Family Research

Dear Cheryl:

Thank you for your post to the message board.  I'm forwarding the post to one of our Cork volunteers who may be able to assist with that query.

We have a Mayo volunteer who is also a Heffron and I'm forwarding the query to him for his reference.  He may be able to assist you with your Heffron and Lavelle queries.  

As to Monaghan, the records in many cases do not go back earlier than 1800, and a number of them are not  online,so it may be a challenge.  The surname Martin is very common in Monaghan,so you will need to have some more specific information such as a maiden name for Catherine or other family members for us to assist.  

As to your queries for County Limerick, do you have any other information about Margaret Downey such as her maiden name?  Any other information that you have would be a great help.  You can post it on this thread and we will try to assist you further.

Kind regards,

Jane

Hi Cheryl,

I am a volunteer with the Ireland XO project, based in Mayo - and also a Heffron.

Heffron is a particular Mayo surname, especially the North of the county and different to other Heffrons with variant spellings in the rest of Ireland.

Where have you sourced this info? (as then I may be able to point you in the right direction for further research > 

William Heffron, b 1808, Kilmore
Bridget O'Hare, b 1814, Kilmore
Son of William and Bridget: Patrick Heffron, b 1843, Bellmullet, County Mayo

Good to meet a fellow kindred Heffron!

Liam Alex Heffron

moygownagh@irelandxo.com

Thanks for the responses! I'm on Ancestry.com at the moment. I may be able visit a couple of local places to view records when I'm there in October.

I have Lavelle in my family tree. Her name is Ellen and she married Michael Ruddy. I'm guessing she was born around 1800 and she to is from Co. Mayo. I believe Derrycorrib. I would love to see if they can help you with info on Catherine Lavelle. 

Thanks for the info. I'm trying to track down more info about Catherine. The Derrycorrib clue might help.
Cheryl

Hi Cheryl, 

I also have Heffron/Heffern ancestors.  My family DNA is specific to Northwest Mayo, likely the Bellmullet area. My Great Great Great Grandparents were Thomas/or Richard Padden(estimated DOB 1810) , and Catherine/or Mary Heffern/Heffron (estimated DOB 1809-1814).   Two of their children, Richard Padden (B 1829) and Catherine Padden (B 1832) emigrated to the US about 1849.  Catherine married Thomas Byrne in Kentucky in 1850.  I know that Catherine and her brother lived in Wisconsin, then Iowa, and are buried in Pocahontas, Iowa.  I descend from Catherine Padden Byrne.

Many Irish from County Mayo settled in Monroe and Rock counties of Wisconsin, and also St. Croix County.  There were a number of Heffrons living in the Emerald/Erin Prairie/Cylon area of Wisconsin.   Unfortunately,  I have found few specific Irish records that document or link my family.                                                                                                                                                                      

Where did your Heffron family end up?  If they ended up in the midwest, I may have some information for you. 

Cathy Kohler

Hi Cathy,

My family ended up in New Richmond, St. Croix.

William Heffron (1808-1868) married
Bridget O'Haire (1814-1894)
Son: Patrick

Patrick Heffron (1843-1912 born Bellmullet) married
Mary Alice Dean (1853-1916 born County Mayo)
Daughter: Catherine

Catherine A. Heffron (1870-1953) married
James Thomas Martin (1862-1916)
Son: Frederic Henry Martin (this was my dad's dad.)

Do any of these people show up in your family tree?