Anna Clarke McDermott Searching for my great grandmother

[maureenms]

I am looking for my great grandmother Anna Clarke b 1882 died 1920  ( Born in Ireland ) I am trying to find out where.  I have no idea what county she came from so this is my start  any help would be appreciated. She married a Thomas McDermott (also born in Ireland) who abandoned the family and disappeared, I dod not know his birth date or what happened to him but he was born in Ireland as well and I am searching for him - we beleive he returned to Ireland or died

[Luzzu]

Hi,

 

You have the same problem as me.  Ancestors in Ireland without any clue from which county they came from.

I have just has a look at IFHF website and there are two Anna Clarkes baptised in 1882 - one in Wicklow and one in Donegal.  The only thing is to view each full record costs 5 euros and with no other information how would you know if it is the right one or not.

http://ifhf.brsgenealogy.com/index.php

Were Thomas and Anna married in England?  If they were and you could find a marriage certificate, it will give you the name of Anna's father.  I can't see them on the FreeBMD though.

Do you know where Anna was living when she died in 1920?  It would say on her death certificate.  May be you could find her on the 1911 census.  When I found my gt, gt grandmother on the 1911 census, where all the earlier census' had just given the pob as Ireland, the 1911 said Belfast.

Best of luck,

Luzzu

[rathmore]

1939/40 Ballyshannon electors list McDermott lived in Ballyshannon and played for the football team Aodh Ruadh, McDermott still live in Ballyshannon only the Ballyshannon I visit has moved trying to find it again.  have a look at Aodh Ruadh site, go through google when the box comes up type in Aodh Ruadh, the men playing for this team might be our relatives.  look under history on this site.

[aghadowey]

Ideally if you could get Anna Clarke's birth certificate you would have an exact location in Ireland. McDermott is a very common surname in many areas and unfortunately there are lots of them named Thomas. Any idea when Anna and Thomas married? that certificate is probably the document you'd have the best hope of finding at the moment.

[maureenms]

Hello thanks for the leads- Anna died in Brooklyln, NY in 1920. She emigrated in 1895 @ 13 to work as a domestic and had 2 brothers Thomas and John.  John Clarke B 1874 D 1907 , and Thomas Clarke B 1866 ( Ireland ) D 1946 /
THey are such common names it seems impossible to fnd them - the only hope is that anna, thomas and john were in the same family.

[Luzzu]

Just had another look at the FreeBMD and can't see a marriage for them at all so went back to the IFHF website and did a marriage search.  There is a church marriage in Co Down in 1903 for both a Thomas McDermott and a Annabella Clarke but without the credits I can't see if they married each other.

I can't see a death on the FreeBMD for Anna.  How do you know she died in 1920?

Whereabouts were they living when they left Ireland?

Luzzu

[aghadowey]

Maureen- lots of questions to see if we can get any clues to find a location in Ireland.
1. Did Thomas and Anna marry in New York or Ireland and do you know the date?
2. Do you have the marriage certificate? N.Y, certificates ask for lots of details like names of parents, etc.
3. Do you have Anna's death certificate? N.Y, death certificates also have loads of details.
4. Have you found the two brothers, John and Thomas, in 1900 U.S. census? that asks for month and year of birth as well as how long in U.S.
5. Have you asked other Clarke relatives if they have ever heard of a place in Ireland? even the county would be a start.
6. Have you found Anna Clarke arriving in U.S. (Ellis Island probably)? should list port of departure.

[aghadowey]

Luzzu- am a bit confused as to Free BMD references- they are for England, not U.S. or Ireland. Anna died in Brooklyn, N.Y. so her death wouldn't appear in Free BMD.

Anna McDermott died 26 Apr.1920 Brooklyn, N.Y. age 38.

[Luzzu]

Hi Aghadowey

I think one of my messages crossed with the message with the NY, USA info on it and I missed it totally.

 

At least I know why I can't find it.

 

Luzzu