Mary Ann Burke : Short Biography

I’m looking for Mary Ann, nee. Burke who was likely born in Castlebar in Dec.,1851/2 & married Thomas/James Hargrave also likely in Castlebar.

Thomas is the more likely of the two, because it is mentioned on two of his daughter’s marriage certificates, but James was mentioned on her death certificate.

Most documents have Thomas/James Hargrave as being English, but a couple have him born in Ireland.

I have a lot of information on Mary Ann after she immigrated to firstly Canada in 1886 then to theUSA in 1898.

Mary Ann was a Presbyterian & had 4 children in Ireland, one died young.

She immigrated with her youngest daughter Julia Susan aged two & a half, to Canada in July 1886.

Julia was born in November 1883.

In a later document Julia is described as born in Cork.

Mary Ann’s first born was Ella, but always known as ‘Annie’, possibly her middle name.

A later document has Ella as born in Castlebar, Co. Mayo.

On the California Death certificate for Ella, her birth date is noted as 16th December, 1876.

Mary Ann’s 2nd born was Elizabeth Frances, but always known as ‘Lizzie’.

Even on Canadian & USA census’s & her marriage Cert. her name is written as ‘Lizzie’ & only in her later years could I find documents that her given names were Elizabeth Frances.

She was also born in ‘The City of Cork’ in December 1851/2 according to a later document.

When Mary Ann & her daughter Julia immigrated to Canada she left her two surviving daughters, Annie & Lizzie in care at the ‘Training Home Industrial School For Protestant Girls, Cork, Co. Cork, Republic of Ireland’.

On the document letters were exchanged between a Miss Woodruffe & the Ambassidor to Canada, Sir Charles Tupper, London, about arranging to send Annie & Lizzie (as named on this document) to Canada using the ‘Home Children’ program.

The last letter dated Nov. 4th notes - re: “Girls on Ocean”, where the Rev. S. Myline & Miss Woodruffe “Has Allowed The Two Hargrave Girls To Come To Canada”.

So it appears that Lizzie & Annie were well on their way to Canada when permission for them to do so came through, because on a ships list dated 11th Nov.1890 (arrival date) the two girls are mentioned as travelling to Ontario, Canada.

In the Canadian census of 1891 all of the three girls & their mother Mary Ann along with her new husband Andrew Tracey who was also born in Ireland, are together.

Mary Ann is described as a widow, so at a guess I would say that she & her first husband Thomas/James Hargrave moved to Cork from Co. Mayo not long after Ella was born & there he died which may have forced Mary Ann to put her two eldest daughters in care while she & her youngest daughter Julia sought a better life in Canada where she married Andrew Tracey who she possibly knew him or his family back in Ireland.

Andrew died in April,1898 & that’s when Mary Ann along with Annie immigrated to the USA later that year according to the USA 1900 census.

On their marriage document Andrew is noted as R.C. & Mary Ann as Presby., but on the Canadian 1901 census & his death certificate he is described as ‘Free Church & Presbytarian’.

Interestingly, when Mary Ann died in 1932, she was interred in the Calvary cemetery which is a RC cemetery & in her obituary it is mentioned that “Mass would be held in the Church of the Resurrection, L.A.”

So even though Mary Ann always described herself & her children as Presbyterians, she may have been buried as a Catholic.

I have to wonder if she converted to Presbytarian when she married her first husband Thomas/James Hargrave then reverted back to RC on her death bed.

Her parents were Anthony Burke & Eliza Harrigan who most likely resided in Co. Mayo.

Eliza’s maiden name Harrigan was transcribed as this on Mary Ann’s marriage cert. to her second husband Andrew Tracey, but looking closely at how it is written, it could actually be Hanigan.

But in saying that, DNA evidence suggests that Elza’s actual maiden name may have been Halligan.

I have a second cousin with the surname ‘Halligan’ & he was born in Castlebar, County Mayo.

His father was also born in Castlebar & his mother nee Keane was born in Newport, Co. Mayo.

But he is still searching for his ancestrial parentage.

So perhaps Hanigan/Harrigan is a typo error on the marriage cert.

Mary Ann’s surname had been miss-interpreted & transcribed as ‘Hayran’.

Her two other daughters Lizzie & Julia immigrated to the USA in 1894 according to the USA 1900 census.

All settled in various parts of California for the rest of their lives where the three daughters married & had families of their own.

So in summary: I know very little about Mary Ann when she lived in Ireland, so any help from members would be much appreciated.

I need to find documents on Mary Ann’s life in Castlebar – her baptism & marriage records.

Also her first born Ella (Annie) who was born in Castlebar, Co. Mayo.

I would love to know more about Lizzie & Annie’s stay in the ‘Training Home Industrial School For Protestant Girls, Cork, Co. Cork’.

Is there a way of accessing any surviving documents relating to their stay in this home.

It could be a great source in promoting my research on this family.

Thanks.

Brian Hargreaves.