My Great Grandfather - Charles Fitzmaurice

Thank you, Roger.

You've already given me a couple of new clues for origin. I expect this is going to take a lot more research on my part. I will become more familiar with the research sources used by those who live in Ireland. I will also need to be more organized about records found in tithe applotment books, etc.

We're staying in Longford (Augherea House, 30 Sep-2 Oct) and a 4th cousin match is our guide. So I now have a tentative route (1 Oct) going to Carrick-on-Shannon, Killukin, and Kilglass, then back to Longford.

Mission accomplished, for now. We completed our days in Ireland and other countries. The route was Dublin -> Galway -> Longford -> Dublin -> Cork -> Dublin. We can't wait to go back and explore other areas.

In Longford I met a 3rd cousin (DNA match) and three of his children. One cousin drove us to the locations mentioned next.

We drove through Longford, Bornacoola, Cloonmorris Cemetery (https://www.irishgraveyards.ie/search.php?area_id=17&yardid=319&lastnam…), Annaduff, Carrick-on-Shannon, Killukin Cemetery, Kilglass Graveyard.

Although we did not find a Fitzmaurice stone, it was tremendous to experience my ancestors' culture all over the area.

With the help of a researcher on Reddit, I found a possible trail for my great-great grandparents from Bornacoola, Leitrim, to Scotland to Wales to Pennsylvania USA.

James Fitzmorris (or Morris, perhaps) marred Prudencia Devine. I haven't found birth or marriage records yet. But I know they had one child John in Ireland. In Scotland two children, James and Michael, were born. Then in Wales, two more children, Elizabeth and Charles (my great-grandfather).

The Moris family is captured by the 1861 Wales census. The mother died in 1859, and her sister is listed in the household. Father James died some time between 1861 and 1871.

What ties these items together with more proof is DNA matches to descendants of James and Elizabeth, who moved to other places in Pennsylvania. Bits of trees and other hints helped me keep the faith.

So the last name could have been Morris or Fitzmorris or Fitzmaurice in Ireland. Those that emigrated to the U.S. used FitzMorris or Fitzmaurice.

James Sr. may have been a coachman, according to family lore. So he may have literally rode through her town. He could have been born in any of several counties than converge near Bornacoola, perhaps Roscommon or Leitrim or Longford.

Also, the previous link to Annaduff is very intriguing and looking better each day.

Thanks for your help, Roger.

 

 

I added the following information to my profile. Perhaps this will be of interest to others in the future.

James Morris (or Fitz Morris) is said to have been a coachman who married Prudencia Devine of Boornacoola (no record). A son John was born in Ireland (1845). At some time the family moved to Scotland, where James (1848) and Michael (1850) were born. Finally, the family moved to Wales where Elizabeth (1853) and Charles (1855) were born. The birth dates are based upon a record in England and Wales Census, 1861.

Mother of family died in Wales (1859), as did James (Aft. 1861). Elizabeth took care of the family for a period, and married Jeremiah in Wales. In the ensuing years James Jr., Michael, Elizabeth Sullivan, and Charles emigrated to Pennsylvania, U.S., all to different parts of the state. DNA evidence confirms a relationship between the descendants of James Morris (or Fitz Morris?). In the U.S. the children used surname Fitz Morris or Fitzmaurice. 

My great-grandfather was Charles Fitzmaurice, who died in Philadelphia (1929).

It is not known where James Morris was born in 1821, but it could be a significant distance from Boornacoola, Leitrim. 

Found records are attached to James on FamilySearch.org. James is ID L5TQ-P7F, Prudencia is GVZD-R2G.