My 2nd grandfather was Denis Winters, born about 1837, I don’t know where. He married Ellen Geelan (daughter of Michael Geelan and Ellen Creegan) in the Parish of Bornacoola in 1861. Ellen Geelan was also baptized in Bornacoola. About 3 years later Denis and Ellen are in New York, with a daughter, Lizzie, who probably died in 1865. Denis had siblings; Michael, Lawrence, Maria, Thomas and Patrick who also emigrated. I have some info on the Geelans and have found several amazing Geelan cousins through DNA. The Winters are proving more difficult. They may have been in County Longford. There was a Denis Winters arrested with his mother Ellen, in Edgeworths-town, County Longford in 1859. The article in the Longford Gazette mentions father James (living in Ballinroe) and siblings Thomas and James. Denis served a couple of months and mom was let off the hook. If this is the same Denis he continued his shenanigans in CA where he and Ellen finally settled. On Roots Ireland I’ve found birth records for several of the children’s names, born to a Thomas and to a James Winters and Eleanora Byrne/O’Byrne/Burn, etc. They were in Streete and Colmcille. I don’t have enough evidence to say that that they’re connected. Has anyone heard of this family? I’ve done the usual searches on Ancestry and Family Search. I’m going to join the Longford group and post there also.
Laurel
Saturday 23rd Nov 2019, 09:01PMMessage Board Replies
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Laurel:
Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!
I located the record below for Denis Winters in the Streete RC parish. Also, found a sister Anne in 1835 and possibly another sister Margarita in 1827 (mother was shown as Elenora Brien) and a sister Mary in 1841 in Colcille RC parish. All records located on the subscription site Roots Ireland.
Bornacoola parish is at the southern tip of Leitrim near northwest Longford. Streete RC parish is in eastern Longford.
Whether the 1837 record in Streete is for the same Denis who married Ellen Geelan is very possible but need more proof. What happened to the baptismal records for Michael Lawrence, Thomas and Patrick. Streete records go back to 1820. Maybe the family was in a different parish which does not have records that far back.
Roger McDonnell
Name:Denis WintersDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:18-Jun-1837Address:Not RecordedParish/District:STREETEGender:MaleCountyCo. Longford
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:James WintersMother:Eleanora O ByrneOccupation:Not Recorded
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Thomas WintersSponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Rose ClarkeName:Ann WintersDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:31-Jan-1835Address:Not RecordedParish/District:STREETEGender:FemaleCountyCo. Longford
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:James WintersMother:Eleanora ByrnOccupation:Not Recorded
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Joseph WintersSponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Margaret DuckCastlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
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Thank you. I believe I have a couple more baptismal records, but not enough to use as solid evidence. Is Ballinroe, Longford close enough that they may have lived there also?
Laurel
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Laurel:
I looked at the townland names in Co. Longford and there is no Ballinroe. I found Ballinrooey, Ballinroddy, Ballinrud. Not sure if it is one of these or another area.
Roger
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
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There are some Winters families in Leitrim mostly Kiltubrid parish
Geraldine Buckley-Smith, Ireland XO Volunteer
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Thanks for all the info and records on the Winters. Geraldine Buckley-Smith, I've written to one Winters family but never received a reply. What might be the best way for me to look up the adddress of others with the surname Winters?
Laurel
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Hello Laurel
I am going to print off your message and give it to Gerry Winters over the next week, if you would like. Let me know
Thanks
Geraldine
Geraldine Buckley-Smith, Ireland XO Volunteer
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Geraldine, that would be very welcome if you did that. I don't know if it's appropriate to add email addresses here but I'm going to give you an address that I use publicly for multiple misc. purposes. If Gerry Winters has any info, or wants to chat, he's welcome to contact me at this address. laurel@wiloran.com. Thanks!
Laurel