Caleb Parlon from Kilcolman

Hello Margi
Lovely to hear about your Ancestor Caleb. Lovely picture of a beautiful headstone. Kilcolman parish still exists it is a rural parish located between the towns of Birr Co Offaly and Roscrea Co Tipperary. Birth records are only available since 1832 so Caleb's will not be recorded. The Parlon surname still exists in this area. Have you logged on the the Kilcolman Co Offaly page in XO where I have posted pictures of local buildings etc? I live in this parish and am local volunteer so if you would like any other information or have some to share re Caleb please email kilcolmanoffaly@irelandxo.com Have you thought of putting his Ancestor profile on the Kilcolman page?
Kind regards
Margaret
Ireland XO Volunteer Kilcolman

Margaret,

Thank you for you reply.  It is exciting to find the location of Caleb's Irish home.  Bless the family including "Kilcolman" on his headstone which led me to your website!  Here is some addional family information.

Caleb left Ireland with his wife Mary Cronin (from Kings County) and children:

(approx birth years):  Patrick b.1839, Bridget b.1840, James b. 1843, Ellen b.1847, and Thomas b. 1850 (on the ship to America).  They settled in Tippecanoe County, Indiana.  I have cataloged many Parlon ancestor's headstones in Lafayette and Romney, Indiana.

Thomas married Anna O'shea from an Irish immigrant family.  Anna inherrited the O'Shea farm, which then became the Parlon farm.  They had 2 sons:  James Thomas, and Caleb Charles (my grandfather).

Anna O'Shea's parents were James O'Shea (Limerick) and Amelia Neville (Cork)

Thank you for your interest, Margi Bauer

Hi Margi

Some more information.  From the parish registers of Kilcolman (viewable at registers.nli.ie)  I have the following information for you.

Caleb Parlon marrried Mary Cloran (note surname difference) on 14/1/1836 most likely in Kilcolman Church.  Witnesses wereWilliam Toole and Margaret Cloran.  

I have found birth records for 3 of their children as follows:

Bridget baptised 23/1/1839. mother Mary Cloran and father Caleb Parlon. Sponsors Michael and Ellen Hall

Patrick baptised 4/12/1841 same parents Sponsors Michael Cloran and Bridget Meagher

Ellen baptised 7/2/1845   same parents  Sponsors James and Ellen Carroll

Could not find James record.  Found 3 other baptisms of James Parlons around the same dates with different parents. His is probably there but as the registers are not searchable you have to look through each page and read the sometimes difficult handwriting.  see above for the link.

It appears that there were several Parlon families in this parish during that time frame.  There were 16 different Parlon families listed on Griffiths Valuation c 1845.  See askaboutireland.ie  and go to Griffiths Valuations.  As Caleb is not listed on this list it may be why he emigrated to the US as he did not appear to be renting a house or land. He could have been living with family.  

I did find the townsland where they lived.  It is Rathbeg (means small fort) . The Priest wrote it on Ellen's baptismal record - we must be thankful to that Priest! It is not too far away from Kicolman Church where the children would have been baptised.

Hope that will add to your family history.

I see that you created an Ancestor profile for Caleb on our Kilcolman page which is lovely as he obviously never forgot where he came from as he had it on his headstone. You can now add his children and wife if you wish.  

Kind regards

Margaret

Margaret,

Thank you for researching and sending more information. 

I am thrilled, and my mother (Loretta Parlon Marsh 1913-1996) would have been thrilled at how we can learn about the past these days.

I will work on the profile.

Margi