Looking for relatives of James Patrick Naughton and Delia Purcell Naughton of Bruff, Co. Limerick

Dear Laura:

Many thanks for your post to the Ireland Reaching Out message board.  We have a volunteer in the Bruff area who would have a lot of local contacts and who will be able to assist you.  I'm forwarding this post to him and he will be in contact with you shortly.

Kind regards,

Jane

Hi Jane,

Thank you so very much!  I look forward to hearing from him!  

All the best,

Laura

Hi Jane,

I may have found more information on James Patrick Naughton. I located his USA Petition for Naturalization (1913). He lists birthdate as April 10, 1875. All names are correct on form (Delia and their children who were born at the time including my grandma Frances). I found a record of a James Naughton born on April 9, 1874 to John Naughton and Alice Hannan Naughton of Bruff/Croom. In my search I've found that many dates are not completely accurate. Could he possibly be my James?

Please pass along to your volunteer in Bruff. I'm doing my best to do most of the research. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thanks so much,

Laura

Hi Laura,

Jane from Ireland Reaching Out has passed on your link to me and I have printed off the details which I will pass on to a family of Naughtons in the Bruff area.  I will also put up the details on Facebook but not everyone has a facebook page.  I would mention that we have digitally recorded the local graveyards so maybe you could do a bit of homework on the computer.  This is on historicgraves.com and key words would be Bruff, St Peter Alexander, Tullybrackey, Knockainey, Uregare, Teamplin.  You also mention Croom but this is a different parish.  I am not sure if they have recorded their graveyards but it might be worth trying Croom, Anhid or Mainister.

Hopefully I will get some response and will post any replies.

Kind regards,

Maurice Lyons 

Bruff

Hi Maurice,

Thank you you for your reply. I'm pretty sure James Naughton and Delia Purcell were both from Bruff. I don't think people traveled very far then. But the record I saw of John and Alice Hannan Naughton mentioned Croom. It could be inaccurate. Then I saw records of daughters of John and Alice born in Bruff which is why I questioned it. Bruff makes more sense. As I've said, I'm sure of Delia Purcell's parents but not James Patrick Naughton's. I'm making an educated guess it was John and Alice Hannan Naughton. I'd bet money James Patrick Naughton is from Bruff as was Delia. Also, James and Delia named their first child Alice, which is another reason I think there's a stong possibilty Alice Hannan Naughton could be his mom.

Please know I appreciate your time spent on locating my family in Bruff. It's such a wonderful gift you are giving me.

I'll do my graveyard computer homework!

Laura

Hi Maurice,

I'm sending a photograph of the Naughtons. My Dad is the little boy hiding behind the cake.  My Uncle Donald is the tall teenager in the back.  My grandma Frances has her head under my uncle's chin. I'm guessing this photo was taken around 1950 in Woodside, Queens, NY where they lived.  If the photo was taken in 1950, Delia has passed away (d.1947). I think the oldest man in the back row in the black sweater is James.  I'm thinking the man in the white shirt next to him is his son John. I don't know if this helps you at all. Maybe someone there will see a family resemblance.

Thank you,

Laura

Dear Laura:

What a wonderful photo and thank you for sharing.  

Please let me know if you need further assistance.

Kind regards,

Jane

Hi Jane,

Please share photo with your Bruff Volunteer Maurice Lyons.  He said he would put my information on facebook.  I thought the photo might help.

Many thanks!

Laura

Hi Laura,

Great news. I got a phone call from someone that I know very well who informed me that she has a good bit of info to impart.  She is not into Facebook or Ireland Reaching Out and has asked if she could communicate with you through email.  If that suits you, could you please post here or forward your email to bruffreachingout @gmail.com and I will pass this on to her.  Her name is Joan.

Kind regards,

Maurice

Hi Maurice,

That is is great news! I'm happy to communicate with Joan via email. I'll send my address to you at bruffreaching out@gmail.com.  Let me know if you haven't recieved it.

Many thanks,

Laura

Hi, Oh dear..............
His birth was Registered on the 9th April 1875 but he was on the 20th March 1875. 
THomas and Ellen (nee Burke)
Number 102
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_retur…

I see on the marriage he is James and his father is John.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_re…

Oh dear.....
Delia, ...........Bridget was born on the 2nd November 1882 to Patrick and Mary (nee Burke)

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_retur…
Bridget often changes to delia, then when in the USA becomes Della.
Have you got Reyonlds in you family?

Margot
 

Hi Margot,

No need for oh dear...

I just received a packet from a Naughton cousin in the US confirming the following:

James Patrick Naughton's parents were John and Alice (nee Hannon) of Crean/Croom. James was born April 9, 1874 and died October 29, 1955.

Delia (Bridget) Purcell's parents were Patrick Purcell and Mary Burke of Bruff. Delia never went by Bridget although it was her birth name. She was born on November 6th, 1885 and died October 6, 1947.

My information has been confimed by many sources including two relatives and a local of the Bruff area who Maurice Lyons put me in touch with.

I'm not related to the Reymolds family.

I appreciate your  time,

Laura

Hi again Margot,

I see where the confusion lies! The record you attached is for a Patrick Naughton. My Naughton is first name James...middle name Patrick. Perhaps you looked quickly and thought Patrick was his first name. It's the incorrect record.

Regardless, I appreciate your help and time.

Many thanks,

Laura

Dear Laura:  

Thank you for keeping us all updated with your family research.  Maurice will be very happy to help you and as he is the local contact for the Bruff area and he knows several individuals who can assist with your research, we will defer to his knowledge. 

If you need any general information or have any questions, please email me directly at:  jhalloranryan@irelandxo.com

Kind regards,

Jane

Hi Jane,

No need to refer me to Maurice. We've already collaborated. I was just responding to Margot who sent me an incorrect record. I'm all set and have the information I need. By the way, Maurice is wonderful. I had a great experience.

Thank you,

Laura

Hi Laura:

I'm delighted to hear that you and Maurice are in contact.  He is a very good volunteer in the Bruff area and extremely pleasant and helpful.  If you would like to share your visit with us here at IrelandXO, we would be delighted to hear from you.  You can email me directly at:  jhalloranryan@irelandxo.com

All the best,

Jane

Laura

My mother's uncle,Michael Finn,married Margaret Purcell in Bruff in 1909.He was a member of the Limerick hurling team who won All Ireland championship in 1897.He had a son Michael who lived in Bruff.There was also some connection on Purcell side to a Mortell family.

George

Hi George,

We're connected by the Purcell sisters! How wonderful! Did you know the Purcells were masters coopers in Bruff?

I looked up Michael Finn Limerick hurling 1897 and sure enough! He's listed as Mick Finn. There is another Finn listed, John. Maybe another relation? Yes, I keep coming across the Mortell family. Not sure of the connection. I'd have to look into it.

Many thanks for the information. It made my day!

Laura

Laura

I did know that the Purcells were coopers.Only connection i can recall in fairly recent times was to a Mortell family-I think that another Purcell sister married into that family.The Finns were from Kilfinane-about 10 miles to the south of Bruff.They had been carpenters for generations.John was Mick's brother-as was Patrick,my grandfather.In the photo of the Limerick team also there was a James Hanley-nicknamed *Sean Og"-means young John who was their bro in law-my grms bro.He was one of the most famous hurlers of that time in Ireland.

George

Hi George,

I found an interesting record:

1911 Census Residents of house 102 in Bruff Town/ Bruff, Limerick

Surname      Forename      Age      Sex    Relation to Head    Religion

Purcell          Mary               73           F       Head of Family       Roman Catholic 

Pucell           John                42          M       Son                        Roman Catholic

Finn             Margaret          30          F        Daughter                Roman Catholic

Finn             Michael            32          M       Son in Law             Roman Catholic

Finn             Michael            1            M       Grandson               Roman Catholic

Mortell         Patrick              5            M       Grandson               Roman Catholic 

Mary (nee Bourke) is my great great grandma. Married to Patrick Purcell. Her daughter Delia (birth name Bridget) Purcell was my great grandma. Delia was married to James Naughton and emigrated to NYC by 1911. So Patrick Mortell was Margaret and Delia's nephew. You are correct in that another Purcell sister married into the Mortell family. I wonder why Patrick Mortell was living with Mary (no parents). I checked Margaret and Michael Finn's marriage record and Patrick Purcell is listed as her father. And Margaret signed as witness on Delia's marriage certificate. I just wanted to cross check. This is us!  I'm so delighted! 

Do you know if Michael is the Finn's only child? Do you know if Michael the son married or had any children? Do you know how many siblings our Purcell sisters had? I'm still not completely sure.

Thank you for the hurling information. It's fascinating. I reread the team roster and saw Sean Og Hanley listed. I love the team photo. My husband who has living relatives in the north and south of Ireland was so impressed. 

I've attached a photo taken in Bruff of my great grandma Delia Purcell Naughton. She's top row in fur coat and hat. I'm assuing the women and children with her are family. Maybe Margaret Purcell Finn is one of them? I don't know who they are. Can you help?

Many thanks,

Laura

Hi again laura

Last of older generation of Finns died at 95 in 1911.I recall her mentioning a Mortell from Bruff ,that was linked to her uncle,Michael Finn.Think that she worked in a shop in Limerick city.I assume you have accessed free online civil records on irishgenealogy.ie.Delia's sister Harriett(given as Henrietta in 1901 census)married a Thomas Mortell in 1903.He was manager of local creamery-cooperative dairy which made butter etc from milk from  surrounding farms.the census was taken on a particular night and likely that the Mortell child in 1911 census was overnighting with grps-extended families were closer then than in today's nuclear family of just parents and children.Margaret's son,Michael Finn jnr was born in 1909-5 years after marriage-and I can't see any others on above free site which goes up to 2016.I seem to vaguely recall my mother mentioning that Michael jnr had a daughter,but there seems to have been little contact with her uncle and first cousin's families.The distance from city to Kilfinane is about 27 miles and Bruff around half way,but in pre automobile Ireland this was quite a distance.Keep on searching.

George

Hi Laura and George:

I'm reading your collaborating and sharing of information about the families with great interest.  Would either of you be willing to create Ancestor Profiles for any of these ancestors to be posted onto the XO Chronicles?  The link is here:  https://irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/history-and-genealogy/ancestor-database

The profiles are a great way to share the information that you have as well as to reconnect with others who may also be researching the same families.  The profiles are widely read by all our members and we have found that many people have been able to connect with other family members as a result.  

If you have any questions, please let me know.  Laura:  if you would like to share the success of the assistance that you received from Maurice in Bruff, we would be delighted to hear from you.  You can email us directly at:  info@irelandxo.com

Kind regards,

Jane

Laura

Just noticed I gave death of Mary Finn in 1911-should be 2011 

George

Hi George,

Thank you for the correction and all the great information! I hope you will keep sharing. I'll keep searching!

Laura

Thank you, Jane. I will do that!

Laura

Laura

If you go to irishgenealogy.ie and click on civil records you will see that Harriett Purcell Mortell had six children up to 1916.Her daughter Harriett married a Thomas Connolly in 1931.He was a civic guard(policeman)based in Bruff.Site does not give births after 1916,but I had a look at familysearch site and it shows two births to a couple with surnames Connolly/Mortell in county Clare in 1938/40-this site is just an index with no online details.Possibly moved to Clare in his police work

George

Hi George,

I see that!  Thank you. That's so interesting! Btw, I think Delia and her sister Josephine were the only Purcell sisters who emigrated to NYC. I'll check into that. 

Laura

Hello George,

here in the Kilfinane Coshlea Historical Society, we are currently researching the 1897 All-Ireland team -

https://www.ouririshheritage.org/content/archive/place/kilfinane-coshlea-historical-society/topics-kilfinane-coshlea-historical-society/kilfinane-all-ireland-hurling-champions-1897

As the grandnephew of Michael Finn, would you be in a position to tell us if Sean Finn of the current team (from Bruff) is any relation to the 1897 Finns? We have been wondering about this for some time and surmised there might be a connection assuming that the Finn name is not particularly common in the Bruff area.

Thanks,

Finbarr.

Hi Finbarr

As far as I am aware there is no connection to Sean's family.I have done extensive research into a number of branches of my family in the Kilfinane area and was lucky enough to find grandmother of the Finns of 1897 team as a one year old in 1821 census fragment-a Julia McCarthy.In my searches I looked at a number of parishes and while Finn name not be very common in area there were quite a few.I seem to recall meeting a lady from Bruff back in the 1990's-name or maiden name was Finn-and asked her of any Kilfinane connections.She recalled a son of hurler Michael but knew of no link to him.I presume Sean may be a member of her family or extended family.

George

Many thanks for that George. It does seem likely that if there was any direct connection, we would have heard some reference to it by this stage. That's quite an honour for you, to be a grandnephew of both the Finns and the great Sean Og Hanley!

All the best,

Finbarr.