Ireland XO
Back to Message Board

CANNON/KNOCTOR

DublinRathfarnham (Dublin)

Hello

I'm planning a trip to Dublin before the end of the year and I would like to have as much background information on my ancestors as I can so as I can spend my time wisely.

My gggrandmother was Mary Cannon, born around 1853. At the time of her marriage, in 1875, in West Yorkshire, she indicated that she was living in Batley and was the daughter of one John Cannon. Her death certificate states her parents were John and Ellen Cannon.

The 1881 census for Batley has a likely family:

John Cannon, 50 years; Ellen Cannon (wife) 48 years; children Ester (28), John (24), Dora (21), Ellen (18), Dennis (16), Kate (11) and Thomas (9) They were all stated to be of Dublin origin.

Not long after the census was taken the family decamped to Philadelphia. I found John with daughters Dora and Kate on the 1900 US census, which indicates he was born in Dec 1830, Dora in Mar 1865 and Kate in Mar 1875 (so incorrect on 1881 census).

I believe I have found some information regarding Dennis and Thomas Cannon which indicates they were born in Rathfarnham and that their mother was Ellen (K)Noctor (a surname with an interesting set of alternative spellings!). Dora's death cert states she was the daughter of the same couple and her death was registered by her brother Dennis.

I would like to find baptisms for the children and the parents' marriage but have drawn a blank on FMP, Ancestry and a couple of Irish sites. I would really like to push back further in time...

If anyone knows anything of this family, or can point me in the right direction, I would be most grateful.

Kim Semmence

Hull, East Yorkshire

IrelandXO member

7 replies

Thank you, Shane.  Yes, they were RC and I have looked at the site you mention, largely in the hope of finding Mary's baptism and the marriage of her parents.  Edmundstown is mentioned on one of the US records for the family.

IrelandXO member

I didn't see baptisms for any of the earlier children in the Rathfaranham records, although there are other Cannon families in the area at the time - are there references to Rathfarnham or Edmondstown as ther places of birth also ?

btw : I added the references for the birth of Denis above sicne I first posted....

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Shane

I have Rathfarnham for Dennis and Thomas and dates of birth 15 June 1864 and 31 August 1871 respectively.  Not sure about the others: on the 1881 census "Dublin" is given as the birthplace of them all. 

If the Rathfarnham records online are complete, I think they must have moved there in the 1860s but I've failed to find any of them on the site you mention or a subscription one I tried.

Thank you for your help.

 

Kim

IrelandXO member

the civil index references for the birth of Thomas for ref :

Name     Thomas Cannon
Birth Date     31 Aug 1871
Birthplace     Dublin, Ireland
Parents     John Cannon & Ellen Knockter
Reference ID     v 12-2 p 734

no sign that I could find of a baptism for Thomas in Rathfarnham or any of the city parishes. I wonder did the family move around - maybe due to John's work ?

 

 

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

I was still searching when you posted, think I was coming to much the same conclusion that they may have moved around... do you know John's occupation for when he was here in Ireland - e.g. from birth certs of Denis or Thomas ?

Rathfarnham parish RC baptism and marriage records go back to the 1770s, there are some often gaps and damaged pages etc but nothing major in the timeframe for these children. It would be strange for all the children to be missed this way. The IrishGenealogy site seems to have records right the back to the start. It might be worth checking the historic films in the NLI to double check, in case it might be possible to make out some detail missed during the transcriptions.

 

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Your Cannon family seem to be RC so the best place to search online is the free IrishGenealogy website which has records for the Rathfarnham RC parish. Denis's baptism in 1864 gives mother's maiden name as Naughter or Naughtan, and a residence for the family as Edmundstown, more usually spelt Edmondstown these days, which is south of the town of Rathfarnham and not far from Marley park. Edmondstown is also the location of a golf course.

Given the date of birth for Denis there may be a also be a civil birth record, which would give a date of birth - just the year in mentioned o the baptism. A civil birth would also usually show father's occupation.

 

Edit : likely Index record for Denis's civil birth record Name : Denis Cannon Event Type : Birth Registration Year : 1864 Registration District : Dublin South Volume 7 / Page 815 (Dublin South is the right district for Rathfarnham, Edmondstown etc)

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Good luck with your research Kim. If you learn anything new let us know. Hope the trip goes well - send us a mail when you get home, would love to know how it goes!

Best wishes

Clare Doyle

Genealogy Support 

IrelandXO member

Reply

Reply
One image file up to 2 MB.