John Corr and Kate Devlin Corr

Suzanne,

This looks to be John & Kate in the 1901 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Smithfield/Noel_Street/974041/

You’ll note that Mary was born in Cork so the family evidently lived there for a while after they left Tyrone.  They look to have moved to Belfast around 1892/3.

Regarding Kate’s burial place, have you tried Milltown cemetery? That’s where most Catholics in Belfast would have been buried at that time (unless of course she was buried in a family plot back in Tyrone). If you contact Milltown, they will tell you if they have a grave (for no fee). If you want to know exactly where it is, and details of anyone else in it, then there is a fee to pay. Call Milltown Cemetery on 0044 28 9061 3972. (I don’t have an e-mail address for them).

I searched the British Newspapers site for a funeral notice but did not find one for Kate.

If the ages in the 1901 census are accurate, both John & Kate were born before 1864 which is when statutory birth registration started in Ireland. So you would need to search church records for their baptisms. The RC parish records are on-line free on the National Library site:

https://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx

Kate’s townland at the time of her marriage appears to be Killyberne. Unfortunately I cannot find that in the Cookstown area so can’t give you a lead on where it was. Her father John was a farmer and alive in 1887 but I cannot identify him. It is a very common name in that area. Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church which was Tullydonnell chapel so that’s where I’d look for her baptism and that of any siblings. Their records appear to start in 1837 (with some gaps).

Many thanks. This is very helpful.  Suzanne

Many thanks.  This is very helpful.  Suzanne

Hello Suzanne,

I am from Pontiac, Michigan, USA.  My 3GGPs are Henry Corr and Anne O’Neill.  They married 16 May 1857 in Seagoe, Armagh, Ireland.  Based upon my best research/information to date, their children include:

Margaret Jane Corr, born 1857 in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, Ireland.  I have no further info.

Annie Corr, born 6 Feb 1864, Stewardstown, Co. Tyrone, Ireland. On 17 Oct 1879, Annie married Hugh McKenna, who lived at 16 Ann Street, Millford, Co. Armagh, Ireland [bio posted on IRO].  I have a picture of her posted on her bio on IRO.  They had 5 children, including my great grandfather Vincent Henry McKenna who emigrated, ending up in Detroit, Michigan close to where his wife had family already.  I beleive that Annie died at the age of 45 in 22 March 1910 “late of Stabannon, Castlebellingham, County Louth, Widow . . .  granted at Armagh to James McKenna and Owen McKenna Farmers and Mary McKenna Spinster.”

William John Corr, born 28 Feb 1866 Stewardstown, Co. Tyrone, Ireland.  I have no further info.

Mary Corr, born 24 Mar 1868 Stewardstown, Co. Tyrone, Ireland. She married John Devlin born c 1867. In the 1901 and 1911 Census they lived at Munterevlin, Co. Tyrone, Ireland.  They had 10 children.

William John Corr could be your John Corr? Or Henry Corr and Anne O’Neill could have had additional children I have not located? Or these names are so common in Co. Tyrone that your Henry Corr & Anne are different than my Henry Corr & Anne O’Neill.

In any case, if you contact me at genenalogicaljd@gmail.com I would be happy to share my sources.

--Abigail Roselie Eynon, J.D.

Hi Abigail.  Thanks for getting back to me.  As you noted, the names John Corr (great grandfather) , Henry Corr (great great grandfather), and mothers/wives named Ann are very, very common.  That's part of my problem. At one point I did think that Henry Corr and Anne O'Neill might be my great-great grandparents but I have nothing that would seem to confirm or refute that contention. The previous response in this blog to my post had some good ideas and may provide additional information once I look into it.  I've been told that my great grandfather's full name was John Joseph Corr but searching with the middle name was of no benefit.  If it turns outs that my Henry Corr and Anne are the same as yours, I'll be back in touch!

Regards,

Suzanne 

 In the day, her Irish speaking grandparents pronounced the name as "Carr."  

My mother hired Hiberian Research Co. Ltd, in 1989. It found the marriage record for her great grandparents dated 18 Feb 1884 Armagh R.C. Chapel, Hugh McKenna, 25 yrs. Weaver of Millford, son of James McKenna (living) Labourer, to, Annie Corr, 24 yrs. of Armagh, Daughter of Henry Corr (living) Labourer. Wit: Patrick Gollaghy, Mary Duncan.  

Maybe the witness names help you?

The surname Corr/Carr was also often spelled Kerr, so worth keeping an eye out for all those versions. The idea of a single “correct” spelling of a surname was not a concept that troubled our ancestors in Ireland in the 1800s and spelling of peoples names and place names changed all the time, often at the whim of the person recording the information.