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RE: Looking for Help With Finding Info on My Barry G-G-Grandfather

I need help with finding more information about my G-G-Grandfather. I know virtually nothing about hime before he is married in 1872. I have found possible records for him, but have no way of proving that the person in those records are him. This is what I do know about him… William Barry (Born; possibly abt 1850 in Ireland/Died; 26 April 1920 Midleton, County Cork, Ireland) Wife: Elizabeth Ronan born; possibly abt 1854 in Ireland/died; 16 February 1920 Midleton, Cork, Ireland).

The earliest records I am able to find them on are on their sons baptismal records in 1873 and 1876 from St. Vincent de Ferrer Catholic Church in Manhattan. Then, I find them in Carrigtwohill, Cork where they have two more kids in 1879 and 1883. Info on them after they move back to Ireland is fairly easy to find, but info on William Barry is hard to find before his sons are baptized.

zbarry93@gmail.com

8 replies

Zachary:

I searched the subscription site Roots Ireland from 1845-1855 for a William Barry baptismal record in the Diocese of Cloyne and there were sixty two records. What was the name of the oldest son born in 1873. Possibly by using that name for the father of William we can narrow the possible records.

I assume William and Elizabeth were married in America?

Roger McDonnell

 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Yes, William and Elizabeth were married in Manhattan at St. Vincent de Ferrer Catholic Church. Also, I have a suspision that William may have came to the US at about 2, around 1852 maybe.

Here are the birth dates for each of the kids...

John James 

  • B:24 August 1874 Manhattan, New York 
  • D:abt 1924 Boston, Massachusetts

William Patrick

  • B:21 October 1876 Manhatten, New York
  • D: Boston, Massachusetts

Michael William

  • B:9 February 1879 Tullagreen, Carrigtwohill, County Cork
  • D:17 November 1940 Boston, Massachusetts

Thomas

  • B:9 October 1883 Midleton, Carrigtwohill, County Cork, Ireland
  • D:30 June 1938 Tullagreen, Carrigtwohill, Cork, Ireland
zbarry93@gmail.com

Zachary:

I did another search on Roots Ireland using John as the father and reduced the sixty two William Barry records down to nine. Two in 1845, two in 1846 and three after 1850. Here is the info on the other two records:

William Barry baptized July 8 1849 in Cobh father John Barry and mother Mary Fitzgerald

William Barry baptized January 16 1848 in Newmarket father John Barry and mother Mary O'Donnell

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

But how can I know if the records have William or his family members in them if I don't know any of his family members or much of anything about him before he was married? Thats the problem I keep running into, lots of possible records with lots of possible Williams but no way to know if they are what I am looking for.

zbarry93@gmail.com

Zachary:

Let me take you into a different direction but as you indicated you need to find information (mother's maiden name) that would conclusively tie to one of these baptismal records. Have you considered DNA testing?

I'm going to make an assumption that William returned to the same area from where he was born so I looked at all the William Barry baptismal records in Carrigtwohill. There were no records in 1850 just two in 1844 and one in 1846. See info below.

Roger

William Barry baptized May 3 1844 parents Edmond Barry Elizabeth Moore

William Barry baptized May 6 1844 parents William Barry Margaret Barry

William Barry barptized August 23 1846 parents Michael Barry Mary Connel

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

I have had my Barry Grandfather take DNA testing. His DNA is a part of the Barry DNA project on FTDNA. There are people on there that his DNA seems to indicate he is closely related to, but I am not sure what the relationship is, and I am not very good at understanding how DNA works to figure out the relationship myself. Unfortunately, my grandfather passed away in 2015. So, he cannot provide more DNA to allow me to use it on Ancestry and his brother doesn't want to do DNA testing. Maybe I could ask his brother again or if I have to, his son. Or, if it is just Ancestry, I could ask his sister or one of my aunts.

As for the baptismal records you have found, the second one is one that I have looked into. From what I have found, Margaret's last name is Dunlea. I don't remember how I stumbled upon this info, but it was many years ago. It may have been an ancestry hint, but I have held onto the names ever since I found them, but I only have names.

zbarry93@gmail.com

Zachary:

I would go with the Ancestry test for you or one of your aunts. The Y-DNA test is not good for finding matches in the last 150 years for any of your lines. Once an autosomal test is taken, you can load your data to Family Tree DNA, My Heritage and Gedmatch. 

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

I have had a family finder test already done with my grandfather's DNA through FTDNA as well as Y and Mt DNA.. That would be autosomal wouldn't it?

zbarry93@gmail.com

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