Joseph P. Kean/Margaret Woods

Roger:

     I'm extremely grateful for your kind and quick response and strong effort on behalf of both Joseph P. Kean and William Raleigh.  I am anxious to pursue the leads you have furnished; in fact, my weekend plans are now made!  I'm struggling with the Joseph Keane of Mainster; his birth of 1831 would make him 15 years older than his wife Margaret Woods.  All the USA records show the age difference to consistently be 9 years (he born in 1837, she in 1846).  Nonetheless I'll keep digging; it's not beyond belief that he altered his age and name for some reason and, in fact, his age at the time of his death in Chicago was listed as 50, quite young even for those times. Thanks again.

Sincerely,

Jim Kean

Roger:  I'm stubbornly determined to find the "Kean" spelling around Hospital.  Thanks to your leads, in Griffith's 1851-52 I've found a few Keans in the civil parishes of Knockainy, Kilcullane, and Tullabracky - all close to the town of Hospital.  In the 1833 Tithe Allotment I found a Kean again in Tullabracky.  While none are named Joseph (or John, his oldest son; at least 5 other children died at birth so no names are known), this seems to inch along toward family anecdotal history that Joseph was from "Hospital."  What would you think?  Thanks again for your help.

Hi Jim- I think we might be related. Is your Michael Woods who married Ellen Ryan, born about 1824 to Thomas Ryan and Ellen Lavery?  Have you done your DNA test on any of the sites?  Thanks, Michelle

...thanks for your interest, Michelle.  Per my look at baptism records, Michael and Ellen Woods were the parents of my GG Margaret Woods, baptized on 11/15/1846 in Coolscart.  I don't know for sure if Ryan is the last name of Ellen, but Margaret's sponsors were John Ryan and Bridget Woods - so there is a Ryan connection there. -- Ellen Woods lived as a widow with Margaret in Chicago; in the 1880 census Ellen's age is listed as 70, making her birth year 1810.  She is not listed in the 1900 census, so probably died before then.

...I had my DNA done on Ancestry a couple of years ago, but have not pursued it further.

Jim Kean

Jim- My DNA is posted on Family Tree DNA (FTDNA.com) , and they will allow people who tested on Ancestry to add their information. If you would be interested in doing that, then we could possibly confirm if there is a connection. I have been doing a small study on Woods families in the Hospital area trying to piece together the families there at the time of Griffiths' Valuation. My great-great grandmother was Margaret Woods, born to Denis Woods and Mary Kenny in 1841.  I think it is possible that our Margarets were cousins / second cousins to each other.  

The only Michael Woods marriage in the right area at the right time is his marriage to Ellen Ryan in 1844 in Bulgaden. They had two children: Thomas in 1844, and Margaret in 1846.  Maybe you have other siblings because they then left for the US? 

There are two Michael Woods in Coolscart, Hospital in Griffiths' Valuation, and likely one of these is yours. The good part for you is that because there were two, the recordkeeper listed the father's name afterwards to delineate them. So Michael's father was likely Edmund or Thomas. However, I believe from other records that Edmund's Michael married Johanna O'Brien, so Thomas would be your 4th great-grandfather as best I can determine. 

Both Michaels lived either next door or two doors from my Denis Woods, which is why I think there is a very good chance we are connected.  Will have a look at census record you mentioned - thanks for that.

Joseph P. Kean

I noticed you had Ellen Ryan in your post,I was looking at the Ryan's at one time in the search for my great grandfather happily Roger has put me on the right track this is what I found.

Michael woods born 1824 baptism date 19 October 1824,father Thos Woods mother Ellen Lavery.

Ellen Ryan married Michael Woods on 14th July 1844 at Bulgaden,they had 3 Children 

CTom born 27 November 1844 Parish says hospital residence coolcart.

Margaret 15 November 1846

Michael Baptism date 19 October 1849

I know it won't find what you are looking for but thought woods family details might help.Trish

Hello Trish:
Thank you for the helpful Margaret Woods info - sorry for the tardy response, but I had to wait to receive a copy of a photo of Margaret Woods from a relative. I send it along to you for your information. Margaret had a tough life - married at 19; 10 children, including twins who died at age 1; widowed at age 41 when Joseph Kean, a shoemaker, died at age 50 of a sunstroke during a Chicago heat wave; worked as a school custodian to support family; USMC son Edward died aboard the USS Maine when it was sunk at Havana in 1898 during the Spanish American War. She died in 1915 in Chicago, age 69.

Jim Kean

Thankyou very much for the photo and I am glad you are getting your tree sorted out,Roger found My Michael Woods for me in the area where my grandfather lived,but I was convinced that it was Margaret's brother Michael  as that was the date on the census,he also found his parents marriage and 7 sisters,so I am a bit further on as well.