Hi Jane,
I have learned more about Michael Madden and Margaret Silk since I first posted. We have learned that Michael Madden had a brother named John C. Madden who married Anne Woods--they were married and had children in Cappataggle. We have a death certificate for him that lists their parents as Thomas Madden and Bridget--we do not know her maiden name and are unable to locate Thomas and Bridget Madden in records so far.
As for Margaret Silk, we know that she had a brother Patrick Silk who married Anne Carr. In the 1851 Census, Patrick and Anne Carr Silk are living in Cartrondoogan, Kilconnell, Galway. Margaret Silk and Patrick Silk's father is listed as the Head of Household and named John Silk. We do not know the name of Margaret Silk's mother, but believe she died before the 1851 Census. On John Silk's Census application, he lists his address as Mr. Michael Silke, Finisklin, Sligo. I'm not familiar with some of the land holding practices. Would this have been a relative of John Silk's that possibly owned the land that John, his son, daughter-in-law and grandson were living on?
My cousin and I were also able to locate the marriage record for Michael Madden and Margaret (Mary) Silk thanks to the East Galway Family History Society. They were married in Aughrim on 13 Jun 1833. They had 8 children according to baptismal records from Clonfert/Clontuskert. Some of the births also denote Lisheennavannoge as the place of residence.
Griffith's Valuation also lists a Patrick Madden in Lisheennavannoge. Would this be another brother to Michael Madden and John C. Madden; son to Thomas Madden and Bridget?
Michael Madden and Margaret Silk Madden's youngest child, William Madden, was born 10 May 1852 and baptized 17 May 1852. This is the last record that we have of his father, Michael Madden. The next record we have of our family is an immigration record for Margaret Silk Madden and her 3 youngest sons leaving Ireland through Liverpool to Boston, MA on 21 Oct 1853. We believe Margaret Silk Madden was widowed before leaving Ireland and she joined the rest of her children and other relatives in Hopkinton, MA. The family all appear in records in Hopkinton, except their father Michael Madden. We are able to trace where each of the children lived, died and were buried after their immigration.
We do know that Michael Madden and Margaret Silk Madden were connected to other Maddens in Cappataggle and that there were 3 marriages between the Madden and Woods families in that area. We are able to confirm these connections through records and DNA. Could you provide more background on Lisheennavannoge? It looks to be about 6-7 miles from Cappataggle where the Maddens lived and about 12 miles from Cartrondoogan where the Silks lived. Lisheennavannoge is also about 4-5 miles from Clontuskert where the baptismal records are for Michael and Margaret's children. When I plot all of these townlands on the map, it looks to be about a 16.5 mile area--would this have been a considerable distance for this family living in the early to mid-1800s? My cousin and I are trying to understand our family's movement in the area and maybe what churches they would have attended?
Can you offer any advice for how we might learn more about Margaret and Michael's mothers?
Thank you,
Emily
