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Dray's in Kilkenny

KilkennyTullaherin (Kilkenny)

I am a descendant of Thomas Dray born about 1818, I believe, in Kilkenny. I have found records in both Tullaherin and Agaviller

which may be pertinent. I do not know when he left Ireland but he married Catherine Mooney in New Brunswick, Canada.

Probably in the late 1840's. His oldest child, Edward James Dray, was born in April 1848 in St Johns', New Brunswick.

Shortly after that they went south through Canada to New York State and proceeded on the Erie Canal to Buffalo, New York

where they were found in the Black Rock section in the 1850 US Census. Shortly after they moved to Buffalo's Old First Ward where they settled among many other Irish families.

Their children were named, in birth order, Edward James, Catherine, Daniel P, Thomas F, William J and Margaret.

Thomas was a ship's carpenter. A skill he probably acquired after leaving home. Any help appreciated.

Monica

 

lazfam55@hotmail.com

4 replies

Duplicate message

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

No idea why this message duplicated! Also, there was a reply which seems to have vanished. In reply to that response: I was using the Tithe Defaulters list and the known family names. There were apparently 2 Thomas Drays', one in Aghaviller and another in Tullaherin. There was also a James in Inistioge. Thomas named his sons Edward James, Daniel P, Thomas F,  and William J. His Daughters were Catherine (my Grandmother- named after her Mother???), Margaret (Maggie) and Johanna. I figure that Thomas' Fathers name was most likely Thomas, Edward (or Edmund) or, possibly, James. Don't know how closely the naming protocols were followed in that area. 

There were troubles, from the records, over the tithes, and the chief Constable of police was murdered, Might be a good time for some folk to leave and head to the Americas' Pure conjecture on my part but I found a Thomas Dray as a member of a rebellious group in Canada (name escapes me at the moment!) And he was a member of the Sons of Erin in Buffalo. So, I am thinking that, even though he was just a boy in the early 1830's, he may have been following the example of his elders if they were involved in some of the tithe rebellion activities. There was also a James Dray in Inistioge and 2 Williams in Blackrath and Derrynahinch but I was going by the Father's possible name of Thomas. There was a Thomas in Derrynahinch in Griffiths Valuation also. So confusing with all of those brothers naming their children after Fathers and Uncles. 

Definitely Roman Catholic. Found some records on rootsireland.ie but have not checked them all out yet. Perhaps they will

be in the NLI records.

 

 

lazfam55@hotmail.com

Hi Monica:

Not sure why the message was duplicated. The two messages  were posted an hour and fifty minutes apart. We have a new web site and there are a number of glitches that have to be corrected. I responded to the other message with the reply below. Hope you have luck with the NLI registers. The churches are in the Diocese of Ossory.

Roger McDonnell

 

 

Monica:

I was not sure if your ancestor was Roman Catholic or another denomination. I checked Roots Ireland and located an 1818 baptismal record for a Thomas Dray in the Thomastown RC church (see below). There were records in other years for four different Thomas Drea baptisms.

I also looked at the Tithe Applotment listings for the 1820s and 1830 for Kilkenny and there were a number of Dray records about 30 but many duplicates. None were in the parishes you mentioned in your note. What records do you have that point to Aghaviller and Tullaherin? http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/

Roger McDonnell

 

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Am looking for information on my Dray ancestor Richard Dray and other Drays that may be connected to him. My Richard Drea came from Thomastown/Inistioge/Tullaherin 1825-1865, married in Mary Gooley 1828-1876 either in Ireland or in Manchester, NH, USA. One of their children was Mary Ann Dray 1858-1911, my greatgrandmother who married James Joseph Griffin in 1881 in Manchester and had three children, inluding my grandmother Mary Magdalene Griffin 1885-1967. Mary Gooley's parents were William Gooley 1796-1953 and Bridget Drea/Dray 1813-1872. Brien O'Callaghan Bethel CT USA, cell: 203.788.6993, brienoc@att.net, and at this website.

jboc1016

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