Surname Saturday – Ryan (County Kilkenny, Ireland)

Mary RYAN, of County Kilkenny, Ireland, is my third great-grandmother. She married John MILLETT and they had eight known children. At least three of the children left Ireland and settled in the US. My direct line ancestors are in blue.

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First Generation

1.	Mary1 RYAN was born about 1842, probably in County Kilkenny, Ireland, and died on 29 December 1912, probably in County Kilkenny. Mary married John MILLETT on 20 February 1860 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland. John was born about 1841. Children from this marriage were:

+ 2	i.	Margareth2 MILLETT was baptized on 3 February 1863 in Oldgrange, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland, and died on 7 January 1945 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois.
3	ii.	Michael MILLETT was born on 10 April 1865 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland. In January 1945 he was living in New York.
4	iii.	Mary MILLETT was born on 17 November 1867 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland.
5	iv.	Robert MILLETT was born on 14 July 1872 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland.
6	v.	Ellen MILLETT was born on 14 July 1874 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland. By January 1945 she had married a ROBERTSON and was living in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts.
7	vi.	Anne MILLETT was born about 1878 in County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland and may have died in 1902.
8	vii.	Catherine MILLETT was born in 1882 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland. Catherine married John POWERS.

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Second Generation

2.

Margareth2 MILLETT (Mary1 Ryan) was baptized on 3 February 1863 in Oldgrange, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland, and died on 7 January 1945 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. Margareth married Thomas Robert CAHILL, son of Michael CAHILL and Anne HALE, on 3 July 1887 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. Thomas was baptized on 8 Mary 1860 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland, and died on 15 October 1929 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. Children from this marriage were:

9	i.	Mary3 Ann "Marie" CAHILL was born on 8 November 1888 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 5 May 1972 in South Bend, St. Joseph, Indiana. She married first, Leonard ANDERSON; second, Lloyd NOLEN.
10	ii.	Margaret CAHILL was born on 18 January 1891 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 26 September 1967. She married Roger HILLBROOK.
11	iii.	Thomas Michael CAHILL was born on 1 February 1893 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 29 March 1972 in Danville, Vermilion, Illinois. He married first, Marie NICHOLS; second, Carrie WALLEY.
+ 12	iv.	John F CAHILL was born on 22 May 1895 in Illinois and died on 16 January 1967 in Sturgis, Saint Joseph, Michigan.
13	v.	Rose Ella CAHILL was born on 23 April 1897 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 25 August 1898 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois.
14	vi.	Robert Emmett CAHILL was born on 22 January 1900 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 17 March 1974 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. He married Edna DAVIS.

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Third Generation

9.

John3 F CAHILL (Margareth2 Millett, Mary1 Ryan) was born on 22 May 1895 probably in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 16 January 1967 in Sturgis, Saint Joseph, Michigan. John married Catherine M SCHWARTZ, daughter of Johann "John" SCHWARTZ and Margarethe "Margaret" KREMER, on 25 April 1916 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. Catherine was born on 16 April 1894 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 26 January 1925 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois Children from this marriage were:

15	i.	Raymond4 J CAHILL was born on 8 February 1918 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 21 June 1987 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. He married Ruth HARVEY and may have been married once prior to that marriage.
16	ii.	Marcella Marion CAHILL was born on 22 February 1920 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 2 October 2010 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. She married Leo SCHAG.
17	iii.	John "Jack" Francis CAHILL was born on 12 June 1922 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 16 September 1984 in Addison, DuPage, Illinois. He married Joan McMAHON, and their only son, Joseph, was my father.

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Disclaimer: Information is based on research completed as of 10 May 2013. Some details have been omitted to protect the privacy of living relatives.

Sources: Available upon request.

PDF Available: The content of this post is available as a PDF through Scribd and may updated periodically as new information is found.

Other Blog Posts: To see other posts about the Ryan family, click here. To see other Surname Saturday posts, click here.

Contact: If you would like more information about this family, or would like to share what you know, please contact me at genblogjulie@gmail.com.

Surname Saturday – Hale (Ireland)

The only thing I know about my third great-grandmother, Anne HALE, is that she married Michael CAHILL on 30 January 1855 in Thomastown, Kilkenny, Ireland. I have no idea when she was born, when she died, or who her parents (or other relatives) are...she's a bit of a mystery. At least two of Anne's children left Ireland and settled in Aurora, Kane, Illinois (one son eventually removed from Aurora and settled in Chicago, Cook, Illinois). My direct line ancestors are in blue.

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First Generation

1.	Anne1 HALE, married Michael CAHILL on 30 January 1855 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland. Children from this marriage were:

2	i.	John2 CAHILL was born on 2 April 1856. (This son has not been proven by me personally.)
+ 3	ii.	Thomas Robert CAHILL was baptized on 8 May 1860 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland and died on 15 October 1929 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois.
+ 4	iii.	John F CAHILL was baptized on 4 April 1863 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland and died on 4 November 1937 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.
5	iv.	Margaret CAHILL was baptized on 5 January 1867 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland.
6	v.	Daniel J CAHILL was born in 1870. (This son has not been proven by me personally.)

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Second Generation

3.

Thomas2 Robert CAHILL (Anne1 Hale) was baptized on 8 May 1860 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland and died on 15 October 1929 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. Thomas married Margareth MILLETT, daughter of John MILLETT and Mary RYAN, on 3 July 1887 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. Margareth was baptized on 3 February 1863 in Oldgrange, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland and died on 7 January 1945 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. Children from this marriage were:

7	i.	Mary3 Ann "Marie" CAHILL was born on 8 November 1888 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 5 May 1972 in South Bend, St. Joseph, Indiana. She married first, Leonard ANDERSON; second, Lloyd NOLEN.
8	ii.	Margaret CAHILL was born on 18 January 1891 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 26 September 1967. She married Roger HILLBROOK.
9	iii.	Thomas Michael CAHILL was born on 1 February 1893 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 29 March 1972 in Danville, Vermilion, Illinois. He married first, Marie NICHOLS; second, Carrie WALLEY.
+ 10	iv.	John F CAHILL was born on 22 May 1895 in Illinois and died on 16 January 1967 in Sturgis, Saint Joseph, Michigan.
11	v.	Rose Ella CAHILL was born on 23 April 1897 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 25 August 1898 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois.
12	vi.	Robert Emmett CAHILL was born on 22 January 1900 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 17 March 1974 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. He married Edna DAVIS.

4.

John2 F CAHILL (Anne1 Hale) was born baptized on 4 April 1863 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland and died on 4 November 1937 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. John married Anna "Annie" M GLYNN, daughter of Lawrence GLYNN and Mary CONNLEY, on 27 September 1892 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. Anna was born on 27 October 1866 in County Kings, Leinster, Ireland and died on 7 March 1937 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Children from this marriage were:

13	i.	James3 CAHILL, born and died between 1892 and 1900.
14	ii.	Theresa "Tessie" CAHILL was born on 8 August 1895 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 17 May 1986 in Youngstown, Mahoning, Ohio. She married Winslow KARAS.
15	iii.	Clarence M CAHILL was born on 31 May 1900 in Illinois and died on 7 December 1964 in Cook County, Illinois. He married Della ROCHE.
16	iv.	June CAHILL was born cal. 7 June 1902 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 21 July 1905 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois.
17	v.	John F CAHILL was born on 10 July 1905 in Illinois and died circa 7 November 1976 in Cook County, Illinois. He married Helen SMITH.
18	vi.	Esther CAHILL was born about 1908 in Illinois and died on 3 May 1994 in , Lee, Florida. She married first, Robert BULLER; second, Ivor PARKER.

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Third Generation

10.

John3 F CAHILL (Thomas Robert2, Anne1 Hale) was born on 22 May 1895 probably in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 16 January 1967 in Sturgis, Saint Joseph, Michigan. John married Catherine M SCHWARTZ, daughter of Johann "John" SCHWARTZ and Margarethe "Margaret" KREMER, on 25 April 1916 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. Catherine was born on 16 April 1894 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 26 January 1925 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. Children from this marriage were:

19	i.	Raymond4 J CAHILL was born on 8 February 1918 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 21 June 1987 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. He married Ruth HARVEY and may have been married once prior to that marriage.
20	ii.	Marcella Marion CAHILL was born on 22 February 1920 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 2 October 2010 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. She married Leo SCHAG.
21	iii.	John "Jack" Francis CAHILL was born on 12 June 1922 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 16 September 1984 in Addison, DuPage, Illinois. He married Joan McMAHON, and their only son, Joseph, was my father.

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Disclaimer: Information is based on research completed as of 3 May2013. Some details have been omitted to protect the privacy of living relatives.

Sources: Available upon request.

PDF Available: The content of this post is available as a PDF through Scribd and may updated periodically as new information is found.

Other Blog Posts: To see other posts about the Hale family, click here. To see other Surname Saturday posts, click here.

Contact: If you would like more information about this family, or would like to share what you know, please contact me at genblogjulie@gmail.com.

Surname Saturday – Mulligan (Ireland / Michigan / Illinois / Canada / Ohio

James MULLIGAN is third great-grandfather. He was born on 7 December 1812 in Dublin, Ireland. By 1850, he is living in the United States. According to a genealogy compiled by my family, his daughter, Sarah Jane, was named Jane after James' sister. He may also have had a brother, Joseph, who was listed as living with James in the 1850 census, born in Ireland, and the right age to be a sibling. Also, according to the compiled genealogy, there is a note that reads: "James Mulligan's father kept a tavern a couple of miles from Dublin, at the cross-roads." Beyond these few clues, I have no idea who James' parents were, or if there are other siblings.  My direct line ancestors are in blue.

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First Generation

1.

James1 MULLIGAN was born on 7 December 1812 in Dublin, Leinster, Ireland, and died on 8 September 1879 in Flint, Genesee, Michigan. James married first, Margaret --?-- before 1850. Margaret was born about 1820 in Ireland and probably died between 1850 and 1860. Known children from this marriage were:

2	i.	Maria2 MULLIGAN was born about 1839 in Ireland.
3	ii.	Patrick MULLIGAN was born about 1842 in Ireland.
4	iii.	Michael MULLIGAN was born about 1847 in Ireland.
5	iv.	Bridget MULLIGAN was born about 1848 in Ireland.

James married second, Sophia --?--, between 1850 and 1860. Sophia was born about 1823 in New York and died on 5 February 1865 in Oakland County, Michigan. Because the fate of Margaret is unknown and the date of marriage for James and Sophia is also unknown, the children below could belong to either Margaret or Sophia. However, James does list in his marriage record that Sophia is his mother. Known children from this marriage were:

6	i.	Joseph2 MULLIGAN was born about 1851 in Michigan. He may have married Emma J Tower on 17 October 1872 in Grand Blanc, Genesee, Michigan. Everything seems to line up, but this has not been confirmed.
7	ii.	James P MULLIGAN was born 12 December 1856 in Pontiac, Oakland, Michigan, and died on 26 November 1932 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.
8	iii.	Julia MULLIGAN was born about 1858 and died on 2 November 1863 in Oakland County, Michigan.

James married third, Sarah Norton WEBSTER, daughter of Calvin Price WEBSTER and Betsey PARKS, on 5 November 1865 in Pontiac, Oakland, Michigan. Sarah was the widow of Abram Marshall COFFINGER. Sarah was born on 14 September 1828 in Bloomfield, Oakland, Michigan, and died on 10 August 1894 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Children from this marriage were:

+ 9	i.	Edward2 MULLIGAN was born on 8 April 1867 in Lapeer, Lapeer, Michigan, and died on 17 June 1924 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.
+ 10	ii.	Sarah Jane MULLIGAN was born on 16 April 1870 in Flint, Genesee, Michigan, and died on 26 April 1947 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.
11	iii.	Margaret Elizabeth MULLIGAN was born on 25 August 1873 in Flint, Genesee, Michigan, and died on 6 February 1886 in Flint, Genesee, Michigan.

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Second Generation

7.

James2 P MULLIGAN (James1) was born 12 December 1856 in Pontiac, Oakland, Michigan, and died on 26 November 1932 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio. James married Emma Jane MARTIN on 7 November 1877 in Petrolia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada. Emma was born in May 1850 in St. Thomas, Elgin, Ontario, Canada and died between June 1900 and November 1932. Known children from this marriage were:

12	i.	Lawrence3 MULLIGAN was born on 15 August 1878 in Petrolia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada and died before 1880.
+ 13	ii.	John James MULLIGAN was born on 17 August 1879 in Flint, Genesee, Michigan, died on 15 April 1941 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.
+ 14	iii.	Sophia MULLIGAN was born on 6 November 1881 in Petrolia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada and died on 14 March 1949 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.
+ 15	iv.	Mary E MULLIGAN was born on 25 March 1884 in Petrolia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada, and died on 4 September 1946 in Lakewood, Cuyahoga, Ohio.
16	v.	Arthur MULLIGAN was born on 6 January 1887 in Enniskillen, Lambton, Ontario, Canada and died before 1891.
17	vi.	Joseph MULLIGAN was born on 10 May 1889 in Ontario, Canada, and died on 13 December 1911 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio. He never married and had no children.

9.

Edward2 P MULLIGAN (James1) was born on 8 April 1867 in Lapeer, Lapeer, Michigan, and died on 17 June 1924 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Edward married Sarah RALPH, daughter of Richard RALPH and Elizabeth LOMAS, on 6 August 1891 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Sarah was born on 25 June 1871 in Dublin, Leinster, Ireland, and died on 7 November 1930 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Children from this marriage were:

18	i.	Sarah3 "Sadie" Jane MULLIGAN was born on 24 April 1892 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, died circa 25 December 1972. She married Joseph M GRAFTON on 5 November 191 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Sarah and Joseph had six children.
19	ii.	Ralph Edward MULLIGAN was born on 1 December 1893 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 23 March 1949 in Cook County, Illinois.
20	iii.	Frances Margarite MULLIGAN was born on 15 August 1897 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died between January 1920 and June 1924.
21	iv.	Joseph MULLIGAN was born about 1898 in Illinois and died before 1949.

10.

Sarah2 Jane MULLIGAN (James1) was born on 16 April 1870 in Flint, Genesee, Michigan, and died on 26 April 1947 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Sarah married James Manly GARRISON, son of Susan --?--, on 23 January 1893 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. James was born on 26 December 1861 in Picton, Prince Edward, Ontario, Canada, and died on 23 May 1909 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Children from this marriage were:

22	i.	James3 Norton GARRISON was born on 19 September 1895 in Petrolia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada, and died in September 1962 in Ohio. He married Lorene PLATT and they had one child.
23	ii.	Joseph Webster GARRISON was born on 4 January 1898 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 23 July 1930 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. He never married and had no children.
+ 24	iii.	Emma Jane GARRISON was born on 3 November 1901 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 20 October 1970 in Elk Grove Village, Cook, Illinois.
25	iv.	Robert Parks GARRISON was born on 12 November 1904 in Illinois and died on 19 December 1984 in Polk County, Florida. He married Florence BOAM and they had one child.

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Third Generation

13.

John3 James MULLIGAN (James2 P, James1) was born on 17 August 1879 in Flint, Genesee, Michigan, died on 15 April 1941 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio. John married Catherine LYDON on 22 July 1903 in , Cuyahoga, Ohio. Catherine was born on 13 May 1880 in County Mayo, Ireland, and died on 7 September 1945 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio. Children from this marriage were:

26	i.	Anna4 Elise MULLIGAN was born on 10 May 1904 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.
27	ii.	Catherine Blanche MULLIGAN was born on 24 May 1906 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, and died on 16 February 1934 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.
28	iii.	Charles Martin MULLIGAN was born on 30 November 1908 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, and died on 22 May 1927 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio. He never married and had no children.
29	iv.	Thomas MULLIGAN was born circa 1911 in Ohio.
30	v.	Bernard MULLIGANwas born circa 1915 in Ohio.

14.

Sophia3 MULLIGAN (James2 P, James1) was born on 6 November 1881 in Petrolia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada and died on 14 March 1949 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio. Sophia married Godfreid "Fred" NEUBERT on 28 September 1898 in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Godfreid was born on 19 September 1878 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio. Known children from this marriage were:

31

i.

Herman4 NEUBERT was born in July 1899 in Ohio and died after June 1900.

15.	Mary3 E MULLIGAN (James2 P, James1) was born on 25 March 1884 in Petrolia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada, and died on 4 September 1946 in Lakewood, Cuyahoga, Ohio. Mary married Thomas QUINN on 15 July 1902 in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Thomas died before April 1910. Known children from this marriage were:

32	i.	Cecilia4 or Celia E QUINN was born on 2 February 1903 in Youngstown, Mahoning, Ohio.
33	ii.	Agnes QUINN was born on 24 November 1904 in Youngstown, Mahoning, Ohio.
34	iii.	Anna M QUINN was born about 1908 in Ohio.

24.

Emma3 Jane GARRISON (Sarah2 Jane, James1) was born on 3 November 1901 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 20 October 1970 in Elk Grove Village, Cook, Illinois. Emma married John Ward McMAHON, son of Timothy James McMAHON and Sarah Jane WARD, on 26 May 1923 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. John was born on 7 April 1902 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 24 June 1962 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Children from this marriage were:

35	i.	Joan4 Garrison McMAHON was born on 6 February 1927 in Oak Park, Cook, Illinois, died on 1 March 1980 in Kissimmee, Osceola, Florida, while visiting her uncle Robert GARRISON. She married John “Jack” Francis CAHILL; their only son, Joseph, was my father.
36	ii.	Florence June McMAHON was born on 16 November 1929 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois and died on 17 October 2009 in Big Sandy, Upshur, Texas. She was married three times and had two children.

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Disclaimer: Information is based on research completed as of 28 March 2013.  Some details have been omitted to protect the privacy of living relatives.

Sources: Available upon request.

PDF Available: The content of this post is available as a PDF through Scribd and may updated periodically as new information is found.

Other Blog Posts: To see other posts about the Mulligan family, click here.  To see other Surname Saturday posts, click here.

Contact: If you would like more information about this family, or would like to share what you know, please contact me at genblogjulie@gmail.com.

Surname Saturday – Ward (Ireland / Illinois)

My WARD line is one of my more challenging lines.  The earliest known ancestor is my third great-grandfather, James WARD and I don’t know much about him.  He was apparently married prior to marrying my third great-grandmother, Bridget, but I have no information about his first wife.  The only clues come from the 1880 census, which shows James with three additional children, all born before James and Bridget married. 

And, for the longest time, I though Bridget’s maiden name was Shevlin/Shevlan, but after some digging and a closer look at their marriage certificate, I’m not so sure; she may have been married previously as well.  A lot of mystery around this family.  Here’s what I know so far.  My direct line ancestors are in blue.

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First Generation

1.	James1 WARD was born about 1840 in Ireland.  I suspect he died between 1887 and 1890.  James married first, an unknown woman. Known children from this marriage were:

2	i.	May2 WARD was born about 1861 in New York.
3	ii.	Phillip WARD was born about 1866 in Massachusetts.
4	iii.	John WARD was born about 1868 in Illinois.

James married second, Bridget Shevlin (not sure if this is her maiden name or a married name) on 17 May 1874 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Bridget was born about 1838 in Ireland and died on 19 July 1912 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Known children from this marriage were:

+ 5	i.	Sarah2 Jane WARD was born on 7 April 1875 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 8 October 1956 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.
6	ii.	Rosanna WARD was born on 19 December 1877 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. I believe that Rosanna married John O’Connor on 21 December 1910 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois and that they had at least two children.

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Second Generation

5.

Sarah2 Jane WARD (James1) was born on 7 April 1875 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 8 October 1956 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  Sarah married Timothy James McMAHON, son of Timothy McMAHON and Margaret RYAN, on 11 November 1899 in Lake County, Indiana.  Timothy was born on 14 May 1874 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 14 October 1939 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Children from this marriage were:

+ 7	i.	John3 Ward McMAHON was born on 7 April 1902 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 24 June 1962 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.
8	ii.	Timothy G "Thomas" McMAHON was born on 17 March 1904 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 10 January 1969 in Cook County, Illinois.  Timothy married first, Nellie Helen FENNEMA, between 1920 and 1927.  Nellie was born 20 March 1903 in Missouri and died on 26 January 1927 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  He married second, Eleanor BRANDENBURG, on 30 June 1937 in Cook County, Illinois.  Eleanor was born on 26 March 1910 in Illinois and died on 14 December 1983 in California.

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Third Generation

7.

John3 Ward McMAHON (Sarah2 Jane, James1) was born on 7 April 1902 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 24 June 1962 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  John married Emma Jane GARRISON, daughter of James Manly GARRIOSN and Sarah Jane MULLIGAN, on 26 May 1923 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  Emma was born on 3 November 1901 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 20 October 1970 in Elk Grove Village, Cook, Illinois. Children from this marriage were:

9	i.	Joan4 Garrison McMAHON was born on 6 February 1927 in Oak Park, Cook, Illinois, and died on 1 March 1980 in Kissimmee, Osceola, Florida.  She married John “Jack” Francis CAHILL; their only son, Joseph, was my father.
10	ii.	Florence June McMAHON was born on 16 November 1929 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 17 October 2009 in Big Sandy, Upshur, Texas.

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Disclaimer: Information is based on research completed as of 22 March 2013. Some details have been omitted to protect the privacy of living relatives.

Sources: Available upon request.

PDF Available: The content of this post is available as a PDF through Scribd and may updated periodically as new information is found.

Other Blog Posts: To see other posts about the Ward family, click here. To see other Surname Saturday posts, click here.

Contact: If you would like more information about this family, or would like to share what you know, please contact me at genblogjulie@gmail.com.

Surname Saturday – Millett (Ireland / Illinois)

John MILLETT (with variants including Milot, Milett, Millet, Mylett, Mylot) is my third great-grandfather. He lived in Ireland, but may have been born elsewhere. He married Mary RYAN and they had eight known children. At least three of the children left Ireland and settled in the US. I believe I have found a sister for John and hopefully that will provide additional clues and perhaps lead to their parents.  My direct line ancestors are in blue.

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First Generation

1.

John1 MILLETT was born about 1841; no death information has been found at this time, but he was living in 1911 when he was enumerated for the Ireland census. John married Mary RYAN on 20 February 1860 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland. Mary was born about 1841, probably in County Kilkenny, and died on 29 December 1912. Children from this marriage were:

+ 2	i.	Margareth2 MILLETT was baptized on 3 February 1863 in Oldgrange, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland, and died on 7 January 1945 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois.
3	ii.	Michael MILLETT was born on 10 April 1865 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland. In January 1945 he was living in New York.
4	iii.	Mary MILLETT was born on 17 November 1867 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland.
5	iv.	Robert MILLETT was born on 14 July 1872 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland.
6	v.	Ellen MILLETT was born on 14 July 1874 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland. By January 1945 she had married a ROBERTSON and was living in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts.
7	vi.	Anne MILLETT was born about 1878 in County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland and may have died in 1902.
8	vii.	Catherine MILLETT was born in 1882 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland. Catherine married John POWERS.

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Second Generation

2.

Margareth2 MILLETT (John1) was baptized on 3 February 1863 in Oldgrange, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland, and died on 7 January 1945 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. Margareth married Thomas Robert CAHILL, son of Michael CAHILL and Anne HALE, on 3 July 1887 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. Thomas was baptized on 8 Mary 1860 in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland, and died on 15 October 1929 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. Children from this marriage were:

9	i.	Mary3 Ann "Marie" CAHILL was born on 8 November 1888 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 5 May 1972 in South Bend, St. Joseph, Indiana.  She married first, Leonard ANDERSON; second, Lloyd NOLEN.
10	ii.	Margaret CAHILL was born on 18 January 1891 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 26 September 1967.  She married Roger HILLBROOK.
11	iii.	Thomas Michael CAHILL was born on 1 February 1893 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 29 March 1972 in Danville, Vermilion, Illinois.  He married first, Marie NICHOLS; second, Carrie WALLEY.
+ 12	iv.	John F CAHILL was born on 22 May 1895 in Illinois and died on 16 January 1967 in Sturgis, Saint Joseph, Michigan.
13	v.	Rose Ella CAHILL was born on 23 April 1897 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 25 August 1898 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois.
14	vi.	Robert Emmett CAHILL was born on 22 January 1900 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 17 March 1974 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois.  He married Edna DAVIS.

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Third Generation

9.

John3 F CAHILL (Margareth2, John1) was born on 22 May 1895 probably in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 16 January 1967 in Sturgis, Saint Joseph, Michigan.  John married Catherine M SCHWARTZ, daughter of Johann "John" SCHWARTZ and Margarethe "Margaret" KREMER, on 25 April 1916 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois.  Catherine was born on 16 April 1894 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 26 January 1925 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois Children from this marriage were:

15	i.	Raymond4 J CAHILL was born on 8 February 1918 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 21 June 1987 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois.  He married Ruth HARVEY and may have been married once prior to that marriage.
16	ii.	Marcella Marion CAHILL was born on 22 February 1920 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 2 October 2010 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois.  She married Leo SCHAG.
17	iii.	John "Jack" Francis CAHILL was born on 12 June 1922 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois and died on 16 September 1984 in Addison, DuPage, Illinois.  He married Joan McMAHON, and their only son, Joseph, was my father.

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Disclaimer: Information is based on research completed as of 6 March 2013. Some details have been omitted to protect the privacy of living relatives.

Sources: Available upon request.

PDF Available: The content of this post is available as a PDF through Scribd and may updated periodically as new information is found.

Other Blog Posts: To see other posts about the Millett family, click here. To see other Surname Saturday posts, click here.

Contact: If you would like more information about this family, or would like to share what you know, please contact me at genblogjulie@gmail.com.

Surname Saturday: McMahon (Ireland / Illinois)

My McMAHON line apparently comes from somewhere in County Tipperary, Ireland. Timothy MCMAHON, my third great-grandfather, it the earliest known/proven ancestor in that line. Timothy left Ireland around 1864 and settled in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  My direct line ancestors are in blue.

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First Generation

1.

Timothy McMAHON, was born about 1845 in County Tipperary, Ireland, and died on 29 March 1913 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  According to his death certificate, his parents were John McMAHON and Rebecca O’BRIEN, both born in Ireland.  Timothy married Margaret RYAN, widow of Edward MURNANE, on 29 June 1873 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  Margaret was born about 1846 in County Tipperary, Ireland, and died on 23 July 1928 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Children from this marriage were:

+ 2	i.	Timothy James McMAHON was born on 14 May 1874 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 14 October 1939 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.
3	ii.	John Joseph McMAHON was born on 27 September 1875 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 11 September 1937 in Cook County, Illinois.  He never married and had no children.
4	iii.	Ellen "Nellie" G McMAHON was born on 21 January 1882 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 14 November 1937 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  She never married and had no children.
5	iv.	Jeramiah "Jerry" William McMAHON was born on 8 August 1883 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois and died on 20 February 1928 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Jeramiah married first, Florence SHANNON on 23 May 1904 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  He married second, Ellen (or Ella) between 1920 and 1928.
6	v.	Elizabeth "Lizzie" V McMAHON was born on 18 June 1886 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died circa 1 October 1955 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  Elizabeth married Arthur L FRANCOEUR on 29 June 1937 in Cook County, Illinois.  Arthur was born on 1 November 1889, and died on 3 March 1971 in Miami, Dade, Florida.

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Second Generation

2.

Timothy James McMAHON was born on 14 May 1874 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 14 October 1939 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  Timothy married Sarah Jane WARD, daughter of James WARD and Bridget SHEVLIN (may be a married name), on 11 November 1899 in Lake County, Indiana.  Sarah was born on 7 April 1875 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 8 October 1956 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Children from this marriage were:

+ 7	i.	John Ward McMAHON was born on 7 April 1902 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 24 June 1962 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.
8	ii.	Timothy G "Thomas" McMAHON was born on 17 March 1904 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 10 January 1969 in Cook County, Illinois.  Timothy married first, Nellie Helen FENNEMA, between 1920 and 1927.  Nellie was born 20 March 1903 in Missouri and died on 26 January 1927 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  He married second, Eleanor BRANDENBURG, on 30 June 1937 in Cook County, Illinois.  Eleanor was born on 26 March 1910 in Illinois and died on 14 December 1983 in California.

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Third Generation

7.

John Ward McMAHON was born on 7 April 1902 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 24 June 1962 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  John married Emma Jane GARRISON, daughter of James Manly GARRISON and Sarah Jane MULLIGAN, on 26 May 1923 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  Emma was born on 3 November 1901 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 20 October 1970 in Elk Grove Village, Cook, Illinois. Children from this marriage were:

9	i.	Joan Garrison McMAHON was born on 6 February 1927 in Oak Park, Cook, Illinois, and died on 1 March 1980 in Kissimmee, Osceola, Florida.  She married John “Jack” Francis CAHILL; their only son, Joseph, was my father.
10	ii.	Florence June McMAHON was born on 16 November 1929 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and died on 17 October 2009 in Big Sandy, Upshur, Texas.

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Disclaimer: Information is based on research completed as of 23 January 2013. Some details have been omitted to protect the privacy of living relatives.

Sources: Available upon request.

PDF Available: The content of this post is available as a PDF through Scribd and may updated periodically as new information is found.

Other Blog Posts: To see other posts about the McMahon family, click here. To see other Surname Saturday posts, click here.

Contact: If you would like more information about this family, or would like to share what you know, please contact me at genblogjulie@gmail.com.

An Example of a Record Found in the British Army Pensioners – Royal Hospital Kilmainham Collection at Findmypast.com

A little bit ago, I posted about a new collection added to Findmypast.com.  It seemed like an interesting collection so I decided to check it out further and share with you what I found.

First, I had a hard time locating the record collection.  But after a few minutes of sleuthing, I managed to find it.  Depending on where you look, the collection is either called British Army Pensioners – Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Ireland, 1783-1822 or Kilmainham Pensioners – British Army Service Records 1783-1822.  This is the link to search the collection specifically, through the findmypast.com US version (it also contains more information about the records).

I did a search on the surname Cahill and there were 12 results.  I found one in County Kilkenny, which happens to be from where my Cahills are from.  Below is the first page (pretty much a blank page on the back), and although it is small, you can see that there is quite a bit of information.

This particular record is the discharge paperwork for Sergeant William Cahill, who was “born in the Parish of Freshford in or near the Town of Freshford in the County of Kilkenny was enlisted for the aforesaid Regiment at Kilkenny in the County of Kilkenny on the 11^th Day of July at the Age of 25 years for the Kilk[enny] Militia.”  He served in the Army for 29 years and 71 days, from 11 July 1793 to 25 September 1822.  During his service, he was a Private for about six-and-a-half years, a Corporal for over a year-and-a-half, and a Sergeant for over 21 years.

After the service record, there is some more interesting information, some of which is obscured by a stamp.  I think it has to do with his discharge, and I can tell that his “character” was “very good.”  I’ve transcribed the 6th through 8th items below.

[begin transcription]

6th. Certificate of the Settlement of all Demands.	THAT he has received all just Demands of Pay, Clothing, &c. from his Entry into the Service to the date of this Discharge, as appears by his Receipt underneath.
7th. Acknowledgement of the Receipt of all Demands.	I Wm Cahill do hereby acknowledge that I have received all my Clothing Pay, Arrears of Pay, and all just Demands whatsoever, from the time of my Entry into the Service to the date of this Discharge. Witnessed by John Gordon [??]  Signature of the Soldier } Willm Cahill Serj [notice that he signs his name Willm not Wm]
8th. Certificate of Description.	TO prevent any improper use being made of this Discharge, by its falling into other Hands, the following is a Description of the said Wm Cahill He is about 54 Years, of Age, is 6 Feet 1 Inches in height, Brown Hair, Gray Eyes, Fair Complexion; and by Trade or Occupation a Laborer

Given under my Hand, and the Seal of the Regiment at Castle[??] this 24th Day of Sept^r 1822

Signature of the Commanding Officer. } [illegible] Col. Kil[kenny] Reg[iment] Militia

[end of transcription]

Certainly a neat document.  Learned quite a bit about this gentleman.  I wonder if he’s related to my Cahills of Kilkenny.  Freshford is about 19 miles from Thomastown, which is where my Cahills are from.  I have no idea about my Cahill line prior to the baptism of my third great-grandfather in 1834 (and I not even sure if the record is for him!), so who knows.  At least I had fun exploring a new-to-me record type.

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Image:  Discharge papers for Serj. Wm Cahill, digital image obtained from findmaypast.com, Kilmainham Pensioners British Army Service Records 1771-1821 collection on 7 December 2012.

Resources for Genealogy Research in Ireland

In September, I wrote about my Link Collection to Various Genealogy & History Resources Online. This collection is my Diigo bookmark library targeted at genealogy. I created a list for each state, as well as a few countries and various topics. There is also a list for general genealogy resources. Over the next week or so, I will highlight some of these lists.

Irish Genealogy

Irish genealogy can be a little tricky depending on the time period.  Hopefully some of these resources will help you out, as they have for me.

Irish Genealogy Toolkit – A great reference for Irish research.  If you want to get your bearings in Irish genealogy, I recommend you start here.  Provides useful information regarding various records types, if and where they are available, and how to use them.  Also includes a handful of Ireland maps, as well as genealogy forms and charts.

Census of Ireland 1901 & 1911 – Digital images of the 1901 and 1911 censuses are available through the National Archives of Ireland website for free.  Note:  There are multiple pages of the census including a household form, two building forms, and the enumerator's abstract of a street or townland.

Ask About Ireland – Tons of resources including digitized books (they refer to them as eBooks) and informational articles.  Visit the Reading Room for these resources.

IreAtlas Townland Database – Gives you the county, barony, civil parish, poor law union, and province for each townland.  Knowing this information is necessary in order to figure out where to look for a particular record.  If for some reason your search for a townland name doesn’t reveal any matches, run a search on only the county and it will pull up a list for every town in the county.  Sometimes the search is just wonky, other times the town may be listed as a variant of how you thought it was spelled or presented (one word versus two words).

Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives – Various abstracts and transcriptions of records including cemetery, directories, newspapers, and vital records.

Centre for Irish Genealogical and Historical Studies – Various resources for Irish research, including a guide for both researching in the National Archives of Ireland and the General Register Office of Ireland.

Irish Archives Resource – "This web site contains information about archival collections open for public research in Ireland. Its purpose is to aid researchers in finding collections relevant to their studies."

Visit Irish Genealogy for the entire list of Irish resources, or visit my library to see my entire collection and other lists.

I’m always updating these resources, so be sure to check back regularly. To receive updates to the Irish Genealogy list, you can subscribe via RSS. You can also subscribe to my entire collection at for updates to all of my lists.

Friday Finds – 06/03/10

Weekly column sharing genealogy-related things that I’ve learned or found.

Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford – This organization’s main purpose is to preserve the history of Hartford, Connecticut.  It’s membership is made up of those who descend from any of the 164 founders of Hartford.  What’s really nice is that there are short biographies on each of the 164 founders.

1901 Ireland Census – The 1901 Ireland census is now available online, in addition to the 1911 census previously available, via the National Archives of Ireland.

Family of John Webster – This 30-page book, written by Noah Webster, was recently added to the Internet Archives collection.  To keep track of what’s been added to Internet Archive courtesy of the Allen County Public Library, you can add their feed to your RSS reader.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun – 02/27/10

Randy over at Genea-Musings has the following challenge this week:

If you won grand prize in the Ancestry.com Ultimate Family History Journey Sweepstakes of $20,000 for genealogy travel to places of your choice, where would you go?

Before I got started on this blog post, I headed over and entered to win.  It looks like you can enter daily until April 30th.  I think they’re running the contest to coincide with the new TV series Who Do You Think You Are?.  In addition to the grand prize, 20 World Deluxe subscriptions will be awarded.

So where would I go?  I would definitely head to Ireland.  I would spend some time at the National Archives of Ireland doing considerable research.  Then I’d visit Thomastown, County Kilkenny, which is where one branch of my Irish ancestors came from.  Here, I’d probably do some cemetery research and hit some local libraries to learn more about the history of the area.

Irish Genealogy Treasures

The 17th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture is a Genealogy treasure "show and tell."

Genealogists are treasure hunters of a different kind. Instead of searching for riches, we dig for information. Instead of prizing gold, we value documents - the visual proof of the life stories of families that have passed before us.

Share with us the image of and the story behind a document (or documents) that have been valuable to you during your search for an Irish branch of your family. How and where did you find these documents? What are their significance to your research and/or why are they special to you? Here's your chance to show off some of your genealogical "loot" at our online "show and tell."

The following obituary is for my second great-grandmother, Margareth “Maggie” MILLET Cahill[1].  In it, her place of birth is listed as Thomastown, Kilkenny, Ireland.  Had I not already found this information in other sources, this would have been a gold mine, as it pinpoints a specific location in Ireland to search “across the pond.”

Having obtained a location, as well as her parent’s names from her marriage license, I searched for a baptism record for Margaret using Irish Family History Foundation website [2].  I found the following extraction among the results, which seems to fit.

I am not 100% sure this is her, but it’s certainly a possibility.  First, the parents names (except the surname spelling) match the information provided on Margaret’s marriage license.  Additionally, the baptism took place in County Kilkenny.  The baptism date is also consistent with the age provided on the marriage license. 

But, according to her death certificate, and the obituary, the baptism date is too early.  The death certificate records her birth as 28 February 1865, and the age listed in the obituary is consistent with that.  Additionally, the death certificate records her father as Michael Millet and a mother unknown.  I tend to rely more on the marriage license because it was created closer to the date of birth, and the information was more than likely provided by Margaret, whereas the death certificate is a secondary source of the birth information created 79-82 years after her birth (the information was provided by her son).  Another source that aligns with the marriage license, and this baptism extraction, is the 1900 census [3], which indicates her birth month and year as January 1863.

There is still much work to be done with this family.  I have received some information from one of Margaret’s granddaughters, which is mostly consistent with other sources.  She does indicate that there has always been a discrepancy in Margaret’s date of birth.  The granddaughter only mentioned one sibling, Catherine, who stayed in Ireland.  The obituary, however, provides details for at least two additional siblings, and their locations in the U.S.  That said, the obituary is a wealth of information in that respect, which will hopefully help me to find the other siblings in the U.S. as well as research the family in Ireland.

Sources

1. Obituary for Margaret Cahill, 8 January 1945, Beacon News (Aurora, Illinois), p. 4, col. 4-5. 
2. Margaret MILOT, "Rothe House," database, Irish Family History Foundation (http://kilkenny.brsgenealogy.com/search.php). 
3. 1900 U.S. census population schedule, Aurora Ward 3, Kane, Illinois, enumeration district (ED) 68, sheet 9B, p. 18, dwelling 209, family 222; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T623. 

Saturday Night Challenge – 08/08/09

Randy’s challenge for this evening is as follows:

List your 16 great-grandparents in pedigree chart order. List their birth and death years and places.

Figure out the dominant ethnicity or nationality of each of them.

Calculate your ancestral ethnicity or nationality by adding them up for the 16 - 6.25% for each (obviously, this is approximate).

If you don't know all 16 of your great-grandparents, then do it for the last full generation you have.

Write your own blog post, or make a comment on Facebook or in this post.

Here’s mine:

I have 10 German, 4 Irish, 1 Canadian, and 1 French.  Further generations on Sarah MULLIGAN would also have English.  But according to the way Randy asked us to figure this, I am: 63% German, 25% Irish, 6% Canadian, and 6% French.

Friday Finds – 08/07/09

Not too much going on this week, but here’s what I stumbled upon.

Ireland Civil Registration Indexes (1845-1958) – This database is available on FamilySearch under their Pilot Search.  I found some possible matches to my family members, which I intend to check out while I’m in SLC.  Fingers crossed!!!

Footnote is offering up the 1930 U.S. Federal Census free for the month of August.

Family Events – Week of July 19 to July 25

Bridget ( ) Ward – Bridget is my third great-grandmother, who was born in January 1838 in Ireland.  She died 19 July 1912 in Chicago, Illinois.

Marie Ethel ROTTMAN – Marie is my grandmother, who was born on 29 April 1920 in Chicago, Illinois.  She died on 20 July 1989 in Bensenville, Illinois.

Mildred SCHULTZ & Gottlieb KUNBERGER – Mildred is my second great-grandaunt, who married Gottlieb on 20 July 1901 in Chicago, Illinois.

Joseph Webster GARRISON – Joseph is my great-granduncle, who was born on 4 January 1898 in Chicago, Illinois.  He died on 23 July 1930 in Chicago.

Frances HILLS – Frances is my eleventh great-grandmother, who was born on 23 July 1605 in England.  She died about 1690 in Farmington, Connecticut.*

Margaret RYAN – Margaret is my third great-grandmother, who was born about 1846 in Ireland.  She died on 23 July 1928 in Illinois.

Henry August LEPPIN – Henry is my great-granduncle, who was born on 24 July 1898 in Chicago, Illinois.  He died on 26 March 1958 in Illinois.

Hannah JOHNSON – Happy 20th birthday to my niece on July 25th.

Harry Henry Adolph TRAPP – Harry is my first cousin three times removed, who was born on 25 July 1895 in Chicago, Illinois.  He died on 4 February 1972 in Antioch, Illinois.

*Based on information from several compiled source, of which I have not personally verified at this time.

And the Happy Dance Continues

The other day I posted And the Wall Begins to Crumble, in which I explained that I had finally found the names of a set of third great-grandparents, Henry WACH and Amelia WIETZKE.

Today, I believe I have found the names of two additional sets of third great-grandparents!

According to the death certificate for my second great-grandmother, Margaret RYAN McMahon, her father’s name is Michael and her mother’s name is Margaret (no maiden name listed).  Both hail from County Tipperary, Ireland.

According to the death certificate for my second great-grandfather, Timothy McMAHON, his father is John and his mother is ?? O’BRIEN (I cannot make out the first name).

Plus, I believe I have found the death certificate of my third great-grandmother, Bridget Ward, but I need to do a little bit of digging to confirm.

It’s been a great genealogy week for me!!

Saturday Night Fun – May 2, 2009

Doing a little catch up here on Randy’s Saturday night challenges.

May 2nd challenge:

Let's do a Top Ten list of Favorite Genealogy Web Sites. These can be record databases, data portals, how-to sites, family trees, software, entertainment, blogs, etc. Your choice, your opinion - what educates, helps, or entertains you in your genealogy quest for a big GEDCOM file?

Here are mine in no particular order:

1. Ancestry
2. Illinois State Archives
3. Genealogy Bank
4. Family Search
5. Find A Grave
6. New England Ancestors (NEHGS)
7. Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness (RAOGK)
8. Irish Family History Foundation
9. USGenWeb
10. Footnote

My Irish Surnames

The theme for the 13th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture is Irish names.

Share with us the surnames in your Irish family tree, but don't just stop there. Do a little research and tell us the origin of one or more of those surnames, the stories of how they might have changed over the years, or tales of how they've been mixed up and misspelled, etc.

Want to focus on your family's given names instead? Share with us the story of your ancestors' Irish first names (given at birth or nicknamed later), the "grandparent" nicknames in your Irish family tree, or any other Irish name stories that you'd like to share.

I decided to focus on four of my Irish surnames.  All of them become brick walls when trying to research them in Ireland, so I thought this surname exercise might help open new doors. 

Each surname heading is a link to the Internet Surname Database record for the surname, which you can use to find out more information about the surname.

Cahill

Many of the resources I have found indicate that Cahills were prevalent in County Clare, County Cork, County Kerry, and County Tipperary.  Right now, I can trace my Cahills back to my third great-grandfather, Michael Cahill, who lived in County Kilkenny.  Do they trace back further to these other counties?  I hope to answer that question someday.

Researching this name in the U.S. hasn’t been too bad.  More often than not, it is spelled and indexed correctly.  I know of many spelling variations, such as Cale, Cail, Cahil, Cahell, Kahill, Khill, Cayhill, Kayhill, and the original form of the name, O’Cahill.  And although I haven’t had too much trouble, it is on this surname that I thought of creative ways to perform searches.  You can read more about that in my post Bingo! (and a few lessons learned).

McMahon

I can trace my McMahons back to my third great-grandfather, Timothy McMahon, of County Tipperary (which was kindly noted on his son’s death certificate).  I have not done much research on this surname outside of the U.S. as of yet.

This surname can be tricky while doing research.  I’ve found that it’s usually spelled correctly, however, when indexed, it can be McMahon or Mc Mahon.  So I always have to do at least two search passes to find whomever I am looking for.  In the U.S., I’ve not run across any instances where Mac is used instead of Mc, but I always include that in my searches when I can’t find Mc, just in case.

Ryan

This is an interesting one for me.  I have two Ryans, both third great-grandmothers, but from two different lines in my paternal line.  Margaret Ryan hails from County Tipperary, where she married Timothy McMahon (above).  I have no idea as to the whereabouts of Mary Ryan, who was born in Ireland and likely died there.  She married John Millet, and their daughter, Margaret, married into my Cahill line.  I do know that their daughter was born in County Kilkenny, so at least that’s a starting point.  I do wonder if Mary and Margaret are related somehow, but have yet to track down their parents.

Mulligan

I can trace my Mulligans back to my third great-grandfather, James Mulligan, of Dublin.  Again, this is one I have not focused on outside of the U.S.  I imagine it will be an interesting search, simply because Mulligan is a popular name, and Dublin is, well, the largest city in Ireland!

Using FHL Resources to Further My Cahill & Millet Lines

Still catching up on Randy's Saturday Night Challenges.  This one is from March 28 and goes a little something like this:

1. Identify one "elusive ancestor" family (perhaps one you just found, or one you've not found any information about), and the county/state that they resided in. Tell us the family name and the county/state.
2. Go to the FHL Catalog, find the resources for that county/state.
3. Identify at least three items from the FHL Catalog that you need to look into in an effort to further your knowledge about that family's history. Tell us about them.
4. Do you know where your nearest Family History Center is? If not, go here and look for it. Tell us where it is.
5. Are you willing to make a commitment to go to the FHC and rent microfilms in order to pursue that elusive ancestral family? If so, tell us about your commitment.
   And later on, when you've reviewed the microfilms and information, you can tell us all about your research findings in a separate post.

It was quite ironic that this challenge came when it did, as I had actually fulfilled most of it a month or so before.

Identify one "elusive ancestor" family (perhaps one you just found, or one you've not found any information about), and the county/state that they resided in. Tell us the family name and the county/state.

I actually have many, but I'm working on identifying sources for my both sets of third great-grandparents on my dad's side: Michael CAHILL and Anne HALE, and John MILLET and Mary RYAN.  It is likely that they are all from Kilkenny County, Ireland.  I do know that my CAHILL/HALE resided in Thomastown, so my search begins there.  I'm working on them at the same time, since the same resources are likely to help for all of them.

Go to the FHL Catalog, find the resources for that county/state.  Identify at least three items from the FHL Catalog that you need to look into in an effort to further your knowledge about that family's history. Tell us about them.

• Parochial registers of Thomastown (Kilkenny), 1782-1881 - Baptisms, 1834-1881; marriages, 1833-1881, FHL BRITISH Film 926203
• Parochial registers of Thomastown (Kilkenny), 1782-1881 - Baptisms, 1782-1809; marriages, 1786-1806; baptisms, 1810-1834; marriages, 1810-1833, FHL BRITISH Film 926202
• Kilkenny District will books, 1858-1895 - Wills 1884-1895, FHL BRITISH Film 100945
• Kilkenny District will books, 1858-1895 - Wills 1875-1884, FHL BRITISH Film 100944
• Inscriptions taken from tombstones in various cemeteries, FHL BRITISH Film 100158 Item 147

Of all the sources I think the first one will be the launching pad.  Once I am able to put some more pieces together, I think the remaining sources will become invaluable.

Do you know where your nearest Family History Center is? If not, go here and look for it. Tell us where it is.

I am fortunate to have a great local genealogical library in town, that also serves as a FHC.  The McLean County Genealogical Society's library is open 7 days a week and can order films from the FHL.  There is also a FHC, Normal Illinois, but its hours are limited.  Why we have two places within a few miles of one another in farm country is beyond me.

Are you willing to make a commitment to go to the FHC and rent microfilms in order to pursue that elusive ancestral family? If so, tell us about your commitment.

Already done.  I ordered the first film listed above back in February.  In fact, I just got the call yesterday that it's in!  Hope to get over there within the next few days to view it.

And later on, when you've reviewed the microfilms and information, you can tell us all about your research findings in a separate post.

Absolutely!  I do hope I find some information that will fill in the gaps for my third great-grandparents, such as their birth, marriage, and death dates/places.  I also hope that I am able to identify their parents, which would put me back another generation and open up a whole new avenue of research.  I will definitely share what I find (or what I don't find).  Wish me luck!!!