Hi Corky,
There is a Thomas Mackin and Bernard Mackin listed as School Teachers in Newtownhamilton, Co. Armagh, in 1864.
A Joseph Mackin is also listed as a teacher in Carrickrovaddy School (Newtownhamilton).
I have not published the document yet so unfortunately I cannot send you any links.
I know these messages are quite old, so I hope people still check these boards. I have recently solved the question of my grandfather's biological parents. He was born in western New York, USA, to Thomas H. Mackin b. 1846 in Armagh (I believe he could be the son of the Thomas listed here, as he had a brother named Bernard, likely named for his father in Ireland). The mother was Agnes Ryan, whose family was from Killarney.
Agnes' first marriage was to a William Ferguson. Then, she married Thomas H. Mackin.
Thomas' first marriage was to Mary Elizabeth Finnegan. It was a second marriage for both of them. He was about 20 years older than she was.
My grandfather was born in 1901. Agnes died in 1904, when my grandfather was 2 years and 4 months old. Thomas had already lost his first wife, an 18-year-old daughter (Alice), and a 24-year-old son (Thomas Junior) not even a year before Agnes' death. He was a Civil War Union veteran who ended up living in a home for disabled veterans. Nobody in his family or Agnes' family took in my grandfather. He ended up being adopted out of a Catholic orphanage in Rochester, New York, when he was 10 years old.
I have traced Thomas to Armagh. His parents are S. (?) Thomas Mackin (possibly b 1805) and Anna Sarah Murphy (?) Mackin. I believe that S. Thomas' siblings include Elizabeth, John, Bernard, and James. I believe that HIS parents are Bernard and Rose.
I don't know if anyone can help me find any information on this particular set of Mackins. I am happy to have discovered what I have thus far; however, navigating various Irish genealogical tools is very new to me.
Thank you to anyone who can help me.
All the best,
Dani
Florida, USA [/color][/color]