William McHugh and Mary Moore, Ballindine, Claremorris, Mayo

Do birth/baptism records of Thomas, John and James McHugh give address or townland? School records?

Have you looked at marriage or death notices in newspapers?

Did Willliam McHugh make a will?  

Do you know occupations of any of them? If so what about trades directories and adverts in newspapers. If they were farmers did they win prizes at agricultural shows, reported in newspapers?

If William McHugh was a farmer, to whom who was his property transferred?  

Your William McHugh lived long enough to claim a pension. There may have been a census search to establish his age. Application may have been made by a son or daughter on parent's behalf in which case name & address of said child may have been recorded.

Might Kate/Catherine have been a step-daughter? At one time daughter/son-in-law could also mean step-daughter. Have you identified all wives of all sons? Son/s may have married in Britain and returned to Ireland later, or the wife of one may have gone over to take care of ailing father-in-law. Are you sure William McHugh didn't have a wife before Mary Moore and children from that marriage, either in Ireland or Britain?

All good questions, some I have answers to, some I have access and need to pursue, others I didn't even think of...Thanks for taking the time. My answers are directly after your questions.

Do birth/baptism records of Thomas, John and James McHugh give address or townland? School records? Yes and they are identical.

Have you looked at marriage or death notices in newspapers? Good thought, must pursue.

Did Willliam McHugh make a will?  Not even sure how to determine that.

Do you know occupations of any of them? If so what about trades directories and adverts in newspapers. If they were farmers did they win prizes at agricultural shows, reported in newspapers? William was a farmer. I just know William was a farmer.

If William McHugh was a farmer, to whom who was his property transferred?  I don't know, but know how to find out...good thought!

Your William McHugh lived long enough to claim a pension. There may have been a census search to establish his age. Application may have been made by a son or daughter on parent's behalf in which case name & address of said child may have been recorded. Hmm, wonder where I would find that info? 

Might Kate/Catherine have been a step-daughter? At one time daughter/son-in-law could also mean step-daughter. Have you identified all wives of all sons? Son/s may have married in Britain and returned to Ireland later, or the wife of one may have gone over to take care of ailing father-in-law. Are you sure William McHugh didn't have a wife before Mary Moore and children from that marriage, either in Ireland or Britain?  It could be that it's a step-daughter, In none of my searches have I found a second marriage for William...and my searches have been pretty broad (gone through documentation (births and deaths, etc) and cast a pretty wide net.

Again, thanks, I will pursue all these avenues...

Okay, for the two boys, yes, I have birth records for Thomas and John McHugh and they are both listed as born to Wm McHugh and Mary McHugh nee Moore of Liffaw, Claremorris, Ballendine, Mayo.

For anyone who is interested: John and Thomas were, in fact, the same child. First registered by father, William, then by grandmother, Sarah McHugh. Thomas is subsequently listed as present at his father William's death. Turns out that Kate on the alternate death record was a William McHugh who was married to Bridget Cosgrave and lived in the same village (Leface/Lewaus).  "My" William  died in 1921, and this is corroborated by a census that shows William living with youngest daughter, Mary, in 1911.  Mary left for the USA in 1921 after her father's death.

All this was deciphered with the assistance of South Mayo Family Research....!