Delaney & Moylan Galway

My 2x great grandfather, William Delaney was born sometime around 1846 (15-Dec).  THe census and Castle Garden passenger lists indicate he arrived in New York on the Harvest Queen 1862-9-10 from Liverpool, his place of origin is Ireland he is 14 years old. His name is listed on the passenger list next to James Moylan.  William ends up in Detroit by 1870 (and maybe as early 1868 per property deed and city directory).  There he married my 2x great-grandmother, Ceilia or Sarah Moylan 1870-10-17 at a non-Catholic church (which is odd, because the family is Catholic), she is 8 months pregnant with their first child John.  Ceila was born 1856 arrived in New York on 1863-10-12 with her mother Ann and siblings Bridget and Patrick (they are listed next to a Martin McMahon on the passenger list, which is the name of Bridget’s husband by 1870).  Prior to their departure to New York via Liverpool, they are listed in the 1861 census in Derby, Derbyshire, UK where most of them are working in the mill.  Her mother Ann is a widow, and everyone, but her was born in Ireland while she was born in Derby.  Ann Moylan/ Milan (Celia’s mother) shows up in the Detroit directory by 1864, and over the years there are countless examples of connections between mother Ann, and the Moylan children sharing addresses or living in neighboring houses.  In fact, William and Celia live on Beaubien Street until his death in 1920 next to her sister Bridget and brother-in-law Martin McMahon. 

William and Celia went on to have numerous children including my great-grandfather Frank Delaney born in 1882.  William’s death certificate is the only indication of a specific locality in Ireland in all the records I have found. It lists his birthplace and that of his parents John Delaney and Celia Collins as Galway, Ireland (which of course could be the county or the city). My father’s DNA indicates Connaught with an emphasis on the region where Galway, Mayo, and Roscommon meet. Celia (Moylan) Delaney died in 1929 and her death certificate names her mother Ann (nee Collins) and her father, John Moylan both born in Ireland.  The death certificates of her siblings James and Bridget indicate the same, but no specific Irish local is given.

I have obviously searched for almost any document you can think of for Celia and William, but I have also searched for vital records for all of Celia’s family members and even her in-laws. Since I have no civil records for the dates I’m looking for I am really grasping at straws. I’m not sure William or Celia knew exactly what year they were born since it sometimes varies by a few years. I have tried looking for William in England, and in the American Civil War, as I have no idea where he was between arriving in 62 and 68/70. I have no idea if he knew James Moylan (who was living separately from his mother and siblings) prior to boarding a ship in Liverpool or if James was just someone he met.  I have also tried searching for his parents and Celia’s father’s death and or burial. I have seen some possibly promising things in Griffith’s Valuation, but without ages, or records to tie it back to it's all guesswork. I have been researching them for over 15 years at this point, and I’m not sure where to go from here.  Thank you!