Michael Fitzgerald from Kerry

Kerry

Hello,

I'm searching for my elusive Great Great Grandfather, Michael Edward Fitzgerald. All the records I have viewed would point to his birth being in 1809. All records say he was born in Ireland, most mention Kerry, and a daughter wrote that he hailed from Tralee.

DNA points to the West Dingle Peninsula. No townlands are mentioned.

His parents are given as Leonard and Anne Fitzgerald. He arrived in Victoria, Australia, probably circa 1844, but he is not named in any passenger arrivals. The ship he possibly came on doesn't name the passengers other than to call them 'steerage'.

He died in 1874 in Ballarat, Victoria. He could read and write, and at various times, was a shepherd, labourer, and carrier.

I have obtained every document, newspaper article, etc that I possibly can in Australia for him in the hope of finding a snippet of extra information. I have researched his descendants.

I will be in Dublin, Dingle and Tralee to hopefully find out something, anything on this man, and his parents, in July and early August. I have planned visits to some libraries etc. Even if I find nothing, I'll have a good time exploring Ireland!

Does anyone know of this man?

Hoping to hear from someone!

Kind regards

Edwina Shooter

Western Australia

Edwina

last year

4 replies

Edwina:

There is one RC parish on the Dingle Peninsula with records back to 1807. The parish is Ballyferriter or Kilmelchidar https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0652?locale=en I checked on a subscription site and there four Michael Fitzgerald baptismal records in the parish 1807 and three in 1811. The problem would be that you don't have parents names so it would be difficult to confirm any of these records. Tralee also has records back to the late 1700s. https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0680

What was the name of Michael's oldest son?

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

last year

Edwina

Where did you find his father's name Leonard?

I found this death record on Ancestry. It might be your Michael's.

Name	Michael Fitzgerald
Death Age	65
Birth Date	abt 1809
Death Date	Abt 1874
Death Place	Victoria
Registration Date	1874
Registration Place	Australia
Father	Donald
Mother	Anne
Registration Number	9671

There was a Michael Fitzgerald married to a May Leonard.

Name	Michael Fitzgerald
Gender	Male
Marriage Place	Victoria, Australia
Marriage Registration Date	1842
Marriage Registration Place	Victoria, Australia
Spouse	May Leonard
Reference Number	35390

Regards- Mary

mtvrdk@gmail.com

last year

Roger,

Thank you for your reply. His parents are recorded as Leonard and Anne.

His children were:

Agnes b1851 [This could be after his wife's Mother Agnes or his Mother Anne]

Mary Ann b1853

Thomas bc1855 [his wife had a brother Thomas]

Ellen b1855

Nicholas James 1859 [his wife had a brother Nicholas, who also came to Australia]

Catherine Jane b1861

Alice b1863

Kind regards

Edwina

last year

Hello Mary,

Thank you for looking at my Michael and his problematic name!

The Leonard and Ann is from his admission to the Ballarat Benevolent Asylum in July 1868 to death in 1874.

However, when he was admitted there a year earlier his parents were given as Donald and Catherine.

Michael's wife's name was Catherine Coogan/Cogan married St. Francis Church, Melbourne in 1850. He was 41 and she was 17.

The death certificate in 1874 used the names Donald and Anne. [It also has a 2 date errors, and does not name his wife or children as is typical on a Victorian Death Certificate] The informant for the death certificate was the Benevolent Home.

Given that Michael's daughter named one of her son's Leonard [and then another generation used it]; it's been taken that the use of the name means that Leonard must be correct. The name Donald has not been handed down. The 2 entries for the Benevolent Asylum, and the death certificate, are the only places I've seen use his parents' names.

The Mary/May Leonard is intriguing and I'm going to have a quick look at this, to rule out anything odd.

This is the most perplexing person I've researched. I wonder if he changed his name?

Cheerio

Edwina

last year

Michael Fitzgerald from Kerry

4 replies

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