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Fitzsimmons surname

DownInch (Down)

Hello,

I am researching the family name Fitzsimmons. My realtive with this name was my Maternal great-great-grandmother (or my grandmother's mother's mother) who lived and married in Iowa, USA. I beleive they were Catholic (though am not sure) as she married a Catholic frenchman by the name of Everett Joseph Mohatt, and my whole family has been Catholic for generations. I did find some more info on where she was from in Ireland.

Her name was Elizabeth Agnes Fitzsimmons (Married name Mohatt) b. 1883- d. 1967

Her parents were John Fitzsimmons Jr. b 1842- d 1893 and he married Eliza Barron Fitzsimmons b 1852- d 1903

The parents of John Fitzsimmons Jr were John Fitzsimmons Sr. born in Down, Ireland on 10 Oct. 1842 and died in Missouri Valley, Iowa, USA 1893.

And his parents were John Fitzsimmons Sr. Sr. born in Ireland 1790 and died in Debuque, Iowa, USA 1855. He was married to Elizabeth Gibson born in Inch, Down, Ireland 1760 and died 1825 (unknown where).

I am wondering if these were ancestors who belonged to a dioceses of Down & Connor. I found a Parish record from 1865 stating the tile of "Very Rev.John Fitzsimmons" listedas being a "Vicar-Forane - Curate" of a parish.

I would be very interested if you have anymore information you about the families of Fitzsimmons or Gibson in this area of Ireland. Thank you and God bless!

Laura Ferris

IrelandXO member

1 reply

Laura,

Fitzsimmons is a fairly common surname in Co. Down. Looking at the 1901 census there were 689 of them in the county. 479 of those were RC. The births you are interested in are before the start of statutory registration, so you will need to rely on church records, though not all RC parishes have records for the 1700s. Many start around the 1820s.

There’s quite a few Fitzsimons in Co Down on this site. You might want to go through them to see if any fit your information:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/%7Erosdavies/SURNAMES/Afrontpage.htm

You mention that Elizabeth Gibson was born in Inch in 1760. Assuming she was RC, the local parish records (Kilmore RC parish) only start in 1837. However I doubt she was RC. Looking at the 1901 census for Co. Down there were 1249 people named Gibson but only 33 were RC. The rest were Presbyterian or Church of Ireland or other Protestant denominations. Inch Church of Ireland records start in 1767 There are several Presbyterian churches in the area. Rademon and Kilmore have records from the 1830s, Lissara from 1809 and Killyleagh 1st has records 1693 – 1757 and 1835 onwards. So none has records for baptism around 1760.

Few families in Co. Down today would know their ancestry back to the 1700s or early 1800s. You might need to try DNA testing to link in with any families of that name in the county today.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

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