My great great grandmother was apparently born in Carlow in 1830, although details are sketchy enough to make me wonder if I have the correct information. Apparently she was from an influential family, but I can find no record of her immigrationto the US, etc. She married my great, great grandfather Peter Nearey (Neary).
I look forward to finding out more! Thank you.
Mary
Hi Mary,
There was a Bruen family who owned Oak Park in Carlow at that time. See a baptism of a Henry Bruen on 8th June 1828 to a Colonel Henry Bruen and his wife Anne. Occupation given as Member of Parliament.
https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/church/c-612-1-2-036.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Bruen_(1789%E2%80%931852)
No idea if the above is of any use to you
The couple listed on that 1828 baptism of Henry Bruen are included in an entry in Burke's Landed Gentry of Ireland (1899). The son Henry also became an M.P. , Anne's name before marriage was Anne Wandsford Kavanagh. They are shown as having one son, Henry, and three daughters - Elizabeth who died 1848, Harriet who married a Lorenzo William Alexander, and Anne who married Rev. Benjamin Burton.
Thank you for the information… Based on the first response, I saw that the last child was Henry who was born in 1828 so that told me that Ismay was not the child of Henry and Anne. The record of baptisms was very informative and it made me want to look for anyone else with the first name Ismay. Did any Bruins settle in another county in Ireland? Is Ismay common anywhere?
Hello, I found Ismay and Peter and children in the 1860, 1870, and 1880 federal censuses of Manhattan, NY. Here's a transcription of the 1880 entry:
Detail Source
| Name | Isma Nearey | |
| Age | 50 | |
| Birth Date | Abt 1830 | |
| Birthplace | Ireland | |
| Home in 1880 | New York City, New York, New York, USA | |
| Street | Franklin Street | |
| House Number | 14 | |
| Dwelling Number | 67 | |
| Race | White | |
| Gender | Female | |
| Relation to Head of House | Wife | |
| Marital Status | Married | |
| Spouse's Name | Peter Nearey | |
| Father's Birthplace | Ireland | |
| Mother's Birthplace | Ireland | |
| Occupation | Housekeeper | |
| Sick | Asthma | |
| Cannot Write | Y | |
| Neighbors | View others on page | |
| Household Members (Name)AgeRelationship | ||
| Peter Nearey | 48 | Self (Head) |
| Isma Nearey | 50 | Wife |
| James Nearey | 28 | Son |
| Lawerence Rieley | 20 | Son-in-law |
| Mary Rieley | 24 | Daughter |
| Peter Nerey | 24 | Son |
| Katie Nerey | 20 | Daughter |
| Willie Rieley | 1 | Grandson |
From Ancestry.com.
Here is info on Ismay's death, from theggg.org:
Neary Iamy [sic] 60 y Feb 10 1886 553986 Manhattan
From NY Herald, Feb 13, 1886, p. 3.
MOB,
You asked if the first name Ismay was common anywhere. The short answer is no. In the 1901 Irish census there were just 16 (out of a population of 4.4 million.). You can see where they lived using this website (just enter the forename only). None in Carlow.
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/
As a surname, Ismay is known in Ireland (a bit) because of the Titanic. Joseph Bruce Ismay was an Englishman who was Chairman of the White Star Line (owners of the Titanic) and on board when it sank in 1912. In spite of the general rules about “women and children first” getting in the lifeboats, Ismay managed to get a place in one and survived. However his personal reputation was shattered for ever for deserting the ship, when the Captain went down with his ship.
There was an Ismay Bruce in Ireland in the 1901 Irish census (with her daughter Ismay). There is perhaps some connection with Joseph Bruce Ismay.
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Kilkenny/Castlecomer/Moyhora/1459591/