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Searching for information about Jeremiah O'Brien and Ellen Riordan 1750-1850

I believe that my 3rd great-grandfather, Jeremiah O'Brien, was born around 1778, in County Kerry. I believe he had at least one sibling, Cornelius. He married Ellen Riordan. John O'Brien was born around 1807, in Ireland, his father, Jeremiah O'Brien, was 29 and his mother, Ellen Riordan, was 30. John O'Brien is my 2nd great-grandfather who married Mary Coughlin (b.1814) around 1841 in Boston. John died on 29 March 1877, in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States, at the age of 70. John & Mary had 7 children - Michael, Katherine, Jeremiah, Timothy X., Mary Ann, Amelia and Katy. Jeremiah J. O'Brien is my great-grandfather. He was born in 1848 and married Margaret Quinlan in 1873. They had 5 children - Frederick W. O'Brien, MD is my maternal grandfather. He married Sarah Ann Green and raised my mother and her two brothers in Boston.

The information I have shows Jeremiah being from Kerry and his wife Ellen from Tralee. The only other peice of geography I have is that Mary Coughlin's parents (Timothy Coughlin/Coughlan and Helena Meskill) appear to have been married in Macroom, Cork on January 18, 1798.

Just trying to dig a bit deeper into my roots. I'll keep searching but appreciate any assistance! Thanks!

joanfoleybrennan

7 replies

Joan,

I found these records on Ancestry

Maybe??

NameJohn Brian
GenderMale
Baptism Date20 Dec 1801
Baptism PlaceRoman Catholic, Killarney, Kerry, Ireland
FatherJerh. Brian
MotherEllen Riordan
FHL Film Number823809

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NameJohn Brian
GenderMale
Record TypeBaptism
Baptism Date20 Dec 1801
Baptism PlaceTiernaboul, Ireland
FatherJerh. Riordan
MotherEllen Riordan

mtvrdk@gmail.com

Joan:

The subscription site Roots Ireland has baptismal records for five children of a Dermot Brien and Ellen Riordan. All records were in the RC parish of Killarney (I know you have Ellen from Tralee). Dermot is a variant for Jeremiah. It is possible that this family is different than your ancestors since Brien and Riordan were common surnames.

The five baptismal records are as follows:

Mary Brien baptized Mary 12 1793

John baptized December 20 1801

Hanora baptized May 21 1805

Dermot February 6 1809

Julia September 6 1810

The townland was shown as Teernaboul which is within the civil parish of Killarney.

I did not locate a marriage record.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer
NameJulia Brien
GenderFemale
Baptism Date6 Sep 1810
Baptism PlaceRoman Catholic, Killarney, Kerry, Ireland
FatherJerh. Brien
MotherEllen Riordan
FHL Film Number823809

@@@@

NameJeremiah Brien
GenderMale
Baptism Date6 Feb 1809
Baptism PlaceRoman Catholic, Killarney, Kerry, Ireland
FatherJerh. Brien
MotherEllen Riordan
FHL Film Number823809

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Teernaboul Townland, Co. Kerry

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mtvrdk@gmail.com

Joan,

Based on info found on Ancestry, I know there was a Jeremiah born to John O'Brien and Mary Coughlan. A John's death record identifies Jeremiah and Ellen as parents. Some other trees show these parents but has John married to Mary Murphy. Have you confirmed that your John's mother's last name is Riordan and he died in 1877?

NameJeremia O'Brien[Jeremiah O'Brien]
Record TypeBaptism
Baptism Date3 Jan 1847
Baptism PlaceRoxbury, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA
FatherJohn O'Brien
MotherMary Coughlan

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NameJohn O'Brien
GenderMale
Age72
Birth Dateabt 1805
Birth PlaceIreland
Death Date1877
Death PlaceBoston, Massachusetts, USA
FatherJeremiah O'Brien
MotherEllen O'Brien
Wills and ProbatesSearch for 1877 John in Massachusetts Wills & Probates collection

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NameMary O'Brien Coughlin
GenderFemale
Age81
Birth Dateabt 1814
Birth PlaceIreland
Death Date14 Feb 1895
Death PlaceBoston, Massachusetts, USA
FatherTimothy
MotherHelena Coughlin
Wills and ProbatesSearch for 1895 Mary in Massachusetts Wills & Probates collection

@@@@@@@@@@

NameJohn O'Brien
GenderM (Male)
Birth Date1805
Birth PlaceCo. Kerry, Kerry, Munster, Ireland
Death Date29 mars 1877 (29 Mar 1877)
Death PlaceBoston, Massachusetts, USA
FatherJeremiah O'Brien
MotherEllen Riordan
SpouseMary Murphy
ChildDaniel O'Brien
View on Geneanethttps://gw.geneanet.org/pthobie?n=o+brien&oc=1&p=john

mtvrdk@gmail.com

Thanks so much to all of you for looking into this for me. I'm bug-eyed right now and I know it's the middle of the night for you so I'll follow up in the morning.

Warm regards,

Joan

joanfoleybrennan

Yes, I am certain that my family's John O'Brien married Mary Coughlin not Mary Murphy because a second cousin wrote our O'Brien family history here: https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/62282/images/138573_fl6495233_2504341-00006?pId=4545744926

My family information runs from page 5-7 where it gives the history for John's son Jeremiah who was my great-grandfather. My mom was Marie Therese O'Brien Foley.

It'm pretty certain that my family's John O'Brien was born in 1807 so that doesn't fit with 1801 but the family headstone says 1807 and his age on family census records seem to agree with that date.

Hope this is helpful.

Joan

joanfoleybrennan

Joan,

In the 1800s birthdays were not celebrated in Ireland so frequently people did not know their birth year. It could be off by 10 years. Do you have any record confirming John's mother's last name was Riordan?

Regards- Mary

mtvrdk@gmail.com

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