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Top of the day to all. I’m not sure if I’ve posted this before. I’m sorry if it’s a repeat but I’ll be in Ireland and Co Westmeat May 21 and 22 so this my last hope t5o find my ancestors origins. I have found new info on two of my great great grandparents known to me as Amelia O’Connor who married a Nicholas Duffy. I don’t know where the marriage occurred but they are together in the 1855 New York census. And they had four children between 1857 and 1862. The 1860 US census has Nicholas, Amelia and a son Nicholas J together. But Nicholas J was their second child (1858). I can only assume John (1857) the first born had died. In 1861 they have a daughter Anna and in 1862 another daughter Catherine (Kate). In this post I’m going to share the new info on Amelia O’Connor or Connor. The 1870 US census has Amelia in Cincinnati, Ohio with three children; Nicholas J., Anna and Kate. There is no Nicholas, father. I discovered a death notice for a Nicholas in 1862 in New York. It is my belief that Amelia moved her family to Cincinnati sometime after 1862. She is listed in a Cincinnati 1868 Directory at the same address as a Michael O’Conner (181 E 8th St.). I believe Michael to be her brother. There is a lot of circumstantial evidence that Amelia and Michael were siblings or at least related somehow. In searching church records in 1876 - daughter Anna Duffy sponsor for Anna O’Connor:  Annam O’Connor was baptized on 05 Apr 1876 in RC Parish St Francis Xavier; father Michael is G O’Connor and mother Catherine Jordan.  Anna Duffy, daughter of Amelia O’Connor Duffy, was one of the baptism sponsors. Also in 1868 there is a connection to a Nicholas O’Connor: 1) in 1868 Nicholas O’Connor was living at 196 E 8th St very close to where both Michael O’Connor and Amelia Duffy both lived (181 E 8th St.). 2) Also in 1868, a Nicholas O’Connor was the baptism sponsor for Josephine O’Connor who was the daughter of Michael O’Connor and his wife Catherine Jordan.  Therefore, I’m guessing that Nicholas was also a sibling of Amelia O’Connor Duffy and Michael O’Connor. I then shifted my search to Co. Westmeath. Amelia burial record at St Joseph New Cemetery in Cincinnati listed her origin as Co Westmeath and it listed her parents as Patrick and Catherine O’Connor. Her death record states her father was Patrick O’Connor and mother Catherine Durand (spelling used on the death record). But when searching Irish records the spelling changes to Doran (did not find and Durands) . So in searching baptismal records there is a Nicholas Connor on 21 Aug 1825 in the RC Parish Multyfarnham, Co. Westmeath; father Patrick Connor and Catherine Doran. I didn’t find a record for Amelia or other children to the couple but records for this time period are hard to come by. I learned that there are four civil parishes within the RC Parish Multyfarnham (Multyfarnham); Lackan, Leny, Multifarham and Portnashangan. A search of Griffith’s Valuation found one Patrick Connor living in one of the four civil parishes. He lived in Townland Ballynafid (Ballinafid), civil parish Leny, Co. Westmeath. I also searched for Dorans (no first name) living in one of these civil parishes. There was a Patrick Doran living in Townland Knightstown, Civil Parish Leny, Co. Westmeath. Most interesting to me was that these two townlands (Ballinafid and Knightstown) border one another and basically make up the village of Ballinafid.  While I did not find a birth or baptism record for Amelia or Michael O’Connor and I may not have the correct Nicholas O’Connor but it was the only record found with parents Patrick Connor and Catherine (Doran) in Co. Westmeath. The circumstantial evidence is strong. My wife and I are visiting Ireland in late May early June and are coming to Co. Westmeath. We would love to visit with a local historian who might be able to share something. Thanks for reading. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

AbeeBaby

Monday 13th May 2024, 12:43PM

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