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Peter McSweeney, shoemaker/soldier, 1803-1846

Kilkenny

I need help in finding the birthplace of Peter McSweeney. He was born in Ireland about 1801-1806. According to his US Army enlistment records he was born in Killarney 1805, Killarny 1806, or Kilkenny 1801. All in Ireland. He died in Parras, Mexico the winter of 1846-47. County Kilkenny has a village named Killarney. Is there some place else that fits both locations?

Immigration

Peter immigrated to England before 1832 where he married Johanna [no known surname, also born Ireland] on 1 April 1832, in Kensington, England according to her US Bounty-Land Warrant application, WT 75554.

Peter, his wife Johanna, and infant son William arrived at the port of New York on July 23, 1834 aboard the ship Thomas Wallace from London. [National Archives Microfilm publications M237 Passenger Lists NY July 21, 1834-Oct 12 1834, List nos. 577-845, John W. Straughan, Master, burthen 471 83/94 tons] The passenger list has Peter McSweeney 31 [born 1803], male, shoemaker, of Ireland; Johanna McSweeney 26 [born 1818], female, wife, of Ireland; and William McSweeney, infant, male child, of Ireland [assumed born after parent’s marriage, 1 April 1832, estimated age 2 or younger] William may be the child William Sweeney who died in New York, 1836.

Peter and Johanna settled in Crawford County Arkansas, near Fort Smith in the 1840s. These are their children, all born in the USA. Johanna McSweeney, age 15, female, born NY; Catherine McSweeney, age 10, female, born Ark; Matilda McSweeney, age 8, born Ark; Peter McSweeney, age 6, male, born Ark, died without issue; Mary McSweeney, age 3, female, born Ark. Ages based on the 1850 Crawford County Arkansas federal census.

Mary Douglass

2 replies

Mary:

Not many RC parishes have records back to 1800 or earlier. Fortunately, the RC parish of Killarney does have records back to 1792.

I searched the subscription site Roots Ireland and found two possible leads in the 1790s but no leads in Killarney or Co. Kilkenny in the 1801-1806 time period but in the early part of the 19th century, many people were not that familiar with when they were born so Petercould very well have been born in the 1790s. It will be very difficult to confirm whether one of these two records are correct and as I indicated many parish records are not available.

Peter Sweeny baptized July 11 1796 in Killarney RC parish Co. Kerry father Myles Sweeny mother Mary Sweeny

Peter Mac Sweeney baptized October 17 1790 in the Slieverue RC church Co. Kilkenny father James MacSweeney mother Mary Schaan

Have you considered DNA testing to identify some matches with Sweeney connections that may be able to assist you?

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

I have tested atdna, full sequence mtdna and tested my son for ydna-111 markers. I've tested with Ancestry and FTDNA. None of these tests have helped me find Peter. He is on my maternal line so only the first two tests are applicable.

Mary Douglass

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