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John Rock

 Can you please help me with  information on John Rock and wife Mary Burke migrated to Australia 1855 on board The Cairngorm.  John was born around 1823 in Galway to  parents Horace or Thomas Rock and Catherine Malone.  Mary Burke was born about  1824  in Clare to parents Thomas Burke and Annie Connors.  This is  the only Irish information I can find from Victoria's Pioneer records.  I have found that they settled in Koroit Victoria Australia after being assigned to John Monaghan to work on his farm for twelve months and then living  in the area to raise their 4 sons.  I have looked at the spelling of the surname Rock incase it is Roch, Roach etc. Without knowing the parishes they are from I am finding it was difficult. I have been trying for ten years to sort this out,. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanking you

Maria

vrieze@bigpond.com

2 replies

Maria:

I searched the subscription site Roots Ireland and did not find the marriage record or the baptismal records for the children in Co. Galway. Many Galway parishes do not have records back to the 1840s. 

I looked at the 1855 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Co. Galway and there were only eleven Rock records. Eight of the eleven were in the area near the town of Gort in southwest Co. Galway. There was one Thomas Rock record in Killinny East townland in Killininy civil parish. Killinny parish borders Kilmacduagh parish (which includes Gort) and both parishes border Co. Clare and since Mary Burke was from Co. Clare there may be a connection. Of course, we do not know whether Thomas Rock the father of John was still living in 1855 and leasing land so no way to know for sure if this record pertains to him.

Kilmacduagh (Gort) RC baptismal records start in June 1848. Were any of the sons born in Ireland after June 1848?

Have you considered DNA testing?

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you so much Roger.  I was not expecting such a quick reply.  We do not know if John Rock had any siblings, I would assume there would be.   Since many Galway Parishes did not keep records before 1840 we may never know.  I will consider DNA testing.  Once again thankyou.  Maira 

vrieze@bigpond.com

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