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Hi,

I am trying to link my Aherns from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania back to Ireland.  I believe that my ancestor Patrick (b. 1831 d. 1908 Phila) had a brother John (also lived in Philadelphia b. 1827 d. 1872) and that their father was Michael (b. 1794 d. 1865 Philadelphia).  I have found a family in Annakissy that might match although the birth dates are a bit off.  Michael Ahern married Mary Leahy in Annakissy on Feb 23, 1829 or on May 21, 1829.  There are two transcribed records that are identical but have different dates.  According to baptismal records, they had the following children: Daniel (1821), Patrick (1830), John (1832), Ellen (1834), Eliza (1840).  I am not sure about Daniel since he was born before their wedding date and there was no annotation.

My question is whether anyone knows anything about this Annakissy Ahern family that would help to verify whether I have the right Aherns or not.  I haven't been able to find marriage or death records for the remaining family.  Is there a local cemetery that has records online that I could check? I do not think Mary went the the US so she may have died before that.  John married in Philadelphia 1851.  Patrick married in Philadelphia in 1858.

Thanks for any help/advice you can give!

DLI

Saturday 20th Jun 2020, 08:32PM

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  • DLI:

    Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

    Here is a link to the parish register for Annakissy that shows the pages for marriage records for the first part of 1829. https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634081#page/38/mode/1up I do not see a February 23rd marriage at all and the marriage for Michael Ahern and Mary Leahy appears to be May 23. (see right hand page).

    I think the Dan record you located was for a different Michael Ahern/Mary Leahy family.

    By the way, there was also a Mary in 1836. See baptismal transcription below from the subscription site Roots Ireland.

    Did you locate a death record for Patrick? Dioes it show Mary Leahy as the mother? Ancestry.com has Pennsylvania death records from 1906-1964.

    I think you have the correct family. Co. Cork RC parishes generally go way back close to 1800 so it is unlikely that you would have a situation where the family married and had children in a parish where records start in 1845.

    I don't think you will find burial records for someone who died in 1850 or earlier.

    Let me know what questions you have.

    Roger McDonnell

    Name:Mary AhernDate of Birth:
    Date of Baptism:11-Aug-1836Address:B CurrigParish/District:KILLAVULLENGender:FemaleCountyCo. Cork
    Denomination:Roman Catholic
    Father:Michael AhernMother:Mary LeahyOccupation:
    Sponsor 1 /
    Informant 1:James HanlonSponsor 2 /
    Informant 2:Mary Ahern

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 21st Jun 2020, 01:06AM
  • Hi Roger,

    Thanks for your response.  I do have Patrick's death record, but it doesn't list his parents' names or where they are from beyond Ireland.  John's death record was too early to list parent information.  I only found out about John 2 weeks ago when I was trying to find burial information for 4 of Patrick's children who died young.  They are buried in John's cemetery lot. Michael is also buried there.  I can't find Michael on the 1860 census, so I don't know when he arrived in Philadelphia.  If Ellen, Mary and Eliza lived, they may have come to the States as well.  I will have to look for records for them.  John and Patrick lived in the same parish in Philadelphia and were witnesses at various baptisms, etc.

    I found Michael and Mary Leahy Ahern by doing a search on fathers named Michael with sons Patrick and John through Find my Past.  This was the only match that made sense.

    I see Killavullen on a map.  What does B Currig refer to?

     

     

     

     

    DLI

    Sunday 21st Jun 2020, 02:24PM
  • DLI:

    Priests always abbreviated Bally as B   Looking at the map, your townland would be Ballincurrig in Monaminy civil parish.

    Roger

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Monday 22nd Jun 2020, 05:14PM

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