Hello - I am new to this site, and would be grateful for advice and/or assistance. As best as I know, my Irish relatives lived in Clogheen, Clonmel, Ardfinnan, Barnahown, and someplace that sounds like "Gortacullen" or "Gurthacullen." We know very little about them. My great-great maternal grandfather was Thomas Creagh, born in Ireland in 1850. He married Johanna Cody (b. 1840), who died in Clogheen, Ireland in 1896. They had several children, all born in Clogheen, Ireland, and we are not sure of all their names: Theodore, Bridget (b. 1875), Mary (b. 1876), Ellen (b. 1878), Catherine (b. 1879), John Francis (b. 1881), Margaret (b. 1882), and Johanna (b. 1886). Their daughter, Margaret Creagh, was my great-grandmother, and she was born 12/13/1882. She emigrated to Morristown, New Jersey in 11/1900 with another girl named Nellie Lonergan, who was possibly from Ardfinnan. Nellie's sister, Mary Lonergan, emigrated soon after them, as did Margaret's sister, Ellen Creagh. It is not known whether or not the Creagh sisters and the Lonergan sisters were related to each other, but we do have Lonergan relatives on the other side of that family, so it is possible.
My great-great paternal grandfather was Edward Lonergan, born in Ireland in 1843. He married Catherine Cody, who was born in Ireland in 1850. They had several children, and we are not sure of all their names: James (b. 1873), Catherine (b. 1878), Margaret "Gaga" (b. 1881) Julia (b. 1882), and Mary "Mame" (b. 1884). We believe all those children were born in Ireland except Mame, who was born in New Jersey after the family emigrated. Julia Lonergan married John F. Naughton. My father says that his grandmother, Mame Longeran, claimed that she was distantly related to William "Buffalo Bill" Cody through her mother, Catherine Cody Lonergan. She claimed that her brother or her father (or someone) had visited Buffalo Bill in New York City. Sounds like family lore that has been embellished.
Anyway, that is really the extent of what we know about our Irish family. If anyone on this site recognizes these people or can help with any information regarding them, it would be greatly appreciated!
Slainte!
Kat McD
BeansMcd
Thursday 21st May 2020, 08:16PMMessage Board Replies
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Kat:
Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!
I believe Thomas Creagh and his family lived in Gortacullin townland in Ballybacon civil parish. Below are links to the marriage record for Thomas and Johanna Cody in 1873 followed by civil birth records for six children. There could be more. You have to sort down the page to find your relative on the page. All of these records are on the free Irish government site www.irishgenealogy.ie The registration district is Clogheen.
Margaret https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1882/02757/2012765.pdf Note mother is shown as Cooney instead of Cody
Here is Thomas and three children in the 1901 census http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tipperary/Tullaghorton/Gortacullin/1707690/
Johanna had died in 1896 https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1896/05888/4670429.pdf
Thomas was living alone in 1911 http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tipperary/Tullaghorton/Gortacullen/813023/
I did not find a death record for Thomas.
I will look for Edward Lonergan and family tomorrow.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Roger McDonnell
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Friday 22nd May 2020, 12:52AM -
Kat:
Edmond Lonergan married Catherine Cody in May 1864 https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1864/11613/8274958.pdf Looks like Catherine was the older sister of Johanna? Edmond and Catherine were likely born around 1840. Edmond was also from Gortacullin.
There is a baptismal record for a William in 1863. See transcription from Roots Ireland below. Here is the 1865 civil birth record for Maurice
After that the trail grows cold. I will see if I can find more records but it almost looks like the family left this area of Tipperary after 1865.
Roger
Name:William LonerganDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:04-Jun-1863Address:Not RecordedParish/District:ARDFINNAN PARISHGender:MaleCountyCo. Tipperary
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:Edmund LonerganMother:Catherine CodyOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Patrick LonerganSponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Judith MansfieldCastlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Friday 22nd May 2020, 12:44PM -
Thank you so much Roger! I am going to take a look at all of those links, greatly appreciated!
Kat
BeansMcd
Sunday 24th May 2020, 12:40PM -
Hi Roger - Thanks again for those links, they were very helpful. The Lonergan relatives are hard to figure out. Our family has always said that my paternal grandmother and grandfather were distant cousins, related to each other through the Lonergan side to the Creagh side, but I have not been able to figure out how. It appears that the link is through the Cody line. Catherine Cody Lonergan and Johanna Cody Creagh appear to have been sisters, like you said. It appears from the records that their father was Maurice Cody. Catherine married Edmond Lonergan, and they had at least one child, Maurice Lonergan. Johanna married Thomas Creagh, and they had seven kids (Mary, Bridget, Catherine, Ellen, John, Margaret and Johanna). As you said, the Lonergan trail is a bit cold after that. Catherine and Edmond must have emigrated to the U.S. sometime after Maurice was born in 1865, so there may have been more children, but those records would be in the U.S. On my father's side, his paternal grandmother was named Mary Lonergan, and she had two sisters, Margaret and Julia Lonergan. All of them were born in New Jersey. It is possible that Maurice Lonergan was their brother, but I have never heard of him. Also, he was born in 1865, and the three Lonergan sisters were born in 1883, 1884, and 1885, so that would make them 18-20 years younger than Maurice Lonergan. Of course, that could possibly make him their father (a very young father). A little complicated trying to put the puzzle together!
Kat McD
BeansMcd
Sunday 24th May 2020, 02:23PM