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Elisa Barrett, daughter of Bernard Barrett and Mary Higgins

Hello good day!
I am writing to you because I have a great unknown with another of my great-grandmothers: Elisa or Lizzie Barrett
We know that she came from Ireland, and according to the data provided by her marriage certificate, here in Argentina, she says that her parents are
Bernard Barrett and Mary Higgins, she declares she was 28 years old by 1876 (we were always told that she was born in 1857)
It does not indicate place, but if she clarifies that she is the 3rd cousin of Edward Higgins, son of James Higgins, from Ballymore Westmeath, which tells me that James Higgins and Mary Higgins (Elisa's mother) are cousins
What strikes me, among many things, is that I cannot find any baptism certificate for her, and that just as she describes herself as Irish, at the time of being buried here in Buenos Aires, in the archives she appears as English (which You can also say that the migration agent did not know the difference at that time)
Could you give me an indication of where to start looking? If the last name Barrett can, indeed, be English? Was she a Protestant?
I enclose part of my tree, and the marriage certificate from here from Argentina.

 

Thank you in advance!

 

Diana

 

Diana O'Higgins

7 replies

Diana:

I searched on the subscription site Roots Ireland and also did not find a baptismal record for Elisa. 

I did find a lead for a family which may be your ancestors. They lived in a townland called Clooncullen in Noughaval civil parish Co. Longford on the border with Co. Westmetah. In fact, there is a civil parish called Noughaval on the Westmeath side. The RC parish would be called Tang (Noughaval) and there records do not begin until 1857.

Here is a link to the 1854 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Noughaval parish in Co. Longford https://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/longford/noughaval.htm

As I mentioned above, I did not find a record for Elisa but Roots Ireland did have two baptismal records for a Mathhew Barrett May 16 1860 and John Barrett March 17 1862. The parents were  Edward Barrett and Mary Higgins. Because of the Edward, I'm cautious about this family.  Roots Ireland does not say when in 1857 the records start for this parish so my assumption is that Elisa was baptized in 1856 or early 1857 before records start.

Let me know what questions you have.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Diana:

I'm not an expert on the origin of Irish names but based on the Griffiths data, there are two main Barrett areas in Ireland: Cork/Kerry and Mayo/Galway although there are small numbers of Barretts in other counties.

Roger

 

 

 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

What you tell me is very helpful to me ... and in a way, I also have doubts about the name of Elisa's father, because although she declares that his name is bernard, as you will see, the witness of his marriage, signed Edward barrett, It could well be ... I really do not know if she came alone with a sister, or if she came with her entire family ... but it is striking, given that the wife is Mary Higgins ...

 

what do you think?

 

Diana

 

 

Diana O'Higgins

Roger:

As for the areas where the last name is more frequent, yes, I have had the opportunity to review many files, and the vast majority are from Cork, basically ... so, if those Barrett's are in that area, it is more than possible that are my ancestors ... as we are not aware of any of my family coming from any area other than Longford and Westmeath

Diana

Diana O'Higgins

Diana:

I'm reasonably confident that this is the correct family.

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

thank you so much for your help, Roger... have a great day!

 

 

Diana

 

Diana O'Higgins

ps: I just thought that, perhaps, the priest here, has misunderstood the name of Elisa's father ... because the sound is similar, Edward, Bernard ... taking into account that the priest speaks Spanish, it would not be strange

Diana O'Higgins

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