hi everyone, my name is Sarah- Jane and I am looking desperately for my real family.. Only recently found out my great great grandfather was a John Macken. He had a child with my great great grandmother, A son and at birth was registered as Jesse Macken, in Brentford Middlesex England in 1868... Her name was Mary Ann Heal.. Fingers crossed I find someone...
Hi Sarah-Jane
Do you know or can you estimate when John was born? There are about 21 possibe baptisms all around Ireland for a John between 1835 and 1845 (excluding Dublin and parts of Cork). Do you know his religion?
Best wishes
Clare Doyle
Genealogy Support
Hello Sarah Jane
I have been researching John Macken and Jesse Macken too - and know why his trail goes cold.
It turns out when John Macken died in 1868, his wife, Mary Ann moved to Brentford, possibly because there were other Mackens around, and gave birth to Jesse. She then met James Spiers and married him... and it looks like he adopted Jesse Macken who became James Spiers - my great great great grandfather. John Macken's elder son was brought up in Devon by Mary Ann's mother.
Matthew