Dear Roots Folk,
I am trying to find the puzzle pieces to get the bigger picture of my Irish/Welsh family ancestry.
My great-grandmother, Ann Shannon (married name Ann Zeitler) was born in Ireland in 1872 on July 4th - perhaps in New Ross, Wexford. She immigrated to the USA in 1875 at the age of 3 with her mother, also an Ann Shannon (her maiden name Kane) who was born around 1848 and who was married Philip Shannon. Both Anns ended up living in Brooklyn. Ann Kane Shannon was marked down as a widow in the census. Ann Shannon married Joseph Zeitler and had several children.
I am trying to find both Ann Kane Shannon and Ann Shannon Zeitler's birth certificates, Ann Kane Shannon's marriage date/certificate to Philip Shannon, and any other revealing information.
The tricky bit: The other mystery is that Ann Shannon Zeitler's daughter Anna (I know they weren't very creative with naming back then!!!!) wrote a letter that mentioned her Welsh grand-parents. Since neither Kane nor Shannon is a Welsh name, my guess is that perhaps on of the maternal lines were Welsh.
Ann Kane Shannon's parents were named James and Mary Kane (perhaps Mary Kane's maiden name was Welsh)
I don't have any information on Philip Shannon's parents, but that Ann Kane Shannon and her baby Ann lived with them at one point in Wexford, Ireland just before they immigrated to the USA.
Perhaps Philip Shannon's mother was Welsh?
Does any one have any suggestions where I can begin with all this confusion.
I only have Ann Kane Shannon's death certificate and Ann Shannon Zeitler's Death Certificate, but it only gives me info I already know.
Any help is much appreciated.
all the best,
P Wyn