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Willis and O'Shaughnessy Families

GalwayWoodford Looscaun (Galway)

Hello Everyone. I am looking for information on my Willis relatives from Looscane. I am the granddaughter of ELIZABETH AGNES WILLIS.

Here is what I know:

JOHN WILLIS was born 31 Aug 1834 in Woodford, Galway, Ireland (Baptised 3 Sep 1834; sponsors are William Willis and Sabina Willis). He died on 13 Oct 1910 in Woodford, Galway, Ireland (Died of Typhus fever). He married BRIDGET (O) SHAUGHNESSY on 23 Feb 1868 in Roman Catholic Chapel of Looscane. The parish priest was John Larkin and the service was conducted in the presence of Thomas Egan and Mary Brooder. John Willis is the son of Thomas Willis and Maria Durick. I also know that he had two siblings: Maria Willis and Patrick Willis.

BRIDGET (O) SHAUGHNESSY (daughter of Michael Shaughnessy and Bridget Broderick) was born about 1848 (Townland of Cloonone in the Civil Parish of Ballynakill). She died on 14 Jul 1888 in Woodford, Galway, Ireland (Died giving birth to the twins Michael and John; died of Childbed Fever). Bridget died giving birth to twins, Michael and John Willis. The baby John also died a few days after birth.

JOHN WILLIS and BRIDGET (O) SHAUGHNESSY had the following children:

  1. MARY WILLIS was born on 16 Mar 1869 in Woodford, Galway, Ireland (Baptised 20 March 1869; sponsors were Patrick Shaughnessy and Maria Willis). Emigrated to the US.
  2. ELIZABETH AGNES WILLIS was born on 17 Jun 1870 in Bolag Townland, Woodford, Galway, Ireland (Baptised 18 Jun 1870; sponsors are Michael Shaughnessy and Cath. Mullen. She died on 28 Apr 1943 in Staten Island, Richmond, New York, USA. She married JAMES HENRY DAVIS in 1890 in Manhattan, New York, New York, USA. He was born between 25 Dec 1864-1866 in England. He died on 09 Dec 1954 in Staten Island.
  3. BRIDGET WILLIS was born on 18 Jan 1872 in Woodford, Galway, Ireland (Baptised 22 Jan 1872; sponsors Thomas Conery and Margaret Shaughnessy). Emigrated to the US on 23 May 1892. She was 18 years old. She traveled through Liverpool and Queenstown and arrived in the Port of NY on the City of Chicago.
  4. MARGARET WILLIS was born on 17 Mar 1873 in Woodford, Galway, Ireland (Baptised 18 Mar 1873; sponsors Patrick Willis and Ann Kelly).
  5. ANNE WILLIS was born on 22 Jul 1875 in Woodford, Galway, Ireland (Baptised 24 July 1875; sponsors Michael
    Broder and Bridget Broder). She died in 1875 in Woodford, Galway, Ireland (Died at birth).
  6. JULIANNE (JULIA ANNE) WILLIS was born on 02 Nov 1876 in Woodford, Galway, Ireland (Baptised 3 November 1876; sponsors Thomas Fahy and Margaret Fahy). Julia stayed at the family home. She is listed as living there on the 1901 census. Julia is also listed as the witness to John's death in 1910. There is a marriage
    recorded for Julia Willis in December 1912. Must obtain copy of the marriage certificate.
  7. CATHERINE WILLIS was born on 29 Jul 1879 in Woodford, Galway, Ireland (Baptised 31 July 1879; sponsors John Spain and Bridget Mahon). She married ? PATTERSON.
  8. EDWARD JOSEPH WILLIS was born on 20 Oct 1881 in Bolack, Woodford, Galway (Baptised 22 Oct 1881; sponsors William Fahy and Mary Fahy). Emigrated to the US and went back to Ireland to bring younger brother Michael back to the US.
  9. AGNES WILLIS was born on 10 Feb 1883 in Bolack, Woodford, Galway (Baptised 13 Feb 1883; Sponsors John Broder and Mary Willis).
  10. FRANCIS "FANNIE" WILLIS was born on 16 Feb 1885 in Bolack, Woodford, Galway (Baptised 18 Feb 1885; sponsors Michael Conroy and Mary Burke). Emigrated to the US and she died in New York City, New York, USA.
  11. THOMAS WILLIS was born on 10 Dec 1886 in Woodford, Galway, Ireland (Baptised 12 Dec 1886; sponsors Patrick Shaughnessy and Mary Ann Conroy). He died in 1886 (Died shortly after birth).
  12. MICHAEL WILLIS was born on 12 Jul 1888 in Woodford, Galway, Ireland (Baptised 14 Jul 1888; twin of John). According to family oral history, Michael was a superb dancer and won local competitions in Ireland. Michael arrived in the US from Ireland on 19 Apr 1911. Came to Ellis Island on the Carmania from Queenstown/Liverpool. It appears that his brother, Edward Willis, had been living in Brooklyn and went back to Ireland to bring Michael over. It's what Edward says on the ship manifest but it needs to be confirmed because
    Edward is listed on the Ireland household census with Michael in both 1901 and 1911. They list their nearest living relative in Ireland as Uncle Patrick Shaughnessy. They are headed for their sister Mary's place at 469 Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn. Michael is 5'7" and Edward is 5'6"; both have dark hair and blue eyes. There were three individuals travelling from Woodford that were travelling with them: Margaret Benn, Mary Gorman, and James Mahon.
  13. JOHN WILLIS was born on 12 Jul 1888 in Woodford, Galway, Ireland (Baptised 14 Jul 1888). He died in 1888 shortly after birth.

If anyone has any information on any of these family members, relatives, or friends, please contact me. I am interested in anything that I can learn. Thank you in advance.

Jennifer Quinn

IrelandXO member

9 replies

Hi Jennifer

Happy New Year and apologies for the delay in replying

You could also have a look at the 1901/1911 Census as well as the earlier Tithes and Griffith's Valuation for this family, this will add to what you know from the parish records. In the meantime please feel free to add their details to our XO Chronicles Project. You can learn more about it HERE and and it might be another avenue to consider so that your ancestor's details can be seen by others. 

Best wishes

Clare Doyle

Genealogy Support 

IrelandXO member

Hi Jennifer, i cant realy help as the names Willis and Shaughnessy are not familiar to me as Woodford native and it is a tiny village, but many of the other surnames are still prevalent in Woodford; Burke, Kelly, Mahon, Fahy. Coniry, Gorman, Spain, Broder , Mullin. My own family tree has Bolag Egan and Mahon connections and it is a not a very populated area. Looscaune is the half parish of woodford and Bolag is probably half way between each church but only a few miles apart. Sorry can't be more helpful.

Mariebgibbons@…

Hi Jennifer,

I am from Ireland but living in Boston area and while growing up we visited Woodford and the surrounding ares as my Dad was born  in Clonoon Woodford Co Glaway and I am in the process of documenting the family tree. My Dad has a wealth of knowledge of the families and how they are related to us which I am documenting and researching.

During my research I found John and Bridgid/Bridget Willis (ne Shaughnessy) and all their children in Looscaun parish records. My Great, Great, Great Grandfather was Patrick Shaughnessy who I suspect is Bridgids brother. Can’t find anything definitive yet but was wondering if you can point me to where you found Bridgids parents Michael Shaughnessy and Bridget Broderick or if you know if they has a son Patrick. I suspect yes as your infor stats Patick was one of Edward living relatives in Ireland.

I can trace Patrick down my family tree which I can share with you what I have so far. My Family tree includes Fahy's, Foleys, Duricks and Broder/Brodericks to name a few i.e. My Grandmother was a Foley and a couple of my Grandfathers sisters married Fahy's and Brodericks.

Please reach out to me and I can keep you up to date on what I find. 

Sincerely

Ciaran William O'Shaughnessy

Ciaran O'ShaughnessyIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Jenifer,

I just spoke with my Dad and confirmed Patick had 2 sisters Bridgid/Bridget and Margaret "Maggie". He is looking to see if there are any other siblings. Maggie married a Flannagan (dont have first name) but they had no kids. However Maggie was Flannagan 2nd wife because his 1st wife died. Not sure if he had any kids with his 1st wife.

Also their Father Michael Shaughnessy born 1816 died 1890 was evicted in 1886. There is a an old letter to the English Viceroy in Dublin about a Michael Shaughnessy from Cloonon who had died because of and soon after this eviction.

Lastly to help with your research one of the towns in Woodford area is spelled typcially "Bolag" vs "Bolack". I am sure both are used depending on where research was done US vs Ireland.

Ciaran O'ShaughnessyIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi, my cousin Michael John Shaughnessy spent time with my grandmother Cecelia Foley Portumna.

 

IrelandXO member

Michael John Shaughnessy is my Dad. You can contact me at ciaran.oshaughnessy@gmail.com if you prefer and we can exchange more info and detail. I am trying to fill out the decendants of Cecelia "Nana Foley " as Dad called her.

John Foley was born on Jun. 22, 1896 in Portumna, Ireland and died Estimated: Jan. 31, 1918 in Flannders.

Michael Foley was born on Sep. 24, 1897 in Old Street, Portumna,

Patrick Foley was born on Feb. 1, 1899 in Old Street, Portumna,

Joseph Richard Foley was born on Jan. 6, 1901 in Old Street, Portumna,

Mary Jane Foley was born on Mar. 13, 1903 in Old Street, Portumna,

Thomas Francis Foley was born on Aug. 10, 1905 in Old Street, Portumna,.

Bridgid O'Shaughnessy [Foley] was born on Jan. 28, 1908 in Old Street, .

James Foley was born on Apr. 7, 1910 in Old Street, Portumna,

Gerard Foley was born on Jul. 13, 1911 in Old Street, Portumna,

Cornellius Foley was born on Mar. 1, 1915 in Old Street, Portumna,

Dominick Foley .

Dan Foley.

Thanks

Ciaran

Ciaran O'ShaughnessyIrelandXO Volunteer

I am working on some family trees from that area of Woodford and Clonrush Parish mainly around the surnames Tuohy, Goonan, Watson and Roonan. I have information about a JOHN CONROY 1827-1911 son of John Conroy and Mary Willis who came to Australia. John married Margaret Tuohy 1842 -1922 in South Australia in 1859. I don't know what ship he came on, but his wife came on the Navarino from Woodford in 1857 into South Australia. with parents and siblings. Her parents were Denis Caulfied Tuohy and Ann McKeon. I found in the Woodford Parish records that John Conroy and Mary Willis married 20 July 1824 witnesses Michael Conroy and Honora Willis, possibly siblings of the bride and groom. John Conroy and bride Margaret Tuohy travelled into Victoria by 1861 when their first child was born. They lived near Castlemaine. Later they moved to Bendigo a town thriving by then after the main gold rush years and nearer to many other Conroy and Tuohy families. Other surnames in these trees from Woodford include O'Shannessy, Broderick, Fahy, Abberton, Tully for eg. Suzanne Lawrence scl3145@icloud.com

scl3145

Hello.

I am researching my roots in Drumnamuckla which is about a mile from Bolag (I've seen many different spellings, if you look it up on Google maps, it's spelled Drumminnamuckla). 

Regarding the comments above:

- I believe Maggie Shaughnessy married Peter Flanagan Aug 29 1895. I believe Peter Flanagan's first wife was Hannah Moran from Rossmore. They married Feb 14 1888. She died March 12 1893. They had 3 children born in Cloonoon:  Anne Dec 28 1888, Patrick Feb 15 1890, Peter Jan 22 1892 - Feb 16 1900.

- I believe Julianne Willis (residence Bolag) married Patrick Watson (a tailor from Cloncoe) at Woodford Nov 27, 1912. His father was Patrick, a farmer from Cloncoe. Her father was John Willis, a farmer from Bolag. Witnesses were Joseph Seymour and Maggie Conroy.

My primary interests are Lynch, Mahon, Moran, Spain and Tuohy but I have documented a lot of intertwined family groups from the Woodford Galway area and am happy to share information.

Liz

genhist@verizon.net

Hi Liz

Indeed Maggie was Peters 2nd wife.  The witnesses for marriage of Maggie and Peter were a John Fahy and Julia Willis. who muat have been the Julieanne who married Patrick Watson. Maggies Brother Patrick would have been my Great Grandfather. Patricks wife was Mary Anne Murphy. What a small world.

Here is my email address so anything you can share would be fantastic. ciaran.oshaughnessy@gmail.com

Look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerly Ciaran

 

Ciaran O'ShaughnessyIrelandXO Volunteer

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