Hi, my name is Joan O'Neill and I am trying to find out informationa about my great great grandparents Thomas and Mary Flemming. Thomas was born about 1821 and emigrated to the US around 1850-55. He was a coal miner that emigrated with many other miners to a coal mining town in Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, USA. His first son (at least surviving( was born about 1855 and his daughter, Mary about 1859. They were both born in Pennsylvania. I recently visited his grave and on his headstone it said he was a native of Queens County, Ireland. I am hoping to find out more information before I visit County Laois next year. Thank you.
Joan
joteacher
Thursday 14th Jun 2012, 09:33PMMessage Board Replies
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Hi Joan,
Have you tried checking the Ellis Island records (www.ellisisland.org) or the Castle Garden records (www.castlegarden.org)? Generally, more information was given at the port of arrival rather than the port of departure. If you knew which city they arrived at, this could be a good place to find more information, and perhaps even find out an exact place of origin.
You should try checking local newspapers for possible death notices. They may provide more information about precisely where they were from.
Without a parish, I cannot suggest church records for you to check. There are other records you could look at.
Civil registration records are available from the General Register Office (GRO). These start from 1864 however. You can access the website here: http://www.groireland.ie/research.htm
You could also try checking the land records called the Tithe Applotment Books (1823-38) or the later Griffith's Valuation (1848-64). Griffith's is freely available here: www.askaboutireland.com or here: www.failteromhat.com Failte Romhat has lots of other useful links you could try looking at. Tithe Applotment Books (1823-38). Microfilm copies of the books for all of Ireland are available at the National Archives of Ireland (NAI) http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/tithe-applotment-books-and-the-primary-griffith-valuation/ or the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS).
You can information about the frequency of the name in the mid-19th century and any other variant spellings of the name here: http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/surname/
There should be archives about the coal miners and their lives in Pennsylvania. Have you looked into this? This could a good place to start checking for detailed information.
Please make sure you link anyone else in your family who is interested in their Irish heritage to our site - and indeed anyone else you know of Irish heritage.
Kind regards,
Sinead Cooney
Genealogist (Ireland XO)
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Flemmings buried in Ballylinan cemetery;
William Flemming; 14/2/1903
wife-Anne; 15/9/1936
Elizabeth Flemming; 25/5/1940
hus-James; 10/5/1955
dtr-Lliy; 6/9/1955
dtr-Jenny; 9/10/1996
dtr-Annie; 11/2/1998
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Jack
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Joan There are 2 Thomas's born in that era .one in1917 and the other born in 1826 also there was a Thomas married in 1854 but not to "Mary" ,the marriage took place in Portlaoise.What year did he die and what age was he ,it could be on the headstone .Did they marry in Ireland or Pennsylvania. What was Mary's maiden name,maybe on the death cert.I will look further for you