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Looking for Lanes in County Kerry

Kerry

In preparation for a anticipated trip to Ireland, now likely in April-May of 2022 (postponed 4 times since January of 2020), I am seeking the origin my great-great grandfather, Timothy Lane, whose U.S. Naturalization document indicates that he was from County Kerry.

Timothy married Johanna Lynch of Kilnarovanagh in Boston in 1858; the record indicates that his parents were John and Catherine Lane. Timothy was Naturalized in 1860, and the naturalization petition was supported by Michael and Timothy Clifford, who were also from County Kerry.Shortly after the birth of their first child, John Lane, in Boston, they came to San Francisco, and had 7 more children. Timothy died at age 39; life must have been so hard.

Per Griffith's Valuation, a John Lane farmed in several places in the Killorglin area, but I have few other hints as to Timothy's origin, so I have used two genealogists in the hunt for my ancestor. One turned up nothing, but the second speculates that Timothy's parents were John Lane/Lean/Leane/Lyne and Catherine Connor/O'Connor and that their children were born in Rockfield, Milltown as follows: Mary (1827), Patrick (1829), John (1833), Thomas (1834), Catherine (1836), Johanna (1837), Ellen (1839) and James(1844). Birth records are on irishgenealogy.ie. Speculation is that Thomas was Timothy, but I can find no record of a Thomas Lane in the U.S. that might even vaguely correspond to the life I know my ancestor led, and I don't see that the name Thomas is typically interchangeable with Timothy.

I do like that the mother might have been a Connor, as the mother of Michael Clifford, one of the Naturalization sponsors, seems to have been Margaret Connor.

Maybe something about this will be familiar to one of you? Thanks so much for the collaboration!!!

swight@napanet.net

2 replies

Sjhw:

Like you I'm very skeptical about the Thomas being your Timothy. I believe that your Timothy Lane/Leyne was baptized in a parish that no longer has records back to his baptism year.

I do see the baptismal record for Johanna Lynch on August 20 1826 in Milltown. Parents were John Lynch and Mary Connor. Is that a coincidence since Timothy's mother was a Connor.

Have you considered DNA testing?

Roger McDonnell

 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you so much, Roger, for giving this some thought!

Yes, I've seen that Johanna with the Connor mother and was also intrigued, but Johannas' parents were Michael and Mary, and I think that family is secure both genealogically and genetically.  DNA results created some magic there, as my very Irish aunt has a solid DNA match with descendants of Johanna's grandparents, Michael Lynch and Elizabeth Brick.  We have been in touch, and the family still lives on the property where my Johanna was born, and where her father and, later brother and brother-in-law farmed.

On the other hand, none of us have Ancestry DNA matches with Lane/Leane/Leyne/etc. who share a common ancestors.  Sweetly, but to no avail so far, my uncle does have a FamilyTree Y-DNA match with a lovely man in County Kerry with the last name of Leane.  He and I have been corresponding for several years, and prior to Covid, he was taking little trips around Kerry searching for my Lanes, but nothing turned up.

In looking at Griffith's Valuations, I find it odd that John Lane did not farm in Rockfield, East, West or Milddle, though Daniel and John Clifford did.  Daniel is a new name to me, but John was the name of the father of one of Timothy's sponsors.

Still, all these relationships are tenuous.  There's no proof that Timothy new Johanna prior to arrival in Boston, nor the Cliffords.   A good DNA match would be helpful, and ( have 4 kits ready to bring with me to Ireland.  I just have to find a likely saliva donor!

Thanks, again.  Susan

swight@napanet.net

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