Hello, I am looking for information about some of my Ancestors. I know that my Great Great Grandfather Michael Holmes was a labourer and resided at house 1 or 2 (depending on the Census you look at) Gortoose, Bumlin, Roscommon. Michael was b. about 1822 and died in 1922. He was married to Anne Casey who was born abt, 1822 and she died prior to 1901. They had about Five Children: Mary (who would marry Michael Carlos) Catherine (my great grandmother who married Frank Weakley. They married in Monal Creek Australia and later emigrated to Providence, Rhode Island USA), Bridget Holmes who also went to the United States and married a Cunningham, Edward Holmes, and Ann Holmes. I think Michael had a brother John and a sister Elizabeth.
Any information about Michael Holmes, Catherine Holmes, or Anne Casey would be greatly appreciated.
Karlene
Karlene Murray
Sunday 6th May 2012, 02:26PMMessage Board Replies
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Hi Karlene,
There are Roman Catholic church records available for the diocese of Strokestown (Elphin) (Bumlin). These start from 1830 for baptismal and marriage records. You can find these at the National Library of Ireland, Pos. 4608, 4609, or the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS), ref. no. 0989745. If you have any difficulty, you could try writing to the parish priest for more assistance. The start date for these are a little bit late for you. But you may find relevant marriage records that may be of interest.
Civil registration records are available from the General Register Office (GRO). These start from 1864 however. You can access the website here: http://www.groireland.ie/research.htm
You could try checking the land records called the Tithe Applotment Books (1823-38) or the later Griffth's Valuation (1848-64). Griffith's is freely available here: www.askaboutireland.com or here: www.failteromhat.com Failte Romhat has lots of other useful links you could try looking at.
Here are some records you could look at that are relevant to your place of interest:
- 1780 Freeholders LDS, Film 100181
- 1790-99 Freeholders c.30 lists. NLI, Ms. 10130
- 1796 Spinning Wheel Premium List. 1,650 names for Co. Roscommon.
- 1813 Freeholders, National Library of Ireland (NLI), ILB 324
- 1843 Voters list National Archives of Ireland, OP 1843/59
Have you tried checking the Ellis Island records (www.ellisisland.org) or the Castle Garden records (www.castlegarden.org)? Generally, more information was given at the port of arrival rather than the port of departure. If you knew which city they arrived at, this could be a good place to find more information, and perhaps even find out an exact place of origin.
Have you checked the immigration records in Australia? Generally, more information was given at the port of arrival rather than the port of departure. The University of Woolongong has produced, on microfiche, a complete index and transcript of all information concerning immigrants of Irish origin recorded on ships' passenger lists between 1848 and 1867. These are useul for finding out an exact place of origin as well as parents' names. The Public Record Office of Victoria has good online databases of settlers at www.prov.vic.gov.au Otherwise, other records may be found in the Colonial Office Papers of the UK National Archives, class reference CO 201. This class contains a wide variety of records, including petitions for assisted passages, emigrants' lists, records of emigrants on board ship, peitions from settlers for financial assistance and much more.
There are estate records that include the townland of Bumlin. The landlord concerned was Pakenham-Mahon (Strokestown House: http://www.strokestownpark.ie/). These records are at the National Library of Ireland Ms. 10152.
Please make sure you link anyone else in your family who is interested in their Irish heritage to our site - and indeed anyone else you know of Irish heritage.
Kind regards,
Sinead Cooney
Genealogist (Ireland XO)
Wednesday 9th May 2012, 01:31PM