Leo Family

Mandy:

Welcome to ireland reaching Out!

I will alert our parish liaison for Bruff that you have posted a message. Let me know if you have not heard back in ten days or so.

Roger McDonnell

Hi Mandy,  

I haven't done specific research on the Leo family, but since you wrote this on the Bruff community section, I thought I'd reply.  In researching my Moloney family line in Tullybracky (Tullabracca) Civil Parish up the main road from Bruff, I noted the name of a Patrick Leo, head of household in the Griffith's Valuation and Tithe Applotment.

 I've been told that a Leo family still lives in that area, on the property once owned by my Moloney ancestors (called "Tullybrackey Castle" because there were ruins of a castle there. I think the castle is now part of the foundation of one of the farm buildings.). It is across the road from another Tullybrackey House still in my Kirby branch of the family that includes the old St. Molon Cemetery.  

Of course, the tax records show that although it's not a common Irish name, there were plenty of other Leo head of households living in Limerick, so this is only one!  

Joan Stewart Smith in Los Angeles

My wife's great great grandmother was Sarah Leo who emigrated to NY state in 1847 with her husband William Kearney and their 8 children all born in Bruff vicinity.  Sarah possibly had a sister Mary who married a Patrick Hayes.  Their father seems to have been Richard.  No info on mother.  So I may be interested in the same Leo family or close relations.  They all lived slightly north of Bruff and Sarah's husband live in Bruff.  Parish gap is a problem for all of us.

Richard Terry

Hi Richard, 

If your ancestors "all lived slightly north of Bruff," as you said, my ancestors most likely knew or often crossed paths with your ancestors.  As you may know, Tullabracky Civil Parish is just slightly north of Bruff, and Tullabracky townland (where my Moloney ancestors lived, as I said, and where there is a Leo now living on a property where some of my Moloney ancestors lived) is slightly north of Bruff, past St. Peter and Paul church, just up the R512 main road, on a road turning left off the R512.  (Tullabracky townland is one of the townlands of Tullabracky Civil Parish.)  

Per both the Tithe record (1933) and the Griffith's Valuation record (1848-1864), there is a PATRICK LEO, as I mentioned.  He is also noted in both records as living in Grillagh or Grellagh, which is one of the 8 townlands of Tullabracky Civil Parish.  Grillagh townland is opposite Tullabracky townland across the R512, slightly north of Bruff.  

The Griffith's record also lists a PATRICK LEO in another entry living in Tullabracky townland and a DANIEL LEO living in Tullabracky townland – of Tullabracky Civil Parish.

I've visited this beautiful area a couple of times because I still have Irish relatives living in Bruff.  If you haven't already, you may want to check out both the Tithe and Griffith's records to see if you see any other clues for the other surnames you mentioned. 

Best,

Joan in Los Angeles

By the way, Mandy and Richard, I'm not the Bruff parish liaison that Roger McDowell promised – just a fellow descendant of Bruff area immigrants, now living in Los Angeles.

 Joan

Hi, I am helping my son-in-law with the history of his 4x great grandfather, Patrick Leo.  The following are articles from newspapers in Queensland, Australia regarding Patrick's death.

13 Dec 1890 - Logan Witness (Beenleigh, Queensland, Australia) - Saturday - Pg 3
"Death of Mr. P. Leo.- Mr. P. Leo, senior, died at his residence at Waterford on Thursday afternoon at 5 o'clock. Mr. Leo was one of the first settlers on the Logan in 1862. He was a genial, grand old man, and was well-known far and near for his conversational and newsy manner in connection with every little item belonging to the Logan for the last 27 years. His wife died a few years back, and getting old, he has lived almost a retired life since, mixing up with people very little. He was 80 years old. He was born in the County of Limerick, Ireland, and as a small farmer there, he could tell most wonderful stories of election days of both the town and country. Many a fair election struggle he joined in long before the Parnell or the Fenians were dreamt of ; and he could run you into the history of the blackboys and whiteboys that preceded the days of the Moonlighters."

20 Dec 1890 - Logan Witness (Beenleigh, Queensland, Australia) - Saturday - Pg 2
"THE LATE MR. LEO. - Since our paragraph last week, of this gentleman, we have been informed that Mr. Leo was born at Bruff, County of Limerick, on the 12th July, 1805, so that this would make his age to be 85 years 6 months - a truly grand old age - 15 years more than the allotted span of life."

Patrick Leo died 10 Dec 1890 at Waterford, Queensland, Australia.  According to his death certificate his parents were Richard Leo and Mary Hanen.  I believe he married his wife Ellenor Caine/Kane and had children in Ireland before travelling to Australia. Children are Richard, Ellen Marie, Catherine, Patrick Paoli, and Thomas.

I would be very grateful for any verification of his birth date, marriage, parents names etc as I have no information regarding his life in Ireland.

Thanks in advance, Liz McPherson

Liz:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

The Bruff RC records go way back to 1807 but if Patrick was born in 1805, a record would not be available. I did check Roots Ireland and the earliest Patrick Leo baptismal record in Bruff was in 1827. I did not locate a marriage record in Bruff.

I did find baptismal records for eight children of Patrick Leo and Ellen Keane in Bruff: Richard 1835 John 1838 Daniel 1840 Mary 1842 Ellen 1845 Johanna 1847 Thomas 1854 Catherine 1857

Roger McDonnell

Hi..have researched and found my Great Great Grandfather Daniel Leo..married Bridget Nealon 6.6.1847..he died in New york of Sunstroke in 1870..

Bridget Nealon's Sister Mary married Seth Persse..and came to Australia about 1854 ..settled around Ballarat..first Pioneers..

Daniel and Bridget had 7 children two of which cam to Australia ..Daniel  and William apparent;y also came to Australia...

I think they were originally from Limerick...anymore info would be appreciated.....Jane

Thank you Roger McDonnell,

This sounds like the correct family as I have Richard Leo dying in Queensland, Australia in 1913 aged 78 years - therefore born 1835.  Ellen's grave states she was born in 1847 (which is close enough for an informant of a death).  Are you able to provide me with the dates of the baptisms and the sponsors names - if it is not too much trouble?  

I think the parents may have married in another parish, possibly that of Ellen's Keane/Caine/Kane family and then settled in Bruff.  I will see if I can find any further more information regarding the other children.

Regards,

Liz McPherson (Brisbane, Australia)

Liz:

The records I located were on Roots Ireland which is a subscription site. I have a limit on how many records I can "open" and eight records would be a problem. You may want to look into getting a short-term Roots subscription.

Roger

Thanks Roger,

I will look into a Roots Ireland subscription.

Regards, Liz

Hi all,

I am the local liaison person for Bruff and have recently been contacted about this.  I have made contact with a member of the Leo family who are living in Bruff Parish but very close to the boundary with Knockainey/Patrickswekk parish.  This person is connected to the Tullabrackey Leo family and mentioned that some of them were buried in Patrickswell.  He is to make further enquiries and come back to me.

KInd regards,

Maurice Lyons

A number of graves for Leo in Bruff Town Church Yard.

https://historicgraves.com/graveyard/st-peter-paul-s/li-ppbr 

MY mothers granmother on fathers side was a Bridget Moloney(born 1861, died 5th June 1939 , buried in Glin Churchyard) married James McNamara in1881. Her Parents were a John Moloney and Catherine Hurley.  There was a descendent Moloney married to a Leo in Tullybracky Bruff and there was a son Gerard who I guess would be in his 70's now - did a bit Show jumping at one stage and farms homeplace still I think. 

Hi Mandy,

My great grandmother Delia Purcell Naughton's sister Josie (Josephine) Purcell of Bruff was married to William Leo. I'm looking at my great uncle's records. He wrote Josie married Leo and had three children. William, Gerrard and James. I know they emigrated to NYC around 1904 with my great grandparents. I've done extensive research on the Purcells and Naughtons but not the Leos.

I just thought it was fun to share the connection with you!

Good luck in your search,

Laura Doyle Gunn

To the person above (no name) who wrote that his/her great grandmother was Bridget Moloney born 1861 – Do you know the parents of Bridget's father John Moloney who married Catherine Hurley?  

John Moloney (m. Mary Cleary) family lived where the present-day Leo family lives near Bruff, in the early to mid-1800s, which was once the site of Tullabracca Castle ruins.  I believe this John Moloney was the cousin of my 3G grandfather Patrick, who lived across the road with his wife Margaret Cleary in "Tullybrackey House" near St. Molon graveyard (then a horse breeding farm), still owned by my distant Kirby cousins. 

Your John who married Catherine Hurley would not be my Patrick's son, as that one died at 19, but John and Mary, who lived where today's Leo family lives, had two sons named John, one born in 1830 who died as an infant, and another born in 1831.

John and Mary (Cleary) Moloney family seems to have disappeared when the Leo family took over the lease, so I've suspected they emigrated.  But I thought I'd check to see if this could be your family? Long shot as it's a common name. Sorry to post this in a Leo thread, but I didn't know how to reach you directly.

Joan Stewart Smith, Los Angeles

My Great Grandfather was John Leo, middle name perhaps Daniel. I believe his  father was Patrick and his wife was Ellen Kane, Caine (SPelling) I think we have a match. John Leo married my great grandmother, Julia Hastings. I believe they were from Bruff. They emigrated to the US and my grandfather, Patrick Daniel Leo was born around 1883 in Natick, Mass, around the Boston area. At one point, John left the US and went to Australia where it appears most of his family emigrated. Julia Hastings Leo died around 1898 in Worcester, Mass. I know Leo is an unusual Irish name. I am trying to research the family and wondered why John left the US and left his wife and 3 children to go to Australia. I just visited Ireland on a tour 2 weeks ago so I didn't have the opportunity to visit Limerick.