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Peter McPartland, Michael Wrenn

My GG grandfather John McPartland (born cc1830) and wife Bridget (nee Wrenn born cc1829) on their Scotland marriage record in 1855 state they are fro Co. Sligo.

Both their fathers (Peter and Michael resp) are listed as farmers. I can find neither Peter McParlan(d) nor Michael Wrenn in the 1833 Tithe Applotment books for Co. Sligo, when they would have rented their plots. However, there are two Peter McPartlan(d)s in the books for Inishmagath Parish, Leitrim and nearby Kilronan, Roscommon. There is also only one Michael Wrenn I can find renting 6 acres in Cornagee Townland, Kilronan in the Applotment Book. Peter McParland rents 9 acres with his brother Patt in the adjacent Townland of Shrananooan, both on the NE slopes of Kilronan Mountain.

I believe they were the fathers of John and Bridget.

I understand that both the family names were pretty well unique to that area of Leitrim/Roscommon, round Lough Allen at the time

John McPartland in Scotland is a "collier" on his 1855 marriage record, and (very unusually for a woman) Bridget is a "pithead worker".

I don't believe that it's any coincidence that both almost certainly lived above the Arigna Mines, and it is likely they had some working experience before arriving in Scotland, which would have helped Bridget to find work.

All four of John and Bridget's parents are listed as deceased on their 1855 marriage record. There is a strong possibility they were famine victims, as they would not been any older than about 55 at the time of the marriage, and unlikely all would be deceased in normal circumstances. I suspect that John and Bridget, or even some of the families, may have travelled though Co. Sligo to Sligo Port to leave for Scotland, which may explain an error the marriage record.

In Summary:

Peter and Helen (or Ellen, nee Smith) McPartland, son John (b 1830)

Michael and Catherine (nee Follen or Fallon) Wrenn, daughter Bridget (b 1831).

If anyone, is descended from, or has any information on these families around the famine period in the Kilronan (or Inishmagath) areas, or may be descended from these families, can they please contact me by email here . They have many descendants, through John and Bridget, in the West of Scotland area. My wife and I will be visiting the area next week and would be pleased to meet up,

Richard

- See more at: http://www.irelandxo.com/ireland/roscommon/kilronan/message-board/peter…

zarrafak

Saturday 13th Jun 2015, 11:04PM

Message Board Replies

  • Richard:

    You have done an excellent resarch on your family.  I checked on Roots Ireland and was not able to locate a baptismal record for John or Bridget and it is possible records are not available. The Kilronan/Keadue/Ballyfarnon/Arigna parish records start in 1824 but based on data from the National Library of Ireland, there is a gap between mid-1829 and December 1834. The Inishmagrath/Drumkeerin RC records don't start until 1835.

    You may know that effective July 8th the National Library plans to place all RC parish registers online for free searching. I would review the registers for both parishes to see if you can locate any possible records. Inishmagrath is in the Diocese of Kilmore and Kilronan is in the Diocese of Arfagh and Clonmacnois.

    In my experience, McPartland is more of a Leitrim name so I lean towards the Inishmagrath area.

    Roger McDonnell

    Ennismagrath Baptisms Jan. 1835 - July 1839 P.7505 (Drum Keren) Innismagrath Marriages 1830 - 1839 (Manorhamilton) Deaths 1833 - 1839 Baptisms 1834 

    Kilronan Baptisms Jan. 1, 1824 - Jul. 27, 1829 P.4242 Marriages Oct. 24, 1823 - Jun. 10, 1829 Baptisms Jan. 1, 1835 - Mar. 25, 1876 Marriages Jan. 7, 1835 - Sept. 16, 1872 Deaths Jan. 16, 1835 - Jul. 18, 1872 __________________________________________________________________________

     

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 14th Jun 2015, 12:19AM
  • Thanks Roger,

    Sorry I took so long to reply! We had a great trip to Lough Allen, and other 'ancestral locations' last year, met some wonderful people and planning a return trip.

    I disagree with you about Kilronan - I'm almost sure now that's the correct parish for both John McPartland and Bridget Wrenn/Rynn.

    I transcribed all the Kilronan McPartland/Wrenn/Smyth related birth/baptism parish records from NLI (There were no marriage records) for the only available relevant period (1824-1829), and although it is too early for John & Bridget (1830-1831) I tried to piece together family relationships from these. There were 10 distinct records in total, almost all in Cornagee or Srananooan

    However, the most relevant record I found was for a Francis McPartland, baptised in 1824, sponsor Ellen Smith (John's mother?), parents Patrick McParland (John's uncle?) and Catherine Smith (Ellen's sister / John's aunt?) in Seltenaveeny, Kilronan - 5km from Srananooan/Cornagee. Is this a case of two brothers; Patrick and Peter McPartland, married to two sisters; Catherine and Ellen Smith? I believe this was very common at the time. Strangely, but helpfully, the name Smith/Smyth was almost unknown in the area at the time. There are also a few records of Rynn/McPartland husband/wife or vice versa parents at baptisms.

    I also found a record of a Peter McPartland as a mine owner in Selenaveeny in 1880. This was the name of John's father, and could possibly be John's elder brother or, more likely a cousin, possibly the son of Patrick McPartland. This would be 2 or 3 years before the extension of the Cavan-Leitrim railway to the Seltenaveeny mine.

    There are later records (1901 census) of at least one Peter McPartland in Drumkeerin town, Inishmagrath, which may indicate that that branch was able purchase a town house with profits from, or proceeds from selling, the mine.

    zarrafak

    Sunday 19th Jun 2016, 09:41PM
  • Richard:

    Thanks for the update. All the best with your continuing research.

    Roger

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Monday 20th Jun 2016, 08:50PM

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