Hi Roger,
Thanks for your work and the note - I really appreciate it!
I admit I am an amateur at this kind of research, but what work I have done in County Mayo with respect to Fitzsimmons / Mulvey always comes up empty. Those who know much more than I have said that many of the historical RC parish records in Mayo were destroyed by fire (or British dragoons), and that many of the Western counties of Ireland (including County Mayo) were excluded from the early official country census because the census workers were worried about their personal safety in the heavily Gaelic and patriotic area. I have not independently verified these assertions, but they sound plausible to me. Plus, I have looked at some of the earliest official country-wide Census reports and, indeed, a few of the western-most counties (including Mayo) were not represented in the earliest Census reports.
The earliest Fitzsimmons in Ireland appeared to have settled in numbers in County Cavan and in Ulster after the Norman invasion (1172). Arguably the most important line in Ireland settled in the Counties of Meath, Dublin, Wicklow Wexford later - in the 1300's.
I have done an extensive search through various online cemetery records available for County Mayo, again - to no avail.
My plan now is to work from two narratives:
1. A relatively small contingent of Fitzsimmons apparently accompanied Lord Pendergast to County Mayo (estimated late 1100's early 1200's). Pendergast was a companion of Strongbow (Lord Pembroke) and was rewarded with holdings from King Henry II for his part in the Norman invasion. This branch is very likely my stock. Indeed, even in the U.S. there seems to be solid connections between the Pendergast & Fitzsimmons families to this day. However, there is no history of Pendergasts at Sartwell, so perhaps I am on a wild goose chase.
2. Work backwards from the United States from any potential ship / emigration records of the Fitzsimmons at Sartwell, PA. That part of Pennsylvania was very wild and unsettled in the mid 1800's, few (if any) roads and very thick woods in mountainous terrain. At that time, railroads had yet to penetrate anywhere near Sartwell. Given the assumed state of their health after the boat trip across the Atlantic (and perhaps even before leaving due to the famine...), and how far and hard a trip from, say, Boston, New York, or Philly to Sartwell would have been by wagon or even horse, my guess is they were part of the Irish that came to America (and Canada) via the St. Lawrence seaway. I was reading how unwelcome the (poor and diseased ...) Irish had become in Boston and New York, and that many of the ships were rebuffed from those ports and instead headed to the St. Lawrence. However, the Erie Canal was complete at that time and may have provided transport if the Fitzsimmons had had some money. Apparently they had enough to buy 40 acres, clear the land, and build the original farmhouse, so I don't really know.
Unfortunately, I started all this too late and my Dad has passed and so too most all ancestors who would have known. As the song goes: "I wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger."
For now, I am holding out on the DNA ID tests ... I haven't reconciled my mind to the idea for a number of reasons. I have direct documentation that "the first" Michael Fitzsimmons here came from County Mayo, so not sure how much good a "match" would do me other than potentially enable contact with others who may have additional information. Regardless, it is certainly a viable option and I am thinking about it ... but knowing myself quite well, I'll probably exhaust all other avenues first.
Meantime, I am hoping I get lucky on IrelandXO, just like I did with your reply! Thanks again. And thanks in advance to anyone else that may be able to help me out.
Best regards,
Mike
