Hoping to get to Ireland in 2022 and visit ancestor birthplaces (so far, probably Counties Mayo, Kerry, and Sligo). I came across posts from a few years back regarding my GGgrandmother Ellen Mulvihill (abt 1820-1896) and am wondering if the original posters or the XO community might have any further details regarding her birthplace. It seems likely she is from County Kerry, but this is only a supposition based on records I can tie to several Mulvihills who settled near her in Canada (several can be traced to Listowel, Ballylongford or Moyvane). Perhaps in the late 1830s, she married Thomas Egan (abt 1807-1863). Oldest child, daughter Margaret, born abt 1840, unsure if this child born in Ireland or Canada (unable to find baptismal record and Canadian records inconsistent). Ellen and Thomas may have had a child die on the voyage to Canada (oral history, unsubstantiated--also have found no ship records for Ellen or Thomas). Ellen had a brother Michael; she mentions him by name in her will in leaving a small amount of money to his daughter. A Patrick Mulvihill (1829-1854) is listed on her gravestone, maybe a brother (haven't found any Canadian or Irish records for him). Of the Mulvihills near North Crosby Township, Ontario, Canada where she and husband settled, I have been unable to conclusiviely determine which are her siblings. Many family trees claim she is from Kerry and the child of James Mulvihill and Catherine Scanlon, but I have not found any documentation connecting that couple to Ellen or her brother Michael. Several other baptism records are available for children of James and Catherine; the Irish baptismal record for their son Patrick is dated 1837 (so either James and Catherine are not my GGgrandmother Ellen's parents or the Patrick noted on her tombstone is not her brother).
I would love to have concrete and specific information about Ellen's birthplace (or any insights regarding any of the above), but I'm also curious about a couple of other things:
-Presuming Ellen is from County Kerry, how does a gal from Kerry end up marrying a lad from County Mayo back in the early 1800s? Once again I have no hard evidence as yet, but I was told by my aunt and others have indicated that my GGgrandfather/Ellen's husband, Thomas Egan, came from County Mayo.
-Around 1840, at what port would people from Kerry begin their voyage to Canada?
-Is there any general information and/or literature on Kerry familes emigrating to Canada prior to the Great Famine?
Thank you,
CMEH
Tuesday 4th May 2021, 08:35PMMessage Board Replies
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CMEH:
The free site www.irishgenealogy.ie has Listowel RC baptismal records and they start in 1802. Marriage records start in 1837 https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0678
I think that Ellen Mulvihill and Thomas Egan married in Canada. I did not find a marriage record for the couple and did not see a baptismal record for Margaret. Also, a Kerry gal would not marry somene from Mayo unless he was in Listowel for some reason.
I searched for all the Ellen Mulvihill baptismal records in Listowel RC parish from 1809-1821. There were ten records. I then searched all of the Michael Mulvihill baptismal records in Listowel and found two situations where an Ellen and Michael were born to the same parents.
Parents John Mulvihill and Catherine McMahon had Helen Mulvihill in 1811 and Michael Mulvihill in 1815.
Parents Michael Mulvihill and Ellen Fitzgerald had Ellen Mulvihill 1817 and Michael Mulvihill 1826.
Of the two families, I would lean towards the second family only because the parents given names match the two children.
I also searched for Patrick Mulvill with either of the two sets of paretns but found no record.
I did this analysis for just Listowel but you can expand to other parishes but keep in mind that many of the neaarby parishes have records starting too late for your dates.
Possibly Ellen and Thomas left from Queenstown Co. Cork.
Let me know what questions you have.
Roger McDonnell
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Tuesday 4th May 2021, 11:13PM -
Roger, Thank you so much for your help and searches. I agree that the Michael Mulvihill and Ellen Fitzgerald family looks more promising; in fact, I did find a Patrick born 1819 (same address and parish as the other children born to Ellen Fitzgerald and Michael Mulvihill). I have not as yet been able to make any definitive connections with any of Michael Mulvihill and Ellen Fitzgerald's children and Ontario Canada where my GGgrandmother settled, so the search continues. I really appreciate your help and will let you know if I find anything. Coleen
CMEH
Tuesday 11th May 2021, 06:59PM