COMER/HIGGINS - County Galway

[sjc204]

Dear Gibbo,

I'm very excited to read your posting, since the family of Michael Comer and Margaret Raftery is the same one I am descended from.  We must be related.

I would be very keen to find out what you know, and naturally I will share the info I have, as far as I can.  I have a very broad family tree of cousins in UK, Ireland, USA and South America, all descended from John and Ellen.  However I have nothing earlier then John and Ellen (at present!). 

Like Alpinecottage, I feel as though I need one more piece of evidence tied down Michael's birth for sure (because I have several candidates in the same part of Ireland). 

I think it is probably best to move to private messages.  I'll contact you again when I've checked a few things.

Alpicott, I wouldn't be too surprised if your Comers are from the area round Glenamaddy.  That's where mine and Gibbo's are from.  Maybe you will turn out to be related to us too!  However there are some spread over other parts of Ireland and some in England.   You need a missing link putting together like I do and my current idea is to try and find some other record that might have a reliable date of birth.  A driving licence would be great (except they don't exist), or an employer's records perhaps (Stoke potteries?) or a family Bible or diary with birthdays.....   

All the best

Steve

[Lark]

To expand on the original post I made some time ago, the 1861 census of Sheffield shows the following:

1861 Census, Sheffield, England - Residence 192 Sergeant's Yard

Michael Comar - head of household - age 38 - bricklayer's laborer - born Ireland
Ann Comar - wife -age 28 - born Ireland
Mary A, Comar - daughter - age 7 - scholar - born Sheffield
Catherine Comar - daughter - age 5 - born Sheffield
Ellen Comar - daughter - age 3 - born Sheffield
Harriett Comar - daughter -age 11 months - born Sheffield

Also listed on the 1861 census of Sheffield  and also a bricklayer is:

John Comer, born 1811 Galway, Ireland
Ellen Comer born 1817 Galway, Ireland
Eliza Comer born 1843 Sheffield
Ellen Comer born 1845 Sheffield
John Comer born 1850 Sheffield
Michael Comer born 1853 Sheffield

Michael Comer died in Sheffield and his death certificate provided the following information:

Death Certificate:  Date of death 11/1/1866
Place of Death:  6 Court, Kenyon Street, Sheffield
Age 39
Occupation: Bricklayer's  Laborer
Cause of Death: Phthrisis (tuberculosis)
Person providing information: Ann Comer who witnssed the death.

-Carol-

[sjc204]

Hi Carol
Thanks for the update.  I can't make any of those Comers match mine.  The dates don't work out.

If you can extend your knowledge about these families it will be useful later, knowing which belong to which family as they are all in Sheffield.

Also I suspect they may well be connected further back in Ireland but there are a lot of Comers in Galway.  Mine are from near Glenamaddy.

For your Michael, born 1823ish, and Ann, it would be good to get their marriage and narrow down the place.  You might try familysearch.org or the new site http://www.rootsireland.ie/.  It is payable but you can learn a lot from the indexes before you have to pay.

Hope this helps, all  the best
Steve

[Lark]

Yet another update with some additional information.

Michael Comer married Mary Ann Higgins about 1853 and as far as I can tell the marriage took place in Ireland prior to their immigration to Sheffield.

Mary Ann was born abt 1833.  Her brother Martin (who also immigrated to Sheffield) was born abt 1838.  Their parents were John and Bridget Higgins of County Galway.

Does this new information ring a bell with anyone?

[Bockety]

Comer and Raftery and indeed Higgins are east Galway names and I suspect maybe Craughwell or Loughrea. Try checking for Catholic Parish records from those two locations for Births and Marriages. There was no civil registration at the time.

Also search for Comer and Raftery in the Griffith Valuation, this would catch family members in situ c 1855-1860 in Galway. People did not travel much back then and they may have lived rather close to each other prior to marriage.

Family names recurred a lot, if their dad was Thomas did they have a child named Thomas etc.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml

and

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=doNameSearch&Submit.x=35&Submit.y=8&familyname=Higgins&firstname=John&baronyname=&countyname=GALWAY&unionname=&parishname=

[Lark]

Thank you.  That indeed gives me a starting point to see whether I can find them.

[Jillyfairy2022]

My grandmother was Mary Higgins born February 1920  she was born in co. Mayo. she married my grandfather James comer and they lived in ballinrobe on a farm in cloonceary

[Kiltaglassan]

Welcome to RootsChat 

For others reading, here's the link to your grandmother's marriage in 1942-

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1942/08807/5184008.pdf

James Comer living in the townland of Carralecka (sic), Ballinrobe. The closest named townland seems to be this one, on the outskirts of Ballinrobe.
https://www.townlands.ie/mayo/kilmaine/ballinrobe/ballinrobe/carrownalecka/


KG

[Kiltaglassan]

she married my grandfather James comer and they lived in ballinrobe on a farm in cloonceary

Birth of James Comer on 21st December 1919 at Cloonkerry.   MMN Landy
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1920/01221/1507925.pdf

Cloonkerry townland
https://www.townlands.ie/mayo/kilmaine/ballinrobe/ballinrobe/cloonkerry/

Marriage of Patrick Comer and Mary Kate Landy on 3rd March 1919 at Ballinrobe RC Church. Fathers Thomas Comer, a farmer and James Landy also a farmer.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1919/09668/5505801.pdf

Is this Mary Kate Landy in 1911 census with her parents and siblings?
House 10 in Carrownalecka (Ballinrobe, Mayo).
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Mayo/Ballinrobe/Carrownalecka/702768/

See reply #16 for Carrownalecka townland


KG