RootsChat.Com

Hi everyone,
Just a bit of background. My husband and I decided to do a little winter time ancestry research into our families great grandparents roots.   Hence my questions about the Wards.

I know a lot about Michael and Anne (Annie) when they came to Australia, their family and where they lived, etc. but was wondering about their Irish history.   

I have been busy the past couple of weeks with family things, but I did find a letter from my mother's box cousin, who said that a lot of Irish records had been lost in a fire.   So that may explain why we are unable to find out for sure the names of parents.

When I said I was unsure of some facts, this was the generation I was talking of (e.g. Michael's mother is either Doolan or Dolan and Anne's mother either Connor or Connelly).   The father's names are listed on their marriage certificate but not the mothers.

Anne opened a shop in Melbourne and cared for her family there - they were never taken into care.   By all accounts she was a generous, loving and well-respected parent and member of the community.

In all our searching, we have found that some countries have detailed records that stretch back a long time, but others are more difficult to trace and we accept that we may never be able to fill in all details, with sometimes just a name being all we can do.

I have received some information from my cousins in Australia as well.   Anne definitely had a brother Patrick (Pat) who came to Australia.   He never married and we have his death details.   One sheet of paper I have lists Anne's parents as John Ryan and Ellen Connelly and their children as Anne 1856, Patrick 1859, Michael 1860 and John, no DOB.   Anne and Patrick are recorded as being born in Athlone, County Roscommon, Ireland, but no record of the other two.   Knowing how ancestry facts can get mixed up I have to say that the last two children may not be correct.

Thank you again for all your research and taking time to send the information you have.

My Irish ancestors immigrated to Australia.   I have the following details (which may be slightly incorrect).
Michael Ward.  Born Ballinasloe, Roscommon about 1857. Parents Michael Ward and Bridget Doolan (or Dolan).   He went to Australia before 1882, as this was the date of his marriage in Melbourne.

Anne Ryan.  Born Athlone, Roscommon about 1857.   Parents John Ryan and Ellen Connor (or Connelly).

I have a copy of what seems to be the immigration details for Annie 20, with John 26, Katherine 23 and Pat 18 on the Northumberland in May 1878.   However I cannot find confirmation of these details when searching the ship's records.

Perhaps there are some family members who have the correct details for Michael and Anne and their parents.   From a letter written to my mother from her cousin, there was a relative of Anne's living in Moore, Roscommon.

Hi Rootschatters,

My husband is researching his family at present and we are looking at his great grandfather's parents. Our search has turned up a James Taylor of Downpatrick or Killinchy, with a headstone inscription that says he died in 1859 aged 73.   This inscription is very difficult to read, so we are not exactly sure that what we have is correct.
He possibly had a son, Hugh Taylor born in 5/11/1829 in County Down, married in 1860 to Jane Hay McKee Osborne in Killinchy.   Hugh and Jane came to New Zealand and are both buried in Christchurch.  If he is the James from the headstone, he would have been 43 when he had Hugh.

We have a good history of Jane's parents, but Hugh's are eluding us.   Hugh's marriage certificate just says his father is "James Taylor" but that is a fairly common name.  We have looked at some records but there seems to be a gap in the years that are probably important.

We believe James married a Jane (maybe Ormandy).   However we don't want to go off down the wrong path, as these people may not be the parents of Hugh.

Some Irish genealogy sites charge for information, which is okay if you are fairly sure that it would confirm the person but could be expensive to just "search".

Any ideas of where to go next would be gratefully received.

Whosthatchick

I have just seen your page.  I have a Kaines in my family tree - Louisa Kaines married William Heal in 1867.   She was my great grandmother's step-mother.   Don't know if she is related to your family, but you mentioned a "gap" in your tree and as they came out to New Zealand I wondered if this could be what you are looking for.
Cheers.