DNA tells me where

Hello John Q,

What were the names of James Alonzo Quigley's parents, if known, and what was the date of his birth, and where in Canada was he born? Also where did James live in the U.S., who did he marry, and which of his children are you descended from? That is, what is/was the name of your grandfather and where was your grandfather born? Where and when did James Alonzo Quigley die?

Edenagrena was in the civil parish as well as the Catholic Parish of Inishkeen, also spelled in some records as Inniskeen, County Louth. I found at least four Quigleys leasing property in Edenagrena in an Irish property tax record known as Griffiths Valuation, and I'll get this information and any other information I can find about the Quigleys living in Edenagrena after I receive your reply with further information about James Alonzo Quigley.

Kind Regards,

Dave Boylan

Thank you Dave, James Alonzo's parents names are at this point unknown, born August 1847, there are two possiblities because the US Census records - one is English Canada, the other is Gallic Canada. He lived in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York, NY. His spouse was Katherine, (Catherine) Byrnes, she was born in New York City, the son that I am the grandchild of was John James Quigley b. 1892 in Brooklyn NY.

James Alonzo d. Aug 1916, Brooklyn NY.

Hope this wll prove helpful.

John

Hello John,

Thank you very much for your reply. There is not much you can do at this point to trace James Alonzo’s parents back to Ireland without knowing what their names were, as I’m sure you realize. Also, if James’s parents did come from Edenagrena, Catholic Parish of Inishkeen/ Inniskeen, there will not be baptism records for either of them, as the Inishkeen baptism registers are only available from the year 1837, and marriages from 1839, according to the National Library of Ireland link at: https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0312

Their son James was born in Canada in 1847, and so you can see the Inishkeen Catholic registers do not go back far enough to record the baptisms of James’s parents. Also I only found one Quigley marriage in the Inshkeen parish, but this marriage took place in 1877.

The Inishkeen Catholic Parish actually spans the County Louth and County Monaghan border. The Inishkeen Catholic Church was actually located just across the border in County Monaghan, while Edenagrena was/is situated in County Louth. A Google Map shows that Edenagrena is only 2.1 miles east of “Iniskeen,” by the shortest route: https://is.gd/tcbodp

To read a description of the “Inniskeen/Enniskeen” Civil Parish, from the 1837 edition of Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, go to the Library Ireland website link at: https://www.libraryireland.com/topog/I/Inniskeen-Farney-Monaghan.php

You can view a color Ordnance Survey Map of Edenagrena from the 1837 to 1842 time period at the GeoHive link at: https://bit.ly/2QOGeZy

For an Ordnance Survey Map of the Inishkeen R.C. Chapel from the same time period, go to the GeoHive link at: https://bit.ly/39s2n6i

For a wider Ordnance Survey Map view of Inishkeen and the R.C. Chapel. Go to: https://bit.ly/3dBtkrH

According to Ireland National Inventory of Architectural Heritage/Buildings of Ireland website, the Catholic Church in a section of Inishkeen, called Lacklom, was constructed ca 1820, but is no longer used as a place of worship. The church was called Saint Mary’s. Today the former church is called the Patrick Kavanagh Rural and Literary Resource Centre.

St. Mary’s Church had been built on the site of a former thatched roof church, according to the Buildings of Ireland description, which you can view, along with a slide show of the church at: https://is.gd/V4ap90

For a Google Street View of the Patrick Kavanagh Rural and Literary Resource Centre and graveyard, go to: https://is.gd/pKhiUK

I don’t know why the parish registers for the Inishkeen Catholic Parish are only available from the year 1837, when there were two churches in the town that preceded 1837, one of which, Saint Mary’s, replaced the thatched roof church around 1820.

Your Quigley ancestors from Edenagrena, County Louth, may possibly have worshipped in the old thatched roof Catholic Church, as well as Saint Mary’s Church that replaced it, just across the border in County Monaghan.

Many thanks again for your reply John.

With best wishes,

Dave