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Kellys of Carrigeenagappul (Corrigeen, Strokestwn) + Probate Question

RoscommonElphin (Roscommon)Kilcooley (Roscommon)Ogulla (Roscommon)

Hi...am hoping someone might be able to help/inform me in concern to a letter rec'd by my dad back in 1958 from a Solicitor, John F. Scott of Elphin. The letter stated that Mr. Scott was acting on the estate of my dad's uncle who died in 1954. He enclosed an "Administrator's Account" on the sale of the property, which listed those receiving a disbursement from the estate. The names listed are of my father's uncles and one woman whom we assume is a sister/aunt butmy dad has no knowledge of her and I have never been able to find a birth cert. or a listing for her in 1901/1911 census. Each person's name states the country where they live (i.e. Ireland, USA, England) but nothing more. My question is ...does anyone know if some type of Will or other doc. would have had to been filed with a court or gov't agency concerning this matter? I would like to specifically see if this doc. exists, if it contains more info regarding the inheritors' actual addresses etc. If so, where would I look or contact?

My great-uncle's name was Thomas Kelly. He was b. Aug. 21, 1879 and d. Oct 9, 1954. His townland was Carrigeenagappul (off of N5 to L1412/L1422). The letter stated: Thomas Kelly, Corrigeen, Clooneyquinn, Castlerea, Roscommon. Siblings still living in Jan.1958 were: James Kelly (he died in Nov. 1958 in Coraslira, Stephen (married to Julia Clayton living in USA), Patrick (USA), Luke (USA), next-of-kin of Michael (my grandfather/USA) + Mrs. Elizabeth M. Hughes (England). Siblings who I assume were deceased were: Mary Ann, Winifred + Brigid (twins) (Delia was married to a Peter Kelly of Carrownamaddy {sp?}). My grandfather died before my dad's 1st birthday so h/we never knew much about his Kelly relatives and have been piecing it all together for him for years. The parents of above were Thomas + Elizabeth (Beirne) Kelly who are buried in Killynagh More (Killina) Cemetary (have some questions concerning that too!) Thank you so much for any info you can offer.

jvdc@optonline.net

6 replies

jvdc@optonline.net

There is probably a probate file in the National Archives in Dublin. See:

http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/wills-testamentary-records/

The file won’t be on-line and you would either need to get a researcher to look it up, or pay NAS to copy it.

The use of the term “Administrators Account” makes me suspect this was an intestacy case, ie Thomas did not leave a will. Such cases are usually referred to by the word “administration”, and the probate court usually appoints an administrator to wind up the estate and distribute it according to intestacy law.

My experience of working with Irish Probate Files is limited to what is now Northern Ireland but there files don’t routinely contain the beneficiaries addresses. If there is a will it sometimes contains beneficiaries addresses, particularly so from the 1920s onwards. If there is no will, the only addresses tend to be those of the executor(s) who have to complete a special affidavit, explaining their relationship to the deceased and swearing they will carry out their duties honestly.  There is usually a document stating how many living children, siblings, parents & grandparents the deceased had at the time of death. There is also a summary of the estate eg  1 house valued at X pounds, plus Y pounds in the National Bank of Ireland, 1 life insurance policy etc etc, but not the minor details of where people lived and so on. That information, if it exists at all today, would be in the papers held by the administrator (the solicitor in Elphin, in this case) rather than by the National Archives. However the next step would be to search in the Dublin National Archives for a probate file.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Probate was granted to a Charles Dockery (executor) on the 1st January 1956, the entry on the probate calendar is flagged 'I', so Intestate. The place of residence is given as Carrigeen, Clooneyquinn, Castlerea and date of death 9th October 1954. Effects/assets £10. Registry is shown as P.R., Principle Probate Registry Office i.e. Dublin.

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Just wanted to thank you both for your replies. I realize it has been quite a while but wanted to let you know that your help was much appreciated.  Family circumstances kept me from replying at that time.

jvdc@optonline.net

Again, thank you both for your input.

With the recent kind help of a gentleman from Dublin, who did further research on the documents found in Probate files along with additional sleuthing, I have found out that the "Elizabeth M. Hughes" listed in the attorney's letter (info found above) to inheritors of the estate of Thomas Kelly of Corrigeen was not as assumed the youngest sibling in the family but instead was the daughter of his older sister, Delia (Brigid) Kelly and her husband Peter (also a) Kelly of Carrownamaddy, Elphin.  Elizabeth immigrated to UK around 1954 and married a Peter Joseph Hughes.

Thought I would post this update and to let you know that part of our puzzle has been found!

jvdc@optonline.net

Outeast, My name is Michael Scott and I'm very interested in your knowledge of your Kellys. My 3rd Great Grandmother was Winifred Kelly and I've been trying to locate some information about her and her family for 12 years. She married Patrick Scott sometime before 1811 and I'm thinking Winifred would have been born at least 1793. They had 6 children, all but one immigrated to the US one at a time starting in 1846 and ending in 1855. The reason I think that your Kelly's might be the right family is that all the boys were christened in Killukin/Killumod (Croghan is where they lived) between 1811-1821. But all the girls were christened in Kilcooley. The single child who stayed in Roscommon was Honora Durr nee Scott, she married Thomas Durr and they lived in Boyle.

mjscott

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