Michael Casey : Short Biography

References

Michael Casey 1828

County Mayo Tuam (Galway) Killarney (Kerry)

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Believe Michael Casey's father was a dish maker in Tuam who was born in Killarney, Co. Kerry.
Believe his mother was born in Tuam, Co. Mayo.
He may have older brothers, John and James.
Believe Michael Casey immigrated to New York between 1851-1862

Additional Information
Date of Birth	1st Jan 1828
Townland born	Tuam
Spouse (First Name/s and Maiden/Surname)	Ellen/Helen Knowlen/Nolan
Mother (First Name/s and Maiden)	Marriage to Ellen Knowlen Union, NJ, USA on 9 Nov. 1863,
Number of Children	5 children
First Child	Thomas H. Casey b. 1865, Saugerties, NY, USA
Names of Children	Elizabeth Casey Haskins 1867-1891; Fannie Casey 1868 - ?; James Casey 1870 - ?; Michael Bernard Casey 1875 - ? All born Ulster and Greene Counties, New York , USA
Occupation	Stone Cutter
Place of Death	Place and date of death unknown. Likely New York State after 1881.

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Comments

Read your post with some interest and allow me a couple of observations.

I'm assuming that with a location of Ulster and Greene Counties in NY State's Catskill region, that Michael Casey, whom you believe was a dish maker in Ireland, became a stonecutter in NY, presumably in the bluestone quarries of that area, an industry that along with the tanning industry brought the first significant waves of Irish immigrants into that area. Since Ulster County is in the Archdiocese of New York, you might already be aware that the baptismal, marriage and death records for the Archdiocese of NY are gradually being posted and available for free on the FInd My Past website. Greene County is in the Albany Diocese so sacramental events there might have to be researched at the individual parishes though there would not have been too many in that time period..

Also NYS death records are indexed beginning either in 1881 9r 1883 (working from memory here). Possible to check State censu records for 1875 and 1892 to see when Michael disappears from the censuses.

You may have documentation that you don't mention but it strikes me as a lot of movement for someone in the West of Ireland born in 1828 in Killarney and then going to work in Tuam but with a mother born in Tuam- how did she get to Killarney? Do you have her surname - perhaps an identifiably Kerry or Mayo surname? - how did you establish that mapping? The well-known Tuam is in County Galway rather than Mayo though the Diocese of Tuam may indeed extend into County Mayo (I wouldn't know that).

Happy hunting,

Ed Stewart

Edward

Thursday 3rd January 2019 02:58PM

Hello Ed,

Thank you for your post. I updated Michael's profile to help clarify a few items. I don't know if the 1883 NY Kings County Almshouse record I have is for my Michael Casey or not. My Dad seemed to recall that the Casey's were from County Mayo but nothing definite. If I could find some census record in Ireland around 1841 that lists Michael with brothers John (1820) and James (1825-27), then I think I could make the connection. Indeed a long shot but I have no other leads as to the birthplace of my second great grandfather. According to the Almshouse record, Michael was born in Tuam, Mayo, his father in Killarney, Kerry and his mother in Tuam, Mayo. The record states his father was a Dish Maker (presumably in Tuam?) with Michael immigrating to NY in 1861.

I will search on the Find My Past website to see what comes up on the death records. I have scoured the 1892 NY Census as well as the 1895 NJ Census. The whole family disappears from 1880, and then his sons pop up in Kingston, NY around 1915. The good news is that there are dozens of records for Michael Casey born 1828-1832 Ireland. The bad news is that there are dozens of records! I am in the process of reading wills and probate documents trying to tie family names together to find a match. Not much luck yet but indeed will keep happily hunting. I am keen as we are traveling to Ireland this summer and would very much like to knock on my cousin's door. Thank you again for the suggestions. I will also post a message on the board. Fingers crossed!

Dalfriend

Thursday 3rd January 2019 11:38PM

Might be easier to communicate via regular email (erstewart@gmail.com). A few more questions - do you have baptismal records for all of Michael's children? Normally godparents represent close relatives of the parents or perhaps friends from their native place. If you are having trouble with finding the mother or father's families or places of origin, if you turn to godparents and begin to trace them you may wind up with the information that you require. It's possible that tombstones might even identify that for you up in Saugerties or St. Mary's cemetery in Kingston or some of the other small Catholic cemeteries in the Catskill bluestone region. May I ask why you think the Michael Casey in the Brooklyn alsmhouse is yur great great grandfather? Did some of his children move from upstate to Brooklyn? ANyway, if you would like me to review what you have uncovered thus far, happy to take a look and make recommendations and if not, that's Ok too. Best, Ed