Joseph Kennedy. Westport to Ellis Island USA

[aken]

I'm looking for information about descendants of my grandfather's brother Joseph Kennedy who was born in Westport 9th March 1872.  I have a copy of a ship's list showing a Joseph Kennedy, aged 25, last residence Westport, sailing to New York in Sept 1897 which I believe is him.  I have no idea what became of him after that.  I would be grateful for any advice on what to do next.  A

[taramcdsmall]

Hi There

What were his parent's names ?

Tara

[aghadowey]

Details about descendants of Joseph Kennedy will likely be in U.S. records rather than Ireland. You can click on  'report to moderator' to ask this topic to be moved to U.S. board where more details will probably be posted very quickly. U.S. census records (from 1900 until 1940) can be found on www.familysearch.org as well as lots of other useful and free information.

[aken]

Hi Tara,
 His parents names were John Kennedy and Harriet Copplestone. They married in Westport in 1866 and had 8 children.  I've tried to trace Joseph through familysearch.org but there are hundreds of them.
Anne

What were his parent's names ?

Tara

[taramcdsmall]

Hi There,

Yes, the surname Kennedy is not the easiest one to research.

Have you tried by narrowing down the search by his year of birth.

There is a Joseph Kennedy that seems to be cropping up as an 'inmate' of some kind of institution in Ohio.

This chap appears to be single on quite a few records. It would be handy if he had married to get a cert to see if there was a good match.

Are you sure that he went to the US ?

As Aghadowey said, the American boards will probably be your best bet !

Best Of Luck

Tara

[aken]

Hi Tara,

Yeah I'm sure he went to USA, the only thing that is strange on his boat ticket is the reason for his journey is "Going Home".  I have a hunch that he was reared by relatives in America from his childhood.  That happened in my mother's family and many others in those days because he was the fourth child in a family of eight.  I have found a Joseph Kennedy with a family O'Connell.  Maybe its just a coincidence but 'my' Joseph had a sister Louisa and I have a Bible belonging to her with her name and address in Westport, but it also has the name Sarah A O'Connell, Westport written in it...?  Louisa registered a marriage in 1889 in Westport (got that on familysearch.org) but her husband isn't named and she just vanished, maybe they emigrated, she doesn't appear on either the 1901 census or 1911 and its almost impossible to search for her when I don't know her married name.
Regards
Anne

[aghadowey]

Louisa registered a marriage in 1889 in Westport (got that on familysearch.org) but her husband isn't named and she just vanished, maybe they emigrated, she doesn't appear on either the 1901 census or 1911 and its almost impossible to search for her when I don't know her married name.

Only 4 names appear on that page in marriage register- Louisa Kennedy, Jane Bingham, John Claxton, Thomas Blain. Jane Claxton born Mayo and husband John appear in 1901 census (and Jane a widow in 1911) so Louisa Kennedy was likely married to Thomas Blain.

[aken]

Hi,
Thanks for the suggestion that Louisa may have married Thomas Blain...I never thought of looking for who was on the same page!  I did a quick search and didn't find a T.B. who had a spouse Louisa but I will search more when I get time.
Regards
Anne

[shellyesq]

The Sep. 1897 passenger list says he was a clerk & a US citizen, was previously in the US in 1897 in New York, and his final destination was Brooklyn.

The 1897 Brooklyn city directory has a few Joseph Kennedies who were clerks:  http://bklyn-genealogy-info.stevemorse.org/Directory/1897/k.html