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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Topic started by: AndrewMcK on Saturday 28 November 15 04:25 GMT (UK)
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I have little to no idea of where to search because I know so little. My great-great grandmother Hannah Hennessey emigrated to the US in 1852 at the age of 6. I know plenty of her life here in the States, but no blooming idea at all of where she came from, if she came alone, was orphaned, etc. I can't find her on any passenger lists via Ancestry. I do have the International membership, and I'd surely love to find some way to learn about the Irish family she came from. Thanks in advance for any advice.
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Hello Andrew,
Would you have her marriage and death certificate? would that be noted on them?
cheers
yonks
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Andrew,
Where abouts in US was she living?
Yonks
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http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=498742.0
Link "My ancestor came from Ireland - where do I start" :)
Taken from the Irish Resources board.
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Good morning - thank you all, and I did definitely read that link before my original post. I have gleaned valuable parental info from marriage records of other ancestors, but as of yet haven't found one for Hannah. She came to the states and settled in Glastonbury CT, married another Irish immigrant named Murray there 26 April 1868 but I've not yet found any documentation on that - just family records. They had many kids and she died and is buried near there (Portland CT). I have family there still, and I might just need to find a way to peruse the town records in person over the Christmas holiday perhaps.
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Have you tried checking cemetery and church records which might give some details about Hannah's background?
The 1900 census gives Hannah as born Jan.1846 and to U.s. 1852 but 1910 says arrived 1854. Such variations in dates are not unusual. If Hannah came to America with her family as a child she may simply be listed as 'child' in a passenger manifest.
It would really help to find the marriage to see if names of parents are listed. Have you tried archives in Hartford to see if marriage was anywhere in Connecticut? Also what about Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York?
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Thank you aghadowey - I had seen that discrepancy in emigration dates as well. They were married in Glastonbury CT I believe, 26 April 1868 is the date. I've had no luck nailing that register or a license online anyplace, so I suspect I'll have to physically go someplace to put my mitts on something better. I also have no clue about where she crossed, with who or anything else. And the Hennessey name is fairly common. I do know more about her husband's family in Ireland, I believe they emigrated here together and his parents are buried somewhere in that same area of central CT, possibly Portland.
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have you examined these volumes
Glazier, Ira A., ed. The Famine Emigrants: Lists of Irish Immigrants Arriving at the Port of New York, 1846-51. 7 vols. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1983-86. (Family History Library book Ref Q 974.71 W3f.) These volumes contain many lists and indexes of Irish immigrants to the United States. Unfortunately the dates covered might not suit your present knowledge
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Hi. What about early census records for US - isn't there one for 1860? Have you found her on that? And if you have any luck finding that marriage registration or church record the witnesses might reveal a family member.
Katharine.
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There are a list of people in Hannah's probate papers who were noted to be the next of kin. They may all be her children, but it might be worth a look to make sure none were siblings.
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Thank you friends - some responses to the helpful info and questions.
Marriage license didn't turn up in the Glastonbury town records, though I did get a death cert that state her father was William (?) born in Ireland, and mother's maiden name "unknown", also born in Ireland. That was a tiny bit more than we knew. Not sure how my family knows the marriage date and place so surely. My 93-year old great aunt has kept what her mom handed down quite well, but even so, some stuff is simply accepted factoids that might not be spot-on.
Sadly those passenger records don't overlap the 1852/54 likely emigration date. I don't know why I think she was orphaned, and I wish I could figure out who took her, and who greeted her, and where in the hell in these United States they came through.
I don't know that I've seen 1860 US census data anywhere, at least via Ancestry. We were about to start killing each other in large numbers then, so I don't know that it actually got done. If so, I'd surely love to see it as it would be telling indeed. I've not figured out what Catholic Church they attended here, but there must have been one and there aren't that many. On that.
And I didn't know about her probate papers, but since she had 10 kids, I'm thinking that those are probably next of kin. I'm grateful that we have pics of her and her husband, but she arrived in a cloud of mystery, at least here in the 21st century.
I am grateful for the suggestions and the collective wisdom!
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Yes, the 1860 census was done and is available on Ancestry. familysearch.org also has transcriptions of it.
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Hmmm - there's a lot of Hannah Hennesseys that show up in the 1860 census but none that match her closely enough for me to scream "that's her!".
One bit of wisdom that would be helpful - anyone know what ports took in the most refugees from the famine, and perhaps any other general tendencies that might help me narrow it down? Even better if I could nail it for the years 1852-54; I haven't the foggiest notion of where I'd find that info here, but I'll start googling in the morning.
Just tossing it out there in case that is ready knowledge to some of the folks here - and again, my humble thanks for the info and assists!
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Not sure how much help this idea would be:
Would the family have come into the USA through Canada? Seem to recall watching a programme where many Irish famine people went via Canada.
Regards Crowsfeet