Myers and Burke from County Cork

Loren:

The family lived in Kildorrery civil parish and attended Kildorrery RC church. The 1852 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Kildorrery parish shows a William Mayers in Scart townland. I believe this is your William Myers.

http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/cork/kildorrery.htm

I went on the Roots Ireland indexes and found the 1842 marriage for William and Mary in Kildorrery parish. (Kildorrery is to the northwest of Glanworth). There are at least six baptismal records on Roots in Kildorrery. The latest was William in 1861. Patrick was 1858. John 1845. Mary 1842.

Roger McDonnell

Roger,
The only specific date I have is for Patrick C. Myers - born March 17, 1863. That's the sure date that I am basing everything else around. That's his birth date as stated on his death document from Minneapolis, MN 1916. Also lists his father as William Myers and mother as Mary Burk, but I think that was a phonetic spelling. It could've been Burke. Glanworth was a location for another Myer family (I think that's the one that you found.) that was given to be by another person the Myer family name. It would be so much easier if I could accept the Myer family that you so quickly found as my Myers family, but the while the names are the same but the corresponding birth years are slightly off.

According to the US Federal Census of 1880 in Minneapolis, William was born abt 1820, his wife Mary abt 1825, their son John (my greatgrandfather) was born abt 1848, his sister Katherine abt 1850, Mary abt 1855, Patrick abt 1859, and William abt 1864. Yes, I am aware that there was alot of 'fudging' when it came to establishing birth years and people easily shaved a few years off. So you understand why I was so encouraged when you found this Myers family. So, they could be the family that you found, but they could be from somewhere else in Cork.

Would it be helpful if I downloaded a picture of my grandmother Catherine Myers Hoffman? I have no other pictures of Myer family members.
Loren Hoffman

Loren:

The picture would not help. 

I think this is the correct family but I understand your hesitancy. At least, you have a lead to consider.

Roger

William Myers, son on of William Myers and Mary Burke married Catherine Nugent as I understand in Hennepin in December 1888. Catherine Nugent was the daughter of William Nugent and Catherine Myers who were married in Kildorrery on the 1st February 1846, with at least four children baptised: John in 1848, James in 1857, William in 1861 and Catherine on the 7th July 1867. The sponsors to the baptism of Catherine were Daniel Hennessy and Mary Hayes. The address given was Shraharla. 

I have been researching the Myers family form Kildorrery, as my great grandmother was Mary Myers from Scart. There appear to be two main branches, from Scart and Ballysurdane, however all appear to be descended from a Mier family who left Germany in 1709 to escape persucations. Edmond Mier is buried in Mologga cemetery in Kildorrery born 1712, died 1762. We do not have the links to tie up the early families.

Regards Joe McDonnell

William Myers' father is my 2GG. That's them!!! You have given me long-sought info. It's because you have provided the date/place of the marriage between Wm Myers and Catherine Nugent!. That pretty much sealed the deal. Above reply to query have also provided same info, butyou providing the marriage date was key. Was William Myers in any way related to his mother-in-law Myers? Obviously there were many Myers in the area.  Who was your GGm Mary related to? Any info on William and Mary? So many questions, yes . . . you've got me really interested again.
Regards, Loren

Loren, I cannot sort out all the Myers in the area and at this stage do not know if the William who married Mary Burke is from the Scart side or the Ballysurdane side. Given the nature of the names in the family and also from an analysis of the sponsors at the various baptisms I am inclined to the view that your family is from Scart! This is speculation on my part as two of the sponsors were a Thomas and a Catherine (possible brother and sister of William?), which names do not seem to occur with any frequency in the Ballysurdane side. Can you try namurthehill at eircom dot net and then I can send to you an excel file I have have been working on. This is very much a work in progress. I am trying to make some time to go and visit Kildorrery where there are some Myers still living there.

What would be most interesting would be any family legends from William & Mary?  any written notes or names of any relatives who went to the States with them, any long lost relatives or scribbles in family bibles?

I am very interested in these posts. My great-great grandmother was Elizabeth Townsend Myers (1802-1842). She was born in Cork and married in Cork, I think, but lived in Newcastle West with her husband, William Fuller Harnett, a merchant, after their marriage in January of 1833. Her grave is in the Old Churchyard cemetery in Newcastle West and I have found newspaper cuttings of her marriage and early death in 1842. I have not been able, however, to locate any information on her parents or siblings. I wonder if any of you on these posts have come across an Eliza or Elizabeth Myers. (The middle name "Townsend" is on the inscription on her gravesite).  Thank yuou so much for any information.  Kathy

namur44 -

I wish I had such tangible evidence on William and Mary Myers or even their son John T. and his wife, By the way, John T's brother Patrick was born on St Patrick's Day (now, that's a true Irishman!) Until recently all I had was the names of my grandparents and great-randparents (the ones living in Minneapolis) and those were the connections found on Ancestry.  What limited photos I have, there is no identification of the individuals. Near as I can figure, they are of my grandmother - Catherine (Myers) Hoffman, her sisters(?) and maybe her mother (Catherine Allen) or mother-in-law ( Mary Burke) There is a very strong resemblence between these women, so much so, that I cannot tell the difference between the mother and daughter. The fact that my grandmother appeared to have aged prematurely doesn't make identification any easier.

I have no remaining relatives to identify these individuals, so who they are is speculation on my part. I do not know how much history you have on the Myer's family, but thank you, you have already provided me with valuable information!

Kathy -
I'd like to think that there's a connection, but I have yet to come across an Elizabeth. It seems as if the mother's, mothers-in-law and wives that belong to my Irish family tree in Minneapolis are all named Catherine! But that's just my narrow view and if I branched out a little, I may find your Elizabeth. Who knows!

- Loren

I thought I would mention something briefly to Loren who wrote, "The only specific date I have is for Patrick C. Myers - born March 17, 1863. That's the sure date that I am basing everything else around." What caught my eye was the month and day: March 17 and the words "sure date." I have found that when March 17 is given as a date of birth it is a huge red flag. It is true that sometimes the Irish fudged their date of birth (I have two family members in different lines who shaved 20 years off their life), but very often they didn't really know their date of birth. No one had time to celebrate birthdays. They were too busy trying to survive. I actually have a copy of a letter that an adult male wrote back to his mother in Ireland asking just one question: When is my birthday? March 17, 1863, could well be the correct date, but it may not be. Whoever was the informant probably did not know the exact date and like so many others chose March 17, indicating the informant probably wasn't sure of the year either. You might want to check into Roger McDonnell's information to see if there is any chance it could be your family. I am not one of the team members in Kildorrery so I hope it was all right to add this message.

Seashore-
Well that doesn't make it any easier, does it? When I have a chance, I'll try to check the church records in Kildorrey provided by Roger and Joe, to see if there is a more specific date. It was absolutely alright to add your message, thanks. Loren

Loren,

I think you really should check the Kildorrery records for your family at rootsireland.ie.  I think you will be very happy with what you find there.  I'm not connected to the Meyers but have family from Glanworth.  This string of messages was so interesting I couldn't help going to check one of Meyers baptisms myself.  As an example I looked at the baptismal record for Patrick Myres (that was the spelling for his record) and the baptismal date could well support the birthdate you have, March 17.  The other very useful thing is the record lists the townland that the family lived in.  It is closer to Ballyshurdane than Scart.  But it is something of a stroke of luck that it is listed - sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't.   I haven't looked at any of the other baptisms - maybe some of them will list the same townland, or no townland.  Or maybe a nearby townland.  That is sometimese the case also - I have researched families and individuals who maybe lived in the border area of two townlands and sometimes listed one and sometimes listed the other.

Have fun!

Patrick 

Hi,

I know it is a while since you posted on the Myers/Burke.

I have a Nano Coughlan, of Cullenagh, Kildorrery , my Great Grandmother, married to a John Leonard, Ballindangan, Mitchelstown 9th February 1885.

Nano Coughlan's father was John Coughlan of Cullenagh and as far as I know he married Catherine Myres ( spelling?) of Scart, Kildorrery on 6th February 1864.

I found 3 births registered for Catherine Myres  as follows-

Catherine  b 10 May 1827  father Patrick Myers mother  Ellen Haly ( Healy)  sponsors John Haly & Mary Myers

Catherine  b 12 Jan 1830  father William Myers   mother Catherine Dempsey  sponsors Daniel Sheehan & Mary Dempsey

Catherine b 24 Dec 1834  father  Patrick Myers  mother Mary Flemon (presume Mary Fleming  sponsors Wm Cotter & MaryMcNamara

As far as I know Patrick & Ellen Haly are her parents??? 

​Do any of these names ring a bell with any of you?

Any help you can give would be fantastic.

Thanks,

Mary

Mary,
Doesn't matter. I still check for responses to my post. Thanks to responses to my inital post, I have received information that I never would have been able to gather on my own. Rather than having to say my relatives came from somewhere in Ireland, thanks to the help and diligence of interested parties (Roger, Castlemore Roscommon; Joe McDonnell, namur44; and Patrick, padraigm) I now know where and when.
There was  another Myers family, with the same descendents name, also from the same area. They resided in the same area in  Ireland for their whole lives. My Myers side emigrated to America (abt 1860) and lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Because there was no such thing as naming kids with creative first names, it seems as if there were many generations with the name of Mary, Patrick, Catherine (sometimes with a "C" sometimes with a "K"), William, etc. Which makes sorting them all out difficult and tedious. Regarding William and Mary - 3 of their children were born in Ireland and 2 in Minneapolis.
I'm guessing that the whole family came over. William Myers and his wife, Mary (Burke, or Burk).
Your Myers may be related to my William (b about 1815 - somehwere in Ireland, there's that phrase, again) I have not dug too deep as to find his parents or siblings.
Thanks for your reply.
Regards, Loren

Mary,
I couldn't help but notice that you had the name William Cotter in your post. You wouldn't have any more info on him would you? I have very litte information in the Cotter in my tree who emigrated to Canada. He (unknown first name) and his wife (unknown) gave birth to my great-great grandmother (1825?) Margaret Cotter who married John Haddock Barnes in Lockport, NY).
Loren

Hi Loren,

Thank you for your replies.    I think I need to go back and check a few things.   The best way for me to go is try and find a marriage for John Coughlan of Cullenagh, Kildorrery.  I am not 100% sure he married Catherine Myres.

​You mention Cotters, I don't have any in my family tree.  Wm. Cotter is just listed as a sponsor to Catherine Myers.   So don't know the Cotter -Myres relationship, sorry.

If I do find anything relevant in my searches I will certainly let you know.

All the best

Mary

Galtee girl,

Follow-up on John T Myers, born in Glanworth, 1845.
John married Catherine Allen (b. Ireland, but I do not know where) in Minneapolis, Hennipen, Minnesota in 1874. They had 2 daughters - Helen (Nellie) b.1876 and my great-great grandmother, Catherine Margaret b. 1879. Catherine died in childbirth in 1881. Mother and baby are buried in Minneapolis. John's mother, Mary Burk Myers died in Minneapolis in 1887. His father, William died in Minneapolis in 1902. John married  Mary McCAnn (b 1868 in Minnesota) in 1896. He was 51, she was 28. They had 2 boys who never lived past 2. William and Thomas died within a week of one another in 1900.
John T (the 'T' is it for Thomas or Timothy?) and Mary left the sadness and misery in Minneapolis for a new start out west. John worked for the Northern Pacific RR and they settled in Montana. Their life did not improve. They seem ill suited to one another and both of them drank. Apparently, a lot. They were cited numerous time in Butte, Montana newspapers - he for beating her and she for beating him. He died in Oct.1918 from a fractured skull in A RR accident and is buried in Butte .Mary died many years later, in 1940, in Warm Springs, Montana.