RootsChat.Com
Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Dublin => Topic started by: may2491 on Monday 05 November 12 19:57 GMT (UK)
-
I am looking for information on the May Family (or families) of Skerries about the time period of the 1860s.
The father was in boating or fishing and apparently died lost at sea. The son emigrated to America in the 1870s or 1880s. Thank you.
Timothy May
-
I have a May ancestor from near Skerries - a little earlier that your dates though. My gtgtgt grandmother is a Margaret May. She married a Rooney in Skerries/Holmpatrick RC parish in 1841 and they raised their children in Piercetown townland, located between Skerries and Loughshinny
I've a possible baptism for Margaret in 1821 in Skerries parish with parents William May and Etty Archer, but have not traced any sibling or side branches yet..
Shane
-
Shane,
Thank you for this quick response. It is quite possible that my gtgt-grandparents were also born in that area, all I know is that they were born in Ireland. If they also came from that area they may have been in the Skerries/Holmpatrick area around the same time as your ancestors. They may even be related.
The name of father and son is Patrick and the son is Patrick Joseph (the father may also be "Patrick Joseph"). The mother is Mary. Are these names familiar?
Can you tell from these names if they are RC?
I do not have any indication what church the family belonged to although I am leaning to the possibility that they belonged to the Skerries/Holmpatrick RC parish which today I think is called "St. Patrick's."
I will jot down your ancestors' names in case there is a family connection or if I can find anything in my own searches.
Timothy
-
most of the children's names in the next generation can be accounted for in the Rooney line - but there are a few 'left over' that could be of May origin - i.e. Esther/Etty, Margaret and Maria/Mary. The name Esther in particular was passed down through three generations.
I also have a marriage for William May and Esther Archer in 1821 in Swords Skerries RC parish, residences given for both as 'Skerries'. Witnesses are 'Patt May' and 'Jane Archer'. Possible relations - maybe siblings to the bride & groom ?
...
The name of father and son is Patrick and the son is Patrick Joseph (the father may also be "Patrick Joseph"). The mother is Mary.
....
Do you have a year of birth, even an estimate, for your Patrick jnr ?
Shane
-
Siblings is a possibility. Also, I will keep in mind the Swords RC parish.
Patrick Joseph was born about 1868. His father, Patrick (Joseph?), is supposed to have died at sea around the same time.
Timothy
-
If your Patrick was born around 1868 then he should probably appear in civil birth records. These started in 1864. You can search an index to these on the FamilySearch website, there are also many extracted birth on the same website, which give a bit more details - e.g. parents names.
see : Introduction to Irish Records (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,442233.0.html)
The registration district for north county Dublin, including Skerries, Rush etc is Balrothery. I had a quick search but didn't see any likely matches in the area. The closest match is a William Patrick May in the right sub-district, but parents are Joseph & Mary.
Do you have marriage, death certs etc for your Patrick ? Where in the US did he end up ?
Shane
-
I do not have any birth record at this point. I have found other helpful information on FamilySearch before. Also, without knowing that Balrothery is the registration district I have done searches with it and have found some information.
I found the same Joseph and Mary too and am not ruling out that the father may have been named Joseph Patrick or was named Patrick Joseph but went by his middle name, "Joseph."
I do not have confirmation of port of entry but family lore says he arrived at Philadelphia. I am not ruling out New York. From there he went to Chicago where he met and married my gt-grandmother and from there they went to Ohio. I have marriage cert. and a likely death cert.
Thank you for the information about the Irish records.
Timothy
-
Siblings is a possibility. Also, I will keep in mind the Swords RC parish.
Patrick Joseph was born about 1868. His father, Patrick (Joseph?), is supposed to have died at sea around the same time.
....
There's a possible baptism match showing up on the free index of the RootsIreland pay-website. A Patrick May baptised in Swords Skerries RC parish in 1868. Father's name is matching Pat or Patrick and mother's first name appears to be Anne. I cant get a search match for her surname (this search feature doesn't always work), but this should be included in the transcript.
There doesn't appear to be a corresponding civil record, so there may not be a birth cert available. The only major detail that this would add compared to a RC parish record would be father's occupation.
There are several Patrick May death registrations listed on the BMD Index, but assuming the death took place close to Skerries around the time of the birth of Patrick jnr, then this looks like the best match by probable age for Patrick snr... might be work trying a cert for this to confirm occupation, cause of death etc (Note death certs dont usually include family information - see following link).
Name: Patrick May
Registration district: Balrothery
Event type: Death
Registration year: 1868
Age : 49 (est. birth year 1819)
Volume: 2 / Page: 316
see : Ordering Certs from GRO Roscommon (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,599538.0.html)
Details included on a Death Cert (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,433043.0.html)
Shane
-
Thank you for this search. I purchased the same baptismal record from the RootsIreland pay-website and your information is accurate, except it does not mention the "Swords RC" church or any church on the baptism record. Can you share a link where the church name shows up? (FamilySearch?) Thanks.
The mother being named "Anne" poses some difference with our family record of "Mary." However, there is always the possibility of both names being put together as in "Mary Anne."
The death registration for Patrick Sr. that you post is also one I have seen recently and appears to be the closest match for a possible death record. Thank you for information on how to order certificates. It is encouraging that we are coming up with similar results since I am not very experienced with these searches.
Timothy
-
Thank you for this search. I purchased the same baptismal record from the RootsIreland pay-website and your information is accurate, except it does not mention the "Swords RC" church or any church on the baptism record. Can you share a link where the church name shows up? (FamilySearch?) Thanks.
....
The baptism is not on FamilySearch. It's possible, but a little complicated, to locate the parish/denomination and some details on parents from the free index which is how I found out, but it should be shown on the transcript - usually under a general title such as 'Parish/District...' or similar.
Records were kept by parish rather than by church , but it's most likely that the baptism took place in whichever was the parish church at the time.
You have to select a county centre to allow parish searches. In this case North Co. Dublin aka Swords Heritage Centre.
Shane
-
....
There's a possible baptism match showing up on the free index of the RootsIreland pay-website. A Patrick May baptised in Swords Skerries RC parish in 1868. Father's name is matching Pat or Patrick and ....
sorry - no idea why I typed Swords for that - the baptism definitely matches Skerries RC..
I've corrected the previous post
I'll double check the other parishes I mentioned...
S.
-
OK, thanks for the information on the Swords Heritage Centre and update to Skerries RC
Timothy
-
I tried the "Parish/District" setting and it confirms that the Skerries RC church is where the baptism took place. This is most helpful. Thank you.
Timothy
-
Skerries has pretty good Historical society which might be able to help you out. They at least could provide you with information about the fishing and smuggling in the area.
http://www.oldskerries.ie/historical.html
I know Skerries fishermen traded in Herrings up and down the West Coast of Ireland in and this area was pretty active with smuggling between Scotland and the Isle of Man. The May family still lives in the town as far as I know. I see you already heard of the pub.
Good article on the extent of the fishing trade in Skerries.
http://www.oldskerries.ie/lochist/15fish.html
-
Thanks for the links. I have been to the website before and read the same article on the fishing trade. I have never contacted the society before and will just have to do that.
Do you know if the May family there were, or still are, in the fishing trade or in other work?
Timothy
-
Also, the "smuggling". Can you explain that here?
Timothy
-
Thanks for the links. I have been to the website before and read the same article on the fishing trade. I have never contacted the society before and will just have to do that.
Do you know if the May family there were, or still are, in the fishing trade or in other work?
Timothy
I don't think they are in the fishing trade any longer, like most parts of these isles, fishing has declined and most of the Boats in Fingal have moved to Howth Harbour. One branch of the May Family owns Joe May's Pub and Stoop Your Head Pub(Stoops) in Skerries.
-
Also, the "smuggling". Can you explain that here?
Timothy
A long history of smuggling in these parts as well as privateers. It's just far enough from the city in the 16th-19th to avoid the Navy and fresh produce was carted in daily to the city so contraband could be easily hid. If boats have the ability to travel to the Baltic they also have the means to smuggle in a little something extra without Revenue knowing. There is an account about a smugglers ship trying to land at Loughshinny(between Rush and Skerries) and it turned into a pitch battle between 200 locals and the Revenue. The Lord of Atoll papers also mention the smuggling trade between Fingal and the Isle of Man and Scotland.
-
Thank you. This has opened up a whole area I was not aware of. I looked up privateering and there is much maritime history on the topic, including that of Loughshinny and Rush. I have more to read in this area, especially in the 19th c.
-
I have a May ancestor from near Skerries - a little earlier that your dates though. My gtgtgt grandmother is a Margaret May. She married a Rooney in Skerries/Holmpatrick RC parish in 1841 and they raised their children in Piercetown townland, located between Skerries and Loughshinny
I've a possible baptism for Margaret in 1821 in Skerries parish with parents William May and Etty Archer, but have not traced any sibling or side branches yet..
Shane
I found a record of my Gt-Grandfather, Patrick, as a "boat owner" at "Cross-street and square" in an 1868 Thom's Directory. This is the last record I have of him.
In the same directory there are the following:
May, Michael, tavern keeper (Quay-street and Quay)
May, William, boat owner (Quay-street and Quay)
May, Michael, grocer (Strand-street, Great)
Would any of these "May" be of relation to you? The reason I ask is I am trying to narrow down who they may be, including any relationship they may have to Patrick. Thank you.
Tim
-
I have a May ancestor from near Skerries - a little earlier that your dates though. My gtgtgt grandmother is a Margaret May. She married a Rooney in Skerries/Holmpatrick RC parish in 1841 and they raised their children in Piercetown townland, located between Skerries and Loughshinny
I've a possible baptism for Margaret in 1821 in Skerries parish with parents William May and Etty Archer, but have not traced any sibling or side branches yet..
Shane
I have a 1823 baptism of a Patrick May, son of William May and "Easter Archard" who I suppose is probably Esther Archer. Maybe Patrick and Margaret are siblings.
-
I'll double check, but from memory my Mays lived in Piercetown townland to the south of Skerries about half way between Skerries and Loughshinny and sightly away from the coast. Most of the early records I have are RC parish records, so no occupations, but presume they were farmers based Tithe records and later details.
Shane
-
Thanks for the information about Mays living in Piercetown.
I have a 1868 record of an Andrew Rooney, farmer, living in Piercetown. The same record has some Archer family members living in Skerries farmers and bakers.
-
Andrew Rooney is my gtgtgt-grandfather, he married Margaret May in 1841 - that's my May connection.
S.
-
If you look in the same '68 directory in the section for Rush and Lusk, which is just south of Skerries, you will see some more Mays, and Rooneys
S.
-
Thanks for the information on your Gt-Gt-Grandparents. I notice on a newspaper website that Rooney is among the top ten surnames in Balrothery. I will take a closer look at Rush and Lusk.
Tim
-
If Margaret's younger brother, Patrick (b 1823), is my Gt-Gt-Grandfather then that makes Margaret my 2nd Great Grand Aunt.
This may still be a possibility, especially since the family was from Skerries and the children baptized in the same parish. I am still not ruling out either the Patrick of Balrothery (1819-1868) whose record you shared.
Tim
I have a May ancestor from near Skerries - a little earlier that your dates though. My gtgtgt grandmother is a Margaret May. She married a Rooney in Skerries/Holmpatrick RC parish in 1841 and they raised their children in Piercetown townland, located between Skerries and Loughshinny
I've a possible baptism for Margaret in 1821 in Skerries parish with parents William May and Etty Archer, but have not traced any sibling or side branches yet..
Shane
-
Thanks for the information on your Gt-Gt-Grandparents. I notice on a newspaper website that Rooney is among the top ten surnames in Balrothery. I will take a closer look at Rush and Lusk.
Tim
It would be in the top 10 names for north Fingal from Swords to Balbriggan.
Archer would be considered very much a Rush name too, usually there was quite alot of inter marriage between Rush Lusk, Skerries, Loughshinny.
-
Thanks, this is quite helpful. I need to look at this again.
Thanks for the information on your Gt-Gt-Grandparents. I notice on a newspaper website that Rooney is among the top ten surnames in Balrothery. I will take a closer look at Rush and Lusk.
Tim
It would be in the top 10 names for north Fingal from Swords to Balbriggan.
Archer would be considered very much a Rush name too, usually there was quite alot of inter marriage between Rush Lusk, Skerries, Loughshinny.
-
Hello,
I am returning to this thread after a number of years.
I do not know which year the original thread was written.
I am grateful that the thread is still here.
Here is a tentative family tree for my May ancestry,
which includes Mays who lived in Skerries:
John May, b. about 1750, married Mary Kilty or Keelty.
They had 5 children, including Michael May.
Michael married Catherine Kelly in 1805 in Skerries.
They had 7 children, including Patrick Joseph May,
born in Skerries about 1819. He married Anne
McKeon / Mc Keon / McKeown and they had 4 children
including Patrick Joseph May. He was born in Skerries.
in 1868. Patrick's father died just before he was born in 1868.
Patrick emigrated to America in the 1880s as a young man,
likely arriving in Philadelphia, where other members of
the family settled. About 1877, Anne remarried Edward Lynch
in Loughshinny. They apparently came to America in the 1880s.
They had two children.
If any of these families or individuals look familiar or are
related to you, please write.
Thank you.
Timothy May
-
I do not know which year the original thread was written.
I am grateful that the thread is still here.
It was written in November 2012. Just click on page 1.
-
I do not know which year the original thread was written.
I am grateful that the thread is still here.
It was written in November 2012. Just click on page 1.
Thanks.