Seeking Informatin on the Frank or John Campbell family from Cavan.

Jody seeking:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

Here is a link to the record you once had http://censussearchforms.nationalarchives.ie/reels/c19/007246724/007246724_00985.pdf

The Old Age Pension Act was passed in 1908 and implemented maybe 1909-1910. You had to be 70 years old and there were certain annual income requirements. Many potential applicants did not have any proof of age but at that time the 1841 and 1851 census records were available at the Public Records Office in Dublin. The 1841 and 1851 censuses were later destroyed in the 1922 fire at the Records Office during the Irish Civil War. Some of the pension applications and related proofs were not destroyed and these records are available on the National Archives site.

Here is how I interpret the document: It appears the pension application was filed February 24, 1910 but possibly the year was 1918. The applicant was John Campbell and his parents were John Campbell and Mary. John Campbell indicated that he was born in Ballyhugh townland in Drumlane civil parish in Co.Cavan. The clerks searched the 1841 and 1851 censuses and found the family (John Sr. and Mary) and they were living with John Sr's parents Frank and Mary. They did not find the applicant John Campbell in the 1841 census but he was listed in the 1851 census as 4 years old so born 1846-1847.

Unfortunately, your John Campbell died 19 years before the Old Age Pension Act was passed so the record above is a different John Campbell.

I also searched on the subscription site Roots Ireland but did not find any Campbell baptismal records with parents John Campbell and Mary Dalton.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Roger McDonnell

Thank you so very much for searching for me and for the  background  information..  I am pleased that our conclusinos  agree - but  terribly disappointed  that  my great- grandfather  continues to elude  us. I would so like to tell his story and  something of his origins  to honor my father and grandfather (both deceased) ; there are  literally dozens of  young descendants in the ensuing  6-7 generations that followed for whom it would be something to treasure. While I know my grandfather's father could not have been any of the characters in the Cavan story,.  I am still not convinced they aren't related but how to tell??  Its the only bit of evidence Ive found  that even comes close.    I have searched and searched  but. I will have to go back to the Boston archives and scour further  for  a clue of some kind. My John Campbell married Annie Ahearn. I found her parents marriage registry ( 1850) Co Cork and although the surname Walsh is even more numerous than Campbell, I have traced my Walsh relatives from Co Waterford , but this ancestor completely stumps me. My great grandfather died  vey young -aged ca 37, my granfather was only 11 yrs old at the time.  Hence there was little time for him to  learn much of his heritage  from his father.  I am searching  for living  descendants of my great grandmother  's Ahearn family who might have inherited some bit of memorabilia that would offer a clue.  Maybe there is a family bible somewhere.  In the meantime our John Campbell  will remain one of the thousands of anonymous Irishmen who came to America in those troubled times, lived and worked and died,dragging the  US  up  into better times literally building America,  by their labors. He is buried at Holyhood Cemetery on Heath St in Brookline, Ma.      

  Thanks againyour   efforts are geatly appreciated.                             

Jody seeking:

Can I suggest that you add John Campbell's story to our XO Chronicles site  https://irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/history-and-genealogy/ancestor-database   I would add it to the Co. Cavan page.

Roger