I'm looking for help on learning more about my Harrison ancestors in and around Banoges townland in Galway near Castleblakeney. Questions I'm trying to answer are:
- Great-grandparents Thomas Harrison (abt. 1839 - 1911) & Mary Brown (abt. 1861 - ?)
- Do their marriage records exist (ca. 1884 - 1887)?
- Do their birth records exist?
- When did Mary pass?
- What other records exist for Mary? Who was her family?
- 2nd Great-grandparents William Harrison (abt. 1809 - 1879) & Unknown
- Is he the same person as this Griffiths Land Valuation record of William Harrisson in Ballymacward leasing Baunoges lots 4A & B from John H Blakeney?
- What civil, parish, vital, or other records exist?
- Who was his wife?
- Did he have other children?
- Who was Michael Harrison (b. abt. 1850)?
- Thomas (1839) registered 2 civil deaths on 17 Nov 1879: his father William aged 70, and a Michael Harrison aged 29. They have different causes of death. Perhaps he was a brother or cousin.
- Anything else there is to know about Harrisons in Galway!
Here's what I do know:
My grandfather Thomas Harrison (b. 1902 civil record) was from Banoges, Castleblakeney. I know this from his correspondence with my grandmother Kate Hansbury (b. 1908) who was from nearby Ballagh. However he died young and we never learned much about him or his family.
Through my research I found that he emigrated to New York City, arriving 5 Dec 1927 on the S.S. Baltic, and they married in NYC in 1937. He was born to Thomas Harrison & Mary Brown in Galway according to his U.S. marriage, and naturalization, and death certificates.
- Mountbellew civil birth registration: Thomas Harrison born in Banogues on 28 Feb 1902 to a farmer Thomas Harrison and Mary Brown.
- 1901 Census: Thomas' parents & siblings living in house 3 in Baunoges the year before he was born.
- 1911 Census: Thomas living with his family in Baunoges house 7.
- 1911 Civil death record of his father (my g.g.) Thomas Harrison (1839)
My great-grandfather Thomas (b. abt. 1839) was 63 when my grandfather when born, 13 years older than his wife Mary (b. abt. 1861), and had at least 3 children with his first wife Bridget Murphy (b. abt. 1847, d. 1884):
- John (1880 civil record & parish record) who I think matches the John at home inthe 1901 & 1911 Census (with misreported census ages)
- At least two others older than John, who don't appear in censuses: Catherine (?), William (1874)
- Possible 1870 civil birth for Catherine, I'm not sure 100% sure of it
- This may be William's 1874 Civil Birth record, but the database entry is linked to the incorrect image. The same DB record appears in RootsIreland.ie and names Thomas & Bridget as his parents.
Other documentation:
- 1869 Civil Marriage record for Thomas Harrison & Bridget Murphy
- 1884 Civil Death record for Bridget Murphy
- Not found yet: 1884-1887 marriage records not yet found for Thomas (1839) & Mary Brown (1861).
- It would have taken place between the death of Bridget Murphy in 1884 and the birth of Mary Brown's son Patrick (abt. 1887 according to the 1901 census).
The first marriage to Bridget was a surprise that I was clued to by a random email from a music historian who was researching my grandfather's accordion-playing career. I confirmed the connection between the senior Thomas' families by tracing the immigrations of my grand uncles & aunt. They supported each others' journeys, named each other on Ellis Island ship manifests, and lived together in America. The connections between the half-siblings and their parents Thomas, Bridget, and Mary emerge in their U.S. naturalization, marriage & death certificates.
Additionally, a place named "Glentane" is reported as home by some Harrison siblings in a few U.S. documents. I think this matches Baunoges because Google Maps shows it located at 53° 25′ 8″ N, 8° 30′ 43″ W which is just a few meters south of Baunoges on the Griffiths Land Valuation map.
I would love to find out more about my grandfather's family and ancestors in Galway. Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you,
Tom Harrison from New York
teh
Wednesday 10th Jan 2024, 08:46PMMessage Board Replies
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Transcription from rootsireland.ie of marriage record for Thomas Harrison and M. Browne follows:
Marriage:31-Jan-1887
Parish / District: Menlough
Co. Galway
Husband Wife
Name: ThomasHarrison M.Browne
Denomination:Roman Catholic Roman Catholic
Witness 1Witness 2
Name: JohnCasey MaryL.
Patricia
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Tom:
The subscription site Roots Ireland has a January 31 1887 marriage record for a Thomas Harrison and M. Browne in the Menlough RC church. Menlough would have been Mary's home parish and was just to the north of Ballymacward. Patrick Harrison was baptized on January 21 1888 and according to the Roots Ireland transcription, he was born on January 7th.
I will look for more information tomorrow.
Roger McDonnell
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
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Mary Browne Harrison was 50 years old in the 1911 Irish census, so obviously she did not die until sometime after that census was enumerated.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Castleblakeney/Baunoges/466307/
You might search the civil death records at the free site irishgenealogy.ie for Mary’s death record.
Patricia
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Tom:
See fifth record at this link for the likely Mary Harrison death record. The informant was an Annie Harrison who may have been a granddaughter.
Roger
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
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@Patricia & @Roger Thank you very much for your quick replies and research!
I think you've found Mary Brown's civil death registration. The place of death in 1936 is Banogues, and she still lived there as of 1927 according to my grandfather's "Person in old country" 1927 Ellis Island ship manifest. Also, Mary's son James married Anna Cullinane in 1922. My grandfather "Tommie" was the witness. This could be the "Annie" who witnessed Mary's civil death. James & Anna would have been present in 1936 - they spent their lives in Ireland according to a newspaper obituary I've seen.
The RootsIreland.ie marriage record for Thomas & Mary also seems like a likely match. I wish there was more information than their names. I think that would officially be in the Killascobe parish records. The NLI doesn't have that year. Unfortunately an image may only exist on microfilm at the FamilySearch Library in Utah.
I really wonder if that William Harrison in the Griffiths Land Valuation is my 2nd-great grandfather. It seems likely.
teh
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Tom:
I don't know if you are on Facebook but there is an East Galway Genealogy & DNA group https://www.facebook.com/groups/555977884943692 The moderator is Martin Mac Oirealla and in the past, Martin was a IRO volunteer. He is from the Menlough/Killoscobe area. By the way, I don't believe the parish register for 1887 will show any other information.
Roger
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
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@Roger that's great, thanks for letting me know about the group! I just requested to join.
teh