John Kelly m. Mary Ayres, Elmira, NY circa 1865-1870

Hello Karen,

Yes I would think that the record you found is probably your ancestor.  Most people were illiterate and names were recorded phonetically.   

If they emigrated as a family you have a better chance of finding them in the port of arrival records or ship's manifests.

Try www.castlegarden.org   and   www.stevemoss.org   and www.genealogybranches.com   and immigrantships.net

Hope you find what you're looking for,

Anne

Seeking John Kelly m. Mary Ayres to Elmira, NY - original posting

24 January, 2013 - 07:45

I am seeking a link to a John KELLY who married a Mary AYRES (AYERS) and may be from Kilrush in County Clare. They emigrated to America likely between 1860 and 1870, with their older children, Bridget, Ellen, Margaret, and Mary. The other children, born in Elmira, NY, were Simon (1868), Mathew 'Matti' (c1869), Michael (1872), Patrick (1872), John Joseph (1873) and Thomas Joseph (1875), my Grandfather.

They travelled to the USA but I have no idea the journey or ports they came through but know they were in Elmira, NY for the 1870 census. 

The closest I have found is a John Kelly who married a Mary Ears in Kilrush, Co Clare. Maybe the Ears surname is mis-scripted.

26 March, 2013 - response

Hi again, our volunteer has come back with the following information:

John Kelly m Mary Eyers(spelling in register)18/01/1959
they had the following children baptised in Kilrush, Thomas 17/11/1859, Ellen 28/12/60,John 21/06/62 Mary 04/06/63 Bridget 06/01/65.

29 March, 2013 - still lack info on the county of my Kellys and Ayers/Ayres or Eryes!

Back to the drawing board. While the names work for the children the DOBs do not work. I believe my Bridget circa 1860, Ellen c 1862, Margaret c1864, Mary c1867 and Simon 1868 were all born in Ireland.  Followed by Mathew, Michael, Patrick, John Joseph and Thomas Joseph all born in Big Flats NY. And of course not knowing where in Ireland they came from makes it  greater problem. Co Clare was a hope!

I am surprised by the spelling of Eyers. Is this common or just a lack of literacy? Thank you for you help!

ctyank

REPLY on Volunteer info!

To your volunteer and comment by others. In reviewing info to try and trace this Kelly family I have reassessed. The dates of the children almost work. In the 1900 Federal census my Ellen Ayres Kelly (GGM) and John Kelly (GGF)  had 11 children but only 6 were alive. My records only showed that 3 (Bridget, Ellen, and Mary) were born in Ireland. [My initial posting said there was a Margaret but I believe that was not true]. This could mean that Thomas and John were deceased before the family departed Ireland. Would there be death certificates that could be used to verify this in Ireland?

In the 1910 Federal census Mary Ayres Kelly lists 11 children but now only 5 are alive which agrees with the facts I have.

Your volunteer said there was a “Thomas 17/11/1859, Ellen 28/12/60, John 21/06/62 Mary 04/06/63 Bridget 06/01/65”. The birth dates of the surviving girls are failry close to what I have loosely based their birthdates on from census reports. Children later born in the USA are named Thomas (my GF) and John. It is my understanding that it was not uncommon for Irish families to use names of deceased children for other siblings born after their deaths. Given this is true is it far more likely that this is the KELLY – Ayres family I am chasing. What further BDMs info can be accessed to help me prove this to be true. We are willing to pay costs for the required documentation. Would be grateful for advise and help!

I have struggled to discover when they immigrated to the USA since it is before Ellis Island dates and the KELLY names with John and Mary so common. Would there be any Irish shipping information from Kilrush, Co Clare which might help in this matter.

I appreciate your assistance in this matter.

CT YANK

Hi I posted the above a few months back having sourced a little more info on the children. I have not had a second response and am wondering if there is a way to ascertain whether or not the two oldest boys died. Later in the USA the names were reused. Hoping for further help on this issue. Thanks again Ct Yank

Hi there,

Civil records for birth , marriage and death records only started In Ireland in 1864, and I stand to be corrected but not every church kept death records.   I know the waterford death registers are online but the records for Co. Clare wont be found anywhere online.  You would have to contact the Clare heritage centre to see what they have.

Sorry I can't help with that query.

Regards,

Anne Dennehy

Given the info from the volunteer (and thank you for your assistance) is there any option of checking for Baptismal records for this family. Or is there an address I can send a query in order to get the baptismal reocrds for the family? I would appreciate any options to further expand on what I know. My KELLYs have been very illusive.

Thanking you in advance

ctyank

Given the info from the volunteer (and thank you for your assistance) is there any option of checking for Baptismal records for this family. Or is there an address I can send a query in order to get the baptismal reocrds for the family? I would appreciate any options to further expand on what I know. My KELLYs have been very illusive.

Thanking you in advance

ctyank

Karen,

The church records for Co. Clare are not online and you will have to contact the heritage centre there for any information.  If you don't know which county your ancestors came from then church records can be found for most counties on www.rootsireland.ie and the remainder of the records can be found on www.irishgenealogy.ie

Have you looked at the records at www.castlegarden.org  This covers the ships to NY from 1820 until Ellis Island opened.

You will need to pick one name from your list and search this website . Write down the possible dates and the name of the ships that tie in with your timeline.  You then have to go through all the names on your list to do the same thing.  You are cross referencing your names with dates and ships.  The chances are that they all travelled on the same ship on the same date.

This is time consuming but can be rewarding.  I personally have found a family this way.

It's all detective work I'm afraid.

Anne

Thanks Anne,

Have started to look at Castle Garden trying to link the family members. So far no luck. A common name like Kelly doesn't help and of course there is no guarantee it was thru NY although they did finish in Elmira NY in upper state NY. One lives in hope!