Gleesons of Nenagh

Hi Talljohn,

unfortunately Gleeson is a very common surname in Nenagh and its environs as are the first names of Johanna and James.

When looking for (RC)records of Johanna very often ladies of that name were often baptised with the names Julia, Judith and Judy, so you need to look at records for all variants. While the RC records in Nenagh parish itself begin quite early, they dont begin as early for the surrounding parishes. Quite a number of parish records begin c 1830 and some much later c1850 and very often there are gaps in the records such as in Toomevara. I have noticed that people ofthen said that they were from the nearest big town (Nenagh) to the village or area from where they came from so it is important to check surrounding parishes.

Cleary is also a common name in the area and Queeny is very probably a variant of Mulqueeny/ Mulqueen, while there are a few records for it in North Tipperary, it is more commonly found I believe in Clare.  

To help narrow down your search there are a few things that you can do help to narrow down your research- check out and see if you can locate wills/ probate documents as these may contain additional information, very often cemetery records (in the US) also have additional information such as parents names , DNA testing- there is a Gleason/ Gleeson DNA project and information about it can be found on their facebook page and also on http://gleesondna.blogspot.com/ , sometimes obituaries have the names of the coffin bearers, who sent mass cards, flowers etc and it maybe possible to find  additional clues from them, baptismal sponsors can also be significant and from the naming patterns of the children of Johanna and James you maybe able to identify the first names of their parents.

hope that helps somewhat 

Margaret

Hello, I noticed this because I have a (different) Gleeson family from Nenagh on my tree - so I took a look.  Ancestry.com shows that Johanna and Nicholas were married in Lowell, Massachusetts on 10 Jan 1849.  Here is the reference:

Name:Johanna Gleason

Gender:Female

Spouse:Nicholas Purcell

Marriage Date:10 Jan 1849

City:LowellCounty:Middlesex

Source:Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, Film # 0927928.

The document was not available online, however, if you can get to a local LDS center, they will help you locate it on their computer databases.

There is a baptismal record in Nenagh for what appears to be a Johanna Gleeson on 26 Jul 1833. The parents are listed as David Gleeson and Margaret Brosker? and sponsors were Michael O'Brien and Maria Gleeson. This is on Microfilm 02084/01 - page 34. If you think this is your Johanna, I would recommend starting with the marriage records for Nenagh for 1833 and working backwards to see if you can find further information about David and Margaret. 

You didn't give any information on Nicholas Purcell, but it wasn't uncommon for immigrants to marry within their "old" community families when they arrived in the U.S. - and there are a number of Purcells in Terryglass in case you haven't found his origins.

I have both an Edward Kelly and an Edmund Kelly in Borrisokane and Nenagh, possibly old enough to be Johanna's grandfather, but neither is listed as a "Sir" on church records. Probably no connection there.

Frances Sheldrick

Hi I see records on Family Search a free site for Johanna and Nicholas children's marriage one of the records has Iowa as place of marriage. There are other records there. I will look for David and Margaret the parents of Johanna.

Name:
Nicholas Purcell

Sex:
Male

Wife:
Johanna Gleeson

Daughter:
Mary Booth

Other information in the record of Alex H Thackaberry and Mary Booth

from Iowa, County Marriages

Name:
Alex H Thackaberry

Event Type:
Marriage

Event Date:
26 Nov 1892

Event Place:
Adair, Iowa, United States

Gender:
Male

Father's Name:
Henry Thackaberry

Mother's Name:
Jane Mearns

Spouse's Name:
Mary Booth

Spouse's Gender:
Female

Spouse's Father's Name:
Nicholas Purcell

Spouse's Mother's Name:
Johanna Gleeson

Thanks to all respondents. I’ve been researching for years and explored just about all the suggested routes of inquiry, so far with no luck. My hope was that someone would recognize “Sir” Edward Kelly, or know of a Gleeson family saga that matches mine (Nenagh to Montreal to Boston, etc.) The marriage record from Lowell, Massachusetts is indeed suggestive, but contradicted by Johanna’s obituary. Still, the obit report that they married in Geneseo could be mistaken, as it was written about 66 years after the fact by one of her children. As one of you noted, there were SO many Johannas and James Gleesons. I have all the available parish records, and none stand out as highly likely. The possible Terryglass connection (Purcells) had escaped me. Thanks again for all your efforts.

Tomorrow I can try to look farther. I don't know if you are aware but the name Johanna could also be listed as Hanna and Anne. I have a Great Aunt and Great Great aunt with the name Johanna..  

Mary

talljohnThanks, maymartin

I wasn't aware of the equivalence of Johanna and Anne.  Others  noted the equivalence to Judith, Julia, and Judy.  I have scoured records for these variants over the years without finding a complete match, but the most suggestive coincidence I had found was two Gleeson men, Thomas and David, who married in Nenagh on the same day (Feb. 20, 1830).  Thomas married Bridget Kelly.  David married a Miss Brooks (recorded as Margaret in one place and Mary in another).  David and Margaret/Mary had a daughter Julia, born  26 Jul 1833.  But again, IF Sir Edward Kelly was my Johanna's grandfather, then Johanna's mother had to be a Kelly.  If Julia was my Johanna (and the date is as close as any to the date we have from other sources), then maybe Sir Edward Kelly was Julia/Johanna's great uncle rather than her grandfather.  Maybe Julia was raised by Thomas and Bridget, and believed that Sir E. Kelly was her grandfather, or maybe Julia's children just confused the relationship when informing the obituary.  

I also found that Daniel Gleeson and his wife Margaret Butler had a daughter Honora baptized 3 Jun 1833 in Nenagh.  I understand that Honora is another equivalent of Johanna.  This date is also very close to my Johanna's DOB, but again, Honora's mother wasn't a Kelly.  

Hope this isn't too confusing. Obviously, this is all pure speculation, but I have nothing better...Thanks

I would say search with the first name and see what comes up. Then search with just one letter for first name, then the name. You will see some records come up in certain cases.

Hi,

'Sir' could have been a nickname that was given to Edward Kelly rather than an official title

Burkes peerage might give you some clarity on that . Also there is a possibility that Johannas mother may have come to Nenagh from elsewhere to work and subsequently got married there. 

Margaret

Good points, thanks.  

Perhaps already mentioned in previous replies, but some of the folks in my area,(Vermont) mentioned their homeplace as "Nenagh"  though they were from the parishes west of Nenagh bordering the Shannon, Portroe , etc. Probab le as Nenagh was the nearest sizable town.

. 

I am not sure this will help, as I too am bogged down in the Tipperary Gleasons. Please bear with me.  We are 30 miles from Canada and about 90 miles from Montreal.  My mother's family was part of an Irish settlement here, some of whom came through New York City and some of whom came from Montreal, and immigrated mostly during the famine years.. 

In this settlment numbers came from Nenach and Killaloe, Nenach Tipperary.  One great great grandmother was Winnifred Gleason from Templeglass, Killaloe, Co Tipperary, born 1834- (tombstone).  Her death certificate shows her parents as Patrick and Mary Gleason. I don't have any siblings for her, but she married in New York state in 1865. Her husband, Timothy O. Howard, was from Templederry, Co. Tipperary, but his mother, Mary Kennedy, was from Killaloe, Nenach, Co. Tipperary.  Other Gleasons buried in the same cemetery are Matthew Gleason b. 1813 "Native of parish Killmore, Co. Tipperary", Bridget Gleason b. 1796 Silvermines, Co. Tipperary.  Matthew Gleason's wife in the 1860 census is Julia.  You will note that in one set of inscriptions it says Killaloe, Nenach, Co. Tipperary but on my g-g-grandmothers it says Templeglass, Killaloe, Co. Tipperary. (and the Nenach is with a 'c', not a 'g'.)

We also have Kelly's in this cemetery (St. Rose, Alderbrook, Franklin, Franklin Co, NY).I don't have data on them as they do no seem to be related, but they are from the same immigrant cluster.

I have also found that in this group siblings migrated further west. I can trace some to Wisconsin and Minnesota.  Of these I know McKillipis went through Canada and some Foxes.  The Gleason Montreal/Wisconsin path is very interesting.

The province of Quebec seems to have a pretty robust geneological network that you might be able to acess.  Untangling this stuff is never ending.  I am on ancestry, myheritage, ftdna together with my brothers, James and Michael.  If you see any relationship, which be 3rd cousin or more distant, it might be possible to triangulate.

Margaret Campion

Talljohn, I see a record for aother child of Johanna and Nicholas but of course only list ireland as birthplace. This is on Family Search. Name:Johanna GleasonSex:FemaleHusband:N PurcellDaughter:Maggie E Purcell. You probably already have the record.. At this point james put in last name Gleason/Gleeson in irish records for Nenagh and nearby sections see what you can find. I have Gleason,Purcell,ad Kelly on my Ancestry matches but ony know a little about the Kellys.

I found an record for James but it only shows Ireland. When my Father applied for citizenship it also showed where in Ireland he was born but I already knew that. Search further for those records maybe you will find something.

Good luck, Mary

Another name for Johanna is Jane. My gg grandmother used Jane. Church records used Johanna.
I had Purcell ggg grandmother but I think from Ulster.

Thanks to all recent respondents.  There may well be records in parishes near Nenagh that are relevant to my lineage.   I've looked at many, but I'm sure not all.  Margaret Campion, you mention some locales and names that I recall considering closely.  I'll have to take some time to unpack all of your references and crosscheck them with my notes.  Currently my best guess as to the name of James and Johanna's father is Mathew Gleeson/Gleason, so I had searched for a Mathew Gleason and found the man buried in the cemetery in Franklin County.  I'd like to find out more about him and his wife.

Very old headstones, with Gleeson,s  in Killoskully and Kilmore, free to access on Tipperary Studies Digitisation Project.

Christina Irelandxo, Volunteer..

Hello, I am looking for Terrryglass Purcells and Gleesons as well. Specifically Ann Hogan born to Patrick Hogan and Mary Gleeson. Also I would like to find out more about my 3x grand-mother Catty Purcell married to William Hogan.  All from Terryglass.

Thanks. Kathy Hogan Didden

Christina, thanks for pointing me to the digitisation project site.  I'm sure some researchers will find the cemetery listings helpful. I noticed one or two listings reporting that a relative from the United States erected a monument to a person who passed away in Tipperary.  I scanned some of these and wasn't lucky enough to find that my Johanna Gleeson had done so, but some day I may be able to put the story together with help from this project.

Kathy Didden,  I have run across many records of Nenagh and surrounding parishes associating Gleesons with Hogans.  So far I don't have definite matches to my Gleesons, but I'll keep your search in mind.

Hello all,

I have been receiving the interchange regarding the Gleeson/Gleason family name..  I am very interested because I have been looking for my 3rd great-grandmother Mary Gleason who married Michael Gaynor of the barony of Lower Ormond.  They came to Canada, Lower Canada at that time , It must have been in the 1820s with two sons John Gaynor and William Gaynor.  Once here in 1830 they had a daughter Mary Ann.  They settled in St. Martine, southwest of Montreal.  No where have I seen the names of Mary's parents.  Now if it were possible to find the marriage of Mary Gleeson and Michael Gaynor in Tipperary, we might find the names of the parents of these two.  I am following this very interesting discussion.  If I find anymore information in the Québec, Canada records, I shall send them on.

Perhaps this may tie into the already ongoing discussion of the name Gleeson

Anita Nevins

Anita Nevins,

I haven't seen the Gaynor name in association  with my Gleesons in America.  My Gleesons came to Montreal in about 1843, years after your Gaynors.  If, while searching the Quebec records, you come across any Purcells, that might tie in to my Gleesons (Nicholas Purcell married Johanna Gleeson; they may have met in Montreal but almost certainly didn't marry there). Good luck, and thanks for getting in touch.    

John

The parish of Kilmore is modern day Silvermines parish.

I have two separate Gleeson lines, one from North Tipperary and the other from East Clare. All the first names mentioned are found in my family lines. Hogan is also a name that features strongly again on a couple of different lines. I have also tested on Ancestry and Familytreedna.

I have Corbit/Corbet/Corbett, Donohoe, etc.,Reardon and Hayden ancestors all of whom stated on various documents tht they were from Tipperary.   They all came to the U.S. in the 1840's and lived in Troy, N.Y. The Corbit family also lived in Cohoes, N.Y.   I have been unable to locate where in Tipperary they were from or their siblings' or parents' names.

There were Gleasons and Hogans connected to these families in some way. 

Ann Corbit, possibly the sister of Patrick, married Patrick Tracey, who was also from Tipperary, in Troy in 1846.  Witnesses to their marriage were John Donahoe and Anna McDonough

In 1850, Patrick Donohue, 35, Patrick Corbit 30, Margaret Donohue Corbit 30, James Hickey, 21, Michael Shinners, 19, Margaret Gleason, 17, Martin Gleason, 6, Honora Corbit, 9, John Corbit, 3, Julia Corbit, 1, and Margaret J Corbit, 2/12 were all living in the same household in Troy, NY.   

In 1850, living in the same Troy, N.Y. household with Patrick Tracey, his wife Ann and their children, Bridget and Hanora/Elenor, was Ann Gleason,  age 9.

The baptismal sponsors for Patrick & Ann Tracey's children were:  Catherine Gleason, Hanna Gleson, John O'Brien, John Collins, Cathrine O'Halloran, Thomas Kating, Patrick and Margaret Corbet, Michael Russell, Thoas Stapleton, Margaret Ann Russell, James Ryan, Anne Collins, James Collins, Julia Corbett (probably dau. of Ptk. & Mgt. born in Troy, NY).

The baptismal sponsors for Patrick & Margaret Donohue Corbit's children Margaret J. and Catherine J. were: Martin Gleason and Mary Ryan, Patrick Tracy & Honora Gleason.  Witnesses to Catherine Corbett's wedding were Daniel O'Connor and Anne Hogan.

Does any of this sound familiar to anyone?  

Franklin Township, Franklin co, NY

Winifred Gleason's (Terryglass, Tipperary) parents are listed as Patrick and Mary Gleeson on her death certificate. I know Matthew Gleason's (1813-1888) descendants were my mother's cousins even though none of them lived here when I was a child. They did live here when my mother was a kid, at least Matthew's son Matthew (1854 - 1939). His daughter Catherine (1852-1924) married a Shaw.

Matthew's children in 1860 were listed as Michael 19 born in Ireland, Catherine 14 born in NY, Bridget 11, Mary 9 and Matthew 6 all born in the US. That would put their arrival between 1841 and 1846. I just can't fit Winnifred into the picture. Her death certificate says she was in the US about 66 years when she died in 1899. and, 35 years here, Town of Franklin, Franklin co., NY. That would mean she came as an infant.

A distance cousin's family Tree lists Matthew's parents as Michael and Bridget McNamara, which would match the dates on Bridget's tombstone.
All these people were related, but I don't know if maybe Winifred was Matthew's niece. They appear to be the same age, but I went to school with an aunt and a niece where the niece was a few months older than her aunt. DNA does show some Shaw cousins, but I don't know the connections.

FYI Winnifred Gleason descendants known personally to me on Ancestry are Anna Hogan Madore g-granddaughter, Robert Madore g-g-grandson, Maurice Hogan g-grandson, Neill Hogan g-g grandmother, Nancy Heath Howard g-grandmother, Wanda Howard g-grandmother, Ty Amell g-g-grandmother. If you connect to any, it would indicate a relationship to Winifred at least.

To Joan,

There is a website for Troy Irish which provides a lot of genealogical links. (https://troyirish.org/genealogy-records-2) Also St. Agnes Catholic cemetery in Menands NY has a lot of the records from Troy cemeteries that were closed. The Albany diocese actually has an historian who works with the cemeteries. I haven't found too much on Irish origins there but by combining the US census and the NY state census which was taken on the half decade, i.e. 1865, I have been able to identify siblings and movements. Also if you have dates of death for the Gleasons, Corbits and/or Donohues in New York state after 1880, you can often obtain death certificates from the State Health department. These often list place of birth and usually have names of parents. This is how I identified my Gleason g-g-g grandparents.

Joan,

Probably just a coincidence, but there was a Reardon connection to my Gleesons, a girl named Elizabeth ("Lizzie") who resided with my g-g granduncle's family in Illinois.  I was never able to figure out who she was, but she stayed with the Gleesons until the end of her life many decades later.  I speculated that she was taken in as a servant or as a favor to her parents, who may not have been in a position to support her.  My Gleesons were from the Nenagh, Tipperary area, and I found a couple, John and Margaret Riordan, who may have been her parents.  They also had a daughter Mary Ann.  

Hello to all,

I have done a quick check of Québec records, PRDH to be exact.  Mary Gleeson from Georgetown, a small hamlet, was buried in Sainte-Martine at age 61 in 1838-10-16.

Her husband Michael Gaynor was buried in Saint-Chrysostôme, Q uébec, at age 76 in 1842-04-22.

Year of birth for Mary Gleeson would therefore be 1777

Year of birth for Michael Gaynor would be 1766

Hope that this is helpful to someone.  Family Search must have this as well.

Anita

I am following the posts here and very interested in finding a possible connection, though I am not certain yet what that looks like. I have Tipperary Ancestors from the Nenagh, Silvermines/Kilmore Tipperary area and many settled in Franklin Co., NY, many came through Canada. I have many of the names mentioned here in my tree, Gleeson/Gleason, Kelly, Howard, McKillip, Butler, and possibly a Purcell. And of course...many Johanna's! I even have a connection to Lowell,MA!

To Margaret Campion and TallJohn - Thank you!

Joan 

MonasMoe

My suspition is that we are 3rd to 5th cousins. The brief branch of the my tree is:

Winnifred Gleason married Timothy O. Howard

Timothy Howard (II) married Mary Jane McKillip

Winifred Howard married Philip Sullivan

Margaret Sullivan was my mother.

Mary Jane McKillip was the daughter of Patrick McKillip of Ardmoy, Co. Armagh,  and Ann Jane Daley or Monalty, Co. Meath

Patrick and Ann Jane had numerous children as did the Howards.  As noted above, the Gleasons are a work in progress!  If you would like more information (extended tree, tombstones, etc.), you can email me at mcampion@northnet.org

Margaret

I have just checked to find Franklin Co. NY.  I know now that it includes Malone and more.  Now for a bit of geography  my Michael Gaynor and Mary Gleason were settled in Sainte-Martine and Saint-Chrysostôme, Québec about 30 miles from the US border.    Covey Hill is a  spot just north of the NY border.

I have found in my research that some families crossed the border a number of times during their lives.  For a  time some lived across the border.  No paper work required in those days.

Anita