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Hello all.

I had been searching for my grandfather's birth family for many years and finally found them in 2016. We knew he was born a Reynolds and the living descendants said they came from Co. Leitrim.  Patrick Reynolds born circa 1812 and his wife Bridget (1816) (?Conity, Connaughty?) arrived in NYC in June of 1837 with their three month old son Thomas.  They settled in NYC and had three other children, Catherine, James and Martha. 

James married Annie Shanley. Her parents were John Shanley and Mary Rinn (about 1824). They were related to the Shanley family that opened several famous restaurants in NYC in the early 1900s. Thomas Shanley born 1859 in Moher, Annaduff to Michael Shanley and Margaret Faughnan was the founder of the restaurants and lived with his Aunt Mary Rinn Shanley when he first arrived in NYC in 1880. 

James and Annie had 8 children one being Catherine Reynolds (1897), my grandfather's birth mother. He was born in 1916 Bronx to an unwed Catherine and given up to the NYC Foundling Hospital the day after birth. He was later placed on an Orphan Train in 1921 to be adopted by the Eveld family in Altus, AR. I've also deduced his birth father from DNA matches as a McGinty boy that lived across the street in the Bronx.

There is also a connection to the Sheridan and Hand families. They are noted to be cousins in Patrick and Bridget's daughter Martha's will. I believe that Martha Connaughty who married Michael Hand may have been my Bridget's sister. No proof just a gut feeling. 

I've connected with a distant Leitrim cousin and we thought for sure we were on the right tract only to discover we matched her mother's Flynn side not the assumed paternal Reynolds. 

I had hoped to find a townland for my Patrick before our May arrival but I've ran out of ideas. He died by 1860 and I've been unable to find any naturalization or death records for him. Birth records aren't back that far. DNA lands me in Southeast Leitrim per Ancestry. So, I thought I'd give this a shot and see if any of these names ring a bell with anyone out there. 

Thanks for your time,

 

Michele E.

Wednesday 13th Mar 2019, 01:23AM

Message Board Replies

  • Michele E

    I live in Aughavas in South Leitrim. The Reynolds name is very common around here but our records are only from around 1845. Would you have any other information on Patrick Reynolds?

    Terry

    Terry, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Thursday 14th Mar 2019, 03:47PM
  • Hi Terry,

    The only other piece of information I have about Patrick is that he was a mason. I'm not sure that's going to be helpful though! I've been told that Reynolds is the most common surname in Co. Leitrim. When I found the arrival record into the US listing 1837, I knew it would be highly unlikely that I would find any record of him in Ireland because he left to early.  I was excited to find that his son Thomas was born in Ireland prior to leaving. He was a new find and I'd hoped maybe... but to early for him too. 

    That leaves me running down DNA matches to narrow down a place and Southeast Leitrim may be as close as I'll ever get. So, we'll cover all of Leitrim while there in May. We'll see Lough Rynn and Mohill, as I think my Shanley's are from that area. Keshcarrigan and the Castle ruins etc.  We'll take it all in. :-)  I've even seen Aughavas in my research. Possibly following a DNA match with another Patrick Reynolds in their tree. His parent's were Thomas Reynolds and Bridget Foye. Connected to Annaghmore and Edenbaun. 

    Thank you so much for your reply. Maybe we'll see you on the road to Aughavas in May! :-)

    Michele

    Michele E.

    Friday 15th Mar 2019, 03:48AM
  • Interesting story Michele....

    James Gillroy and a Frank Reynolds partnered in Manhattan late 1860s in biz "Gillroy & Reynolds Plumbers and Gas Fitters", NYC. They employed many plumbers and became well off as they say. Gillroy and Reynolds intermarried as well. James became president NYC Master Plumbers Assoc. 1888.

    John J Gillroy, b.1836 (spouse Anna "Annie" Reynolds b. 1846 Ire) ; James b. 1838; and Patrick J b. 1844 were brothers who came to NYC 1850-53.

    Wm K. Gillroy

    Marathon FL, USA

    Bill

    Saturday 28th Nov 2020, 04:00PM

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