I am researching the Watch/Watson, Harney, Bannon and Muldoon families of Drum. The Watch surname changed to Watson starting about 1840. The reason is unknown but it appears that the entire extended family made the change over about a 20 year period. John Watch/Watson (born 1834 near Drum, died 1906 Odell, Livingston County, Illinois) was my great grandfather. His first wife, Kate Killian, married 1860 in McLean County, Illinois, May have been from Drum. Her estimated year of birth was 1825-1830. She already had a five year old daughter Mary, surname unknown, when they married. Mary appears to have been born in Illinois. It is unknown if Killian is Kate’s maiden or married name. John’s parents were William and Margaret Harney Watch/Watson. Both died in the summer of 1855 in Kilmacormack townland. Margaret’s parents were Mark and Rose Muldoon Harney. William’s parents were Peter and Catherine Bannon Watch. All but two of John’s surviving siblings immigrated. Peter remained in Ireland and appears to have continued farming the family place. I am looking for their sister Rose who may have moved to Dublin. She may have married a man named Odell or O’Dell. Apparently she was mentioned in correspondence regarding the disposition of the family farm in Kilmacormack after Peter’s death pre 1906. Also I am looking for a Drum connection for Kate Killian.
myezek
Thursday 9th Aug 2018, 06:49PMMessage Board Replies
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myezek:
Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!
I found a small amount of info for you.
The name of the townland is Kilmocolmock and here is a link to the 1901 census record for Peter Watson and two children
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Roscommon/Thomastown/K…
Right next door to Peter was a Killian family (shown as Killion) http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Roscommon/Thomastown/K…; so it is very likely that Kate Killian came from the same townland as the Watsons. The Bridget in the census record was likely a sister in law to Kate.
I tried to locate a Rose Dell/O'Dell in the 1901 and 1911 censuses but was unsuccessful
Roger McDonnell
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
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Thanks so much! I really haven’t used the censuses much as my last known family member to immigrate was William Watson, John’ s brother about 1868. I never thought to use them to see the proximity of different families to each other.
myezek