RC church I did not locate a marriage record.Here is the parish register and maybe you can find Bridget https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0554    Sometimes baptismal records do not make it to the registry.

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

I am posting back here as I prepare for a heritage trip in September.  I still have not been able to hone in on a specific townland for my Dowd family but plan to spend a few days in Roscommon. Could you give me some advice on top places to visit in this area? I am planning on Boyle and Strokestown for sure. We greatly enjoy historical sites, beautiful hikes, traditional music. Favorite pubs to meet locals? Any genealogy centers that might help locate Bernard and Ellen?

thank you for the help!

Peg

Peg McCarthy

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