McNeive Family

James:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

I searched on Roots Ireland and another data base and did not find baptismal records for sons of Martin McNeive (or variant spellings). The RC records for the parish of Boyle go back to the late 1700s http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0548  so if they were baptized in that parish, records should have appeared on Roots Ireland. My guess is that they lived near Boyle but attended a different church which may not have records back to the 1840 era. They also could have lived in Co. Sligo which is near Boyle. (I also searched for Co. Sligo baptismal records). I also think the surname may have been McNeice/McNiece/McNeece or even McNiff.

I also searched the 1855 Griffiths Valuation (after Martin had left) head of household listing for Boyle civil parish and there was a Daniel McNeece listed in the parish.

Do you have any other information about the family?

Roger McDonnell

Definetly County Roscommon as it is on the grave marker for Martin at St Mary's Kansas cemetery. 

I did see on Irish Times (on line), where there three MacNeive's living in Killukin (Killucan?) via property valuation survey of 1847-64. Is Killukin a Barony of Boyle?

James:

Killukin is a small civil parish to the east of Boyle and the parish is in the barony of Boyle which encompasses a number of parishes in north Co. Roscommon.

Killucan/Croghan RC parish has records back to 1811 http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0554 and they are on Roots Ireland but I don't get any records when I search.

Roger

McNeive is an Anglicisation of Mac Connuibh aka McAniff / McEniff /Cannaiff and more. There is a good chance the surname was spelled a very different way by the parish priest.

For a full list of the spelling variations that may have been used click here.

Thanks, Rua!

Martin McNeive and Alice (Carley) McNeive had 4 sons between 1839 and 1848...Edward (Squire), Thomas, James and Michael.  The family emigrated to the United States and settled in Cross Creek, Kansas in 1857. Not sure when they actually left Ireland.

Are you sure they are from the parish of Boyle?

Have a look at this list (bearing in mind the spelling rules for surnames were variable back then) and see if anything rings a bell...

http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/results.jsp?…

What you are ideally looking for is a townland where both his and her surname are present.

Hi James,

I saw some of your past post on ancestry.com from 2003 -2009.  However, I couldn't get signed on to post in the conversation.  I am also looking for family information on the McNeive family from Roscommon.  My gr gr gr grandmother was Catherine (McNeive) Burke born 1847 in County Roscommon Ireland, our records show her parents being Martin McNeive and Alice.  Catherine was buried in St. Mary, KS.   When I saw your post about Martin McNeive and Alice I was thinking it must be the same family!   We did not have Alice's maiden name nor knew about brothers.  However, one of the posts in the converstion on ancestry.com said there were 4 brothers possibly 1 girl (which I think is our Catherine).  I am going to Ireland for Christmas and was hoping to discover more information on my McNeive family.  Staying in Roscommon for 4 days. If I (we) could confirm the parish it might be helpful.  Thank you.  Gretchen (Van Dusen) Axton (line grandma Helen Winker, Gr grandma Katherine (Katie) Cooper born in St. Mary, KS, gr.gr grandma Margaret Burke born in St. Mary, KS, gr gr gr grandma Catherine McNeive born 1847 County Roscommon, EIRE,  Martin/Alice McNeive)

You can check out  2 possible baptism records for Catherine (McNeive)  in the parish registers here (Mar 1840) and here (May 1841)

Catherine McNeive      Baptised:   01-Mar-1840

RC Parish of STROKESTOWN

Father:  Michael McNeive       Mother: B. Carlos

Godparents: Michael & Brigid Egan

Unfortunately, that's the only baptism on record for any "McNeive" (Strokestown RC Registers are patchy at best) in pre-famine Co. Roscommon!

However, given that  "McNeive is an Anglicisation of Mac Connuibh aka McAniff / McEniff /Cannaiff/ Cunniffe and more. There is a good chance the surname was spelled a very different way by the parish priest."  You may consider:

Catherine Cunniffe          Date of Baptism:15-May-1841

RC Parish of AUGHRIM

Father:  Martin Cunniffe       Mother: Margaret Connor

Godparents: Patrick Cunniffe & Catherine Leinster

This couple (married 09-Jan-1840) also baptised "4 brothers" namely:  Patrick Cunniffe 1844, John Cunniffe 1846, Michael Cunniffe 1849, and Thomas McNiff 1859. What's interesting here is that by 1859 the (new) priest was spelling their surname "McNiff". Their Catherine was the first-born and only daughter by the looks of it.

Unfortunately, there was more than one Martin Cunniffe baptising in Co Roscommon at this time (while the name Catherine may not appear for these couples, there are gaps in the registers)...

Martin Cunniff & Brigid Mulloney BALLINTUBBER RC 1831 & 1832

Martin Cunniff  &  Mary Flynn  BALLINTUBBER RC 1846

Martin Cuniff & Catherine Mee   KILBEGNET/BALLINAKILL 1837, 1840, 1842, 1845,

Martin Cuniff & Margaret 'Peggy' Connor STROKESTOWN RC 1855

No "Alice" with a Martin at all. Was probably Eilish (Gaelic for Elizabeth).

And to further complicate things,  parishes where the "Cunniffe" name appears in the 1830s-40s  were numerous (and beyond this list).

In any event, I believe it is a Martin Cuniff(e) you should be looking for.

If you're inclined to follow the AUGHRIM couple as your lead: Martin Cuniffe & Margaret Connor (m. 9 Jan 1840) ...

Related to:

Patrick Cunniffe, Margaret Cunniffe, (Joseph McNiff), Roger Keane?/Kenny, Mary Keane (aka Cain), Catherine Leinster, Patrick Conlon, Eleanor Seery, Mary McEvoy, (B. Healy)

I'm 99% certain they came from the townland of Clooncoose in Kilmore Civil Parish, Barony of Ballintober North, Co. Roscommon (Aughrim RC)

Cunifff,  Leinster & Cain (Kean) have pre-famine small holdings in "Clooncuse" in 1838.  (Bryan Cunifff's 6 acres was likely shared by Martin and extended family members).

The Cunniffe/ McNiff / McNeive name has totally disappeared from Clooncoose by 1857.  The only likely blood-relative surname to survive the cull was KEANE at farm #2 with 10 acres.  You can se from the map that Clooncoose was full of tiny holdings before the famine and even had its own little village.

In 1911, Michael Cain/ Kane / Keane c1834-1911 (son of Roger Keane & Celia Maxwell) & Catherine Clarke (m. 09-Feb-1869) were still farming in Clooncoose with their son John Kane (1878-1955) who died a bachelor. Hard to say, if you'll find any relatives on the home-farm now.