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Hello.

My great-great-grandfather, John A Merrin, was born about 1837 in Saltmills in County Wexford.

In 1856, aged 18, he emigrated to New South Wales to become a police man in the new colony. He married and lived a wonderful life here, fathering 11 children and being respected as a heroic member of the police force.

I believe John's father was James Merrin. According to the Griffith Valuation of 1853, he was a tenant at a property in Saltmills as follows:

Townland: Saltmills

Place Name: Saltmills

Barony: Shellburne

Union: New Ross

Parish: Tintern

County: Wexford

I intend visiting Ireland in 2017 and will visit Saltmills. I'm interested in finding out where the family might have lived and perhaps where James Merrin might be buried.

John A Merrin's wife was Catherine Mary Kavanagh and she was born in Waterford in 1839. I'm guessing they knew one another in Ireland and that Catherine followed John out to New South Wales once he was settled there. However, I haven't been able to find any record of Catherine's voyage to New South Wales.

I know that a man called Patrick Larkin(s) paid the deposit/acted as sponsor for John A Merrin. It seems that Patrick may have been John's uncle as John's mother was called Mary Ann Larkin(s). Patrick may also have paid a deposit for John's siblings, Eliza, Michael and Anastasia, to travel to New South Wales, although I have little information on these three. It is also possible that they were John's cousins, rather than siblings.

Any information you could help me with would be very much appreciated.

Many thanks,

Felicity Bent

 

Felicity

Saturday 28th May 2016, 11:50AM

Message Board Replies

  • Based on the Griffith's Valuation entry, the property James Merrin occupied was site number 5 in Saltmill townland. His property consisted of about 10 acres of land, a house and offices, which is the term used for workshops, barns etc. This property is located slightly to the north west of the village of Saltmills. The property was shaped a bit like a 'W', see Buildings, Site 5, Saltmills townland. The site includes the area just above the 'Salt' in the townland name,with a house to the west adjacent to a road.

    There's no sign of the buildings remaining as far as I can see there is now a bohereen or boreen, (small unpaved road - from bóthar which is road in Irish) running past the property. See Google Street View.

    Do you know what denomination your Merrin family were ?

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Saturday 28th May 2016, 02:08PM

  • Wow - thanks so much! That's really great info.

    I know they were definitely Catholic.

    Felicity

    Felicity

    Friday 3rd Jun 2016, 06:22AM

  • I located a probable child for that James, also with a Larkin connection - baptism of a Margaret Merrin born 23rd Dec 1850, baptised Christmas Day, residence Saltmills,  mother's name Maryanne Larkin. see : page 31 - St. James & Hook (National Library). The record is about half way down the left page. Godparents appear to be Peter Fitzgerald and A..ty Cahil (Arty or Anty. ?)

    note Entries are out of sequence in this register.

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 5th Jun 2016, 10:43AM

  • put this 1846 baptism down as a possible link - a Mary Anne Mernagh (abt half way down right hand page) bapt. born 31st Oct 1846, baptised the same day. Parents James Mernagh and Mary Anne Larken. Maybe the surname, at least for this family, evolved to Merrin from Mernagh ?

    Godparents are Martin Henessy & Joanna Larken, and the residemce for this Mernagh family is Ballygarret. There are abt 5 townlands named Ballygarret in Co. Wexford including one a little over 1km north-west of Saltmills, partly in Fethard civil parish, and part in Tintern civil parish.

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 5th Jun 2016, 11:09AM

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