Thomas Plunkett-From Caven but where?

[Jeanne K.]

My g-g-g grandfather was named Thomas Plunkett and he came from Cavan County, Ireland. He was born about 1794/1795.   He was married to Mary Ann Rogers about 1819 in Cavan County. I assume that Mary Ann was from Cavan County, too, since they were married there.  They came to England sometime between 1819 and 1821. Their first child, Joseph Roger Plunkett was born in Walton, England in 1821.  They stayed in Walton, England from that time to about 1833(their 4th child, James Francis Plunkett, was born there in 1832).  Thomas, Mary Ann and the 4 children then came to America, and settled in Saratoga Springs, New York.  The two youngest children were born there, Sarah Jane in 1834 and Thomas Contstantine in 1835.  The father, Thomas,  died in 1836,  at age 42, in Saratoga Springs.   So I know Thomas was from Cavan County, but not what parish, town or city.  Is there some set of records in Cavan County, back into the early 1800's,  that I could access that might tell me where in Cavan County Thomas Plunkett and Mary Ann Rogers were from? 

[Christopher]

Hello Jeanne K,

What denomination were Thomas Plunkett and Mary Ann Rogers? Were they members of the Catholic faith, the Established Church (Anglicans or Church of Ireland), Methodists or possibly Presbyterians?

You'll have to rely on Church records as civil registration in Ireland was not introduced until 1864. Non Catholic marriages were registered from 1845 onwards. When registration for BDMS started in 1864 some people didn't bother with the registration for a few years after that date. Keep your fingers crossed that church records still exist.

Christopher

[Jeanne K.]

I believe they were Catholic as their  son, James Francis, who died fighting in the Civil War is buried in a Catholic part of a cemetery.  Thanks for the advice as to where to find records.  I don't know where in Cavan County Thomas was from.

Jeanne

[Christopher]

Hello Jeanne,

At the time of Griffith's Valuations in Cavan (1856-7) Plunketts appeared in twelve of the thirty six parishes in the county. 

Ballymachugh, Castlerahan, Crosserlough, Drumlumman, Kilbride, Killashandra, Kilmore, Knockbride, Lavey, Loughan or Castlekeeran, Munterconnaught, Templeport 

Christopher

[charismayo]

Hello, Jeanne -- greetings and best wishes from another Cavan Plunkett.
Some of the 1821 census survives for parts of Cavan; those records would be in the National Archive.
I have recently been researching the Plunketts of Kilbride-Mountnugent Parish -- Kilbride is one of the twelve parishes mentioned by Christopher, where Plunketts appear on the Griffiths Valuation List. The good news is that there is at least one Thomas Plunkett in Kilbride (a generation younger than "your" Thomas); the bad news is that there are probably a number of Thomases strewn across the other eleven parishes. I have not yet figured out all the relationships among "my" Plunketts, but in addition to Thomas, the Kilbride Plunketts do have James, George, Patrick, Michael, John, Matthew, Francis, and Hugh -- in other words, the usual suspects. I have not come across a single "Rogers" in the parish records.
For the record, in Kilbride Parish:
In August, 1847, a Thomas Plunkett served as a sponsor at the baptism of a Caddan/Finerty infant; on 2 March 1851 a Thomas Plunkett married Mary Gaffney; and in 1856/57 when the Griffiths Valuations were recorded, the name Thomas Plunkett occurs twice, in the townlands of Clontyduffy, Hart. and Tonagh.
I found the research at the National Library extremely rewarding, and hope you get a chance to visit there soon.

[lyzstaman]

Hi Jeanne
This might be your family---
I came across a reference to the Plunkett family around Parish of Crosserlough, Ballyjamesduff--townland of Clare is about 1/2 mile west of Bjduff.
I am related to the MORROWs of Clare and Derrylurgan in County Cavan.

National Library of Ireland, MS 3117  1832-60  Petitions & proposals from tenants Lord Farnham Records
 1834 24 Nov
John Morrow, Derrylurgan
Requests  for Plunkett’s farm in Clare // No Answer from Lord Farnham

(NOTE: Plunkett family rents most of the land in Clare 1718 and 1734, according to Farnham’s records)

Cheers
Lyz Morrow Staman
Seattle, WA USA

[cmcc]

Hello Charismayo,
My paternal grandparents were Thomas Plunkett  (1813- 1880) & Mary Gaffney.  Together with several cousins in Ireland, we have collected much information about this couple and their large family.  They lived in Tonagh townland but were evicted in 1860.  The family then moved a few miles west to Castletown, Finea,  Co. Westmeath.
Are you connected to this line?

CMcC, Rochester, NY, USA

[charismayo]

Hello CMCC,
(Sorry for the delay.)
It is exciting to hear your family has been researching the Plunketts of Kilbride, and I hope this information is not too repetitive.
I think that your Thomas Plunkett (b. 1813) might be a cousin to my gggf George (b.1805). The 1821 census finds a seven-year-old boy who looks like your Thomas living in Tonagh (house #29) with his father Pat, his mother Mary, and younger siblings Luke (5) and Mary (2). At the same time, my gggf George is living across the way in Crossrah (house #18) -- if you look at the townslands map, Tonagh and Crossrah are quite close-by -- George is 16, living with his father Michael, mother Anne, brothers Matthew, James, John, and Michael, and sisters Mary and Catherine. So it is possible that Thomas's father Pat and George's father Michael were brothers.
You noted that Thomas was evicted in 1860. The property tax rolls (sorry -- I can't think of the proper Irish name -- these are the ledgers that record what happens to the various parcels after Griffiths valuations) -- these show a Thomas Plunkett moving into Crossrah in 1866, taking over plot #5 from Bartholomew Cooke, and making him virtually a next-door neighbor of my gggf George who was on plots #7 & 10. This Thomas remains in Crossrah (or at least the land remains in his name) until 1906. Although it seems you have firm evidence the family moved to Westmeath, I thought you'd like to know about another Kilbride Thomas Plunkett.
As for naming-evidence, my gggf George did not name any of his sons Thomas (they were Michael, Patrick, Matthew, and Hugh -- my ggf).
I hope this helps in your search.
charismayo

[cmcc]

Hi Charismayo,
My ggrandparents Thomas Plunkett & Mary Gaffney remained in Co. Westmeath after they were evicted from Tonagh in 1860.  Their descendants are still farming the same land (Castletown, Finea)  and the family also has a sand and gravel business  - Plunkett's Sand & Gravel.

Thomas's father Patrick Plunkett (wife Mary O'Donoghue/Donoho) do appear in the 1821 census as you pointed out.  Patrick was said to have been one of the Clonabraney Plunketts ( from Taneymagaraugh,  near Oldcastle,  Co. Meath).  He was supposed to have had 5 brothers and 3 sisters, about which nothing is known, so there are a lot of potential cousins out there! 

Thanks for your interest.
CMcC