Michael Barrett 1824 : Short Biography

Michael Barrett 1824

Kilmore (Mayo)

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Place of migration

Migrated to/Born in USA

Michael Barrett was born in either 1824 or 1832 in Bartrauve townland, Kilmore Parish, Co. Mayo. He married Bridget Early, a widow, and the two of them migrated to the United States during the famine.

Michael worked on the B&O railroad, and his first son Patrick Joseph Barrett was born in 1857 in Harpers Ferry Virginia. At the time of the American civil war, the family returned to Ireland. After the war, they settled in Centralia Pennsylvania and Michael took work in the Anthracite coal mines there.

Michael passed away June 25, 1891 in Centralia and is buried in the St. Ignatius cemetery there. His decendents are numerous including the Barretts of Omaha, Nebraska and Wyoming. His grandson Frank Aloysious Barrett held the governorship, senate seat, and a house of representatives seat for the state of Wyoming. His son Patrick Joseph was influential in local South Omaha politics.

Additional Information
Date of Birth	1st Jan 1824 (circa)
Date of Death	25th Jun 1891	VIEW SOURCE

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Comments

I have a Michael Barrett (born circa 1795) of Belmullet married to Anne Tollett in my tree. Is this the same Michael Barrett?

TomasProinsias

Thursday 25th February 2021 01:50PM

@Tomas - No, this Michael was born some time between 1824 and 1832 and was married to Bridget Early. Your Michael could very well have been a relation though! I'm actually trying to work on this line and extend it beyond Michael, but it's difficult with the spotty records and Barrett being such a common surname there. There's an often repeated rumor that he was the son of one "William Barrett" and "Bridget Kennedy", but I don't believe this to be correct. Irish naming conventions of the time would suggest that his father was one Patrick Barrett and according to Griffith's there was a Patrick Barrett in Bartrauve but little else is known.

johnmblood

Thursday 25th February 2021 02:24PM

Thanks John! Yes I've also had difficulty finding records for my Barrett line. It is said in my family that my Michael's father was a Richard Barrett but I have no records to support this.