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MIchael and Catherine "Kate" Hughes Smith Family

WestmeathTaghmon (Westmeath)

I have just found the baptismal records in the newly indexed Catholic parish records online. The three youngest children in this family were baptized in Taghmon. I cannot locate any of the other 3 known children, nor any further information on the family. The birthdates that I have have not been consistent across all records I have found.

Michael Smith b. about 1798

Catherine Hughes Smith b. abt 1800 in Westmeath

Mary Anne Smith b. abt 1829

Mathew Smith b. abt 1831

Margaret Smith b. abt 1833

Michael Smyth baptized 19 August 1835 in Taghmon Sponsors: Kit Hughes and Bridget Hughes

Peter Smyth baptized 22 September 1841 in Taghmon (twin to Christopher) Sponsors: Tom Hughes & Ann Sheridan

Christopher Smyth baptized 22 September 1841 in Taghmon Sponsors: Tom Hughes and Ann Sheridan

The family sailed from Liverpool to New York City on the ship, Montezuma, arriving on 11 March 1850. The moved to Sullivan County, New York a few years later.

I would like to know where to look to find more information on this family. Did they live there until they emigrated? What did Michael do for a living? Where were Michael and Catherine married and when?The family story says that the Scottish "lady in waiting" fell in love with the Irish coachman and they eloped and found their way tothe US. How much of that is true, I do not know. Catherine's obituary stated that she was born in Westmeath, Ireland. I could not locate one for Michael.

I would appreciate any help that you can provide. Once I have this all figured out, we will make another trip to Ireland. When we made our first trip, all we knew was Ireland......and we loved it!

Thank you!

Susan

sschwartz01

5 replies

Susan:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

RC records for Taghmon RC parish in Co. Westmeath start in 1809 for baptisms and marriages (and additional earlier records are also available). http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0962   Since you can't find baptismal records for the older children, I would assume that the family was in another parish (and possibly another county) which does not have records back to 1833 or earlier.

You have a number of questions which can't be answered. Catherine was likely baptized in a parish that does not have records back to 1800. If you did not find a marriage record on the indexed Catholic parish records then the marriage record is not available. Michael may have been a farmer but there is no way to know for sure. The family may have left Ireland right before their ship left Liverpool or they may have been in England for a number of years. There is no records of movements between Ireland and England at that time.

Let me know if you have questions.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you so very much, Roger.  I appreciate your help.  Thanks to the links that you sent, I was able to find the marriage record of Michael and Catherine in 1823 in the Taghmon Parish records.  I did have to go page by page.  It is not indexed on Find My Past, that I could find and I was able to find it later misindexed on Ancestry.  I went page by page through the Taghmon baptismal records and did not find the 3 older children.  However, I did find another son, Patrick, who was baptized on 17 March 1839.  There is a Paddy Smyth in the death records for 23 Oct 1843, who might be this child.  I cannot read the rown listed after his name...perhaps you can at this link http://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000635278#page/62/mode/1up   Patrick does not come up in the indexes.

 Also, I found on a US census record that Mary Anne Smith Jones was born in Naid, Ireland.  I feel quite certain that this is misspelled, but that it sounded something like that or at least the ending of the name did.  Would you have any idea of what this might be?  SInce I do not know how the Irish towns are pronounced, it is hard to figure out!

Thank you again for your wonderful help!

Susan

sschwartz01

Susan:

My educated guess is Galmoylestown townland which is in Stonehall civil parish just to the west of Taghmon. Folks from Stonehall ciivl parish went to Taghmon RC parish.

Don't have an idea about Naid. 

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Susan:

My educated guess is Galmoylestown townland which is in Stonehall civil parish just to the west of Taghmon. Folks from Stonehall ciivl parish went to Taghmon RC parish.

Don't have an idea about Naid. 

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you so much!  I appreciate your help.  

Susan

sschwartz01

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