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Hello from Argentina!

LimerickCaherconlish (Limerick)

Hello!

I'm writing from Buenos Aires, Argentina. My great grandfather was born in Caherconlish in 1856. His name was Dr.John Alfred Frend & Keays, son of William Frend and Charlotte Keays.He moved to Argentina and lived in the city of Rosario. I heard about you on the radio today. I think you have had a great idea and would like very much, not only to try and find possible relatives, but also to make contact with people of Ireland, a country that has always fascinated me, in spite of the Pumas getting beaten at Rugby by Ireland more often than not... In 2010 I was in England and Wales, and was really sorry for not having had the chance to cross over top Ireland for lack of time.

Hoping to hear from you in the near future, here I am for whatever I can do to help...

Sincerely,

Eduardo Frend

IrelandXO member

5 replies

Eduardo:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

I looked on Roots Ireland  www.rootsireland.ie  which is a pay site to view a transcription of a church record.. There is an 1856 baptismal record for a John Friend in the Abington Church of Ireland parish records. The father was William and the mothers first name was Charlotte. I entered Keays and Keyes for the surname but they would not work.

Abington parish is just to the north of Caherconlish so I'm wondering if this is the record for your ancestor.

The 1850 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Caherconlish shows a William Friend in Gortbrien townland and also Templemichael and Grenane townlands. Not sure if this was three different people or one William with three plots of land.

I also located a death record in 1861 for a William Friend who died in Boher.

First Name William
Last Name Friend
Year 1861
Place Boher
Graveyard 0
County -
Record set Tipperary Clans Archive

I also located an 1895 civil death index record for a Charlotte Friend.

First name(s) Charlotte
Last name Friend
Age 90
Birth year 1805
Registered year 1895
Death year 1895
Registered quarter/year Oct - Dec 1895
Registration district Limerick
Volume 5
Page 254

 

I also looked at the 1901 and 1911 censuses and located a Louise Frend, unmarried, who was living in Boher townland in Abington civil parish. ( They mistranscribed her surname in the 1901 census). Not sure how she may be related to William.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Limerick/Ballyvarra/Bo…

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Limerick/Ballyvarra/Bo…

Let me know if you have any questions.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hello Roger!

                  First of all, thanks for all your thorough research! You have definitely found my relatives! William and Charlotte are surely my great grandfathers' parents! You mention a Louise Frend... In spite of the mistranscription in 1901 (The name Kend appears) its obviously the same person as the age is correct (50 in 1901 and 60 in 1911) The house is in Boher, where William died! Maybe she is a niece of his, who knows!!!  John Frend married Louisa Glover Livingston in 1890 in Argentina. (She was born in Buenos Aires in 1865, so the names must be mere coincidence...). I notice that you wrote Williams' surname as Friend, but Louise is Frend. We have always used Frend, I wonder if we were Friend to begin with and changed later to Frend... Maybe you can investigate a little. Possibly we've been using the wrong name for over a century!!! 

        A little about my family... I'm 61 now and have two daughters: Lucila, 28, Living in Barcelona, and Jannine, here in Buenos Aires. I'm divorced, work as a golf teacher, and would really like to know as much as possible about my roots...(Better late than never). We have often talked with the girls about going to Ireland To play golf, but never made it. Maybe thanx to your help we will find the motivation to actually do it!!! Again, many thanks for all your help!!!

Sincerely

Eduardo

IrelandXO member

Eduardo:

I went back and looked at the Tithe Applotment listings which were from the 1820s-early 1830s depending on the county. www.titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie   There was a Benjamin Friend in Caherconlish parish but sometimes his name was also spelled Frend. (Go to the site and search both names).

The Griffiths Valuation of Ireland (mid-19th century) had 26 Friends and only 1 Frend.

Go to http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/surname/

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

 Hi Eduardo

I am a Keays and I can tell you that you have many relatives still living in the Caherconlish/Boher/Abington area. I have done extensive research on the Frend family as Charlotte was my great great great aunt. I'd love to hear from you and if you're ever in Ireland, be sure to call on us. The centenary of the sinking of the RMS Leinster is in 2018. John Alfred Frend's sister, Louisa, died in that disaster. Abington Church will be holding a historical commemoration event in the Summer. It would be great if you or a family member could be there. 

Best wishes

Gráinne Keays  

 

 

 

IrelandXO member

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