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Searching for Francis Gormley and his kin

WestmeathKilbeggan (Westmeath)

Hi.

I am searching for information regarding Francis Gormley, my great grandfather. He was born in (approximately) 1839 He emigrated to the United States sometime before 1860, as his first child was born in New Jersey in 1860 according to the US Census of that year.

Unfortunately, Francis did not live a long live. He died on 31 August1873/4 in South Amboy, New Jersey. However, he did not forget his Irish roots and his loyalty ran deep, as his tombstone states that he was 35 years old and of"parish Kilbeggan, co Wertmeath"

Francis married Ann O'Neill, but it is unclear if they were acquainted while living in Ireland as it appears she emigrated when 9 years old.

Francis's mother is unknown to me, and I have a single (perhaps unreliable)record that his father's name was Nicholas Gormley.

Any assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated. i believe that Francis had his tombstone inscribed as he did so that he would be forever remembered, even in the New World, as someone from Kilbeggan.

Thanks

Jerry Ferguson

IrelandXO member

4 replies

Jerry:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

I searched on the subscription site Roots Ireland and did not locate any Francis Gormley baptismal records in Co. Westmeath. I searched for any Gormley baptismal records where the father was Nicholas and found two ironically in Kilbeggan parish. See below. Possibly these records are for sisters of Francis. Maybe you can scan the parish register for Kilbeggan and see if you can find a record for Francis. https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0943

Roger McDonnell

Name:Mary GormlyDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:10-Apr-1830Address:Not RecordedParish/District:KILBEGGANGender:FemaleCountyCo. Westmeath
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:Nicholas GormlyMother:Bridget BurkeOccupation:Not Recorded
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Luke FinertySponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Margaret Tevelin

Name:Elenor GormlyDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:03-Jul-1839Address:Not RecordedParish/District:KILBEGGANGender:FemaleCountyCo. Westmeath
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:Nicholas GormlyMother:Bridget BurkeOccupation:Not Recorded
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Patrick KinarneySponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Mary Hardin

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

My ggrandmother was Annie Gormley she had a son Francis she married Anthony Daly

 

anne laverty

Roger, Thanks for the registry reference.  I checked 1938-1840 with no success.  In the very last entry for April 1838 there seems to be a Gormly but the handwriting is not very readable.  

Nicholas does not appear to be a common name so I suspect Elenor and Mary are related to Francis. I'll keep digging. 

Anne, can you tell me about when Francis was born?  

Jerry Ferguson

IrelandXO member

I remember meeting a Mr Gormley - he was a friend of my late Aunty ands her husband. He would have been from the Ballinagore, Westmeath area roughly. He would have died in the late 1980s and had never married. He may have been buried in Castletown Geoghan (Westmeath) 

Marie Parker

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