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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Down => Topic started by: John Grimes on Wednesday 12 February 14 16:03 GMT (UK)
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My g-gandmother, Margaret CUNNINGHAM, left behind her father, mother, and a sister (Mary) and a brother (Patrick), both of whom appear in the 1901 & 1911 census. Specifically, I am searching for information about her father, Henry (sometimes Harry) Cunningham of Ballymagoegh, Kilkeel. I know he died in the 1870s but I do not know the exact date (it's not available on Ancestry, FamilySearch, or RootsIreland). I suspect he is buried in the graveyard attached to St. Coleman's Church (the RC parish for Upper Mourne), and probably with his wife Rose (Sloane) Cunningham who died in 1888. I can provide anyone interested with lots of information concerning the Cunningham children of this marriage after their emmigration to the USA: Rose, Susy, Margaret, John, James and his twin brother Henry.
JG
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Ros Davies , with Thanks,
Has
Rose Sloan wife of Patrick Cunningham , not a mention of a Harry
mother of Martin 1856
John 1868,
Rose 1869,
baptised Lower Mourne Catholic church,
would you like to confirm the census for yours please,
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Thanks for taking time to help. The ID of Henry and Rose is solid (I have several marriage certs from the US that attest to their names, all of them Henry but one where it is "Harry", as well as some death certs) and their children were all born between 1843 and 1852 (in this case I have birth certs through RootsIreland for the last few children, including my g-grandmother Margaret, 1848). I have always seen the notation of Upper Mourne associated with all of them, and I found Rose's will (giving her possessions to son Patrick who remained in Down) at PRONI.
JG
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Actually, I'm wondering it it was the Will or extract from the Will Book for Rose Cunningham that you saw at PRONI? According to this it doesn't look like she left a Will- this doesn't mean that she left her estate to son Patrick but that he appled for, and was granted, to administer (sort out) her estate.
"Letters of Administration of the personal estate of Rose Cunningham late of Ballymageogh County Down Widow who died 26 March 1888 at same place were granted at Belfast to Patrick Cunningham of Farmer a Child."
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You're quite right. What I saw is what you cite here, i.e. he became the administrator. Patrick shows up later in the Revision books replacing Rose's name, I believe in 1890, for the house and land. He is head of household residing there with his sister Mary in 1901 and 1911 although their ages are off somewhat (not unusual on census forms). Patrick was the only son to stay in Ireland (and Mary the only daughter, as far as I can determine).
JG
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What sort of information are you wanting for Henry/Harry? His death certificate will give you exact date and place of death, cause of death & name of informant but little else.
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I have a cert from Ancestry giving the date as Oct-Dec 1878, but I am not certain it is the right one, Cunningham being a very common name in Kilkeel. There is little else there, beyond a guess at his death age, 57. I was hoping that someone had seen his grave marker in Kilkeel, at the Upper Mourne church cemetery perhaps and could confirm. Beyond that, I would really like to know when his sons and daughters came to the States. I know it was in the years around 1865, but it has proven almost impossible to pin port of entry, ship, and exact date down. There are simply too many Margaret, Rose, James, etc. Cunningham to allow any precision from what I have seen till now.
JG
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There may not be a gravestone for either Henry or Rose (not all families had the money or inclination to put up a marker).
This is the 1878 death- https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FR15-WPG
There's also one in 1874 (no age)- https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FRYR-FXM
Another in 1876- https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FR1L-628
Do the Griffith's Revision Books pinpoint the date at all?
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Yes, the Revisions book has '78 penciled in. I suppose I should take it to the bank, as the saying goes. I just thought the grave marker -- you're probably right about that too -- would put it absolutely beyond doubt. Do you have any suggestions about discovering when the kids left Ireland? I think they came over at different times, but nothing avails me. And yesterday, looking for the only naturalization declaration of intent (the doc where they tell the boat, the port, where they lived in Ireland, even their weight sometimes!) I discovered that the State of NH in its wisdom has sent them all from local courthousese to Concord, the state's capital. Trouble is, the archivists there have no room for the stuff and no time to organize it! The document that would help me is in the building, but impossible to find! JG
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It sometimes takes a year or two for changes to be recording in the books so doesn't really pinpoint Henry's death.
Early naturalization paperwork, such as the dates here, often don't give name of ship and other exact details that you see for maybe 100 onwards.
Some U.S. census will list date of entry to U.S. (not always 100% accurate) but marriages & age of children can help narrow down date a bit. Possible ports in U.K. are Belfast, Glasgow & Liverpool with those on the other side N.Y., Boston or via Canada.
Daughter Susan Heffron died 1915 Dover, N.H. and certificate says lived there 35 years with previous residence Ireland- most likely port of entry in Boston. Do you have her marriage?
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FSJG-7V5
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Yes, I have a lot about Susy, even her initial stay in Dover, NH, lodging at her sister's house (my great grandmother). Her marriage cert says she is 35, but in reality she was about 39; they never had children, probably because of her age. However, this marriage is really interesting because in the 1900 and 1910 US census there are two ''boarders'' at the house, a John H Cunningham and a Mary B (sometimes J) Cunningham, Susy's nephew and niece, both born in Pennsylvania. They stay around Dover till just after the 1910 census and then I lose them. I think they are the son and daughter of Henry Cunningham (jr), Susy's brother; he was a twin to James Cunningham who lived Dover, NH with Susy (and Margaret, and their brother John). Unless I can some day get my hands on that Declaration of Intent for James, I will never know where they landed or when. All I can see is their arrival in Dover not long after Margaret Cunningham married my g-grandfather Patrick.
JG