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Hi All,

I am searching for information on my great grandmother, Bridget Lavelle (8-18-1885 to 12-23-1950). She and her siblings, Peter (6-26-1878 - 4-16-1957), Ellen (6-18-1882 - 1-16-1975), and Mary (9-29-1880 -  7-24-1973) immigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA around 1900-01 from Galway and they may have come separately.  Census data varies with immigration dates but Mary was married in Pittsburgh by 1902 to Patrick Mullen and my grandfather was born to Bridget in Feb 1906 in Pittsburgh.  Peter remained single. Ellen married William Barker. Bridget married James Holleran, my great grandfather, and later James Gauden. Bridget had one son, my grandfather , James, then with her second husband a daughter and son, Virginia and Albert. Elllen and Marynhad several children and I have that list. 

According to Peter's death certificate, his parents were Patrick Lavelle and Julia Feeney. 

 It is presumed that there were more siblings who did not come over, namely, Kathleen, William, John, Patrick, and Fay. 

According to Ancestry DNA, my Dad fits into their Connacht Ireland area, then narrows to North and South Galway. The matches I have there show one known grandchild of Ellen, and then some unknown people with the Feeney name, amongst others (299 matches in that area). 

What I am really looking for is some/any Ireland documentation of the family and to pinpoint where they lived. I may have found a ship manifest with Mary from Clifden arriving in 1901 and going to a cousin's ( B. Vaughn) with the cousin's sister, Annie,  in Castle Shannon (area of Pittsburgh, where I happen to live now and just a few miles from where they all settled in the West End of Pgh) but I am not sure it is her since I have no knowledge of the Vaughn family.

Any connections or help is welcome.  My email is jenster11174@yahoo.com.

Jennifer Anne Holleran Nusser

Jenster11174

Monday 7th Jan 2019, 06:58AM

Message Board Replies

  • Hi Jennifer: 

    Thank you for your query to the Ireland Reaching Out message board.  I have a Bridget Lavelle born in the parish of Annaghdown to Patrick Lavelle and Julia Mulrooney.  

    Name:Bridget LavelleDate of Birth:

    Date of Baptism:24-Jan-1883Address:CrossroadsParish/District:ANNAGHDOWNGender:FemaleCountyCo. Galway

    Denomination:Roman Catholic
    Father:Patrick Lavelle

    Mother:Julia MulrooneyOccupation:

    Sponsor 1 /
    Informant 1:John MulrooneySponsor 2 /
    Informant 2:Bridget Lavelle V 

    This record is from the Roots Ireland website.  It is a subscription site that holds a large number of transcribed parish and civil records. 

    I also input the parents' names for other children and the names of Peter, Mary, Ellen, Bridget (yours) Catherine and Michael all showed up as children  born to this couple.  In addition, the years for Peter and Mary matched what you had.  Ellen was 1883, Catherine was 1888 and Michael was 1891. 

    We do have a local volunteer in the parish of Annaghdown who has a lot of work done on the DNA in the area as well as a lot of local information.  I'm going to copy this post to him and he will be able to help you.  Many thanks for your interest in Ireland Reaching Out and the very best of luck with your research. 

    Kind regards, 

    Jane.

     

    Jane Halloran Ryan

    Monday 7th Jan 2019, 03:09PM

  • Thank you Jane. I keep seeing the Julia Mulrooney pop up in items, but have not been able to see the link that verifies it is the right family. As I said, Peter's death certificate shows it as Julia Feeney. The first names are all so common that it is difficult to distinguish which is the right family, so that has been causing me grief. The Bridget you mention was baptised two years before my Bridget was born. I know dates are not always exact, and it is curious that Peter and Mary match the dates! 

    In another matter, I see your name is Halloran, as is mine but spelled Holleran. My Holleran family was in Aghamore and moved to Birstall, England before going to Pittsburgh, PA, USA.  Connected to you?

    Jennifer

    Jenster11174

    Monday 7th Jan 2019, 05:17PM

  • Lavelle

    Hi Jennifer,

    Thanks for posting on IrelandXO. I'm one of the parish administrators for Annaghdown parish.

    I think the records posted by Jane are the correct ones for your family based on the dates coinciding, and also on the fact that there are no births recorded to a Lavelle-Feeney couple in the birth registers for that period (based on searching Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881 on FamilySearch, which includes transcriptions of birth registrations for 1864-1881). Also, I think you may be matching an Annaghdown kit on Ancestry. I'll send you an email with further info.

     

    Best wishes,

    Paul Greaney,

    Annaghdown Parish.

    Annaghdown Parish

    Monday 7th Jan 2019, 10:46PM

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