Martin Burke

Hi Maresa:

the names that you mention are all familiar in and around Tulla.  There were Burkes and Torpys living in the northern part of the parish in the 1800s.  In addition, there were also Clunes and O'Loughlins as well.  

The parish baptismal records in Tulla start in 1819.  They are available through the LDS church on their microfilms.  Unfortunately, they are not available online (yet!), but I am actively working on it.  In addition, the death records start in 1917, however, you can get earlier records through the General Records Office in Dublin.  

I think that the best place for you to start is at the Clare County Library website.  It is www.clarecountylibrary.ie/genealogy.  There, the Tithe Applotment  Books, Griffith's Valuation books, and various other registers are all available to look at online.  As you mention that you have found a name in the town of Tulla, you might want to check Slater's Directory.  It lists all the businesses and tradespeople in Tlla in the 1800s.  Your name might have been in business and be listed.  

You mention Springfield, Ma as a popular destination, and yes this is true.  I had a great grand aunt that went there after having lived in Norwalk, CT and New Haven, CT.  there were a number of families that settled there and the emigrants tended to settle in groups.

Tanks for your interest in Reaching Out.  Please feel free to join our parish.  Your own name is also very popular in this parish and one of my own family names!  If you would like to have something looked up, please don't hesitate to ask.  We will try to accommodate you if possible.

Slan,

Jane 

 in order to clarify this info  as my friend has no  offical proof is there any way of getting the church record looked up for James's birth?Or would i have to call out to the church. I am in Clonlara.

I will look into Slaters etc as you suggest. But a little bit of local knlwledge goes a long way in my experience.

My McNamaras are from Newport,Co Tipp. But I do have connections in Tulla through Mike O Neill who died a few years ago. His mother was Woulfe connected to my own family in Bridgetown.

Hi Maresa:

as you live nearby, you can phone the parish priest in order to make an appointment to see the church records.  If you like, I can take a quick look for you as I have to go into the priest myself for several other queries.  Let me know what suits you.  Does your friend have any other information that they believe ties James Burke to Tulla?  As he left Tulla so long ago, it is really a matter of going through old records, etc. for clues.  As I said before, I have found the Clare County Library very useful for information.  In addition, we have a wonderful librarian here in Tulla who has a love for local history and genealogy.  I can ask her if she has any information, or you can visit her during opening hours.

If you need any further help, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Jane

The only thing that he has to go is an american death cert for this James's son stating that his father was born in Tulla, Co Clare,Ireland and naming his father as Martin. ( You have to love the attendion to detail on american docuementation compared to ours}.Below is a copy and paste of the info that he has sent me. 

Great grandfather:  James Christopher Burke

Date of Birth:  About December, 1832

Location:  Tulla Co. Clare

Father’s name:  Martin

Mother’s name:  May have been Mary Torpey

James Immigrated to US about 1852

Died July 13, 1902 and is buried in Springfield, MA

Married in Springfield MA February 10, 1855

              Wife: Ann O’Loughlin born June, 1834 in Ireland; but no knowledge where in Ireland

                             Immigrated to US in 1852

                             Father’s name: Either Miles or James

                             Confusion is that her sister Mary’s death certificate lists father as James while hers listed Miles as father

                             Mother’s name: Mary Clune (is on both sister’s death certificate).

                             Died February 26, 1914 and is buried in Springfield MA.

Jane, It would be great if you could look it up for me. It will take me weeks to get up to Tulla.

I have checked Slaters and 1901/1911 census's and the petty court records. There is nothing in them. still going through the tithes and a few others.

I really apprecate the help Jane. Thank you so much. 

Hi Maresa:

I have some information for you through our local parish priest:

I looked through the baptismal records in Tulla and I have the following:

Father:  Martin Burke

Mother:  Mary Torpey

Children:

1.  Tom     10/12/1831

2. Catherine 5/4/1835

3. Anne March 1838

4. Margaret 20/7/1846

5. Margaret 17/7/1848

You will note that the first Margaret probably died, hence the second Margaret.

There was not any child born as James Christopher.  I checked through other Burke families and there wasn't any name.

I hope that this information is of some help to you.  Let me know if there is anything further that I can help you with.

Your friend might find it helpful to join the XO webpage as we are continuously updating information that we have.  

All the best to you.

Jane.

Here is the friend.

James Burke's death certificate only noted place of birth as Ireland (estimated to be December 1832 about)

A son's death certificate lists place of father's birth as Tulla. Co Clare.(secondary info as it is procvided by other than the individual so could have confused mother date of birth)

His wife Ann O'Loughlin's death notes mother as former Mary Clune

A Tulla Cemetery listing notes a burial of Mary Clune O'Loughlin with no date of death.  More than likely her mother.

My conclusion is that James with an approximate birth of December 1832 was from Tulla or nearby as he married Ann O'Loughlin (DOB about June 1834) who seems to have Tulla connection and shortly after arriving in America married (February  10, 1855)  with a certificate confirming a father's name of Martin.  Since that is direct info from the subject,  that must be accurate.  No info for  Ann was recorded on marriage documents.

Ralph Burke

RalphBurke@optonline.net

If Jane's efforts above (many thanks) did not locate a James then maybe the Mary Torpey is not a correct connection/wife.  I have located three other Martins in Griffith's Valuation living in Co Clare.  Might any be the one I am looking for?

• Barony - Tulla, Lower (part of); Union Scarriff; Parish OGonnelloe; Townland Rahena Beg
• Barony - Ibrickan; Union Kilrush; Parish Killard; Townland Cloonnagarnaun
• Barony  - Ibrickan (part of); Union - Kilrush Parish Killard; Townland Einagh

Is there ay way or direction one can provide to check if any of these Martins fathered a James about December 1832?

Hi Ralph:

Yes, it is quite possible that the parish could be one of the above.  I would tend to assume that if Tulla was mentioned that that is usually the first place to look.  However, Tulla could have been a townland (tulla----) and that could be in another part of the County.

I will go in to the parish priest and see what I can find out.  I will let you know what, if anything new, I can find for you.

Jane.

Jane:

Remember it was on the death record of the immigrant James' son Michael's (James Jr.'s brother) passing where it was noted his father James Sr., as being from Tulla Ireland.  There could have been some confusion (particularly at  the time of stress) as I believe the wife Ann O'Loughlin was from Tulla.  I recently located a James O'Loughlin in Griffith's and will likely pursue that since,  remember I spotted what I believe to be Ann's mother Mary Clune O'Loughlin burried in the Tulla Cemetery.  Remember there were two different names for her father on death certificated of hers and her sister.  One said James and the other indicated Miles.  No Miles located and only one James so maybe getting warm.

Appreciate all your help.

Ralph

Might it be the Martin Burke in the Parish of OGonnelloe.  Today I learned that Jame's death certificate indicated his birth to have been in Tulla, Co Clare.  

I'm grateful to Jane for the information she just provided.  I'm going to check out the clare county website for my own genealogy!

I also found the Burke family tree on Ancestry.com.  James Burke b. 1831 Ireland, married Ann O'Louglin 1852, they emigrated 1865.  James d. 1902.  Ann was born Ireland June 1834 and d. Springfield 26 Feb. 1914.  The family tree doesn't show any parents for James Burke, though.  I'm sure you'll be able to find more with the clare county website info and maybe even with more searching on Ancestry.com.  Hope this helps :-)