Bracken of Baltinglass

Abi:

You mentioned that James was from Kiltegan Baltinglass. Kiltegan and Baltinglass are separate civil parishes in western Co. Wicklow near the Co. Carlow border. 

I checked the Roots Ireland indexes and found an 1842 baptismal record for a James Bracken in the Hacketstown RC church. Hacketstown corresponds to Kiltegan civil parish. The parents were Francis and Catherine.

I also checked the 1854 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Kitlegan parish. There were two Brackens listed: Francis and James. They both lived in Borkillmore townland. I'm wondering if this Francis was the same shown in the 1842 baptismal record.

Roger McDonnell

http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/wicklow/kiltegan.htm

Thank you Roger.  I had come across Francis and Catherine, and James' marriage certificate confirms his fathers name as "Francis Bracken, Farmer".  I hadn't found the baptism record for James in Hackettstown so that was a great help.

My feeling is that the Francis who was farming in Borkillmore is my James' father, and that the James you found in the same 1854 valuation is probably Francis' brother - but the records are so poor (and the Brackens so numerous!) that it is very hard to prove.

I will keep digging but in the meantime, if anyone has any further information that might help, I will always be grateful to receive it.

Many thanks!

Abi:

I looked at the 1827 Tithe Applotment listing for Kiltegan parish and there was a James Bracken in Borkilmore townland that was leasing 69 acres of land. That was a fairly large holding. Possibly this was the father of Francis?

Roger

http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/reels/tab//004625687/00…

Roger

Thanks for the link!  I would love it if James was Francis' father but I cannot find a birth record for either of them!  There were plenty of James Bracken's born in the late 1700's and early 1800's but none that I can tie down to this area.  And there is no trace of Francis at all before he married Catherine.

Abi