Timothy Francis Hartnett : Short Biography

Timothy was born in Gortacurrig, the 8th and youngest child of Daniel Hartnett and Joanna Roche.  Joanna was born about 1798, she was the daughter of William Roche and Margaret Hennessy.  Timothy's father is listed in both Griffith's Valuation and in the Tithe Applotment books for Gortacurrig.  He died sometime around 1850, we do not know of what.  Around 1852, Joanna sailed on the ship Mary Ann out of Queenstown with several of her sons and went to Boston.  They then moved to Ashburnham, Massachusetts to be near Honora (married name Doolan), where they lived and worked in the furniture factories.  The women worked mostly as chair seat weavers and the men built and painted the chair frames.  Some of Joanna's Roche relatives (their name changed spelling to Roach once in the US) also came to Ashburnham and Gardner and settled there.  Timothy and his next older brother Daniel moved to Fitchburg, MA, where they worked, raised families and took care of their mother until she passed away around 1880 or so.  Timothy's first wife, Mary Smith, died soon after giving birth to a son named Daniel who only lived a short few months.  Years later, Timothy married Edith L. Smith (no relation to Mary) and they had several children.  They eventually moved to Leominster in the early 1900's.  Their youngest son, Joseph married Helen Geoghegan and they had 2 daughters, Helen and Pauline.  Pauline married Edward Wilkins of Worcester, MA., one grandchild of a very large extended family of Irish immigrants, mostly originally from Waterford and Mayo.  They lived in Leominster and raised 9 children.  Several of their children have children and grandchildren of their own.   The following are transcribed records from the Kildorrey parish wedding and baptism records stored at the National Library of Ireland.

Wedding:

23 JAN 1826 - Daniel Hartnet to Joanna Roche, both of Gortacurrig

Present at wedding - James Hartnet and Michael Sheehan

Baptisms:

2 DEC 1826 – Margaret of Daniel Hartnet and Joanna Roche.  Sponsors – Timothy Roche and Honora Roche

(I suspect that this Margaret died at a young age, hence the second Margaret later on)

5 MAR 1828 – Michael of Daniel Hartnet and Mary Roche (error in record?).  Sponsors – Michael Hartnet and Mary Brown

25 OCT 1829 – Honora of Daniel Hartnet and Joanna Roche.  Sponsors - Michael Hartnet and Bridget Condon

07 NOV 1831 – Thomas of Daniel Hartnett and Joanna Roche.  Sponsors – Michael Hennessy and Honora Roche

16 Apr 1833 – Margaret of Daniel Hartnett and Joanna Roche.  Sponsors – Maurice Fleming and Margaret Roche

04 DEC 1834 - John of Daniel Hartnett and Joanna Roche.  Sponsors – Pat Flynn and Mary Roche

01 OCT 1837 – Daniel of Daniel Hartnett and Joanna Roche.  Sponsors -  Michael Magner and Bridget Noonan

08 JUL 1839 – James of Daniel Hartnett and Joanna Roche.  Sponsors – John Roche and Mary Conway

03 MAR 1843 – Timothy of Daniel Hartnett and Joanna Roche.  Sponsors – James Magner and Catharine FitzGibbon