Thomas Carney/Kearney

Hi Robbie,

Thank you very much for your query to Ireland Reaching Out. The spelling might have been changed for a number of reasons:to make it easier for authorities to spell (this sounds like a phonetic spelling); he himself may not have changed this - it might have been the authorities themselves to did so; perhaps he wanted to evade being found for some reason, maybe not; it could be any number of reasons. In your search for your ancestor, be sure to include all alternative spelling variations.

Having the name of the ship they emigrated on is great. You should be able to find lots more information (it seems you have already done very well here). Does it state the reason for emigrating? Those emigrants who arranged to go to Australia were generally better off than those who left for the United States. They were perhaps part of assisted immigration.

Have you tried contacting the parish priest for birth records? If you are lucky enough to find birth details about Thomas, then additional information might be listed on the birth record. This would be key to your search.

Kind regards,

Sinead Cooney

Hi Robbie,

I was born and reared in the Parish of Donaghmore and currently live there, so I might be of help to you.

I know Lismullyduff (spelt Lismulladuff by locals) and there are no Kearneys living there now. I can tell you that the local Roman Catholic parish registers only go back to 1840 so they might not be of much help to you.

There is a strong possibility that the Edward Kearney in the Griffith's Valuation could be related to you, however, I could not confirm this.

I am currently researching a book on the history of the parish and if I chance upon any info re the Kearney's I will let you know.

Ps my profile pic is of the local St Patrick's RC Church at Crossroads, Killygordon.

Kind regards,

Cronan Scanlon

Thanks for getting back to me Sinead. I'm certain there was no reason to hide from authorities by changing his name (and I have a few convict rels so I'm not squeamish about the possibility ;-D).

I thought I'd pass on some information I have gathered in case others are interested. Thomas certainly had a tough life in Australia - but of course almost everyone did in those days.

According to a ship's book (not logbook) listing arrivals to Sydney, Thomas was an Agricultural Labourer aged 22 at the time of application but had turned 23 by the time they sailed. Catherine was listed as a farm servant on the ship's log. James Edward (was he a Kearney or was Edward his surname?) and Mary Calive both of "Lismaladuff" certified his character and person. One was a relative as was the regulation then. His "state of bodily health and probable usefulness" was listed as "good".
They were also listed as Roman Catholics but neither had a certifying registration of baptism.
The fare was £19 each and they were sponsored by John Miller.
Both Thomas and Catherine were illiterate. Both parents were living.
There were 284 emigrants and 14 intermediate passengers on board the ship. There was an outbreak of smallpox on the ship with some passengers dying during the journey.
Two of Thomas' daughters were also said to have died on the way out but 6 month old daughter Sarah survived.
On arrival to Sydney Town there were 23 passengers ill, so they were all put into quarantine until their release on 23 Oct 1841.
The family settled in Port Macquarie in NSW for a while before Thomas selected land at Gannons Creek, well out of flood reach. However, this meant the soil was the poorest so Thomas had to work away from the area for weeks on end clearing land and working on road building across the New England ranges.

In 1861 Thomas had the contract to take the mail from Huntingdon to Port Macquarie. He made the return journey once a week by horseback for the sum of £28 a year.

The Carneys also made cheese for a while, milking about 35 cows once a day. The cheese was sent to Sydney by boat from Port Macquarie and when it was time to go to Port to catch the boat, they had to leave Gannons Creek about 2am with the cheese loaded on a packhorse.
However, there was a sudden flood one night and the calves were washed away and drowned. The cows fretted, their milk dried and that was the finish of the cheesemaking.

On 1st February 1891 a non-official Post Office was opened at the Carney home at Gannons Creek with Thomas Carney Snr as Receiving Officer. In this position he was paid an allowance of £5 per annum.

Catherne died on 15 Jul 1901 aged 85 years and Thomas Snr, aged 86, followed on 4 March 1903. They are all buried at Beechwood Catholic cemetery.

A relative has said that Thomas or his family owned flax mills in Ireland. Not sure how I would verify that.

It's said that his father's name is Edward (b1793 -?) and mother Sarah (1804-1842)

Also I don't know how to go about contacting the parish priest for his birth details. Do you have an address please?

Thanks for your help with this,

Robbie

Hi Robbie,

Wow what a fascinating story! I take my hat off to you you. You have done a smashing job finding out all of that information.

As for flax mills, here is an interesting website to take a look at: http://www.irishlinenmills.com/

You could also take a look at these:

Workers & Manufacturers in Linen, in The Stephenson Reports 1755-84, available at the National Library of Ireland Ir. 6551 Dublin.

1796 Linen Board premiums for growing flax, NLI Ir. 633411 i 7. Online: Hayes.

I found this website too: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~donegal/Donaghmoreproj.htm

Kind regards,

Sinead

I am also interested in this information as Thomas and Catherine Carney are my husband's 3X great grandparents.  His line is through their daughter Ellen Frances Carney and then the Lulhams and Gillogleys.

Thank you Robbie for the interesting details which I can now add to the story.

Maz

Thanks for the links. I have emailed about the Donegal link as there were no Thomases mentioned, but the others could have been siblings etc. Worth an email anyway that's for sure. (to be sure... ;-D)

Since I'm in Australia all research has to be done online but I will try to chase up the books you mentioned later.

I like to get proof of all the family stories that are told as some are embellished in the re-telling. Makes for a good story but is sometimes far from the truth - a shame when the reality is actually a better story.

Thanks again,

Robbie

Hi Maz,

Thanks for your comment.

Do you know if any of your husband's family have ever been to Ireland to visit their ancestral home??

C

hello

My great grandmother was Catherine Isabella Kearney from Ireland.

Thomas & Margaret Anne McKinley  were her parents. But by my records, they were buried in Donegal.

She moved here to New Jersey.

I have just recently been researching my very limited family tree information.

Hi Robbie, 

I believe I am looking for the same person. He is the 3x great grandfather of my husband Jason 
We are going overseas soon and we are hoping to find some more information on the Carney side. 

I have started our family tree and have found the same on Thomas that I believe he changed the family name to Kearney. 

I have found the similar thing with his sons wife she was a Kenniff and when I trace her ancestors back they were Cunniff's. 

I have also found in my dad's side that a similar thing happened with changes to surnames. 

Katie 

Hi Robbie, 

I believe I am looking for the same person. He is the 3x great grandfather of my husband Jason 
We are going overseas soon and we are hoping to find some more information on the Carney side. 

I have started our family tree and have found the same on Thomas that I believe he changed the family name to Kearney. 

I have found the similar thing with his sons wife she was a Kenniff and when I trace her ancestors back they were Cunniff's. 

I have also found in my dad's side that a similar thing happened with changes to surnames. 

Katie