Ireland XO
Back to Message Board

Death records

I've searched for baptisms in many parishes in many counties looking for Edward Foley with his parents, John Foley and Ellen Cavanagh.  The closest I've come is finding a John Foley and Eleanor (Nelly) Kavanagh in Castlecomer parish with two sons born in 1813 and 1815.  There are no records between 1818 and 1828 (the timeframe Edward was born).

I'm now wondering about death records from Kilkenny, in general.  Castlecomer has baptisms and marriages.  Did parishes record deaths or would there be civil records?

Since I only have John Foley and Ellen Cavanagh from Edward's marriage record in LaSalle, IL in 1857, I have no idea if he had siblings still living in Ireland near or with his parents.  What are the possibilities of finding death records of John and Ellen that would list their children?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Pat Foley

Pjkfoley

3 replies

Pat:

Civil registration of deaths started in 1864. Those records did not list children unless the informant was a son or daughter and if that info was recorded on the record.

RC churches generally did not retain death records. It appears none of the RC parishes in Co. Kilkenny retained any death records.

John and Ellen were likely born 1793 or earlier based on having a son in 1813. I looked at civil death records in the Castlecomer registration district and did not find a record for John or Ellen which would correspond to someone who was born in the latter part of the 1700s. So either they emigrated or died before 1864.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Roger,

Thank you. So now I guess the question is, if John and Ellen died before 1864... would there be any records at cemetery's?  Were cemetery's associated with churches?  Are there maps of burials dating back to that era?

Assuming the two sons baptized in 1813 and 1815 or any other possible siblings, lived until after 1864, would their death records have information regarding their parents?

Thanks again.

Pat

Pjkfoley

Pat:

Civil death records only show date of death, the name of the deceased, where they lived and the informant's name and sometimes the relationship of the informant to the deceased.

There were burial areas contiguous with many RC churches but it would be very rare to have a headstone since the people were poor especially during the period 1845-1863. The churches are unlikely to have records on burials back to that period.

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Reply

Reply
One image file up to 2 MB.