Place of migration
Migrated to/Born in USA
Additional Information
Date of Birth 1st Jan 1828 (circa)
Date of Death 27th Sep 1904 VIEW SOURCE
Townland born Crissard (aka. Crossard/Cropard), in Rathaspick Civil Parish, County Laois. Crissard is a very rural townland, abutting Wolfhill on the north/northwest. "Crissard" comes from the Gaelic "An Chrois Ard," meaning "the high cross."
Father (First Name/s and Surname) James Corcoran
Mother (First Name/s and Maiden) Elizabeth Conlon
Number of Siblings Five (5)
Names of Siblings Margaret (Corcoran) Knowles, Mary Corcoran, Frances (Corcoran) O'Brien, Honora Corcoran, Patrick Corcoran
Spouse (First Name/s and Maiden/Surname) William Corcoran was married twice; initially to Catherine (Kate) Elizabeth Knowles and later to Julia Gilroy. Catherine (Kate) Knowles died a little over two years after marrying William, likely as a result of complications from childbirth. VIEW SOURCE
Place & Date of Marriage Catherine (Kate) Elizabeth Knowles - married on October 11, 1869 at St. James Church in Cadyville, Clinton County, New York. Julia Gilroy- married on May 20, 1872 at St. John's Church, Plattsburgh, Clinton County, New York VIEW SOURCE
Number of Children Three (3)
Names of Children Mary Elizabeth Corcoran, Anna/Anne (Corcoran) Murtagh and John Edward Corcoran. Catherine/Kate (Knowles) Corcoran was the biological mother of Mary and Anna, while Julia Gilroy was the biological mother of John.
Occupation Farmer. It appears that William was initially a miner when he first landed in upstate New York (c. 1850) for an undetermined number of years; perhaps through 1863. He purchased land in 1863 and shortly after became a farmer until his death. VIEW SOURCE
Place of Death Beekmantown, Clinton County, New York VIEW SOURCE
New Type William Corcoran is buried, along with his second wife, Julia (Gilroy) Corcoran, at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Plattsburgh, Clinton County, New York. VIEW SOURCE
New Type William allegedly emigrated to New York circa 1850, yet I have found no records addressing his emigration. The last record I have of him in Crissard, County Laois, Ireland was in 1848. The first record I have of him in upstate New York was 1858. VIEW SOURCE
New Type I have numerous records and media saved in my Ancestry.com family tree which I can share upon request.
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Comments

  • My paternal great-grandfather, William Corcoran, was born around 1828 in the Townland of Crissard (Crossard/Cropard), Ballyadams Parish, County Laois; one of three sons of James Corcoran and Elizabeth Conlon.  Crissard was and still is a very rural and agricultural townland, located just north/northwest of Wolfhill and just northeast of Swan.  William had five siblings; Margaret Corcoran Knowles, Francis Corcoran, Mary Corcoran, Honora Corcoran and Patrick Corcoran.

    According to the 1900 U.S. Census, William emigrated to the U.S. in 1850, although I look at this as more of an estimate than a fixed date (year).  I have a record of him in Crissard in March, 1948, serving as a sponsor to the baptism of his sister Margaret Corcoran Knowles and brother-in-law Dennis Knowles' first-born, Mary Knowles.  The next record I have of William was as a witness to a wedding in Plattsburgh, Clinton County, New York in February, 1858.  So sometime between those two dates, William worked his way from County Laois to upstate New York, likely via an arrival in New York City.  

    The 1860 U.S. Census placed William in Black Brook, Clinton County, New York, working as a miner.  Iron mining was a popular industry in Black Brook during that period.  William was living in a boarding house in Black Brook in 1860, along with 13 others.  Most residents in the boarding house were Irish immigrants.  Three years later, William purchased land in the Town of Beekmantown in Clinton County, New York, about 15 miles northeast of Black Brook.  A short time later he began to farm the land, making his home in Beekmantown until his death in 1904.

    In 1869 William married Catherine (Kate) Knowles of Beekmantown.  Kate was the daughter of Patrick Knowles, another Irish immigrant from Crissard, Ballyadams Parish, County Laois.  Kate died two years later, likely the result of complications of childbirth from their second child, Anna (Annie) Corcoran.  Ironically and sadly, Anna would also die while giving birth to her only child in 1994 in Vermont.  William remarried in 1872 to Julia Gilroy, of Chazy, New York.  Julia was the daughter of Patrick Kilroy, an Irish immigrant from Monaghan County.  

    William had three children between his two wives; the aforementioned Anna Corcoran Murtagh, Mary Elizabeth Corcoran and John Edward Corcoran.  John was the only child of Julia Gilroy.  Kate Knowles was the biological mother of Anna and Mary.

    William continued to farm in the Rand Hill area of western Beekmantown, apparently up to or close to his death on September 27, 1904.  

    Notably, and of great help to my family ancestry research, William's oldest sister Margaret Corcoran Knowles was also a Beekmantown, New York resident and wife of the aforementioned Dennis Knowles, also a farmer.  Margaret, Dennis and their first two children, Mary and Michael, emigrated to New York City in 1851 - or possibly 1850.  Unfortunately, both children died within six months of arriving in New York City.  Shortly thereafter, Margaret and Dennis relocated to Beekmantown, where they had four additional children.   

     
     

    KCorcoran

    Tuesday 5th January 2021 09:31PM

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