Hi, I'm trying to research my great grandfather Thomas McCann, born about 1845, who came from the Drumintee-Jonesborough area. I have not been able to find trace of him; family stories say that the family were Sinn Fein sympathisers & anti-establishment, & didn't register their children. I have his sister's marriage certificate - Susan McCann married Owen Hoey/Hoy on 17th November 1867 at the Roman Catholic chapel of Jonesboro, in the Roman Catholic chapel of Dromintee (?), in the Registrar's district of Meith, in the Union of Newry. Susan was living in Faughil. Her father's first name is not recorded; - McCann was a labourer, & deceased. Susan was living in England by 1872, when her first daughter was born. Thomas was unmarried & living in England by 1871 (English census). I believe there was another brother John, born about 1853 in Faughill, & living in England with Thomas by 1871.
Not a lot to go on...
Can anyone help? I live in Australia, & a visit is unlikely in the near future, unfortunately...
Marie
Tuesday 18th Oct 2016, 11:39PMMessage Board Replies
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Marie:
Hello again!
The RC records for Dromintee do not begin until 1853 http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0212 so you won't locate a baptismal record for Thomas McCann.
The 1864 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Jonesborough parish shows two McCann records in Foughil Etra townland http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/armagh/jonesborough.htm
Roger McDonnell
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Wednesday 19th Oct 2016, 12:22AM -
Thank you! Does that mean that there is absolutely no way of tracing this family before 1853? No parish records somewhere that haven't been transcribed, even if I came over & looked? Is there any way of tracing family then, before this date?
I've seen another Griffith Valuation record showing McCanns in the area; there's no doubt (I believe) that we are all related; it's proving the link - and without a first name for my great-great grandfather, that could prove very hard...
Marie
Marie
Wednesday 19th Oct 2016, 09:37PM -
Marie:
1853 is the earliest for Dromintee and the nearby parish of Faughart is 1851. I don't think you will find earlier records. You can contact the church and see what they say.
You may want to cosndier autosomal DNA testing.
Roger
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Thursday 20th Oct 2016, 06:25PM