Mcnabb family - linen weavers - 1700 - 1830

GrammaJan McNabb:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

I found a few possible records. The last record below was on Roots Ireland and you may already have the baptismal record for William in 1815. It does list an number of McNabbs. The next record was located on Find My Past.ie which is a subscription site. It is a Pettys Sessions record from 1842 regarding an assault against a Jane McNabb in November 1841. This Jane lived in Ardogommon townland in Aghagower parish. If this is the mother of William then you know where they lived. The next record was also on Find My Past and it is a transcription of a headstone in Aughavale cemetery. This may be an unrelated McNabb family. Finally, ther 1856 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing does show a Robert McNabb in the same Ardogommon townland.

Roger McDonnell

https://search.findmypast.ie/record?id=ire%2fpettys%2f005175836%2f00799…

First name(s)JaneLast nameMcNabbMemorials detailsIn memory of/ Joseph McNabb/ died April 23rd 1880/ aged 26 years/ also John McNabb/ died March the 14th 1895/ aged 29 years/ Jane McNabb/ died June the 11th 1888/ aged 16 years/ Robert McNabb died 11th June 1909/ Eliza McNabb died 15th Aug 1913/ Robert McNabb died 8th Oct 1938/ Mary Rose died 24th March 1933/ Erected by their beloved father/ Robert McNabb (father of the first three, possibly ob. 1909)Burial placeAUGHAVALE OLDBurial place typeGRAVEYARDBurial place descriptionA medieval church site and the most important graveyard for the Westport area, which served all religious persuasuions. It is to the south-west of the town and on both sides of the road.CountyMayoRecord setMemorials Of The Dead: Galway & Mayo

http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/mayo/aghagower.htm

Name:William McnabbDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:06-Apr-1815Address:N. RParish/District:Oughaval CofI parishGender:MaleCountyCo. Mayo
Father:George McnabbMother:Jane PurcellOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Robert Mcnabb Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:George Mcnabb 
Notes:OTHER WITNESSES JULIA MCNABB & BESSY MCNABB

Thanks so much for your prompt and informative message, Roger!

In fact I have the birth records and Griffiths valuation records, but the petty sessions records, and the gravestone were new to me.

My search of records for this area in Mayo show a large number of families who interacted as witnesses to various marriages and baptisms in the C of I parish.

My records also identify that a William McNabb (b 1815) accompanied Henry McNabb, his wife Elizabeth, and their three sons (Robert, John and Henry) to Canada c1830.

I make several assumptions, based in part on these records, and on later anecdotal references as well as traditional naming patterns within the family.

• A group of the Westport Church of Ireland records of interest to us give Henry and Elizabeth as the parents of five children, with Robert (1817), John (1819) and Henry (1827), closely matching our later Canadian McNabb census, marriage, birth and death records.
• William McNabb (baptised April 6, 1815), son of George McNabb and Jane Purcell, with Robert and George McNabb listed as sponsors.
  • From a number of other records I concluded that Robert was related to Henry McNabb, and William's father George – brothers or cousins.
  • Although there are no death records for a Jane Purcell, there is an 1820 death in County Mayo for a Jane McNabb.

Name: Jane Mcnabb

Date of Death: 31-Jan-1820

Age: 39

Parish / District: Oughaval CofI parish

Address: 

County: Co. Mayo

Status: Married

Occupation: 

Sex: Female

http://ifhf.rootsireland.ie/view_detail.php?recordid=396671&type=dch&re…

My reasoning is as follows:

• If this Jane McNabb was William’s mother, and died in 1820, he would have been only five years old; there are no other children of record for this couple; presumably his father would have been hard pressed to care for an infant and still maintain his working life.
• It was a commonplace during this period of history and in especially in the close-knit rural communities generally, that orphaned or motherless children would be fostered by the families of relatives – often assuming complete identity with their “adoptive” families. Thus, young William could very plausibly have been fostered with an uncle's family, and make the trip to Canada as a “son” of Henry and Elizabeth, without occasioning any comment at the time or later. William was always identified as Henry McNabb’s son in Canadian census records.
• However, in a tintype image of the McNabb family men (c1870) William is the only son who does not resemble Henry McNabb or the other boys, having a very different physiognomy.
• William named his firstborn son, George.