Ireland XO
Back to Message Board

John Whelehan Whelaghan

WestmeathKillucan (Westmeath)

Researching my 2nd great grandfather, John Whelehan (1811- ?) married to Mary Shaw (1814-1894). They were married in 1834 and raised 9 children on their farm in Killucan: Michael (1835 - ?), Judith (1837 - ?), Mathew (1839 - ?), Anne (1839 - 1880), Mary (1844 - ) Margaret(1846 - 1914), Elizabeth (1848 - ) John (1852 - 1933), and Teresa (1855-1931). The birtbates of the children were obtained from the Meath Church registters. My great grandfather was John Whelehan (Wheeler) was born in 1852 and immigrated to America in 1869 settling in Chicago, Illinois. I believe his father was named Thomas Whelehan or Whelaghan. 

I believe my 2nd great grandfather was born in 1811 but am not sure. The only information I am certain of is what I know of my great grandfather, John Wheeler and information given to me by his son, my grandfather: i.e., he was born in Westmeath in November 1852, his mother was a Shaw, he had 2 brothers; 1 in Ireland and one in New York; he was raised Catholic; He lived on a farm; he immigrated in April 1869 after working in a haberdashery in London to raise his ship's passage fare. I recently came upon the Whelehan family in Killucan and much what I knew seems to fit.

I don't know if correct in my assumptons or if there are any surviving Whelehans in Killucan. Any information is appreciated.

 

mwheeler

10 replies

M. Wheeler:

I think your Whelehan family came from the townland of Derrymore in Killucan civil parish. I located an 1881 civil marriage record on the free site www.irishgenealogy.ie for a Teresa Whelehan from Derrymore. See the second record on this link. NOTE father's name was shown as John. 

 https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_re…

I also located an 1876 marriage for an Elizabeth Whelehan who was from Derrymore with father John. Elizabeth was also from Derrymore. See third record at this link

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_re…

I will do more research looking for death records.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

John Whelehan and Mary Shaw were married in Taughmon, Westmeath. Here is a birth record for a John born in Taughmon and baptized in 1818. If he was also born in 1818, he would have been 16 at time of marriage, assuming this is the correct person. But it's possible he was not baptized right away.
Note John's father's name is Michael, the same name as John and Mary's first son.
Church Baptism Record
Name:John Whelahan
Date of Birth:
Date of Baptism:12-Jun-1818
Address:Not RecordedParish/District:TAUGHMON
Gender:MaleCountyCo. Westmeath
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:Michael WhelahanMother:Elizabeth Glennon
Occupation:Not Recorded
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:James Quinn
Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Judith Keary
Notes:
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at glanvil3@aol.com.

glanvil3@aol.com

Thank you Roger and Patricia you have been of great help to me. Yesterday, I discovered that the information that I had obtained from a family tree was wrong. Mathew Whelehan was actually born in 1841 and not 1839. He was also shown as being married to Anne Duffy in 1851 - not very likely since ha was only 10 years old at the time. The tree came from an ancestor in New York where Mathew immigrated to. I think the name Anne Duffy is probably correct but not the correct Ann or Anne Duffy. Their first child was born in 1867 so I am going to start looking around 1865-1866 for the correct marriage.

Roger, in the seventh record for Mary. She is listed as a widow at the time of her death. Wouldn't her married name been used instead of her maiden name in the record. If this is true, then she could very possibly have been Michael Whelehan's wife. Something else for me to investigate.

Both of you have given me some great leads and I am very greatful to you.

Thank you

Mike Wheeler

mwheeler

Mike:

The death record shows Mary Whelehan which is her married name. This is the record for the wife of John and mother to the children.

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Patricia, that tree is actually mine. I obtained John's birth date and death date from another tree but have not been able to verify them. He offered no documentation for those dates and has not responded to two messages I sent him. The dates may be wrong and I am trying to confirm them and other information he has given. I have found a few discrepencies.

Mike

mwheeler

Roger, the record you linked me to was for January 1894, Mary Whelehan, widow of a farrmer, age 72 at time of death. There is no reference to her husband or children. Where did you find this? Also, this Mary couldn't be the Mary I am looking for she was born in 1822, the Mary I am looking for was born in 1844.

If this is a different Mary Whelehan, was she born in 1844? 

Mike

mwheeler

Roger, the Mary Whelehan I was speaking about was either the daughter of Mary Shaw. You were referring to Mary Shaw, weren't you? I don't have the date of her death or her link.

Mike

mwheeler

Mike:

The civil death records for people who died from 1871-1969 are at the free Irish government site www.irishgenealogy.ie ; Death records do not show spousal names or names of children unless the informant was the surviving spouse or a son/daughter and many times they don't indicate son/daughter jsut the name and you infer. The ages shown on death records are provided by the informant and many times they don't really know particularly if a parent always told their children they were youunger than they were. The 1894 Mary died in Derrymore. Now she could be a different Mary but you have a lead.

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Reply

Reply
One image file up to 2 MB.