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Trying to find my ancestor's James O'Connor (or Connors) history in Ireland

I am looking for help with locating information regarding my Irish ancestors. My name is James O’Connor and I currently live on the eastern shore of Virginia. I plan on visiting Ireland for the first time in the Fall of 2027. My great-great grandfather was known either as James O’Connor or James Connors when he resided in Ireland. He left Ireland for the United States in about 1860, as he answered a 1910 census question. My great-great grandmother was Johanna Sullivan, who reported on the same census as leaving Ireland in 1846. This is what I know of James and I will post later regarding Johanna::

James O’Connor (or Connors) was born around 1840. Birth dates on various US documents list his birthyear as anywhere from 1837 to 1842. We do know he was listed as 18 years old in September, 1861 on the roster of the 22nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. It was not uncommon for younger boys to lie about their age in order to meet enlistment requirements. Using Ireland Catholic Parish register indexes on-line, I have located 17 Baptismal records listing James O’Connor or Connor with a father’s first name John during the time period 1837-1844. Of these 17 records, 12 were from County Kerry. The remaining five records were from Cork&Ross (5) and Dublin (2).

James used the surname Connors on the 1870 and 1880 US census and then the surname O’Connor on the 1900 and later US census (the 1890 census records were lost in a fire). His father’s name is recorded once as only “John” on James’ death certificate in 1920.

James probably came to the United States alone, as an extensive search of ships passengers immigrating at that time show 27 different James (O’Connor, Connor, or Connors) during the timeframe 1850 to late 1860. Only a few of those 27 records were listed along with other family members and most of them were ruled out after locating them somewhere else in the US on later census records. But James must have had family or friend connections in central or northwestern Ohio, as his military unit recruited in those areas. I have found only two James Connors records on the US 1860 census from those same areas of Ohio.

James enlisted in the 22nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry in September, 1861, for the standard 3-year term and re-enlisted in 1864 when that term was up.Most of his company (C) went home when their enlistments ended in 1864, implying to me that he had no family to return to. Yet within six weeks of being mustered out of his Regiment in August 1865, he marries Johanna Sullivan in Erie County (northwestern Ohio). I have been unable to locate a connection between the two before that time.

James and Johanna have their first child, John, in February of 1867. His Baptismal record from St. Francis DeSales parish in Toledo, Ohio lists a surname of O’Connor with sponsors of James Hanley and Margarita Bolan.

James and Johanna go on to have the following additional children: Timothy (1868-1949), Michael (1869-1945), Mary (1873-1912), James (1878-?), Patrick (1879-?), Honora (1881-?), Josephine (1883-?) and Margaret (1886-?). All were born in Toledo Ohio.

James died on September 11, 1920 in Toledo, Ohio. Johanna died in 1922.

What I know about Johanna Sullivan (O’Connor) will come in a later post.

322oconnordad

6 replies

Any chance you have James marriage record/license?  Sometimes that will list parents names.  Naturalization?  I guess the death record did not identify his mother, exact date or place of birth?  Just brainstorming - it sounds like you've covered your bases.

GDTrecosta

322oconnordad:

Have you considered a general DNA test? Possibly you will have matches with 3rd or 4th cousins who might have more info on the home place in Ireland.

You have done extensive research on James O'Connor. As you indicated there would be many James Connor/O'Connor baptismal records with father John around 1840. I went a little further and made an assumption that possibly his mother's name was Honor (second daughter was named Honor). I found three possible leads. The first two were from the subscription site Roots Ireland and the third from irishgenealogy.ie

I would lean towards the 1837 record.

James Conners baptized July 2 1837 in the RC parish of Kill in Co. Waterford father John Conners mother Honor Phelan

James O'Connors baptized Novermber 11 1841 in the RC parish of Ballylooby in Co. Waterford father John O'Connors mother Honor Gowen

James Connor baptized November 16 1842 in the RC parish of Bantry Co. Cork father John Connor mother Norry Hays

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi, 

I'd Iike to mention some pIaces where you might find James's Irish birthpIace mentioned. I apoIogize in advance if I Iist something you have aIready Iooked at.

--obituary

--death notice

--wiII

--his chiIdren's birth, baptism, marriage (church and civiI), and death records; I have sometimes seen pIace of origin for the parent in these records

--see if any of the census records show a reIative Iiving with him. Then research that reIative.

I hope something here is heIpfuI.

glanvil3@aol.com

Thank you to all who took the time to answer my post.  As was stated by GDTrecosta, I have tried to cover most of my bases (birth/death records, census, etc.)  What I am waiting on is results from the USA National Archives that might have a complete military record of James O'Connors' Civil War service.  I am hopeful that it has record of "next of kin" and their home towns in Ireland.  I will go back and check Records of Wills, since I had not thought of that.  My outside hope was that someone in Ireland might see my post and recognize the branch of their family that went to America.

If all else fails, I will consider a DNA test, though I must confess that I fear that data getting into the wrong hands.  Things are pretty dicey these days ".across the pond".  Does anyone have a recommendation as to a DNA testing company that: (1)  Will preserve my privacy except through trusted sources; and (2) has a substantial number of users in Ireland so as to increase the chances of a match.

322oconnordad

I live in the States and have tested with FamilyTree DNA, My Heritage and Ancestry.   Ancestry, by far, has the largest data base. 

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

The DNA might definitely point you in the right geographical direction, which will be very helpful.  And, don't stop looking for the USA-based record which might give you that long-needed clue.  And, don't forget to research the people immediately around James.  

I also have O'Connor's in my Irish ancestry and after decades of pounding my head against the wall, I found a 1945 letter buried in an album of old pictures (look at backs of photos as well).  The letter was from someone in Dublin addressed to my mother's uncle, and signed off as "cousin".  I researched the family at that address and connected them to the O'Connor surname and then to the O'Connor family from Tralee, Co Kerry.  I was able to slowly & thoroughly build out the O'Connor tree from there.  Then after searching military records before & even paying someone to search, I did a simple google search one day & found a widow's application for a pension, based off of my O'Connor's husband, Jeremiah O'Donoghue's military service.  In that record, since they had to prove who they were, I found bits & pieces about the O'Donoghue family (the name of two brothers, confirmation of where they were from, etc.).  I'm now working on connecting those bits & pieces to a family in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry.  

I wish I could tell you there was an unaccounted for "James O'Connor" from that timeframe in my research, but at this point there is not.

Good luck.

GDTrecosta

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