Rev. John Francis Stokes

[Sheila8]

I am looking for the names of the parents of Rev. John Francis Stokes who was born possibly in 1896 in England and died in Drogheda on 3 Jun 1967. He was ordained at Maynooth in 1921. I have contacted  St. Patricks, Maynooth for information but they had a fire some time ago and have no information on graduates. He was the parish priest for many years in Dundalk and at St. Peters in Drogheda. According to a write up in a book of cemetery inscriptions, he was a native of Mullacrew. There are no Stokes living in Mullacrew in the 1901 or 1911 census. He is listed as a student at St. Patrick's seminary boarding school in Armagh in the 1911 census.

[aghadowey]

There is a birth which might be him-
John Francis STOKES Apr./June 1896 Preswich (Lancashire) volume 8d page 446

Did find him travelling on Oroya from Santander, South America to Liverpool (arrived 5 Aug.1927) with 3 other clergymen:
John Francis Stokes, Ardee Co. Louth, age 31

[Sheila8]

I also had found the birth in Prestwich but have held off ordering it as other docs said he was a native of Mullacrew. I also had found him on several ships one of which said he was born in England. I also wrote to St. Patricks in Maynooth but they told me records burned in a fire a number of years ago. I am hoping some descendant of one of his possible siblings might have the info.

[aghadowey]

Have you found him in 1901 census (England or Ireland) yet?

1911 census gives birthplace as England-
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Armagh/Armagh_North_Urban/Cathedral_Hill/324290/

[Sheila8]

I am assuming that he was born in Prestwich in 1896 and I looked in the 1901 Census for England and Ireland and didn't find anything that I thought could be his family. I could have missed him though. My cousins said his mother and maybe his father were born in Ireland. Not positive about the father. Cousins could be wrong on all accounts!

[aghadowey]

Suspect he might be in 1901 census somewhere in Lancashire with widowed mother Mary (born Scotland not Ireland) based on what I searched for yesterday but didn't make a note of all details- have a look at www.familysearch.org in 1901 England census.

[Sheila8]

I have Ancestry.com and just spent 2 hours looking at the England census for 1901 and 1891 and did not find a Mary Stokes born in Ireland or Scotland in the Prestwich area? I am having no luck.

[Sheila8]

I think that I have found his family. I found Mary Stokes, b. Ireland, a wid. with 10 children in the 1901 census for Failsworth, Lancashire. One child is listed as Francis, age 5. I think this is John Francis Stokes who became a priest. I checked the 1891 census and could not find the family. I checked the 1881 census and found a James and Mary Stokes, both born in Ireland, with a daughter Mary Ann. This child is the oldest child in the 1901 census. I then found Mary Stokes widow, living in Newton Heath Lancashire with 2 of her sons in the 1911 census. My proof is that Mary's birth place is listed as Dunleer, Co. Louth. I was told by some distant cousins that her surname might have been LYONS. I also checked the England death index and found a James Stokes who died in Prestwich in 1900, most likely her husband.

[AnthonyH]

His Mother was Mary MCKENNA born in County Louth Ireland in Abt1859 and his Father was James Patrick STOKES also born in Ireland in Abt 1851. The family rumour is that they ran away from Ireland to marry as Mary was the daughter of a rich landowner and James was the stable boy. They left Ireland with Mary's fine crystal and were married in Liverpool in 1878. I have just applied for a copy of their marriage Certificate as they are my 2nd Gt Grandparents. I believe Francis went on to be the Archdeacon of Armagh and I have attached a photograph of him. Please could you advise me of your research? and if I can be of any more help please do not hesitate to get in contact.