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Gavin family in St Peters Roscommon

In February 1876 at the age of 18 years and 5 Months, Martin Gavin enlisted in the 68th Sub District Brigade in Athlone Rosscommon. He had previously been in the Roscommon Militia from Jan 1875 to Feb 1876 but was being released to join the 68th Brigade to serve with his older brother.

In 1879 at the age of 21 he was a corporal in the 25th Regiment, and based at Raglan Barracks Devonport, Plymouth England. On April 31st he was married in the Plymouth register office to Elizabeth Waye aged 20 years. Her father was named as James Waye who was a Beer House keeper. Martin's father was named as Michael Gavin, who's occupation was as a Mason but not at the wedding.

We learned from Martin's service records that he was born in St Peter's, Athlone Roscommon.

I have been unable to find the name of Martin's brother or any other siblings, and have been unable to confirm the identity of his father, there are a couple of Michael Gavin's in Grffiths evaluation of Ireland. I still cannot find a birth record for Martin either, so cannot name his mother.

Any help you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

DJWright

IrelandXO member

4 replies

Dennis;

I did some searching on Roots Ireland www.rootsireland.ie and even though they have St. Peters records back to 1790, I was unable to locate a Martin Gavin baptismal record in the 1850s anywhere in Co. Roscommon. I did locate an 1851 baptismal record for a Michael Gavin with a father Michael in the St. Peters records. (I just assumed that Martin may have a brother named Michael). I have no idea if this is a relation.

I also looked at the 1855 Griffiths like you did and saw the two Michael Gavin records. I took the one in Cloonown townland and looked at the 1901 census for Cloonown. There were six Gavin households including a 75 year old Michael who had a relatively young wife and a number of children. Did Michael's father have two wives and this was a second family or a completely separate Michael? By the way, it appears that this Michael may have died in 1902.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Roscommon/Cloonown/Clo…

In any event, not many clues but if you have more info, I'd be glad to try to assist.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Roger

I got some tapes sent down from Family Search to one of their places here in Plymouth. The tapes were difficult to read and |I couldn't find a birth for Martin Gavin on it although it covered the period when he would have been born.

I also checked the Census and although we can find Gavins there is no way can we prove that any of them is the correct one. I got the name of Martin's father from Martin's service records on Ancestry and Find My Past. I was hoping to find his brother in the same place but no luck there.

Do you know if there are any records of the Rosscommon militia or the 68th Brigade that we can access which may help.

Once Martin had completed his 12 years in the army he became a prison warder at Dartmoor prison.

Martin appears in the 1891 and 1901 Census and also the 1911 census. He ended up with five Daughters and one son, Francis Joseph Patrick Gavin. I've also tried those names for Gavins  but no luck there either.

My wife was the Gavin in our family, but I lost her to cancer in April of this year so I thought I would now have another at trying to find her ancestors. I have similar problems with my ancestors, we all have very common names.

Thanks for your comments anyway, I'll keep trying anyway, there are always new records coming out, so we may be lucky

DJWright

 

 

IrelandXO member

DJ:

Sorry to hear about your wife. You may want to consider DNA testing. If you have a Gavin brother in law possibly he can take a Y DNA test which tracks the male line back. DNA testing is no panacea but you may get lucky and find a connection who has more information on the family.

Regarding the Roscommon Militia, I would contact the Co. Roscommon main library in Roscommon town. I believe they have information on the Roscommon Militia.

http://www.roscommoncoco.ie/en/Contact_Us/Library_Service/Library_Servi…

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

@DJWright

 

It's unlikely you are still following this 10 years later but Martin Gavin is my 2nd Great-grandfather. I don't have any more information on his father than you, but I have inherited many photographs of him and his family.

If you are interested let me know.

 

Alastair

padlock-corms0k

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