I know Jane Ward was born in Swords in 1776. Her father was Arthur Ward. I'm unsure of her mother. I am trying to find out the mother's name. I am in search of two things: 1) Did Jane have siblings? 2) I'd like to find Jane Ward's paternal (Ward) grandparents also and where they may be from. Thank you in advance, Steve Griffin
Was Jane's the baptism 20th August? Mother looks like Mary Kelly. Sponsors John McLaughlin (or similar). Female sponsor's surname Brangan. I can't decide if her first name was Jane or Sarah.
Ann Brangan was godmother to Laurence Donnelly, baptised 16th Aug.
Mary Ward, parents James & Anne (Beck?) was baptised on15th.
I looked at the page from the baptism register again on NLI website as I find it easier to adjust size etc. Still unsure of female sponsor's first name, may be Sara. Surname of male sponsor seems to be spelled without a small c after M. I noticed that Laurence Donnelly's mother was also a McLaughlin. One of his sponsors was Brangan. I wonder if there was a Brangan-McLaughlin connection or if it was coincidence that they were the surnames of Jane Ward's sponsors.
Whilst browsing the marriage register (1763-1777), I saw a note after the marriage of Judith Branagan "they were clandestinely married by imposing upon one of the curates of Liffey St. Chapel". Another thing I noticed was that the priest was in the habit of not writing the name of a witness if he was the bride's father, although he wrote the name of one groom's mother when she was a witness.
There's a big gap in Swords' baptism registers 1778-1801. There are several Ward baptisms in Swords parish during the years of the earliest baptism register (1763-1777). There were also Ward baptisms at adjacent parishes Donabate, Finglas and Lusk.
Hi Maggie,
Thank you for taking the time to review. I'm not certain but I tend to see Sara as the sponsor's first name. Not positive though. I think McLaughlin was a family friend, but that's based on passed down information and not records. Interesting observation about the priest. I know Jane's husband, but there's no written record in Swords. I'm almost positive he was born in or near Swords, but believe the record was lost.
For Jane Ward, I would love the chance to go deeper into her tree with her grandparents. With Arthur as her father, Mary her mother, nothing else seems to be documented from what I can find.