Searching for Healey

Hi Barbara,

Needle in a hay-stack ? maybe not.

First of all when you search for Irish records use the original name Healy without the  EY.

It is possible that there are passenger records but the name is just too common to start searching at this stage.

You say your great great grandfather married in 1856 Lawrence MA. This should be the starting point before even starting to look at Irish records, do you have the marriage registration of  the 1856 marriage, this might reveal a lot of information that can be used to search in Ireland maybe even his parents name?

Start with what you CAN find out and work your way back in time , for now try and get information from the USA

If you can give me the name of your great great grandfather James's wife I will do a quick search too.

We are here to help

Annemarie

James Healy, born 1829, father Dennis Healy, mother Mary  date of marriage 16 November 1856, Lawrence MA.

Spouse Ellen Sullivan father Humphry Sullivan , mother Mary.

If this is your James we now have an estimated year of birth and parents names allthough there are 100'rds of Dennis Healy's married with Mary's

I think it  was father Dennis Healy and maybe his wife Mary who emigrated to the USA and James was probably born there. Next step would be to find a USA birth registration for James

Annemarie

Hello Annmarie,

Thank you for your quick reply.

I have a copy of an 1855 Lawrence, MA census, and it lists Dennis Healey, 50 (that is the spelling they use), Mary, 60; James, 26; John, 20; Patrick, 19.  It also indicates all born in Ireland.  I know that this information can be in error, often the people providing information lie, but I would guess that, if the boys had been born in the US, they would have said as much.

The above listed James later married Ellen Sullivan, Nov 16, 1856; the marriage register lists only married in Lawrence, MA, both born in Ireland.  His parents are Dennis and Mary, her parents are Umphrey and Mary.  The 1860 Census lists both as born in Ireland, but the children are noted as born in Mass.  I have the birth register for their son James, July 13, 1861, and again, the parents are listed as born in Ireland.  Please note: I have no other information for Ellen Sullivan.

James and Ellen's eldest son, James, my Great Grandfather, marries Mary Ann Grady, 9/22/1885.  He is listed as born in Lawrence, Parents are James and Ellen.  She is listed as born in England, parents are John and Maria.  Finding information on Mary Ann Grady is another 'Brick wall" at this time.

They also have a son, James Haley, my grandfather, who marries Marie Nolet.  Their first son, James A Haley, is my father.

So I feel I have found all the documentation I can in the US, though I continue to dig, and am now trying to trace back to Ireland.  My Grandparents have all passed, and my grandfather never spoke of any of the history to the children.  My Dad has passed, he was the eldest, and his sisters are getting old, but have given me all the information they know.  I am working on getting more, but this is what I have been able to document, at this time.

Please, let me know if you have any suggestions.  I am not rich, cannot travel, and have to do all my research online, at least for now.

Regards,

Barbara Haley Lenci