52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 5: In the Census

There aren't many early census records surviving in Ireland as the vast majority of pre-1922 records were destroyed in the Irish Civil War by a fire at the Public Record Office.

 This means looking for alternative records.
A great census alternative is Griffith's Valuation, an extensive property valuation undertaken by Richard Griffith and published between 1847 and 1864.

The following website produced this list of Morgans in Derrynoose

The wonderful website ASK ABOUT IRELAND has a searchable function for records and maps in Griffith's Valuation.

Using the map function in which you can overlay the old map upon the current I was able to create an image that shows where each Morgan family lived.

(Unfortunately, this image seems a bit small to read easily but I can't seem to enlarge it here any further).

My Dad, brother Ross and I have made DNA matches with third cousins in my Morgan line from Armagh, Ireland.
Marcella and Kathleen are great-granddaughters of Ann Morgan who emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1865 where she married a John Courtney.
Ann was the youngest sister of my great-great-grandfather, John Morgan. John emigrated to Australia in 1855 with two sisters, Margaret and Bridget.
They were children of Alexander Morgan and Ann/Nancy Lennon of Derrynoose, Armagh, Ireland.

If my hunch is correct a recent new DNA match is a fourth cousin to me and also a descendant of Ann Morgan and John Courtney.  The Mellon surname is known to be connected to their family.
I so wish AncestryDNA had a chromosome browser!

When I looked at matches shared with this new person it showed an older one that I had flagged as a likely Morgan descendant also.  The surname was Hennessey so I searched for any other Hennessey matches and sure enough, there was another quite small one.  On looking at their trees (THANKFULLY they had them) I saw they were both descendants of a Patrick Morgan born about 1827 Ireland.

I've found the following baptism records for Derrynoose:

Patrick Morgan - 1 Feb 1827.
Parents Alexander Morgan and Nancy Lennon
Sponsors Bernard Morgan and Rose McGeough

My great-great-grandfather John Morgan - 30 Jun 1829
Parents Alexander Morgan and Ann Lennon
Sponsors James Lennon and Mary Morgan

Bridget Morgan - 1 Feb 1833
Parents Alexander Morgan and Ann Lennon
Sponsors Bernard and Ann Barka

So it looks like the Hennessey matches may confirm another Morgan line.  Patrick apparently married an Annie Bloomer and they emigrated to America as well.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 4 : Invite to Dinner

I have so many questions that I'd like to invite every one of my deceased ancestors to a huge dinner party but that's being a bit greedy isn't it.

So the relative I would choose to invite to dinner is my great-great-great-grandmother Mary KELLY nee MOLOUGHNEY.

Photo courtesy of Mary Stacey and the Lavin family, who are also great-great-great grandchildren of Mary and Cornelius Kelly.

Mary was born sometime in the early 1800s, somewhere in Ireland, possibly Tipperary.

I don't know when or where Mary died.

I'm extremely nosey so I would like to ask her: 

1.  When and where she was born, who her parents and siblings were and what her childhood was like.

2.  How she met her husband, Cornelius Kelly, what he was like, how he died and where he is buried.  

3.  About their life together in Tipperary.

4.  How they managed through the Great Famine?

5.  More about her 6 known children.

6.  About her relatives, friends and neighbours.

7.  How are the Moloughneys related who are mentioned in the baptisms of her children?

8.  Did her son Edmond Kelly remain in Tipperary whilst his siblings all emigrated or did he die young?

9.  How did she cope with all her children emigrating so far away?

10. Where did she die and where is she buried?

What I have found since beginning my research is that Mary MOLOUGHNEY married Cornelius KELLY at Dualla, Tipperary on the 6th of February 1834.

Cornelius was deceased by 1851, but I haven't found a death for Mary yet.

Tipperary encumbered estate records on the IGP website show Cornelius listed in November 1851 as the late Cornelius KELLY. 

Previously in Griffith's Valuations, he was leasing house land and offices from Matthew Pennefather who went into insolvency.

The MOLOUGHNEY surname (spelling variations include Mulloughn(e)y/ Molloughny etc) I am told it is pronounced MoloKney, is still evident in Tipperary and according to research by Bill Moloughney many Tipperary Moloughneys emigrated to America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Information from Irish records on their marriage and children's baptisms:

Cornelius Kelly and Mary Mullouhgney/Moloughney married on the 6th of February 1834 in the Parish of Boherlahan Dualla

Witnesses to the marriage were Rev. D. Corcoran and Daniel Mahony

Margaret Alice Kelly

Baptised 10 Dec 1834, Dualla, Sponsors were Laurence Mockler and Judith Walsh

Michael Kelly

Baptised 18 Sep 1836, Dualla, Sponsors were Patrick Mulloughney, Mary Mahony

Edmond Kelly

Baptised 16 Sep 1838, Dualla, Sponsors were Thomas Ryan, Julia Kelly.

John Kelly

Baptised 20 Jun 1840, Newpark, Sponsors were William Mahony, Mary Ryan

Thomas Kelly 

Baptised 1 Jan 1843, Dualla, Sponsors were Thomas Quinlan, Catherine Mulloughny

William Kelly

Baptised 6 Jan 1846, Dualla, Sponsors were Michael Kelly, Mary Ryan

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 3: Longevity

My Paternal great-great-grandfather, George ADAMS, was one of my ancestors favoured by longevity having lived until the good age of 90 years.

Last Friday (12th January) I had my first visit to the large Fawkner Cemetery in Melbourne where many of my ancestors and family members are buried.
Thanks to their impressive website graves can be found and mapped before a visit.
George Adams and his second wife Sarah (formerly Oakley, nee Harman) are buried in the Methodist B section in grave number 1093.

When we found the spot I was a bit disappointed and rather surprised to find the grave unmarked.
I left flowers.

Their grave is situated between an A. Wilson on the right and I. Northway and S. Earle on the left.

 George was born in Saffron Walden, Essex, England in 1831 to parents Edward ADAMS and Susannah nee HARRIS.
He emigrated to Australia sometime around1852
(I think he swam as I haven't found a passenger record yet).

George married my great-great-grandmother, Irish born Catherine BARRY, at Fremantle, Western Australia on the 19th of June 1853.

They had 9 children, 3 of whom predeceased their parents.

Catherine died in Melbourne on the 4th of May 1884, aged 52. 
She is buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery in Carlton.

Photo from the State Library of Victoria
http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/284236

At the time of his death, George lived at 5 Brixton Street, Flemington.

Links to other stories about George

GRANDAD (Mr Adams, Byaduk, Victoria) - on this blog

George Adams (1831-1921) and his sister Sophia (1836- 1914) - on this blog

Their story by Christine Stafford nee ADAMS, George's 3rd great-granddaughter.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 2 : Favourite Photo

I have so many photos I could class as "favourite" that it was hard to choose. 

Writing my Week 1 post about my grandfather prompted me to remember the first time I ever saw a photo of him as a young man.

When I first visited his nieces and nephews in New Zealand, my Dad's first cousin Nola Bennett, nee Musson, showed me this photo and pointed out my grandfather.
He is standing centre back row.

 I got a little emotional.

After some conversations with family members, there were some differing opinions on who was in the photo.

One speculation is:-
The first couple back left look like George Barker and Jessie Musson.  If so this photo was most likely taken in 1931 as Jessie looks pregnant and their first daughter, Lynley was born in June 1931.
L-R
Back row
George Barker b 1897 so age here would be 34
Jessie Musson b 1899 so age here would be 32
James Richard Musson (certain) (my grandfather known in Australia as James Forsyth) b 1906 so age 25
Eric Mark Musson (certain) (Mac) b 1913 so age 18
? Possibly brother of James Christopher, William Musson b 1868 so age 63
Front row
Possibly Esther Helen Musson b 1911 so age 20*
Ivor Forsyth Musson (certain) b 1918 so age 13
Ian Alexander Musson (certain) b 1915 so age 16
James Christopher Musson b 1873 age 58 father of the Musson children. (certain)

*Also thought to be Margaret Ann Hay nee Forsyth, wife of James C Musson.  She died in 1929 aged 52, so if it is her this photo would have been taken before 1931.  This is quite possible as the Musson boys don't look quite old enough to fit the ages above.

We may never know.

Thanks Nola for being so helpful and sticking with me on this journey.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge 2018 List

The following is a list of my posts for Amy's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge for 2018.

Week 1: Start - My paternal grandfather was the reason for my "START" in genealogy and family history research.

Week 2: Favourite Photo - The first time I saw a photo of my grandfather as a young man

Week 3: Longevity - My great-great-grandfather George ADAMS.

Week 4: Invite to Dinner - My great-great-great-grandmother Mary KELLY nee MOLOUGHNEY

Week 5: In the Census - A great Irish census alternative is Griffith's Valuation

Week 6: Favourite Name - Pleasance Alice Hulme was my maternal grandmother's Aunt.

Week 7: Valentine - My 5th great-grandparents married on St. Valentine's Day 1772.

Week 8: Heirloom - My maternal grandmother's necklace.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 1

The theme for Week 1 of Amy Johnson Crow's challenge
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is
"START"

My Papa, my paternal grandfather who I knew as James Forsyth, was the reason for my "START" in genealogy and family history research.  

I knew he came to Australia from New Zealand but he never spoke about his life or family there apart from a few snippets.

• He had come to Australia from Rangiora, New Zealand in the early 1930s taking horses to the Melbourne Show and never went home or contacted his family there again.
• He was one of 9 children.
• He used to bicycle around the South Island with his brother. (now that's a  long ride!)
• There was a Scottish General in the family (I have not to this day found him!)
• There was an astronomer in the family (yes he was a brother in law)

His story was also the "START" of my blogging venture with my first ever post in February 2012. 

There is also a link to a follow up  written only last year after another "START" for me in genetic genealogy (DNA for genealogy)

You can click on the link below to read those stories.

WHAT STARTED MY GENEALOGY JOURNEY?