My great-great grandmother was born in Co. Down, Parish of Kilmegan (this is according to her obituary). She migated to New Orleans, Louisiana in USA some time around 1840. She married John Tedesco and had 5 children. I have no further information about her or her family in Ireland and would really love to know more about her family in Ireland.
Pat Dupuy
Wednesday 7th Aug 2024, 03:04PM
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Pat,
McMullen is a fairly common name in Co Down. In the 1901 census there were 483, 13 of whom were named Catherine. The name will have been equally prevalent in the early 1800s. You really need to try and find Catherine’s parents names from say her marriage or death certificate in the US to be able to identify the correct lady in Ireland. Knowing her religious denomination would help narrow the search too.
Kilmegan parish has Church of Ireland (ie Anglican) records from 1823, the local Presbyterian church has nothing before 1845 and the RC records start in 1853. The only ones that might help you are the Church of Ireland records, if she was Anglican/Episcopalian and born after 1823. There’s a copy of those records in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast.
Here’s a link to a Co Down website with dozens of McMullens, including another Catherine from the town of Castlewellan in Kilmegan who married in 1850. You’ll perhaps get a sense of the numbers there were from that source.
https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~rosdavies/genealogy/SURNAMES/Mc/McMulle…
Possibly DNA testing may be a way of matching with others who have additional information about where the family originate. Family Tree DNA reportedly has more people with Ulster roots than any other company. That obviously increases the chances of finding a match. You might want to try them or, if you have already tested, you can transfer your results to them for no fee.
The North of Ireland Family History Society is running an Ulster DNA project in conjunction with FTDNA and can offer testing kits at a reduced price. http://www.nifhs.org (Go to DNA project on the website).
Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Wednesday 7th Aug 2024, 05:07PM -
Pat,
For clarification based on her gravesite Catherine was born around 1835.
Name Catherine Tedesco Maiden Name McMullen Gender Female Birth Date 1835 Birth Place Ireland Death Date 31 Dec 1891 Death Place New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States of America Cemetery Greenwood Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States of America Has Bio? Y Spouse John Tedesco (Giovanni) Children Antone TedescoJohn TedescoTheresa BlandMary Jane RobertsonBella Ford URL https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/90034259/catherine-tedesco If she immigrated around 1840, did she go to New Orleans with her parents or some family member?
Regards- Mary
MaryTV
Wednesday 7th Aug 2024, 05:54PM -
Pat,
Record found on Ancestry. A Catherine Mcmillan was travelling with William age 22 McMillan and Sarah McMillan age 22 to New Orleans in 1843.
Name Catherine McMillan Arrival Age 4 Birth Date abt 1839 Port of Departure Liverpool, England Arrival Date 10 May 1843 Port of Arrival New Orleans, Louisiana Ship Name Yorkshire Regards- Mary
MaryTV
Wednesday 7th Aug 2024, 06:04PM