Mary A McDonald : Short Biography

Comments

 

I am always interested in families from Castlecomer as that is where my father's family came from. They too came to Philadelphia, where I still live. Many people from Castlecomer came here to Pa and they were coal miners, and Schuylkill County was where the coal mining jobs were.

I did find your family in the 1860 census living in Frailey Schuylkill County Pa. (Donaldson PO is referenced)

The family members listed are Alex McDonald 32, Julia McDonald 32, Mary McDonald 8,  Cath McDonald 4, Ellen McDonald 2

My relative from Castlecomer is James J Ryan 1848-1929 came to US in about 1867 and was first a laborer and then a railroad contractor in Phila. He likely knew some of your relatives as he always kept up with relatives and friends from Castlecomer.

Marge Gillis

margegillis@yahoo.com

Marge

Thursday 11th April 2019 01:56PM

Hi Marge. Thanks for contacting me. We are heading to Ireland in June and we were not planning to stop in Kilkenny, but since the flight has been diverted to Dublin from Shannon, I may consider it. We are heading west.  I was fascinated by the fact that many of those from Castlecomer were miners and wondered if mining was their occupation in Ireland. I am not sure what the terrain is like there. Allick and Judith's (aka Julia) daughter, Julia McDonald married a man whose father was from Castlecomer, Edward Holland. Alexander McDonald's mother was a Dormer from Castlecomer.  I found that a tavern owner in the Pottsville area, "Pat" Dormer, involved with the "Molly Maquires", may have been originally from Castlecomer. With four daughters, I would doubt that Alexander would have been active in that society.    Regards, Bob Brett.

Dublinwoods

Thursday 11th April 2019 04:40PM

 

Brett,

 

Yes, I believe that many from Castlecomer who came to the states were coal miners in Ireland. There is a coal mining museum there. Just google it and you will find it. I have been to Castlecomer but have not been to the museum.

WOW, your family really did come from Castlecomer. My father' s did also but none of the names you mention are names in my family tree. Mine are Ryan, Comerford, Brennan, Lalor (I understnd that is the most common name in Castlecomer), Cochrane.  Dormer rings a bell for me. If I think of where I heard that name I will let you know.

I also wanted to tell you that last August 2018 I was in touch with a guy named Tim Miller from Gloucester MA through this same IrelandXO website. He had people in his tree named Ring and Purcell, both from Castlecomer. A whole series of our emails are titlled Ned Ring and Mary Purcell.  In his email he says that Ned Ring and my James Ryan both have their occupations listed as Colliers. Coal miners or having to do with the coal industry. If you email me I would be happy to introduce you to Tim. His relatives ended up in Boston. He has a tree on Ancestry and I do also. My Ancestry username is Gillis_Margaret if you have an account. I saw a Brett family tree and wondered if that was yours.

I was trying to figure out what happened to Alex and his wife Julia. I see that a lot of the family is buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, which is not far from me. I could not figure out when either of them died. I did find a death of an Alex McDonald in 1889 in Phila. He died in Phila but was buried in Schuykill Co. A newspaper article said that he was a policman for a decade in Philly. But I also found a death of an Alex McDonald in 1876 in Philly. So not sure. Do you know that? Not sure about Julia either.

Have a wonderful trip to Ireland. (I am jealous) It is an awesome place.  Marge Gillis margegillis@yahoo.com

Marge

Thursday 11th April 2019 05:57PM