Dockery Family

Hello Alicia,

When did the horse -stealing incident happen and in which newspaper was it reported? Did John allegedly steal the horse from Patrick senior, husband of Elizabeth Grogan, or from their son, Patrick junior?

Hi Maggie
John stole the horse from Patrick Junior and the incident happened on September 1911. It was mentioned in several different newspapers, eg. The Irish times and Roscommon messenger

The horse was stolen 4th-5th September. The case was reported in:

"Roscommon Messenger" 7th Oct. 1911; 

"Freeman's Journal" 4th Oct. 1911; and in " Weekly Freeman's Journal " 16th Sep. & 7th Oct. 1911; 

"Irish Independent " 9th Sep. 1911;

"Irish Times" 9th Sep. 1911 and in "Weekly Irish Times" 16th Sep. 1911.

I could read only excerpts because I don't have a sub. for the site where I found them. Was John described as step-brother in every report or just some of them? "Irish Times" had Patrick as "step-brother of accused" in  9th Sep. edition. Was there a prior report? Where did "Irish Times" get information from?  If "step-brother" was only in some newspapers it might have been a mistake which was then copied in others.

  According to the report of Roscommon Quarter Sessions proceedings in "Freeman's Journal"  -  "The case was a short one and would not occupy them 10 minutes".

"Roscommon Messenger" said John pled guilty but in mitigation said "I thought I had  right ...".

If Patrick and John were step-brothers, perhaps John wasn't the 1st name given to him at birth. John may have been a middle name which he preferred to a 1st name. He may have been baptised Owen. Then you have to consider possibility that John, the horse-stealer, was an illegitimate son of either Patrick senior or of Elizabeth.

. It's also possible that Patrick Dockery senior did have 2 sons named John. It did happen. 2 English branches of my family had siblings with same names,  who survived to grow up, marry and have their own children. One set of parents, having given elder children 2 names each, had used up names of all grandparents, parents, uncles & aunts before youngest daughter and son were born .

Have you checked for another possible marriage of Patrick Dockerty before he married Elizabeth?

Hi Maggie,

John is mentioned as a stepbrother in all reports except the Roscommon Messenger. I know Patrick and Elizabeth had a John in 1865. ogan 

I've not been able to locate a marraige for Patrick Dockery with Elizabeth Grogan or any other suitable match before. Going by the 1911 census, Patrick married Elizabeth in 1863. John stated in newspaper reports that he had worked with his father for thirty years before leaving for America circa 1891. Presuming this is true, he may have been more late 1850s to early 1860s.

In the reports, he told the judge he was promised a share in his fathers farm that he never got. Patricks other surviving sons, Patrick and Thomas, both received a share. If he did not, it might possibly have been because he was illegitimate.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions, 

Alicia