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Malia/Omaly/O'Malley Ancestors

Mayo

My gggrandfather Peter O'Malley was from County Mayo, according to Census and other records; but I do not know which Parish or his parents names.  In fact, his name was probably Peter Maley or Malia prior to coming to America.  I did find passenger records for the Young Queen which arrived in New York from Galway in April 1847.  There was a group including Ned (30), Winifred (28), Arthur (12), John (18), Owen (20) and Peter (15) Maley.  Winifred was listed as male; but I strongly suspect that Winifred was a female both because of the name and her listed as Winnie (Female) in the 1850 census.  Because of the ages, I surmised that they were all siblings.  However, in consulting with the head genealogist for the New England Genealogical Society, he believed Ned and Winifred were the parents of the other four boys and that the ages were incorrect.  Some later data tended to support that theory.  In the 1850 Census I found Edward (Ned?) age 45, Winnie (Winnifred?) age 45, Arthur (8), John (16), Owan (22) and Peter (12) Maly living together in the Scranton, Pennsylvania.area.  The ages didn't exactly agree with those listed on the manifest of the Young Queen; but with Edward and Winnie being 45, it was more feasible that they were the parents.  Additionally, I found Peter, his wife, Julia, and his children (John b. 1855, Mary b. 1856, Sara b.1863, Walter b. 1866, Johanna b. 1869, Ellen b. 1869 and Michael b. 1873) in the Scranton area in the 1860 (Maloy surname) and 1870 (Malia surname) Census.  Julia was also from County Mayo; but I think they definitely married after arriving in America.  Since their first child, John, was born in 1855, I am guessing they were married around 1853-54. In 1880 they moved to Mason County, Illinois; where they later died and were buried.  I have conducted exhaustive research to try and identify Peter's parents names or a village/parish in County Mayo; but without any success.  I even visited the North and South Mayo Family Heritage Centers in 2006; but they said they couldn't do anything for me without parent's names or the parish because the name O'Malley was so common.  Unfortunately, at that time I didn't realize that the name might have been Malia, Maley or Maly.  Even though the Young Queen manifest listed Peter's age as 15, making his birth year 1832, other information indicates his birth may have been 1835 or 1838.  Julia's maiden name was McNally.  However, one source indicated it might have been Downey.  I realize that my information may not be very helpful; but it is the best that I have.  Any help that anyone can provide would be MOST APPRECIATED.  This is my #1 Brick Wall and despite my best efforts I haven't been able to penetrate it!

IrelandXO member

7 replies

Hi sir sorry i had no luck in finding any information on peter o malley or Maley/Malia, however i have made a list of sites that mite be useful to you in your seach good luck sir.

 

The National Archives of Irelandhttp://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/ The National Library of Irelandhttp://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx The National Archives UK ? genealogy search:http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/ The Public Records Office of Northern Irelandhttp://www.proni.gov.uk/index/family_history.htm The US National Archives:http://www.archives.gov/ Irish Newspaper Archives:http://www.irishnewsarchive.com/  The next thing you could do is find the counties and places in Ireland your family names are mostprevalent. Look at the website http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/surname/ and perhapssomething will match some other clue you may have found elsewhere? If nothing turnsup ? it is advisable to try different variations of the spellings of the names. If you have a possiblefirst name you could try the Irish Census 1901, 1911 at www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ or the landvaluation record called Griffiths Valuationhttp://askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml

 

IrelandXO member

I have seen in the past that some death certs in the US give names of parents. This might be of help. By any chance would there be cemetery inscriptions in USA for any of these family members. If you had the names of their parents you might be able to check their death records in Ireland that is if they survived the Famine.

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I have a John Malia married to MaryAnn Bradshaw in 1902 Newcastle on Tyne England

also hav an Anthony Malia.

 

Don't know if there is any connection

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Hello Researcher,I also have a Malley/Malea connection with Mayo. Her name is Mary Malea. I don't have my notes with me but you may contact me at judyd@ptd.net for further information any time. If not here is fine. what I know is that Mary was in Lowell MA in 1847, listed as an operator, (mill weaving machine no doubt), and that she married an Edward Durkin in the Catholic Church in Lowell. Her marriage record gives her parents as John And Bridget Malea, and her birthplace as Mayo Ireland. yours you say went to Scranton, mine to Shamokin PA, both were sites where early coal mining had begun, and they are about 40 miles apart in distance. Any thoughts appreciated. 

IrelandXO member

Hello Researcher,I also have a Malley/Malea connection with Mayo. Her name is Mary Malea. I don't have my notes with me but you may contact me at judyd@ptd.net for further information any time. If not here is fine. what I know is that Mary was in Lowell MA in 1847, listed as an operator, (mill weaving machine no doubt), and that she married an Edward Durkin in the Catholic Church in Lowell. Her marriage record gives her parents as John And Bridget Malea, and her birthplace as Mayo Ireland. yours you say went to Scranton, mine to Shamokin PA, both were sites where early coal mining had begun, and they are about 40 miles apart in distance. Any thoughts appreciated. 

IrelandXO member

Dear Fillthegap:

 

We may have a common connection tracing back 5 generations. My great-great grandfather, Matthew Malia, Sr., (born circa 1838) emigrated from County Mayo to Newcastle -Upon-Tyne in the 1850s. While there, his wife, Maria Cavanaugh Malia,  gave birth to my great grandfather, Matthew, Jr., listed as being born in 1868 in North Shields, England. Matthew, Sr. and Maria then emigrated to the US, settling in Scranton, PA. Matthew was a coal miner. Looking for any information on family relations and origns.

Peter Malia

pjmalia@gmail.com

PJMalia
Further research shows that Matthew Malia, Sr., son of Patrick, left England in 1865/66 with his family. They lived in Scranton, PA, where he served as a coal miner. He died at the age of 62. His son, Matthew, born in 1864/5 also worked in the mines. He married Mary Lowrey and they had seven children, including my grandfather, Peter Joseph Malia, born in 1893. The Malia (or Melias/sometimes O’Malleys) were from Connemara. Beyond that, the family lost touch.
PJMalia

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