Searching for my great-great-great grandparents

Hi 

Have you had a look at this website: http://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/

I recommend you look for Michael first then look for Mary seperately as I can't see their marriage - remember they HAD to drop the "O" off their surname to get the soup during the famine

good luck 

MaureenO'Connor NZ

I will search in the link you provided.

Thank you for the information.

Lori Benson

Hi Lori, did you find any further information that could help us i the search?

Would love to know..

Martine

Martine,

I have hit a brick wall in my search.  I did come across a type written letter that my grandmother wrote about her family's history and it has pretty much the same information that I relayed.  The few differences are John Shea's year of birth, which I had as 1824 and her letter states 1841.  I did find his obituary from 1926 which states that he died at age 88 (which would make his year of birth 1838).  The letter does confirm that his parents were Michael Shea and Mary Hurley (or Hurly).  She states that their son John, her grandfather, emigrated at age 23, met his future wife on the journey and lived in Brooklyn.  I have found the family in the 1880 US Federal Census.   The oldest two children are Mary & Michael, which leads me to believe that we have the correct names for John's parents. Mary's age is listed as 17, so John must have come to the US in 1861 or 1862.  I've checked passenger lists and have found several John Shea's, but can't pinpoint which one is mine; especially since (according to my grandmother) there has to be an Ellen McGuire on the same passenger list.   I have sent away for his Naturalization paperwork, hoping that it will confirm his place of origin, his parents names, etc...  I know they were Catholic and I have searched the Irish Geneology church records for both Cork & Kerry, but have not found anything definate. I've found a John Shea and Mary Hurly married in 1839 and then several of their children in the baptism records in Bantry, but no baptism for John.  I've also found John & Michael Shea's in Durrus. 

I'm very frustrated :)  My daughter is studying Ag. Business and is doing a study abroad program starting in May and will be in Cork & Kerry for a few weeks traveling from farm to farm.  I truly wanted to get to the bottom of this before she leaves in case she has a few spare minutes and could get to the place her ancestors came from.  At this point I have lost hope that I will have the correct information in time.

Thanks,

Lori Benson

Martine,

I have hit a brick wall in my search.  I did come across a type written letter that my grandmother wrote about her family's history and it has pretty much the same information that I relayed.  The few differences are John Shea's year of birth, which I had as 1824 and her letter states 1841.  I did find his obituary from 1926 which states that he died at age 88 (which would make his year of birth 1838).  The letter does confirm that his parents were Michael Shea and Mary Hurley (or Hurly).  She states that their son John, her grandfather, emigrated at age 23, met his future wife on the journey and lived in Brooklyn.  I have found the family in the 1880 US Federal Census.   The oldest two children are Mary & Michael, which leads me to believe that we have the correct names for John's parents. Mary's age is listed as 17, so John must have come to the US in 1861 or 1862.  I've checked passenger lists and have found several John Shea's, but can't pinpoint which one is mine; especially since (according to my grandmother) there has to be an Ellen McGuire on the same passenger list.   I have sent away for his Naturalization paperwork, hoping that it will confirm his place of origin, his parents names, etc...  I know they were Catholic and I have searched the Irish Geneology church records for both Cork & Kerry, but have not found anything definate. I've found a John Shea and Mary Hurly married in 1839 and then several of their children in the baptism records in Bantry, but no baptism for John.  I've also found John & Michael Shea's in Durrus. 

I'm very frustrated :)  My daughter is studying Ag. Business and is doing a study abroad program starting in May and will be in Cork & Kerry for a few weeks traveling from farm to farm.  I truly wanted to get to the bottom of this before she leaves in case she has a few spare minutes and could get to the place her ancestors came from.  At this point I have lost hope that I will have the correct information in time.

Thanks,

Lori Benson