Gilwee/Kilwee

Hi

Thank you for your message.

Do you have any further information regarding the family that may assist others in furthering your search? Do you know much about their emigration? The dates, the reason why they left, who they may have travelled with?..etc..Generally more information was given at the port of arrival rather than the port of departure. If you knew which city they arrived at (e.g. Liverpool, New York, etc.), this could be a good place to find more information. -And perhaps even find out an exact place of origin.

Some sites you may find helpful are:

The National Archives of Ireland http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/

The National Library of Ireland http://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 Ireland http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/family_history.htm

British parliamentary papers on Ireland can be found at: http://eppi.dippam.ac.uk/documents/9824/eppi_pages/215093

Remember to post as much information as you can with regard to the people you are researching. The more information you post, the more likely it is that one of our volunteers will be able to advise or assist you. Also include information concerning which sources you may have already used so others may further your search.

Kind regards,                    

Genealogy Support 

Thank you so much for your reply and the links. I do have a bit more information that could be useful. John and Margaret had one child, William, who was born in Ireland in 1824. I know this from William's obituary and United States death index (he lived in Bloomington, Illinois in his later life as did his brother, my great-great-grandfather, James Gilwee. The next child born to John and Margaret that I am aware of is Sarah, born in 1827 in Montreal. I found a record that places John in Ottawa, Ontario in 1829, which substantiates what I was told by a distant relative that John immigrated to Canada to work on the Rideau Canal. I do not know if that was the original reason, but it seems he did end up there. I bought a book on the building of the canal and it said that 500 men, mostly Irish, died building the Rideau Canal. So awful and so sad.  It is however, quite an amazing achievement.

Anyway, in the record it says that John reported himself as being from Ballykilcash?, Sligo. I have also heard they were from Dromore West. This record also indicated that he had a brother, Patrick who in 1829 was still living in Ballykilcash?. It was said that John was "known to Rev. William Grove".

i hope this information is helpful. Anything addition informaton would be greatly appreciated.

Kindest Regards,

Patty Harrington

Hi.

Thanks for posting the additional information. Hopefully someone will be able to make a connection for you.

You may also try contacting the Sligo Heritage & Genealogy Centre http://www.sligoroots.com/ for some assistance. (A fee may apply for some of their services.)

Wishing you the best of luck with your research.

Genealogy support.

Hello Patty

I can help you,  I think. I am from the parish that you are searching for.

The old name of the Roman Catholic parish was Kilmacshalgan but it was divided into Templeboy parish and Dromore West Parish later. The townland of Ballykilcash in now in Templeboy Parish and there are still Kilawees living in Ballykilcash today. The correct (and current) spelling of the name is Kilawee and it sound to me like the people still living there must be related to you. There is one family of Kilawee remaiing in the area and the name must have been changed to Gilwee when your ancestors emigrated to Canada.

I can provide some more information if you wish to contact me.

Hello Patty

I can help you,  I think. I am from the parish that you are searching for.

The old name of the Roman Catholic parish was Kilmacshalgan but it was divided into Templeboy parish and Dromore West Parish later. The townland of Ballykilcash in now in Templeboy Parish and there are still Kilawees living in Ballykilcash today. The correct (and current) spelling of the name is Kilawee and it sound to me like the people still living there must be related to you. There is one family of Kilawee remaiing in the area and the name must have been changed to Gilwee when your ancestors emigrated to Canada.

I can provide some more information if you wish to contact me.

Yes, please! Any information you can provide wouldbe greatly appreciated. I emailed you with a few details about John and Margaret. Thank you for your response, I am most certainly looking forward to hearing from you.

Patty Hartington

I have some vague information from my Mom and some which I retrieved from the 1920 census.  I believe that I am from the family of William Gilwee.  My Mom said he immigrated from Ireland around 1826.  His wife's name was Mary and she immigrated from Ireland around 1839.  My great grandmother was Elizabeth Will and she was born in Canada around 1859.  I also know that she had a brother (s), James and perhaps John, who settled in Bloomington, Illinois.

My Grandfather, Herbert Joseph Will, was born in Bloomington Aug. 29, 1879.

I have never had much luck trying to trace them, and I would love to find more family members! I am curious what you have discovered!

I know the William Gilwee you are seeking. He was the oldest brother of my second great grandfather, James Gilwee. William was the only child of John and Margaret (Mullins) Gilwee to have been born in Ireland and was a very small child when they immigrated to Canada. John was a laborer who was employed along with hundreds and hundreds more to build the Rideau Canal. William lived with his family in or near Ottawa, Ontario then Farnham, Quebec, Albany, New York, and finally Bloomington, Illinois (as did James Gilwee) William fought in the Mexican American war in the American Army. His wife was Mary Coffey who, you are correct, immigrated with her family in 1839. I have lots more information, including William's obituary, maybe Mary's as well. 

I also am related to William Gilwee and Mary Coffey, the aboved referenced couple. Patty Harrington, your name sounds familar, do you know Marilyn Ackley or my mother, Mary Katherine Gilwee Nathe from Kansas City? I would also like to have the information from kfosulliv if at all possible. Thank you, Kathy Nathe Thielen, Sun City, Arizona, USA

Not sure if anyone is still tracking this post.

If so, please search on the following follow up post:

Gilwee / Kilawee Family from Kilmacshalgan, County Sligo, Ireland

Thank you!