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Whites/Whytes in Mountbellew

Greetings!

I am hoping to confirmthe parents of my great-great grandmother, Ellen White/Whyteand learn more about this line of my family.I plan to visit Ireland this Spring and would love to visit the area from where my family came.

What I know:Ellenemigrated to New Yorkin 1898 as a teenager. Shecame from Mountbellew (per ship manifest and family knowledge)and was alone, not travelling with any family.I have a lead as to the names of her parents but am runninginto trouble with the distinction between the surname White and Whyte.

I have found a birthrecord withthe appropriate birthyear for Ellen (1880)listingparents Patrick and Mary White (nee Quinn), in Galway however, when searching the census for 1901 - Idon't see a Patrick and Mary White listed together. There is a family with parents Patrick and Mary Whyte with quite a few children, but this could be entirely unrelated.

I also found birth record for a Thomas White (1879), with the same parents Patrick and Mary White (nee Quinn) and the location is listed as Springlawn, which I understand is a townland in the Mountbellew area, however I cannot locate them together as a family in the 1901 census.

I am not quite sure that Patrick and Mary are Ellen's parents, and would appreciate guidance on how Imight confirm who her family members were.

Can anyone offer guidance as to the distinctionbetween the White and Whyte surnames? Would one ever change the spelling of theirsurname?

Thank you so much in advance for your help!

IrelandXO member

10 replies

A Patrick and Mary Whyte appear on the 1901 census at Springlawn townland - see here

Dont worry about spelling of surnames, it all depends on who provided the information, and who recorded it - i.e. priest, minister, registrar. Whyte/White etc are all the same. Similar variation in spelling also appears with place names.

Do you have US marriage or death certs for your Ellen ?
These often include parents name which can help confirm or rule out potential matches
 

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

I'm pretty sure that the Mary at Springlawn's maiden name Quinn. The records I think you found for Thomas which mentions Springlawn was probably an extracted civil birth record on FamilySearch. In additional to your Ellen, one other sibling appears in the same collection - Honor, who is one of the four children at home on the 1901 census, born 1876. See here for the three extracted births  (the extracted birth collection on FamilySearch contain partial details of many, but not all, civil births between the start of civil registration in 1864, up to about 1880/81)

 

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you shanew147 - If Whyte/White are interchangeable then the Patrick and Mary that you have linked could certainly be her parents. I don't have a death or marriage cert. but will have to pull that to doubly confirm that Patrick and Mary are my 3rd great grandprents - thanks for the tip.

I saw Honor(a) as well via extracted civil birth search results, so I do think you are right - Quinn is Mary's maiden name. I see Thomas re-appeared in the household in 1911 here, though the parents were gone and sibling Michael was the head.

A record came up for a Patrick Whyte enlisted in the Irish Royal Constabulary in 1860, Galway - with same birthyear as my likely 3rd great grandparent Patrick, thought I don't know how I could pin down if it is the same individual. Would one leave the police occupation to be a farmer, as was Patrick's occupation per the 1901 census? It doesn't seem likely, but i don't know enough about it.

If it is indeed her family, it's surprising that Ellen emigrated while many of her siblings remained in the household. Would anyone be able to offer insight? What was Mountbellew/Springlawn like in the 1890s? Where could I find more information on the family? They were a large family - I'd love to know if there are descendents still in the area.

Many thanks!

IrelandXO member

Children often left home areas back then, particularly those in large families that might not have been easily been supported back at home, sometimes just to a city in Ireland, but many emmigrated. I'm not local to this area so dont know if there are any White/Whytes or Quinns still living there, but now that there are details of this particular family posted here, any other decendants can see these on a search via google etc

Springlawn townland is part of the civil parish of Ballynakill, Killian barony, and is located about 5 km (just over 2 miles) to the north west of Mountbellew, also known as Mountbellew Bridge - see Google Map directions , and 1st Edition OSI Map (c1840, townland border shown in red). The townland consists of just over 1,100 acres, and back in the mid-1850s was at least partly bog, although may have been drained by now. Griffith's valuation (AskAboutIreland.com ), dated 1855 for this area, shows some probable relations to your family - Patrick & Michael Quinn leasing houses and several small plots of land, and also a Thomas White leasing house,land and some bog. The easiest way to search for these on Griffith's is probably using the "Place Name Search" option - enter Springlawn as the location, and Galway as the Region/County

Some details of the town of Mountbellew are included in Lewis' 1837 Topographical directory (LibraryIreland)

RootsIreland pay-website has transcripts of civil and parish records for much of Co. Galway and there seems to be possible matches for several other children - see the East Galway section.  The Catholic parish for the area is sometimes listed "Moylough" or "Moylough & Mountbellew"

There's a possible match for the parents marriage showing up on the BMD Index in 1874 - a Patt White and Mary Quinn with the same references. volume 4, page 395. This should be included in the RootsIreland records. If there's both a civil and parish record, I'd opt for the civil record as this should include some details not usualy included in Catholic marriage records, such as occupations, and names of the father's of the bride and groom..

 

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

I will check out the resources you mentioned, thank you so much.

IrelandXO member

Hello

I have been looking for any information on my grandfather George White, occupation was plumber.. He was born in Liverpool,England on April 1,1865 or 67 and immigrated at age 7 to Chicago,Illinois via Canada. He married Elizabeth (Lizzie) Ward there in 1895. Her parents were Timothy Ward and  Catherine (Kate ) Kenny from Kilmallaw,Fohenagh. It seems George's father was Henry White and his mother was Hannah,or possibly Honora., maiden name unknown.Because they belonged to a Catholic parish in Chicago and because immigrant families usually stayed within the close area of people the knew from home I am going on the idea that there is a connection to the East Galway area regarding the White surname. 

I have been doing extensive research through Tithe applotments records ,Fohenagh church records and cemetary inscriptions,census but cannot connect the dots.This includes UK searches as well. Because of the above mentioned White's(Whyte's),thought this townland might be another outlet.

Also looking for any information on parentage or siblings of my great grandfather Timothy Ward born around mid 1840s and marriage record to Kate Kenny (daughter of Michael and Mary Usher). There is a record of a son John born 1861 in the Fohenagh church register  but that is the only reference to their names.Ward is such a common surname in East Galway so I am trying several different townlands in hopes of some response or direction.Thank you for any help.

Go mile maith agat,

Pat Owen

 

patowen

Dear Micaela_S and shanew147, I think my ancestor Mary Ann White from Mount Bellew in Galway maybe part of Patrick White's family.  Mary Ann White emigrated to Australia in 1841 on the John Renwick which sailed from Dublin.  On the shipping record she is listed as the daughter of Thomas and Mary White, weavers, of Mount Bellew Galway.  I had no other information about her other than that she was 18 according to the shipping record or only 13 if the age on her death certificate is the correct one.  Recently Ireland Reaching out included information on the1796 spinning wheel list which included the names of Thomas and Mary White and Widow White. (The people on the list were given a spinning wheel for planting flax).

White             Mary              Ballynakill          Galway

White             Thomas            Aughyart             Galway

White             Widow             Tynagh               Galway

The places listed are baronies not parishes and are in the vicinity of Mountbellew.  

Searching for Mountbellew I found the website Connorsgenealogy.com on which was listed

 “Tithe Apploments 1837 for Mountbellew Glennamaddy and Tuam Poorlaw Unions Tinquin and Killian Baronies”

on which “White, Thos 118 Mullaghmore  Jemison Esquire” was listed.  The column headings were Name ; First Name ; number Townland Proprietor.  There were also two Ptk Whites listed, one of which also had the Proprietor Jemison Esquire.

I wondered if these two Patricks were father and son and perhaps brother and uncle to Thomas White.

It is very exciting to actually find someone researching what is most likely the same family.

JennieV

 

JennieV

Hi all,

My great great nan was Anne whyte from springlawn. Daughter of Patrick and Mary Whyte.

Has anyone been able to find any information on patrick whyte or Mary quinn.

Would be interested to know where Mary quinn if anyone has been able to find this out.

Thanks

Sean galloway

Sean G 3

Hi saw your post just signed up Ellen whyte was my great grandmother  who married Charlie whyte  they lived in windfield brierfield he was the Head gardener for the Jamesons ( yes the  famous whiskey)  I am living in Ireland  and would love to pass on any information  you require  sincerely  yours tony 

tonymcgrory

Tony, was Ellen and Charlie related to Anne walsh nee whyte. She lived in Brierfield aswell? 

Sean G 3

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