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Looking for ancestors - Fitzpatrick/McWilliams/Conley/O'Connell

Hi!

I'm new here :) First of all - thank you for taking the time to volunteer for this service! My name is Catherine - I’m coming to Ireland for the first time in Sept 2022. I don’t know how all of this works, but here is some info I have about my roots in Ireland:

My grandmother’s mother was Mabel Catherine Fitzpatrick, daughter of Charles Edward Fitzpatrick (b. April 25, 1872 d. April 17 1956)and Agnes C. Conley.

Charles Edward Fitzpatrick’s father was George W. Fitzpatrick (born 1836, NY, d. 1876) and his mother was Mary McWilliams (b.1838 d. 1872)The family story is that they came from Dublin, but I don’t have any solid sources for that. In fact, I found a census record from 1850 that possibly indicates that George was born in the US to a Lawrence (b. 1808 Ireland) and Ellen Fitzpatrick (b. 1812, Ireland) but I’m not 100% sure that’s the right George Fitzpatrick as I do not know for sure who his parents were. Mary McWilliams was the daughter of Barnard “Barney” McWilliams (born between 1793-1796 somewhere in Ireland) and Susan Gallagher (b. 1803/04 Tyrone, Northern Ireland)

Agnes Conley was the daughter of James Conley (b.1860, New York) and Margret (Maggie) O’Connell (b. April 17, 1862).I believe James Conley’s parents were Owen Conley (b. abt 1821, County Monaghan, Ireland, d. 17 Aug 1869, NY) and Mary Kinlen (b. 1824 Monaghan, Ireland, d. Mar 9, 1898, NY)

Maggie was the daughter of Patrick O’Connell (b. 1815-17, I believe, in County Tipperary, died July 11, 1894) and Catharine Burke (b. 1832-34 in Ireland, died in NY April 23 1897)

So, to recap, the ancestors I believe to be born in Ireland that I’d love to find more info on are:

 

Patrick O’Connell (B. 1815-17 - possibly in Co. Tipperary)

Catharine Burke O’Connell (b. 1832-34, Ireland - not sure where)

 

Owen Conley (b.1821, County Monaghan)

Mary Kinlen Conley (b.1824, County Monaghan)

 

Barnard McWilliams (b. 1793-1796 - Ireland, not sure where)

Susan Gallagher McWilliams (b. 1803/04 Tyrone, Northern Ireland)

 

Lawrence Fitzpatrick (b.1808, Ireland - not sure where)*

Ellen Fitzpatrick (b.1812, Ireland - not sure where)*

 

*Only possibly related to my ancestor, George W. Fitzpatrick, who may or may not have been born in Ireland :)

 

I will be so grateful for any information you can fill in for me. Thank you in advance for your time and expertise!

~Cat 

catdoughty@gmail.com

4 replies

Cat:

I don't think we will come up with any definitive records primarily because you don't have the parents names for any of the eight names listed. For example, I searched on the subscription site Roots Ireland for Patrick Connell baptismal records around 1815-1817 in Co. Tipperary and there were four: one in 1814 two in 1815 and another in 1816. We can't confirm any of these records without the parents names. In addition, many Tipperary parishes do not have records back to 1815 and if Patrick was born in one of those parishes, a record would not exist.

The same logic holds true for your other ancestors.

I would suggest that you consider a DNA test. You may get matches with 3rd-4th cousins who have more knowledge of the origins of one or more of your families. Some testing companies can also give you a better idea of where in Ireland you have DNA connections.

Let me know if you have questions.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Roger,

Thank you for the quick response! 

That all makes sense. Parent names would be helpful information! I don’t have parent info for all of them, but I do for a few:

 

Barnard McWilliams (b. 1793-1796 - Ireland, not sure where) - son of Andrew & Isabella McWilliams

Susan Gallagher McWilliams (b. 1803/04 Tyrone, Northern Ireland) daughter of Margaret and James Gallagher.

Owen Conley (b.1821, County Monaghan) - no info on mom, but I think his father was Peter Conly

Mary Kinlen Conley (b.1824, County Monaghan) Daughter of Patrick and Mary F Kinlen.

 

I'll certainly consider a DNA test :) Thanks again for your help!

-Cat

catdoughty@gmail.com

Cat:

I did searches on Roots Ireland for the four ancestors listed and di not come up with baptismal records using the parental data you provided. 

Co. Monaghan RC parishes generally have records starting in the 1830s or later which would explain not finding records for Owen Conly and Mary Kinlen. Co. Tyrone parishes do not have records back to the 1700s and most have records starting later than the 1803/1804 for Susan Gallagher.

Sorry, I could not be more helpful.

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

That's ok! Thank you for trying. I appreciate your time :) 

Have a good week!

catdoughty@gmail.com

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