Hello, my Grandfather several generations back was born in Ireland ~1808. I know he died in 1880 in Philadelphia PA and that he had several children in Philadelphia at least going back to around 1850 so he must have left Ireland before that. On Ancestry, the only Bernard Boyle I was able to find born around that time was in Louth. His wife when he died was named Ann but I’m fairly confident he was first married to a Bridget (maybe Mooney?) who was born around 1816. I’m fairly confident he had a brother named John born ~1821 in Ireland. I was wondering if anyone could confirm or deny that the Bernard Boyle in Louth is the same as my Bernard Boyle in Philadelphia. I’d love to find out where my family is from in Ireland. Thanks for any help!
Char
Sunday 13th Jan 2019, 03:35PMMessage Board Replies
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Hello Char, the Bernard born in 1808 is in Dillionstown, Togher, Parish, Dillonstown is near Annagassen where Vikings first landed in Ireland in case you are viking!!!!!!!!!!! This was circa 900. His parents were Owen Boyle and Mary Grogan. Sponsors were James and Anne Trenor, possibly Trainor or Toner. There are a number of marriages to suit in nearby parishes but the fathers name is not given so unable to identify if any are correct or did he marry in the US.
A local landlord Foster realising his land could not support the number of tenants in Togher did a census, no Boyles on it but a family of 4 Grogans in Mosstown; Philipstown (two philipstown near each other) Assisted passage was granted.
The area we are talking about is between the village of Dunleer north of Drogheda between Dunleer and the sea.
There is a site for Louth here http://www.jbhall.freeservers.com/index.htm there is a site for the next door parish here http://www.termonfeckinhistory.ie/ Some hits on Boyle but the name is in the entire county so no jumping to conclusions. You can view the map here to see the various places mentioned, still all fairly rural. https://www.townlands.ie/louth/ardee/drumcar/drumcar/dillonstown/
Pleaae revert if you have any follow up queries.
Regards
PatSt Peters Louth, IrelandXO Volunteer
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Awesome, thank you so much for the quick response! Perhaps we are Viking! I believe Bernard and the family were RC. If this Bernard died there, is there a local church that would have record of it? If so, am I able to contact that church and ask?
Thanks!
Chip Boyle
Char
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Also, I’m curious when that Foster census was done. Maybe Bernard et al left before that? It’s very possible Bernard and Bridget got married in Philadelphia. I think that’s my next step, trying to find marriage documentation in a church in Phila I believe they had a daughter Bridget in 1847 so they probably got married shortly before that.
Char
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HI Char, the death are only on the civil record post 1864 see https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ Click on civil records, I see a number of Owen Boyle deaths but none at the correct or aproximate age give the correct address and there were a lot of Boyles in Cooley north of Dundalk whereas the Boyle we are looking at is about 20 miles away. Deaths were haphazardly recorded prior to 1864 for Catholics and you can see here what is available by parish and year, again recoords for Togher parish have very early deaths but none post 1820. It is possible Beernards death cert in the US may contain information on his parents which would indiecate to us if we are on the correct track. I looked at 3 deaths per 1864, in hte 1840s and all were in Carlingford.
I have answered a number of queries on the Togher parish area in general and the 3 that stick with me are Carroll; Landy and Markey. I searched the transcribed inscriptions and found only a husband and wife Grogan in Dromin, no year given, in a large grave so appears to be pre 1900 but post 1880. Main name is McCann.
The Foster document was done in 1852 I think, I have a copy, Griffiths Valuation was done about 1854 here but the Foster document lists all in the house whereas GV only has the head of house and landlord if different.
If you look at the deaths in the site I sent you and find one given time I can probably get the inscription if listed there. I have looked at a lot of inscriptions locally on my records but no Boyles on them. Poorer people are unlikely to have a headstone.
The general opinion I formed from other queries is most emigration appears between 1846 and 1860.
If you do DNA it might assist if you have matches to the names mentioned in the locality, however having recently done my own it is not as clear cut as you might imagine and introduces so many new names as to be a bit overwhelming but interesting.
Regards
Pat
St Peters Louth, IrelandXO Volunteer
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Hi Again forgot this link https://registers.nli.ie/ and this one too http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=nameS…
Pat
St Peters Louth, IrelandXO Volunteer
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Attached FilesBarney Boyle enlisted in US Army 1831.jpg (535.24 KB)Bernard Boyle Death 1880.png (2.03 MB)BoyleBurialplot.pdf (712.79 KB)
Thanks so much for your help. I was looking through some of the stuff I have accumulated over the years and ran across an 1831 military record (attached) that indicated a Barney Boyle, who was born in 1809, living in Philadelphia - was from Ireland - and the area indicated was Donegall. It says he was stationed at Fort Monroe but apparently court martialed (wonder what he did!). I went on wikipedia and looked up Fort Monroe and found out that Robert E Lee was stationed there from 1831-1834! Weird to think they could have crossed paths. Anyway - I also have a record of who is buried in the burial plot w/ Bernard (attached). There is a Bridget Boyle who was born in 1790 in Ireland and died in 1877 (87 years old). I am guessing that might be Bernards mother. There is another Bridget Boyle in this burial plot who was born in 1817. She is indicated as single and I'm guessing that is Bernards sister. I also looked at Bernard's death certificate (attached) and there is nothing indicating who his parents were. So could you look in Donegal for that info or should I contact someone else?
Char
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Char, thats a jump to Donegal, I had a quick look at the records on Roots and no Bernard. I would start another thread as only very few will look here unless they are searching Boyle and come across it, with the number of answers in it other volunteers will assume it is dealt with.
The search shows Boyle births from at least 1790 in parts of Donegal, I would say about 20 plus from 1790 to 1826 but no Bernard, if you do not know the parish it is a big ask without knowing the parents either, but just judging by results Boyle and Donegal go together, in the Tithes there are almost 700 hits for Donegal, no Bernard. In Griffiths done circa 1867 there are over 1,200 hits in Donegal, including 6 Bernards, I mention this because names tend to run in families but then Bernard could be a popular enough name.
So if you want to post in Donegal someone may know more locally but it is very early. As you do not know the parish it is doubly difficult but you could post in the most common parish for Boyles, see this subscription site for surname frequency, you can do a taster for free. https://www.johngrenham.com/surnames/ A lot of Boyles nationwide.
You could also try to dig up a relation using DNA testing but it is not as easy as it sounds in my experience.
Happy Hunting
Pat
St Peters Louth, IrelandXO Volunteer
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Hi! There were several Bernard Boyle’s listed in the Griffiths Tax Records in Ballybay, County Monaghan. Other family names included Timothy, john, Bridget, Francis
Mark Boyle
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Mark Boyle