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Farrelly Family, Fort William, Virginia

CavanLurgan (Cavan)

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone can help?

My Grandmother was born in Fort William, Virginia in 1939 and her Father was Simon Gerard Farrelly (Born 15/1/1901 - Fort William) . I have managed to establish quite a lot of the family but cannot establish what Fort William was..... it doesn't exist now when i place it into Google Maps?

Was this a Village? Was it a large population?

I am also looking at the Gargan Family, my Grandmothers Mother (Kathlyn Gargan - Born approx 1909 Virginia). I know her Mother and Father were Thomas Gargan (1857 Co Cavan) and Mary Brown (25 May 1868 Ballyjamesduff) does anybody know anything about this family, my G Granmother died when my Grandmother was young.

Anybody with any information about the family or area would be greatly appreciated.

Samantha Knight

19 replies

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

From what I can see, Fort William is a local place name which is part of the townland of Cornasesk/Cornashesk in Lurgan civil parish. Fort William is due east of Virginia town off of the R194 regional road. Looks like there may be a ring fort there. I think the population would have been small.

I looked at the 1855 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Lurgan civil parish  https://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/cavan/lurgan.htm  and there are many Farrellys in the parish but only one (Edward) shown as living in Cornasesk/Cornashesk.

I looked into the Gargan family and found her birth record in 1909.

Kathleen Gargan  Last record on the page https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1909/01622/1649895.pdf

I also found the 1911 census record for the family in Virginia and there were many children. Cathleen is erroneously shown as age 21 when the record shows 2. (There was a stray pen mark which caused the transcriber to think there was a 1. I will alert the National Archives staff.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Cavan/Virginia/Virginia_Town/350398/

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi,

Thanks so much for coming back to me. I cannot find an Edward Farrelly within the tree i currently have? Are there any futher details for him?

Would loveto know if anyone has any pics of Fort William at all?

Is there anyway to establish what the No 10 House in Cornesesk was in the 1911 census?

Thanks Again

Samantha Knight

I can't help you with Edward Farrelly.  The Lurgan RC records go back to the 18th century so his baptismal and marriage records should be available.

There is no value with the house numbers in either the 1901 or 1911 censuses. The RIC constable who picked up the census returns identified the first house they visited as house 1, the second house as house 2 etc.  Many times you will see a family in the 1901 census as living in house 5 yet in the 1911 census it shows house 3. They didn;'t move. The 1911 constable took a different route when walking thru the townland.

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

If you click on the “house & building” return for house 10 in Cornashesk in the 1911 census, you will see that it had walls made of stone or brick, a slate or tiled roof, 10 to 12 rooms, 6 windows at the front and that overall it was rated as a 1st class building. It was most probably 2 storied, and certainly much larger than the average house in the geneal area. Also generally of a better quality too. It would have been a substantial property.

 

 

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi there. I believe we are related. My grandfather was James Donald Farrelly. Is your grandmother's name Margaret Mary? If so, then we may have a lot we can discuss. 

Sean Farrelly

Hi,
My grandmother was Kathlyn Gargan, my grandfather Simon Gerard Farrelly.
My mother is Margaret Mary.

Samantha Knight

My grandfather was James Farrelly, Simon's brother. I have a few pictures of Fort William in my phone that I took at my grandmothers house when she was still alive. Also, my sister visited it a few years back and took pictures of the residence as the owners were nice enough to allow her to do that. I have a bunch of information on the family and Fort William that you may or may not have. 

Sean Farrelly

Hi

Yes we are definately related. We are planning to visit early next year as I went when I was a child. Who was your Grandmother?
Could you share the pictures with me?

Samantha Knight

That's awesome that you're going to visit next year. My grandmother was Roberta Barclay. Yes I can share those pictures with you. I'll have to find them but once I do I'll share them with you. 

Sean Farrelly

Hi,
I have Roberta on My family tree, have been using Ancestry to trace as much as possible. My grandmother was an only child so we have little information on the family.
Are you in Ireland?
Would like to hear more of what you know?

Samantha Knight

I'm in The United States. My dad has a pretty big family history book that I can get ahold of and send you things you don't have or know. It would be great to get to send you as much as I can. 

Sean Farrelly

That would be great thank you. Who is your dad? I noticed James had a big family.
Do you know if anyone is still in Ireland in the same area?

Samantha Knight

Hi. Has anyone been able to trace back further on the family tree than James Farrelly and Simon Gerard Farrelly who lived at Fort William in Cornashesk?

peter_duffy56@…

Hi,

Yes I am back 3 more generations.

Samantha Knight

Hi. That's great news. I know very little other than I understand that this Farrelly family originated in Cloughbally Upper in Mullagh. They did not originate in Fort William but part of the family moved there.I couldn't find a connection between this Farrelly family and my own Farrelly ancestors in the same parish though I know that they were closely related.

peter_duffy56@…

My dad is Patrick, James' son. I know of atleast one family member that is in Ireland. 

Sean Farrelly

It's marvellous to be able to trace back three further generations past your grandfather James. I suspect that our common family connection reaches that far back, if not further, but that may remain an unknown.

peter_duffy56@…

Hi

FortWilliam was a farm/ house in Virginia. My mother spent her first 5 years and all summers at FortWilliam, where her mother Shelagh grew up - sister of Simon. My mother knew all her uncles and aunts, though was closest to Unlcle Jim and PF i think. Claire also emigrated. We have a lot of the family tree and my daughter has filled in even more of it and has put it all on ancestry.com. I went to FortWilliam a few times as a child, enjoyed it. My mum had many happy memories there. I also have a book written by Shelagh's husband George (my grandfather) with lots of an anecdotes etc. My aunt Aileen was a character, and well known in the village and i remember her 'driving' - luckily the roads were quiet then! 

Helen Powell (my mum (Beryl), maiden name Piercy, daughter of Shelagh Farrelly

h@powells.me.uk

Helen Powell, My name is Deirdre (maiden name Farrelly). My older brother, Gerry, told me about this link RE: Fort William. I’ve been to Fort William many times. My niece is the person who texted with you earlier in this link.

I hope you will see this and reply. Your grandmother, Shelagh, was my aunt. 

Deirdre D

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