Looking for ancestors of Michael Karr (Carr?) Born in Antrim 1838. Immigrated to USA about 1857 at the age of 19. Married Ellen Foy born County Down 1842. Both people died in Illinois, USA in 1915. Their children: Thomas Francis, Mayme E., Sarah Ann, John P, Edward M, William P.-all children born in Illinois. Thank you for your help! Peggy Karr
Hi Peggy
Thank you for your query. Firstly 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.
Ellis Island: http://www.ellisisland.org/search/passSearch.asp
Castlegarden: http://www.castlegarden.org/
US National Archives/Immigration info: http://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/
You will need to find an exact place name of origin in Antrim (or any county) to find any existing records (e.g Parish, Townland). You could try checking the land records called the Tithe Applotment Books (1823-38) http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp or the later Griffith's Valuation (1848-64) http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/ or the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS) https://familysearch.org/
The Tithe Applotment List might be of use to you, or at least interesting for you. These lists constitute the only nationwide survey for the period, and are valuable because the heaviest burden of the tithes to the Established Church, the Church of Ireland, fell on the poorest, for whom few other records survive.For Parishes where the registers do not begin until after 1850, this information can be useful, as they are often the only surviving early records. They can provide valuable circumstantial evidence, especially where a holding passed from father to son in the period between the Tithe survey and Griffith's Valuation.
Here are some other websites that may be of help to you:
http://www.ancestryireland.com/
http://www.waterfordcountylibrary.ie/en/familyhistory/
http://www.goireland.com/genealogy/county-centres/locations/waterford-c…
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/
http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/browse/
http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/
http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx
http://ifhf.rootsireland.ie/?gclid=CKLT_Pa4wrUCFYUf4Qod4EoAGg
Peggy I hope that this information is of some help to you. Do not hesitate to contact us again.
Kind regards,
Genealogy Support