Francis Walsh

[Booness]

I am certainly learning as I scroll through thousands of Walshes!!!  Have a correction to my last message Thought Francis was married to a Rose lee.  This maybr true, BUT this is NOT my GGRANDFATHER Francis Walsh..  I found that my GG was married to a Susan Duffy in1885 in Arvagh Parish of Killeshandra Co. Cavan.  Census of 1901 shows Francis & Susan with family  of 8 Census of 1911 shows :Francis married to Susan Duffy for 27 years and that they had 13 children 8 living.  I have found baptismal certificates for only Michael who had a twin Sara (baptized privately) and John Joseph.  I'm thankful for this site.  Stay tuned haha Booness

[Perdu]

I have still not found out what happened to my gt. grandmother's first husband, Francis George Walsh.  On my grandmother's birth certificate the father's name was left blank. I have not been able to find a death certificate for Francis. Is it possible that the father's name was left blank because he was dead? I'm clutching at straws here.

[Elwyn Soutter]

The usual reason for leaving the father's name blank on a birth certificate was that the birth was illegitimate. I think where the mother was married, there was a presumption of legitimacy and the husband's name went down, unless instructions were given to the contrary. Where the mother was not married, the father had to be present and acknowledge being the father, failing which it was left blank. (Otherwise the mother could name anyone).

[Perdu]

Thanks.  That has always been my understanding too. As I said, I'm just clutching at straws.

My gt. grandmother was married to Francis George Walsh and later went on to marry Robert Bland. At that point she described herself as a 'widow'.  My grandmother was born before she married Robert.

I think that the most likely reason for Francis' 'disappearance' was that he went back to Ireland or emigrated to America. Perhaps I will never know the truth.