We are trying to locate info on James Gillespie Birney born abt 1767 in this area and then left for America from Dublin in 1783. He came to Danville, kY in 1788. He died in Boyle Co., KY 1839. He returned to Ireland after his first wife died and his sisters and family came to KY. Somehow the Gillespie name is connected. There was a sister married into Whelan line. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Deb Lowe in KY
Hi Deb,
I will see if I can help you.
However I just want to check a few things with you.
Is James's surname Gillespie/Birney?
He was around 16 when he left Dublin, where did you have this information from?
Please forgive me when I ask where is KY?
Did all his sisters go to KY, including the sister that you think married Whelan?
Best Wishes Carmel O'Callaghan
James's last name Birney. However there is some connection to the Gillespie line. His sister(s) married into Gillespie(spelling I have seen various ways Gillispie Gallaspie Gallespy) line maybe. The info that he left Dublin was from a book on the Birneys and their Irish Pedigree. James Birney also had a sister, a Mrs. Doyle that had no children of her own that came to America to care for James's children after their mother died. Danville is in Boyle County, KY now but Danville was part of Mercer County and Lincoln County in the late 1700's. The other sisters were suppose to have come here also. If you google Jmaes Birney Gillespie, II you will see he was famous person.
Here's some info that another person had.
1-unknown Birney
2-George Birney
md. Margaret Taylor
3-Catherine Birney(1771-1856)
md. Samuel Bushfield(1767-1832)
2-unknown Birney
3-James Gillespie Birney(1767-1839)
md. Martha Reed (-1795) This was James's first wife.
4-James Gillespie Birney(1792-1857) This is his son
md. Agatha McDowell( -1839)
md. Elizabeth Fitzhugh
5-James Birney
5-David Bell Birney
5-William Birney
sp-Catherine "Katie" Hoffman
5-Florence Birney
5-Dion Birney
4-Anna Marie(Nancy)Birney
Thanks
Deb
Wow Deb, he is indeed famous & I would love that you would visit here., but i would need to know where to bring you apart from Drung. I seen a connection with Scotland in that link. Scotlandpeoples website would be a good place to search for those links, it is a fee based site & excellent. Also try
Cavan Genealogy,
1st floor,
Johnston Central Library,
Farnham Street,
Cavan Town,
County Cavan.
Tel: +353 (0)49 4361094
Fax: +353 (0)49 4331494
Email: cavangenealogy@eircom.net
Qualified Genealogists & historians work there & would be a good place for you to try.
Do let me know if you have any success. Best of luck Carmel
Hi Deb,
I am not sure of you are searching for James Gillespie Birney Sr. descendents, or Letita Doyle Whelan's decendents?
Letita Birney was born in Cootehill, County Cavan, Ireland in 1758. She came to Danville, KY in 1795 after the death of Mr. Birney's wife, Martha Anna Reed to care for the two young children, Anna Reed Birney (1785 - 1859) and James G. Birney, Jr. (1792 - 1857). Mrs. Whelan died on 1 Nov 1838, and is buried at Belleview Cemetery, Danville, Boyle County, Kentucky.
Her daughter, Catherine Whelan McNickle died in 1856 and is buried in the same cemetery.
You will find more information at: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=67544958
I hope this helps. I have not been able to find the name of the husband as of this time.
Cheryl Crowell
I have the above info but want to know more about Letita Birney and James Gillespie Birney, Sr. Who was Letita's husband and where the Gillespie in his name come? Who were their parents. I have the Find A Grave memorial for them under my name.
Are you in Ireland?
Deb in KY
Deb,
I am in Cincinnati, OH.
To correct a previous error, I have since discovered that Letitia was not the "Doyle" sister of James I. I will keep you posted if I find out anything more.
I am writing a book about James G. Birney II, and therefore doing the due diligence of geneaolgy research and fact checking. Have found many errors in past research projects when one starts to compare notes and dates across the documentation. I am anal retentive when it comes to accuracy (smile).
Where are you in Kentucky? I am planning a trip sometime this summer for pictures and hopefully more digging around. Are you a descendent?
Cheryl