KINGS. CO.

Hi Maree,

Thank you for your message.

It may be difficult to find information on John without an exact place of origin. Most Irish record sources- church records, land records, census records- are based on specific locations. Until you know a specific location within Ireland, preferably a parish or placename, it may be difficult to do anything more with these records.

Have you tried searching for the family in the land records pertaining to Ireland in the 19th century? These do not give any genealogical information but they can sometimes be used to tie a person to a specific place. Perhaps if you can find record of John or Mary (as long as too many results are not returned) it may give you a starting point for a parish. There are two:

The Tithe Applotment Books (1823-1838) found at http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp

and Griffith?s Valuation (1848-1864) found at http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/

You could also try searching https://familysearch.org/ . This is a huge database of genealogical records complied by the Church of the Latter Day Saints. If you can find a baptismal or marriage record for either Mary or her parents it will give you a parish name.

You could also search Church records at http://ifhf.rootsireland.ie/search.php . However, please note that you have to pay to search this website.

Alternatively you could try contacting Irish Midlands Ancestry for assistance-however a fee may apply. Here are their contact details:

Irish Midlands Ancestry,

Bury Quay,

Tullamore,

Co. Offaly.

Phone: +353 (0) 57 9321421    Email: info@offalyhistory.com

Some websites which you may find useful in your research are:

The National Archives of Ireland http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/

The National Library of Ireland http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx

Genealogy Links: http://www.genealogylinks.net/uk/ireland/offaly/index.html

Irish Genealogy Projects: http://www.igp-web.com/offaly/index.htm

I hope that this is helpful. Best of luck with your research. Remember to post any new information you may find here. The more information you post, the more likely it is that one of our volunteers will be able to advise or assist you. Also include information concerning which sources you may have already used so others may further your search.

Kind regards,

Genealogy Support