James Ed. KEARNS ( 1813-1898) PORT to BRAIDWOOD AUSTRALIA.

Hello Sue

you are searching at the outer reaches of Irish Records which only commmenced in 1864 for civil records for everybody, Protestant marriages started in 1845. So only church records which are patchy at that remove having starting depending on area circa 1800 to 1830 for others.

Two subscription sites are http://www.rootsireland.ie/ which allows limited searching for free and the Irish Times newspaper has a site http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/ and the free site https://familysearch.org/

Port is located near the town of Clogherhead (fishing port) about 8 miles north and east of Drogheda which is the largest nearby town.

In the 1850's a land registry was done for those owning or renting land with a location map, there is one Kearns in Dunany which I think is in Port (do not think it is called that now) see http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/ Also circa 1823 to 1837 there was a church tax on land holders of 1 acre and up and list here http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp The other list of people that might assist is the Flax Growers list of 1796 but only those growing flax of course and I do not think it will yield much as if Dunany is the area it is on the coast and even now sparsely populated. See http://www.failteromhat.com/index_org.php

An excellent site for Louth is http://www.jbhall.freeservers.com/ This is mainly lists of names drawn up for a variety of reasons but an interesting read. Also see the links on this site the one to Termonfeckin History is next door to Clogherhead but I found no Kearns in search of site.

There is another name locally Kierans which is more well known.

I found 1 Kearns in the local ohone book in Mid Louth which would be nearest to Port and 4 in Drogheda but as this town has expanded hugely in the last 20 years and they appear to live in the newer areas they are unlikely to be locals.

The name Clarence is very unusual and only 8 appear in Ireland on the Griffiths in 1850s, the nearest to Port being Banbridge now Northern Ireland and about 45 miles by land. Only 1 McCarrrow on the list for all Ireland and in Donegal in the North West of Ireland. This is a name though I have seen in records mainly for Northern Ireland (since 1922 there are two countries).

I see on the JB Hall wesite the name Clarence brings back the Duke of Clarence who was obviously about here.

I live in Drogheda and will ask a local if he can throw any light on the names and revert if any news.

Feel free to ask follow up questions if you wish, I answer questions for Drogheda and do not think there is a voulunteer in the area you ask about.

Regards

Pat

Thank you Pat, for your quick reply and your time.

I have since received a copies of the death certificate of James & Mary Kearns.

James place of birth was given as Port, County Louth, Ireland, as was the place of his marriage, looks like age 26, to Mary McCarrow. The information for the certificate was given by the son James, so might not be correct. James Kearns died in 1898, age given as 85 so born 1813 so that would make the marriage date about 1839 and the Kearns arrived in Sydney in January 1841.

Mary kearns death cert. shows her place of birth as County Louth and that she was married in Ireland, age 25 to James Kearns. The info was given by her son Patrick Kearns, who it seems is the eldest child so born in Ireland.

Maria known as Mary Kearns nee Clarence, died in 1885, age 70, so most likely born 1815 and married about 1840.

There was also two other daughters on the death cert. born in Australia, Annie & Margaret Kearns.

I had a quick look at the sites mentioned about, but unfortunately didn`t discover any new information.

Will keep looking as the distances between counties arn`t large.

Sue. 

Dear Pat,

I think I have found the births of the children born in Braidwood NSW Aust. in the NSWBDM site on the net.

1/. Patrick KEARNS; according to parents obituary born in Louth Ireland the same as his parents James & Mary about 1839, arriving in Sydney, January 1841..

2/. James KEARNS Jnr.; born on board ship 1840-1.

3/.Mary Alice KEARNS; from her age at time of parents death, born about 1847.

Two possibilities.

a/. Born 1848 Mary KERAN, parents James & Mary.

b/. Born 1850 Mary KEENAN, parents, James & Mary.

4/.Jane Elizabeth KEARNS;

Born 1854 Jane KIENAN Braidwood NSW.parents James & Mary.

5/.Anne ( Annie) KEARNS.

Born 1857, Ann KIERAN Braidwood, parents James & Mary..

6/. Margaret KEARNS;

Born 1861, Margaret KEYRAN, Braidwood, parents James & Mary..

7/. John KEARNS; born 1852 from parents death cert.

Born 1852, John KIERAN parents James & Mary.

Up till now, I hadn`t been able to find the childrens births under the spelling KEARNS but since two of the children`s surnames are spelt KIERAN which comes from Irish Gaelic origins and very popular in county Louth as you mentioned in previous email, it would seem that KIERAN not KEARNS was James & Mary`s surname in Port, Co. Louth.

There seems to be a few KIERAN families in Louth but not much info about them.

James & brother William KIERAN in 1815 built a mill at Philipstown, Dundalk and I think lived in Castletown Rd., so most likely related to all the Kieran headstones in Old Castletown Graveyard, Dundalk?

In 1796 Louth Flax Growers, their are three Kieran`s but no Kearns.

Christopher Kieran Tallanstown, Louth, and George & James Kieran, Dromin, Louth.

Maybe there is someone out there researching Kieran`s families who can help other wise it`s like hitting your head against a brick wall or like a giant jigsaw puzzle. So thank you for this site and the helpful researchers like you, Pat.

God bless,

Sue Huggins.

Dear Pat,

Discovered the Bounty Immigrants records on familysearch for James KERAN, KIERAN 1828-1842.

The Kieran`s sailed from Liverpool on the 24th October 1841 on the ship William Sharples, Captain Jones, with 368 immigrants, also passengers. Arriving Sydney 29th January 1842.

James KIERAN; Farmserant, RC,age 24, unable to read or write.

Native Place; Kilmore, Louth.

Father; James Kieran.

Mother; Mary.

Name of wife; Mary Kieran.

Servant, age 25,RC, unable to read & write.

Native Place; Kilmore, Louth.

Father; CARRAN, Dominick.

Mother Margaret ( deceased).

Children; Patrick 10 months.

No mention of baby, James Kieran born on the voyage.

In care of James Kieran and wife;

Ann Johnston, single female, servant, RC, age 25, unable to read or write,Native of Louth,

Mary Fall; Single female, servant, RC, age 25, unable to read & write, Native of Louth.

Single Bounty passengers needed to be in the care of a married couple.

A bit confussing as I don`t think there is a Kilmore in Louth, Ireland

So where the Kieran`s native of another county?

William Henry Sharples was a ship owner in Liverpool, England in 1842, so maybe the owner of the ship?

The obituary of James KEARNS ( died 12 November 1898, age 85, Braidwood, NSW) states that after arrival in the colony he was engaged by Mr Styles ( first white settler in the area) of " Reevesdale", Bungonia out from Goulburn, NSW.

Maybe Mr Styles was the Bounty agent?

The Kearns afterwards moved to the Braidwood area where they became farmers in their own right at Durran Durra, where they died.

Grafton is in the same general area as Braidwood.

More food for thought.

Sue Huggins.

Hi Sue

remember me, well I jsut came across your replies and checked the dates on them, I was finally diagnosed as been seriously ill 9 days after your last post and spent almost a month in hospital but two great lady surgeons sorted me and tell me I will now likely die of something else, so all good here now after long recovery but I should have noticed this sooner.

Kilmore is the diocese of Cavan and there is also Kilmore Quay in Wexford and probably some more in the country but none in Louth that I can find but I am not infallible or so my wife tells me.

The area Port is so small the person would have to be from it to have heard of it in my view so I think you are right on that.

The surname Clarence is a real corker, I never came across it whereas Kieran or Kierans is seen often here as they have a business in the town. There is anothr name Kerins but I doubt that is correct in your case.

There is a good website here http://www.termonfeckinhistory.ie/ which is about 4 miles from Port but other than a few references to the name and a picture of Kierans Cottage (2nd block of pictures) there is little of note, also a Kierans cross.

Some more Irish information came online recently and is on here

http://www.nationalarchives.ie/2014/04/new-genealogy-resources-now-onli… However I do not think there is much there for you. There is a Clarence family in the 1901 census and a hit for Derry or Londonderry if you prefer in the 1831 census.

I am friends with a Kierans lady from work and her family hail from Monaghan but have connections in the North Louth area, Louth is so big that is about 20 miles away (Louth is Irelands smallest county).

Regards for now

Pat