I have recently found the father of my great grandmother Catherine (Kate) McKeever Hogg and it appears from census records that he came from Cork!
Here is what I know:
According to Catherine’s death certificate, and marriage and death certificates of her brother Anthony, their mother’s name was Margaret Hearn or Herron and their father’s name was Dennis McKeever.
I have verified that this is them in the 1850 census living in Brooklyn, New York:
Dennis 32 Ireland
Jane 21 “
Anthony 7 “
Catherine 5 “
Ellen 2 months New York
Given this information, I can only conclude that Margaret had died some time after the birth of Catherine in or about 1845 and before 1849, after which time Dennis married Jane.
I have not found their immigration/passenger lists or a record of the marriage of Dennis and Margaret or Dennis and Jane in either Ireland or New York.
In the 1880 census it states that both Dennis and Jane are born in Cork, Ireland. So based on that, I feel that it is most likely, but not proven, that Margaret died in Ireland, Dennis married Jane and they came to New York with Catherine and Anthony, before having a baby of their own.
I just ordered Dennis’ death certificate and hoping his parent’s names will be on it. It will take about 2 months for it to arrive. If I find new information I will update this post.
I have had success in finding the home town of my two lines of Irish gg grandparents on my father’s side, and even got to have a beautiful wonderful visit at those places with the help of Ireland Reaching Out volunteers in 2019. But, I have 7 gg grandparents from Ireland on my mothers side, and have not been able to find out where any of them came from. This hint from Cork is as close as I have gotten. Any assistance would be very much appreciated.
Thank you,
Barbara
Barbara K
Sunday 28th Mar 2021, 08:26PMMessage Board Replies
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Barbara:
I looked on three sites-- subscription site Roots Ireland, subscription site FindMyPast and the free site www.irishgenealogy.ie and did not find any records for Denis McKeever (baptism or marriage) or the baptismal records for his children. Very unusual since almost every Co. Cork RC parish has records back to the 1840s. McKeever is very much a Northern Ireland surname but as you indicated the 1880 census does show Co. Cork.
If you find additional information, please let us know.
Roger McDonnell
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
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Good day Roger,
Thank you for your search. My mother's great grandparents continue to be elusive! I was so excited after so many years of searching to finally find a document that certified that this Dennis was the father of Catherine and then finding Cork on the census, only to be let down by not finding anything further. Yet, I will persevere. Hopefully, I will find more information on his death certificate once I receive it.Thank you, again...Barbara
Barbara K