Silk Family from Turoe

Joe you may have already picked up on these from Ancestry.com Silk births in the Bullaun area

Name:     Margaret Silk
Gender:     Female
Birth Date:     18 Sep 1865
Birth Place:     Bullaun District, Galway, Ireland
Father's Name:     John Silk
Mother's name:     Catherine Mannion

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Name:     Owen Silk
Gender:     Male
Birth Date:     27 Oct 1866
Birth Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ireland
Baptism Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ireland
Father's Name:     Lawrence Silk
Mother's name:     Margaret Cunnere

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Name:     Margaret Silk
Gender:     Female
Birth Date:     14 Mar 1867
Birth Place:     Bullaun District, Galway, Ireland
Father's Name:     John Silk
Mother's name:     Bridget Mulloy

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Name:     Anne Silk
Gender:     Female
Birth Date:     17 Jan 1868
Birth Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ireland
Baptism Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ireland
Father's Name:     Lawrence Silk
Mother's name:     Margaret Cunnere

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Name:     Bridget Silk
Gender:     Female
Birth Date:     11 Apr 1868
Birth Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ireland
Baptism Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ireland
Father's Name:     Michael Silk
Mother's name:     Honor Kenny

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Name:     Bridget Silk
Gender:     Female
Birth Date:     23 Mar 1868
Birth Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ireland
Baptism Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ireland
Father's Name:     John Silk
Mother's name:     Bridget Molloy

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Name:     John Silk
Gender:     Male
Birth Date:     8 May 1870
Birth Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ireland
Baptism Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ireland
Father's Name:     Michael Silk
Mother's name:     Honoria Kenney

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Name:     Michael Silk
Gender:     Male
Birth Date:     26 Mar 1870
Birth Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ireland
Baptism Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ireland
Father's Name:     John Silk
Mother's name:     Catherine Mannion

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Name:     Anne Silk
Gender:     Female
Birth Date:     12 Jan 1871
Birth Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ireland
Baptism Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ireland
Father's Name:     John Silk
Mother's name:     Bridget Mulloy

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Name:     Michael Silk
Gender:     Male
Birth Date:     3 May 1872
Birth Place:     Bullaun, Gal. Ire
Baptism Place:     Bullaun, Gal. Ire
Father's Name:     John Silk
Mother's name:     Bridget Molloy

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Name:     Patrick Silk
Gender:     Male
Birth Date:     9 Apr 1873
Birth Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ire.
Baptism Place:     Bullaun, Gal, Ire.
Father's Name:     Michael Silk
Mother's name:     Honor Kenny

Which Family line are you following Joe? It might make it easier for people to give information rather than giving you information you might already have. thx Michelle

Joe, Hi

Michelle Mitchell here, I'm in the ajoining parish of Kiltullagh Killiimordaly. Just looking through a couple of records we have Turoe listed on a few of our records for the parish...

There is Silk in Ballymurry...not quite Turoe, but, very nearby and thought it might be good to share with you, as they may be a realtion...

John Silk in Ballymurry 7 acres on The Tithe Applotment Book ( Kiltullagh & Killimordaly Civil Parishes 1825 Loughrea Poor Law Union Athenry, Kilconnell & Tiaquin Baronies)

John Silk also has 10 acres in Gortcame in the Tithe Apploments Bullaun Civil Parish 1827 Loughrea Poor Law Union Loughrea Barony

Timothy Silk in Ballymurry 11 acres on the Griffith Valuation Records (leased from Oliver Dolphin)

PATRICK SILK in GortCam for Griffith Valuation Records
Landlord DOLPHIN OLIVER
Location
County    GALWAY
Barony    LOUGHREA
Union    LOUGHREA
Parish    BULLAUN
Townland    GORTCAM
Place Name    GORTCAM
Place Type    TOWNLAND

Patrick Silk also has land in Galboley

Family Name 1    SILK
Forename 1    PATRICK
Landlord
Family Name 2    DALY
Forename 2    JOHN
Location
County    GALWAY
Barony    ATHENRY
Union    LOUGHREA
Parish    KILLIMORDALY
Townland    GALBOLEY
Place Name    GALBOLEY
Place Type    TOWNLAND

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Silk Family still in Gortcam on the 1901 Census

Residents of a house 7 in Gortcan (Bullaun, Galway)

Surname    Forename    Age    Sex    Relation to head    Religion    Birthplace    Occupation    Literacy    Irish Language    Marital Status    Specified Illnesses
Silk    Theady    40    Male    Head of Family    Catholic    Co Galway    Farmer    Cannot read or write    Speak English Irish    Widower    -
Silk    John    8    Male    Son    Catholic    Co Galway    Famr Son    Read and write    English    Not Married    -
Silk    Delia    6    Female    Daughter    Catholic    Co Galway    Scholars    Read and write    English    Not Married    -
Silk    Anne    4    Female    Daughter    Catholic    Co Galway    Scholars    Cannot read or write    English    Not Married    -
Keane    Bridget    50    Female    Servant    Catholic    Co Galway    Servants    Can read    English    Widow    -
Mahony    Pat    35    Male    Servant    Catholic    Co Galway    Servants

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I'm also just going to add in that on the 1821 Census of Kiltullagh Killimordaly for Kiltullagh there is a Silk Family

Silk             John          27        Farmer, labourer                                                

Michael          Brother               13        Labourer                                                           

 Myles             Son                     9                                                                                    

 Mary                Mother            49       

and down in Lisnaherrick (Knockatogher)   (which would be the Killimordaly side of the parish, further away again from Bullaun)

Cunnane     Hanora                       40        Flax spinner                                                      

Carty          Pat                  Son       17        Labourer                                                           

Silk           John                 Son      9

Hope it's of some help

Michelle

Volunteer @ IRO Kiltullagh Killlimordaly parish

Hi Michelle, 

Thank you for responding to my message and sharing with me all of the information.  

My great great grandfather's name was Timothy Silk.  His U.S. naturalization papers state the he was from Turoe, Galway, Ireland.  He was born approximately 1828.  His parents names were Timothy and Mary.  He had a sister Ann whom lived here in Massachusetts (the only sibling I have been able to confirm).

My research shows that the name Timothy was derrived from the name Thadeus, and gentlemen with this name also went by the name Thady or Thade.

I have no doubt that the Timothy Silk shown in Ballymurry who leased land from Oliver Dolphin was my 3rd great grandfather.  I believe that his wife Mary's maiden name was either Finerty or Daly from the research that I have done.

The Patrick Silk shown in Gortcam was either my 2nd great grandfather's brother or uncle (I have not been able to decipher which).

A little history about my 2nd great grandfather Timothy shows that he first came to the U.S. from Ireland in 1842 at the age of 14.  He landed in Wilmington, North Carolina.  This would be during the era of slavery in the South, and almost 20 years prior to the U.S. Civil War.  I am very curious about why a 14 year old boy would have made this journey.  I have theories, but cannot prove anything.  Do you have any ideas?

The next record I have of him shows him coming again from Ireland to the U.S. in February 1857, landing in New York.  With him was Mary Bohan, whom he would marry three months later (my great great grandmother).

They lived the remainder of their lives in Boylston and Clinton Massachusetts.  They had seven children.  Timothy workd as a farmer for many years, and later took a job as a watchman (security guard) at a large mill complex in Clinton.  He died in 1889.  Mary died in 1902.

From what I see on the maps, Bullaun has a Roman Catholic church with a burial ground next to it.  I am sure that is where my ancestors are buried.  The area looks very serene.  

I am very thankful for your response and for any help you could give me figuring out my family tree.

Thanks, 

Joe Silk

Hi Joe,

Thank you  for the added information.

Joe, I finally got around to taking a trip up to Bullaun Graveyard today (I live a few miles away) ...
Unfortunately, I was not able to immediately spot the Silk name. That is not to say that the family name is not there. It would make perfect sense, given that Turoe is only a couple hundred metres away as is Gortcam that they are indeed there.

At least half of the gravestones are eligible. Weather, moss and algae not helping matters. I have asked another volunteer and as far as we are aware there is as yet no plans for a graveyard inscriptions projects. Also, we are not aware of any online records in relation to the graveyard.

re Timothy travelling to the US in 1842 at the age of 14 a number of reasons like you mention the time of slavery, also around the time of extreme hunger in Ireland early days of the Irish famine...interesting indeed that he travelling back from the US back to Ireland and back to NY thereafter.

Sorry I could not be of more help.

Michelle

Michelle,

You have been a tremendous help, and I cannot thank you enough for visiting the graveyard today.  It is one of my greatest wishes to visit Bullaun. 

Not marking graves seems to be a tradition in the Silk family.  Here in Massachusetts, my g.g. grandfather Timothy, and my great grandfather Thomas are buried in unmarked graves.  Both men were originally buried in a cemetery in a valley that was later to become a drinking water reservoir for the city of Boston.  Along with about 4,000 others, my ancestors graves were moved to a new cemetery.  I know that it sounds kind of macabre,  but it really is an interesting story, and part of my family history.

Please know that I appreciate your help so very much.  I am confident that my Silk relatives are buried in that cemetery, and I cannot wait to lay a rose at the gate of the cemetery, and walk on the land in Gortcam, and Ballymurry, as well as visit the Turoe stone. 

One theory that I have heard as to why young men left Ireland in the early 19th century was to serve out an indentured servitude here in the U.S.  In return, after serving a seven year term, they would be given land to farm for themselves.  While not technically slavery, which of course was the norm in the southern U.S. at that time, the conditions were not always the best, and I think that in the long run, it would have been hard for a young man to make a successful go of it.  I could understand why Timothy may have returned to Ireland also, given the treatment that the Irish were receiving in the U.S. during the famine years.  Coming back to the U.S. to the northern states may have been Tim's best option.

Thanks again for what you have done for me, and if there is anything that you can teach me about Loughrea, Bullaun, Turoe, or anything else please do so.   I am so eager to know everything about the area.

Your friend,

Joe Silk

Joe, another volunteer has emailed through the following information that might be good to keep to hand as may be a relative...

"Patrick Silk from Carrabane who fought in the British Army from 1858 (born 1837)"

As the crow files Carrabane isn't that far away...