James Tobin was born in the townland of Currdarra, in the parish of Aglish, Co. Waterford in 1821. It’s believed his father was Michael Tobin and his mother was Mary. If we follow the naming patterns; his firstborn son was Michael and although there is no second born daughter for verification, his sister Catherine also named her second born son Michael and her first born daughter Mary,
It’s known that Catherine Tobin Curran (Curreen) Flynn is his sister and its believed that he had at least *three other brothers, Patrick, Thomas, and Michael, and possibly John Tobin and a sister, Ellen.
According to church marriage records, James married Bridget Meskill in Shanakill 30 Jan 1855 in the Aglish Roman Catholic Church, with the ceremony officated by Father John O’Meara and witnessed by John Tobin and Helen Keating.
James and Bridget resided on the family farm in Curradarra and had four known children; Michael born/baptized 9 Nov 1855, Thomas born/baptized 29 Aug 1858, Catherine Tobin Kenneally born/baptized 31 Aug 1860, and James born 20 May 1867.
It appears James was the only one to remain in Ireland since an 1850 census in Yonkers NY shows his sister Catherine Curran, Michael and Patrick Tobin living in the same house. There is also a John Tobin and a Patrick Tobin who were sponsors for Catherine’s children in Yonkers. His brother Thomas, for some unknown reason, changed his last name to Curran.*
James died sometime after his son Michael married, and Bridget died, in 1888 and before the 1900 census. Bridget died 5 Mar 1888.
*Thomas Curran sold a section of land he owned in WV to his sister Catherine and her second husband Patrick Flynn in 1875 when they moved to WV and in a letter from Thomas Curran to Catherine’s daughter Mary in 1902 he signs himself, Uncle Thomas Curran. Through research and DNA it is a high certainty that Thomas Tobin changed his name at time of arrival when he immigrated to NY with Catherine and William Curran in 1847 and his arrival in WV for some unknown reason. He disappeared after arrival with no further records found and Thomas Curran shows up in 1850 in West Virginia. All DNA matches to Thomas Curran are known Tobin descendants; no Curran descendants match with him.
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1st Jan 1821 (circa) | |
| Date of Death | 1st Jan 1899 (circa) | |
| Townland born | Currdarra, in the parish of Aglish, Co. Waterford | |
| Mother (First Name/s and Maiden) | Mary | |
| Father (First Name/s and Surname) | Michael Tobin | |
| Names of Siblings | Michael, Catherine, Mary, Patrick, Thomas, John Tobin, Ellen | |
| Spouse (First Name/s and Maiden/Surname) | Bridget Meskill | |
| Place & Date of Marriage | in Shanakill 30 Jan 1855 in the Aglish Roman Catholic Church | |
| Names of Children | Michael born/baptized 9 Nov 1855, Thomas born/baptized 29 Aug 1858, Catherine Tobin Kenneally born/baptized 31 Aug 1860, and James born 20 May 1867 | |
