Hello
I am excited to join the IrelandXO community and would be grateful for any help you might be able to offer.
I am seeking information about my Grandfather Michael Francis Brennan, who left County Kilkenny and emigrated to the United States as a young unmarried man in the early 1900s (pre-WWI). He enlisted in the US Army and fought in WWI, which is how he earned his US citizenship. After the war, he settled in Rhode Island and married Elizabeth Catherine Piggott, also an Irish immigrant from County Cork.
That is all the information I have to go by for the moment. I know it's a long shot, but I would love to find out more about my grandfather and his family. Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Brian
bsbrennan
Monday 24th Jul 2023, 04:28PMMessage Board Replies
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Brian,
What is the name of his parents. You should get that from is marriage record.
Civil records in Ireland are from January 1st 1864 - www.irishgenealogy.ie - Free site
Regards,
McCoy
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https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24QY-TKL Marriage of Michael F. Brennan and Catherine Piggott 28/5/1918 Manhattan New York. Michael's parents are James Brennan and Mary Rooney. Catherine Piggotts parents are Patrick Piggott and Mary Cahill.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6KMJ-W6SC Patrick Piggott. Could this be your relative
Eileen
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https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_re… Marriage of a James Brennan and Mary Rooney 6/5/1878 Church in Glenade, Kinlough, Ballyshannon, Co. Leitrim.
Eileen
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I found a baptismal record for Michael in Co. Leitrim, not Kilkenny.
Name: Michael Brennan
Date of Baptism: 17-Feb-1891
Address: Drumcashel [see https://www.townlands.ie/leitrim/rosclogher/rossinver/aghanlish/drumcas…]
Parish/District: Glenade Roman Catholic
Gender: Male
County Co. Leitrim
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Father: James Brennan Mother: Mary Rooney
In his U.S. WWII draft registration, shown on Ancestry, the following information is provided. Note the birth date is a day later, and three years later, than the baptismal date above.
Name Michael F Brennan
Gender Male
Race White
Birth Date 18 Feb 1894
Birth Place Leitrim, Ireland
Residence Place Providence, Rhode Island, USA
Military Draft Date 1942
Next of Kin Mrs Catherine Brennan
In the civil record of Michael’s 1891 birth at https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1891/02400/1894678.pdf
Michael is said to have been born in Drumcashel in Leitrim on 28 Feb. This is impossible if he was baptized on 17 Feb. In Ireland, there was a fine levied if a child’s birth was not registered within a certain time period. So people simply lied about the child’s birth date in order to avoid the fine.
Patricia
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RootsIreland has the following births and baptisms for the children of James Brennan and Mary Rooney. You can see details at RootsIreland, which is a paid site, or at irishgenealogy.ie, which has the civil records.
- Civil Birth Brennan Mary Ellen 1879 Co. Leitrim
- Church Baptism Brennian Mary 1879 Co. Leitrim
- Church Baptism Brennan Margaret 1880 Co. Leitrim
- Church Baptism Brennan Sarah 1883 Co. Leitrim
- Church Baptism Brenan Patrick 1885 Co. Leitrim
- Civil Birth Brennan Patrick 1886 Co. Leitrim
- Church Baptism Brennan Catherine 1888 Co. Leitrim
- Civil Birth Brennan Kate 1889 Co. Leitrim
- Church Baptism Brennan Michael 1891 Co. Leitrim
- Civil Birth Brennan Michael 1891 Co. Leitrim
- Church Baptism Brennan Peter 1893 Co. Leitrim
- Civil Birth Brennan Peter 1893 Co. Leitrim
- Church Baptism Brennan Bridget 1895 Co. Leitrim
- Civil Birth Brennan Bridget 1895 Co. Leitrim
- Church Baptism Brennan Anne 1897 Co. Leitrim
- Civil Birth Brennan Annie 1897 Co. Leitrim
Patricia
- Civil Birth Brennan Mary Ellen 1879 Co. Leitrim
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Here is the Brennan family in the 1901 Irish census. Your Michael is called Mick.
Household Number 10 District Electoral Division: AGHANLISH
Address: Drumcashel Parish ROSSINVER CIVIL PARISH
County Co. Leitrim
First Name Surname Occupation Age Relationship Denomination Marital Status Origin
James Brennan Farmer 47 Householder Roman Catholic Married County Leitrim
Mary Brennan Not Recorded 40 Wife Roman Catholic Married County Leitrim
Maggie Brennan Scholar 18 Daughter Roman Catholic Nr County Leitrim
Sarah Brennan Scholar 16 Daughter Roman Catholic Nr County Leitrim
Patrick Brennan Scholar 14 Son Roman Catholic Nr County Leitrim
Mick Brennan Scholar 9 Son Roman Catholic Nr County Leitrim
Peter Brennan Scholar 7 Son Roman Catholic Nr County Leitrim
Kate Brennan Scholar 11 Daughter Roman Catholic Nr County Leitrim
B. Brennan Scholar 4 Daughter Roman Catholic Nr County Leitrim
Annie Brennan Not Recorded 2 Daughter Roman Catholic Nr County Leitrim
Patricia
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Thank you to all the very helpful posts from you generous research masters.
bsbrennan