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McKean/McCann/McGowan

My sister and I are looking for any relatives with these names above. We don’t know where in Ireland any records for these relatives will be. The only knowledge we have are through the Scottish census’s recorded as born in Ireland but not where. There is discrepancies with names as well, we are Mckean’s as was my Scottish grandfather, but siblings in his family born in Scotland and births registered here, are Mcken, McAnn, McKain, and McKean’s on birth certificates. We are not sure why this is, but think it may have been the way it was written down as heard when they were registered. Our great grandfather Thomas McCann/ McKean was married to Margaret McGowan who’s parents were also Irish, they were . Thomas’s McGowan and Mary m.s. Gralton. We have no knowledge of areas their family belong but would appreciate if someone can advise where we can find out. We did visit the Library in Dublin but had no luck. Thomas’ parents were Robert McCann married to Mary Boney who we think was also born in Ireland. 

Ellie33

6 replies

Can you give us a few more details please? When were Thomas & Margaret born? When did they marry (do you have their marriage certificate)? What denomination were they? What censuses have you found them in?

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Elwyn, Thomas McKean/ McCann born April 16th 1859 and Margaret Margaret McGowan born March 29th 1859 and married 24th September 1879 in Dumfries. I think they may have been born in Scotland.

It is their parents Robert McCann and Mary McCann m.s.Boney, (they were married in Scotland too 1858 ) Thomas’s parent’s, and Thomas & Mary MCGowan m.s. Gralton - Margaret’s parent’s whose origin in Ireland that I don’t know where. It was in the Scottish census’s that showed they were born in Ireland but not where. I also have Biddy Morgan McGowan as Thomas’s mother born circa 1820 in Ireland. I appreciate any help in finding where in Ireland it is possible they may belong. It appears to be that some of the family  moved to Scotland late 1800’s. I think they were RC faith but not sure, as we just take it for granted we inherited their faith. 

Thanks Ellen (m.s.Mckean) Stark

Ellie33

Robert McCann’s marriage to Mary Bonney was Roman Catholic so that rather confirms their denomination. The civil certificate shows that both were illiterate and signed with a cross. That may well account for the variations in the spelling of the surname that you have found. That wasn’t uncommon at that time.  Nobody bothered much about having a “correct” spelling then anyway.

Robert was a bachelor, aged 27. His father was Thomas McCann, deceased. He had been a pensioner, so that indicates he had served in the army. Robert’s mother was Letitia Pearson and was alive in 1858. Mary Bonney was a widow, aged 28. Her parents were Thomas Bonney, labourer, deceased and Mary Murphy, alive. One of the witnesses was Patrick Bonnie (note spelling). Mary’s previous husband’s name is not given. I don’t see a likely previous marriage for Mary in Scotland.

I looked for marriages in Ireland for the 2 sets of parents but without success. A problem you face is that many RC parishes in Ireland don’t have records for the period you need ie marriages 1810 – 1830.

There is a tree on Ancestry (Steve Whitby family) with Robert & Mary. It records Mary Boney (spelling) as dying in Cumberland (England) in April 1870.

Robert & Mary are in the 1861 census for Whitehaven, Cumberland. His unusual occupation (bee hive maker) makes him fairly easy to identify.  The family consists of Robert 28, Mary 30, Mary 7 & Thomas 2. The children were born in Scotland and the parents in Ireland.

Margaret McGowan also appears in that tree, born 15.3.1859 in Dumfries and dying 2nd May 1931 in Glasgow.

Many Irish labourers in south west Scotland came from Co Down. It’s only 20 miles across to Scotland and until about 1850 the main ferry service between that part of Ireland and Scotland operated from Donaghadee in Co Down to Portpatrick in Wigtownshire. So very easy for people to cross to that part of Scotland. So it wouldn’t be too surprising in the McCann/McKean family came from that county. Here’s a link here to a Co Down site with loads of McCanns:

http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~rosdavies/genealogy/SURNAMES/Mc/McCann.htm

There’s a Letitia Pearson on the site too, but she was Presbyterian and married someone else:

http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~rosdavies/genealogy/SURNAMES/P/Pe.htm

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

 Elwyn thanks for this information, it will help. The name changes we guessed could be due to the fact they were written as heard due to Irish lilt, which I love. So we can say that probably McCann is the true surname with the evidence you found. The name McKean is more common to our relatives in Scotland and most can be found for those born here. The name confusion is through my grandad’s siblings there are different surnames of his older bros/sisters. Mcken/McCann/McKean.We did wonder about Thomas & Leticia being married, as we couldn’t find marriage certs here for them but thought they may have married in Ireland. It may be they just lived in sin as their religious beliefs were different, or they had an affair.

My sister and I have lots of info about the Scottish family, as we go to register house in Edinburgh a lot, when it is open. It is our Irish ones we are stuck with, I know the RC records are more protected as we have found out here. I’ve even tried finding graves in Ireland where family might be buried, but then again the name looked for was McKean and it was trial and error as we didn’t know were they were born. Haven’t found anything so far but will keep trying.

I will check out the addresses you sent, and can I just say thanks again, hopefully we will find more through the information given.

Ellen 

 

 

 

 

Ellie33

The 1858 marriage certificate indicates that Thomas McCann & Letitia Pearson were married. (Or at least Robert said they were). Letitia’s described as a widow, and her previous name is given. That all implies they were married.

The absence of a marriage for the couple is probably because the parish where they married doesn’t have any records for the early 1800s. Outside Dublin, few RC parishes kept records till the 1820s.  And if they married in say the Churhc of Ireland not many of their records are on-line yet.

Death registration didn’t start in Ireland till 1864 so you won’t find a record of Thomas McCann senior’s death. And if Leititia died before 1864 you obviously won’t find one for her either. I searched for possible deaths for her 1864 onwards. I found two that are of about the right age. One died 12.10.1864 aged 58, registered in Lisburn, Co Antrim. The other died 9.7.1873 aged 60 registered in Lurgan, Co Armagh. (Bear in mind that most ages on death certificates then were just guesses and so could be out by 5 years or more). You can view the original certificates on-line on the GRONI website, using the “search registrations” option: 

https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk

You will need to open an account and buy some credits. It costs £2.50 (sterling) to a view a certificate. 

 

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks Elwyn for further information about Thomas and Leticia. At least I now have an idea where in Ireland they could have been born or died. Before the information I hadn’t a clue where to look.

Thanks again 

Ellen

 

Ellie33

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