Seeking information on Maurice Keyes (Morris Keys) (abt 1823-1893), Kilclooney, County Cork

Hello,

I believe you can order the pension record here: https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/pre-ww-1-rec…

You have a death record for Maurice that says he was a pensioner of the U.S. army. Doing a quick look at census records and military records on Ancestry, I found there was only one Maurice Keyes who served in the army.  It would have been unusual for an emigrant to serve for years in the U.S. army and then go back home.  So it would be highly unlikely for there to be two Maurices of the same age and name and same military experience to go home to Ireland. I would trust that the "two" you researched are one and the same person.

As for shipping records, I did not see one on Ancestry for Maurice's arrival in the U.S.  There are no reverse records (from U.S. to Ireland).

I hope something here is helpful.

Patricia, thank you kindly for your reply.  Pension Records at the National Archives have been searched but so far one has not been found.  Other spellings have been searched in case it's because of a transcription error, but no luck so far.  We know from family stories (and from the death record) that our ancestor returned to Ireland after fighting in the US Civil War.  I do not have any evidence of the soldier returning to Ireland at the end of his enlistments and was hoping if I could find record of that it might be the link I am looking for.  I also thought it was unusual for someone to have served that long in the US military to return to Ireland; especially with other relatives having settled in the US.  One reason might be that he retuned to "the farm that was supposed to be left to him".  His sister, Catherine, and her husband, Arthur Kennedy, remained on the Keyes farm in Ireland where all three of them died (Maurice, Catherine & Arthur Kennedy).  Maurice Keyes was present at both Catherine & Arthur's deaths; he is listed as "Occupier" on Arthur Kennedy's death record.  Again, thank you - and if you think of any other avenues that might help link the soldier to my ancestor I'm listening!

Did  you look for Morris in the 1880 U.S. census? If he doesn't appear, it would support the idea that he left the country. Of course, it could also mean he died or was missing from the census.)

Did you find any records in the U.S. that included his signature? If you could match it up with his signature on his will, for example, that would prove your case.

Did you find an obituary? Sometimes information in there is helpful.

Another thought...the death record calls him a pensioner of the U.S. army...is it possible that simply meant a veteran of the army?

I hope something here helps.

Great ideas - I will search the 1880 Census next!  As for his signature, he could not read or write (one of only a handful of soldiers in his regiment that could not) so he signed with his "X" mark.  For the obituary tip, I'm not good at searching those; I know my ancestor died in Ireland on 04 Oct 1893; he was not wealthy so not sure if it would have been reported in the Irish papers?  And I appreciate the point you raise about him possibly being a veteran vs. a pensioner, as we know, many times there are errors in reporting.  Having said that, I do think he was a pensioner, as oral family history has been passed down that "he received injuries in the Civil War and received a monthly pention of $12".  So I think a pension record just might exist - will keep searching!  But will also search the 1880 Census...thanks for the ideas!