I'm searching for any more specific Irish origins of my GGGrandfather Dennis (or Denis) McAleer. Dennis died 1 Sep. 1878 in the city of Bridgeton, Cumberland County New Jersey @ age 29, born Ireland, resident of USA 11 yrs – so emigrated about age 18 and born about 1849. Death certificate lists parents as William and Ellen but spells parents as McLear, ( I presume this was intentional?) as HIS surname on the death certificate was spelled McAleer. Dennis' wife - Mary (maiden name Noland) in 1880 US census and city directory in Bridgeton shows her age 29, widow of Dennis, with son John (8 - my GGrandfather) and daughter Helen (3) living with an Aunt Mary Kane (58). Also listed as same in US Census.
I have found an Irish ship pasenger List to Philadelphia (Philadelphia is a logical point for Southern NJ/Bridgeton) on the ship Mohongo, 3/67 with a Denis McAleer, which matches dates - i.e. 11 yrs. in US, but I have no proof if it's him. The passenger list has as origin "Carrickane, near Newtownstewart". I was told by another source that this is likely a misspelling of Carrickone?
ALSO in Bridgeton, NJ there was a James McAleer, who died there 1877 age 40, his death info lists same parents as Dennis (making him most probably an older brother to Dennis?). James was already in the USA as listed in the 1860 US census with wife Margaret, with 2 children, Hannah E, (5) & Wm. M. (2) and also co-resident William, age 23, identified as a "relative". William appears to have gone forward with a family there, as the 1880 census shows wife Eliza, 40 born in Ireland, daughter Annie 19 born in Ireland and 2 younger born NJ. Seems to be a McAleer extended family?
I cannot find any clear links to Tyrone although I know many McAleers originated there. I have not found parents William or Ellen in US records or elsewhere and obviously have no idea whether they also emigrated or stayed in Ireland.
Apparently , I’m informed, there is a townland, "Carrickayne" near Newtownstewart in the civil parish of Donagheady and also there is also "Carrickone" in the civil parish of Urney. In a search of Griffith's Valuation in 1859 for William McAleer, I find there are 5 Tyrone listings with William (and 3 in Antrim) and 1 in Tyrone (and 1 in Down) with Denis.
Tyrone:William
- Barony Clogher, Townland Edenasop, West, Town of Fintona/Mill Street
- Barony Omagh west, Parish of Urney, near Berrysfort
- Barony Omagh east, Parish of Dromore, townland Magheragart
- Barony Omagh west, Parish of East Longfield, Townland Cornavarrow or Leganvy?
- Barony Strabane Lower, parish Camus, Town Parks of Strabane
Tyrone: Denis
- Barony Clogher, parish Donacavey, Townland Draughton/Gargrim?
Antrim:William
- Barony Toome Upper, Parish of Drummaul, Townland Randalstown – Main Street
- Barony Toome Upper, Parish of Drummaul, Townland Randalstown – Market Street
- Barony Toome Upper, Parish of Drummaul, Townland Lurgan west
I have no indication as to religion, although I'm told many McAleers in Ireland were Roman Catholic.
I have done some research in Griffiths Valuation but have no way to tie the McAleers I've found to my ancestors. I do see that there were many McAleers concentrated in Tyrone.
Monday 27th Jan 2014, 10:57PM
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Broadly speaking, Griffiths Valuation only lists households with land (it was comprised for tax purposes, and was based on how much land you had). It doesn?t therefore list every household in Ireland, and it only lists heads of household so servants, guests, and people in very small properties are not listed. So William McAleer may not have been listed at all.
The variations in spelling, both in surnames and place names in Ireland, is perfectly normal (and still goes on today). No one bothered too much about precise spelling, and it varied according to the whim of the person recording the information. Any change in the spelling of surname rarely indicates a deliberate decision to alter the spelling. The idea of a ?correct? spelling is very much a 20th century phenomenon. One that would not have bothered our ancestors.. Carrickone and Carrickane are almost certainly the same place. And might be Carrickayne.
If you think the Carrickane Dennis might be your ancestor, you could investigate parish records looking for his baptism to Wm & Ellen. I would assume the family were RC.
Carrickone is in the civil parish of Urney (which is the RC parish of Annageliff). The baptism records for that parish start in 1812. They don?t appear to be on-line anywhere, but there is a copy held in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast as well as in the National Library in Dublin. Personal visits are required to access them.
Carrickayne is in Donaghedy parish. Their RC baptisms start in 1854 (earlier records were either never kept or have been lost) and so if that is where Denis came from, and he was born c 1859, then you may find him, but perhaps not his elder brother who was evidently born well before 1854.
Ahoghill Antrim
Tuesday 28th Jan 2014, 10:01AM