Searching for John Driscoll

Daniel:

I found the 1901 and 1911 census records for the family including Timothy. You will note that the 1911 census indicates that John was the father of Timothy and Johannah (Hannah) was his stepmother which differs from your note. I also found the 1874 civil marriage index record for John and Johannah (who was shown as Carney). You can get a copy of this record from the General Register Office for around 4 euros. If you wnat to get a copy, let me know and I will forward instructions.

Roger McDonnell

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Cork/Dunmanway/Mulleenananig/1164211/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Cork/Dunmanway_South/Milleenanannig/410516/

Thank you for this information.  There is a curious thing here.  While Timothy Driscoll aged the appropriate 10 years between the 1901 and 1911 censuses, somehow John and (Jo)Hannah Driscoll aged 20!  Could the fact John and Hannah are listed as unable to read and write account for getting their own ages wrong?

The information that Hannah is Timothy's stepmother also changes our narrative a bit.  John and Hannah were married in 1874.  In 1911 Timothy is listed as being 39 years old meaning he was born in 1872. So it appears both John and Hannah brought children from a previous marriage or partner.

We went from not knowing of Timothy's existence to thinking he was a prior child of Johanna's to the knowledge he was John's in less than a week!.  Johanna had a previous daughter Mary and this story was well known in the family among Johanna's Driscoll grandchildren in the US.  But no one apparently knew about Timothy!  Begs the question why!

I would definitely like to obtain a copy, please send along instructions.  And thank you for obtaining this information.  I noticed that in the Baptism certificate for John and Johannas son Cornelius, Johns place of birth was listed as Droumaleena. Are there any ways to trace John from there?

Daniel:

Ages between the two censuses do vary wildly at times. First, for the Irish of the 19th century age was not all that important and I have found that the 1901 ages tend to be understated. In 1908-1909, the Old Age Pension program was enacted which provided a pension to those 70 or older. Correct age became important and people suddently aged in the 1911 census. They still had to have some proof of their age to qualify for the pension.The 1841 and 1851 censuses were still available at that time (they were destroyed in 1922).

Here are the instructions for contacting the GRO by mail:

Go to this link http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Apply-for-Certificates.aspx In the middle of the page there are links for birth, marriage or death certificates. Hit the link for the form you want. You will likely get a screen asking for a User Name and Password. (This is a program bug that the GRO has to correct). Hit cancel and the appropriate form should come up. Print the form and complete the requested information. Also provide the information from the index record--quarter/year of the event, registration district and the volume and page number where the event is recorded. Make sure you ask for a copy which costs around 4 euros. ( A cert costs closer to 20 euros). You can also ask the GRO to e-mail the copy back to you.

Finally, Dromleena is another townland in Fanlobbus parish and I assume that is where the family was living when Cornelius was born.

Roger

Thank you again for your answer.

This information about the pension system definitely clarifies things although that status of Timothy then begins to get dicey.  If John and Johanna are the ages they list in the 1911 census and have been married 45 years as they list, and Johanna is Timothys stepmother, then 39 yr old Timothys origins become clouded, but it also perhaps provides a reason for why his step brother Dan has named three of his 11 children Dan, Cornelius, and Mary, but no Timothy!

Thank you again for your answer.

This information about the pension system definitely clarifies things although that status of Timothy then begins to get dicey.  If John and Johanna are the ages they list in the 1911 census and have been married 45 years as they list, and Johanna is Timothys stepmother, then 39 yr old Timothys origins become clouded, but it also perhaps provides a reason for why his step brother Dan has named three of his 11 children Dan, Cornelius, and Mary, but no Timothy!