Greetings from New York City! I am seeking information on my great-grandfather, Patrick Quinn of Pomeroy, Tyrone. We believe he was born about 1861 but conflicting American Census records put his birth at anywhere from 1861-1871. His birth day was sometime in the merry month of June. The family was Catholic and, legend has it, worked with horses and owned a livery stable. He came to America in 1885. His brother, Peter, was a drummer boy in the British Army, conscripted as a child. He and Peter both settled eventually in Elizabeth, NJ; Patrick's wife's name was Mary Loftus whose family hailed from County Mayo. We have no other information and I would love to find the names of his parents and be able to trace the rest of my family line. Might anyone be able to assist?
You can contact me most easily through my website, www.carolynquinn.net
Thanks!
Carolyn Quinn
CarolynQuinnNYC
Thursday 15th Aug 2013, 02:57PMMessage Board Replies
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Carolyn:
Quinn was a very common name in Pomeroy civil parish. See the link for the 1859 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Pomeroy. http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/tyrone/pomeroy.htm It would really help if you had his parents names from a death record or other source.
You may want to contact the RC church in Pomeroy to see if they can be of assistance.
Roger McDonnell
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
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Thank you, Roger! I have contacted the parish and am waiting to hear from them.
Carolyn
CarolynQuinnNYC
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If Peter was in the British Army, they may have military records for him at the National Archives, in Kew, London. You problem will be identifying the correct Peter Quinn. Many people of that name are likely to have joined up.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/default.h…
I?d be cautious about believing the story that he was conscripted as a child. There was no conscription, and so he must have volunteered. Many young men lied about their age (the army had a minimum entrance age). I suspect therefore that he was actually a volunteer who added a few years to his age to get in. Consequently the age on his military records may not be his true age. Something to watch out for if you find any records that appear to match his details.
Ahoghill Antrim