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Hi

I'm trying to research a branch of the McConnell family and any help and contacts would be appreciated. I have read some of the posts and seem to recognise quite a few of the names there. I'll work backwards with a little of what I know.

Francis Joseph McConnell was born in October 1909. He came over to England in the 1930's. He had 3 sisters- Agnes (who married into the McCruddens and went to America) Rose (who married into the McGinn's) and the last sister became a nun and went to Africa as a missionary. Any more info on this would be great?

In England Francis married Mary Elizabeth (my grandmother) and they had 3 children Patrick, Michael and Kathleen.

His fathers name was Joseph McConnell  born about 1865 ish(I can find no birth record and have no information about his wifes name so I can't trace any record of marriage either) Any ideas as to how to trace this information would be a great help or contact from a descendent would be great.

Joseph had a brother called patrick (married McElroy) who had daughters Rose Ann and Catherine but there was also others.One of these daughter married McKenna. I guess Joseph is older than Patrick as Joseph seems to be the owner of the farm?? They may all have lived together on the farm but I can't find the right census information.

 I have a little information as far back as 1835 of a Patrick McConnell. I think it was this Patrick that Maried Maria McCarron.

I have found one newspaper article abount the death of a Patrick McConnell, It tells us about a man who was a catholic farmer who could speak old Irish fluently and told stories about the troubles pre emancipation of Irlend. I think he died in November 1948. There was a lot of McGinns, McCruddens and McKenna's who attended the funeral. I would like info on where he is buried if anyone has any clue.

 The family were all farmers. Francis McConnell and his father argued when Francis wanted to leave the farm and come to England. They never reconciled, although Joseph still left the farm to Frances in his will as he was the only son. Later Francis sold the farm to the foristry commission.

I know this is a lot of information but any assistance and links would be welcome.

Emma

emmagreen69@sky.com Nottingham.

Tuesday 31st Dec 2013, 09:23AM

Message Board Replies

  • Emma,

    I found this family in the 1911 census in the townland of Ballyscally (near Clogher). Frances is of the right age; he has a sister Agnes but the father isn?t Joseph. There is however a Patrick. There is also a Rose (see wills below).

    http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Cloghan/Ballyscally/855808/

    1901 census:

    http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Clogher/Ballyscally/1726012/

    There?s McElroys & McKennas on the same townland, so this sort of feels as though it might be right:

    http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Clogher/Ballyscally/1726016/

    Birth registration only started in Ireland in 1864 and so for births before that you need to rely on parish records. Also births, deaths & marriages in Northern Ireland from 1.1.1922 onwards are not on-line, and so for say Agnes & Rose?s marriages, which I assume will be post 1921, you would need to contact GRONI in Belfast and ask them to search for them.

    http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/gro

    I noticed the birth of Francis John McConnell in Oct ? Dec 1909 Clogher, Vol 3, page 77 (which is presumably the birth in the 1911 census). Also a John Francis McConnell regd Clogher Jul ? Sept 1912 Vol 3, page 74.

    A couple of wills:

    Full Abstract :

    Administration (with the Will) of the Estate of Patrick McConnell late of Ballyscally County Tyrone Farmer who died 12 December 1912 granted at Armagh to Patrick McConnell Farmer. Effects ?151 1s. 4d. The will itself is viewable on-line and mentions a bequest of ?7 to Rose to cover her fare to America.

    http://applications.proni.gov.uk/DCAL_PRONI_WillsCalendar/willsSearchResultsDetails.aspx

    Full Abstract :

    McConnell James of Ballyscally county Tyrone labourer died 30 November 1924 at the Workhouse Clogher county Tyrone Probate Londonderry 2 March to Patrick McCaughey farmer. Effects ?2.

    The above will is not on-line yet. It should be held in PRONI.

     

    Elwyn

    Ahoghill Antrim

    Tuesday 31st Dec 2013, 10:29AM
  • What I have found for you using The Irish Family History Foundation or www.rootsireland.com is that your Jospeph was infact a Patrick according to the record of the childrens' births.

    To make it more confusing Patrick Sr. and Mary McCarron had 2 sons named Patrick I am assuming the first passed away or they went by middle names.

    Church Baptism McConnell Patrick 1857 Co. Tyrone 
    Church Baptism McConnell Patrick 1858 Co. Tyrone 
    Civil Birth McConnell Mary 1869 Co. Tyrone 
    Civil Birth McConnell Peter 1871 Co. Tyrone

    There was also a Hugh born 1864

    https://familysearch.org/search/record/results#count=20&query=%2Bgivenn…

    if the links don't work copy and paste them into your browser.

    Patrick McConnell and Catherine McElroy were their parents they married in Co. Donegal 1903 and his father is Patrick and her father is Francis.

    There children were as follows:

    Civil Birth McConnell Mary Ann 1904 Co. Tyrone 
    Civil Birth McConnell Rose 1907 Co. Tyrone 
    Civil Birth McConnell Agnes 1908 Co. Tyrone 
    Civil Birth McConnell Francis 1909 Co. Tyrone 
    Civil Birth McConnell Rose 1913 Co. Tyrone

     

    The census records Elwyn has provided are the correct ones. Agnes McElroy was Catherine's sister I am assuming or of some other relation like a cousin.

    I'm also assuming Patrick's middle name was Michael based on the 1911 census. His age was 10 years off in the 1901 census. It was more common for people to be honest about their age in 1911 due a social security income which was offered at age 70 and was not in effect in 1901.

    This may be Catherine's birth information:

    https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FPFV-PGZ

    Here are all the children of Francis McElroy and Mary Campbell:

    Church Baptism McElroy Michael 1857 Co. Tyrone 
    Church Baptism McElroy Patrick 1858 Co. Tyrone 
    Church Baptism McElroy James 1859 Co. Tyrone 
    Civil Birth McElroy Francis Joseph 1865 Co. Tyrone 
    Civil Birth McElroy John 1866 Co. Tyrone 
    Civil Birth McElroy Francis 1867 Co. Tyrone 
    Civil Birth McElroy Jane 1867 Co. Tyrone 
    Civil Birth McElroy Roseanne 1868 Co. Tyrone 
    Civil Birth McElroy Catharine 1870 Co. Tyrone 
    Civil Birth McElroy Joseph 1874 Co. Tyrone

    Civil Birth McElroy Roseanna 1874 Co. Tyrone 
    Civil Birth McElroy Agnes 1877 Co. Tyrone

    http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Clogher/Ballysc…

    Here is the death information for Patrick Sr. who died in I am assuming Dec of 1912 and was Register in the First Quarter of 1913 which I think Elwyn already shared:

    https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FRVW-L2N

    https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KZ5V-M9S

    This I believe is Mrs. Mary McConnell's death:

    https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FRVW-L2F

     

    Mike

    M.C.Kelly

    Tuesday 31st Dec 2013, 10:34PM
  • Hi Elwyn and Mike

    Thank you for the searches you did. Lots of it made sense. It sounds like my great Grandad was known as Joseph but was actually named Patrick. Francis (my grandad always told us his dad was called Joseph) I guess it's a way of identifying between them. I can now continue my searches on the right track. The information you helped me with has given a better richness and depth to their lives and a better chance of finding out more.

    Francis also had a sister called Minnie who became a Nun (Sister Auriel) She worked as a missionary in Africa. Do you have any idea how I can trace her information? I dont know if she died out in Africa and is buried there or if she came back and is buried here. It's harder to search for Minnie as I don't know what her complete name was or even if Minnie was a second or a nick name. I can't find anything under Minnie McConnell.

    I've ordered a copy of Francis McConnells birth certificate which should .......hopefully confirm his mothers name and Maiden name.

    If you come up with any new information please feel free to contact me and once again thank you for your help.

     

    Best bWishes

    Emma

    Wednesday 1st Jan 2014, 11:29AM
  • Emma,

    Minnie is probably Mary Ann M?Connell, birth registered Clogher Jul ? Sept 1904 Vol 3, page 78.

    As regards finding out what became of her, I think you would need to know which religious order she joined and/or which country she died in. Could be a tricky one to explore without some clues. If she died in Northern Ireland, then be aware that the death indexes for 1922 onwards are not on-line, and you have to contact GRONI in Belfast to get them to search for you.

    http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/gro

    However in my experience, most nuns tended to be buried alongside their colleagues in either the overseas location where they worked or at the ?home? convent in Ireland. So, though she might have died in Ireland, she might not necessarily have done so anywhere near Clogher, especially if there were no family there by that time.

     

    Elwyn

    Ahoghill Antrim

    Wednesday 1st Jan 2014, 01:28PM
  • It appears according to the 1911 census in Tyrone your great grandfather also went by Michael. It also appears Mary Ann went by Minnie and the first Rose born in 1907 went by Catherine. It may also be possible the first Rose passed away by the time the second was born in 1913. This was a common occurance in families to reuse a name of a deceased child. In your family they may have named children with the same forename but called them by their middle names or nicknames. I did notice many of the children's names came from siblings of Catherine McElroy.

    I am glad we were able to help you in your research. I would trust your family to be Catholic and your great aunt Mary (Minnie) to be a Catholic Nun. I would try finding the church your family was baptized in a likely attended. Contact them and see if there is any record of where Mary went in Africa or try to get any information they may have. You may even beable to contact the diocease which their church belonged and get more information regarding Mary. Catholics were and are very good usually about documenting information so I would assume you will be able to find something rather than nothing.

    Happy New Year

    Mike Kelly

    Pennsylvania, USA

    M.C.Kelly

    Wednesday 1st Jan 2014, 03:10PM

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