DNA & STILL A BRICK WALL

[Lisa in California]

Deb, are you 100% sure that the information you have about Bridget (her parents, birthplace, etc.) is correct?  Have you found U.S. records verifying her family? Apologies if you did mention facts in this thread or in your previous off-site threads...

I've not seen any trees as I don't have a sub for Ancestry.

Wow, the first tree is quite interesting.  I’ve only glanced at it as I want to have time to check other trees, but this tree has…
John Welch - 1830, Co. Tipperary, Ireland - 1911, Jacksonville, Illinois
Bridget Hennessy - 1838, Tipperary, Ireland - 1908, Jacksonville, Illinois
Daughter, Catherine, born 1861, Jacksonville, IL
Marriage for John and Bridget - 10 November 1862, Jacksonville, IL
Ten more children born to this couple.

The above marriage facts are the same as Deb’s marriage facts.  It seems more likely that the marriage for the couple who remained in Illinois would be correct.  Again, I’ve only glanced at the tree.  On to checking more trees.

ADDED: the owner of the tree either doesn’t know the couple’s parents or didn’t add them to the tree.

[Maiden Stone]

…Found it
21/2/1846
Jeremiah Dwyer to Bridget Hennesy witnessed by Thomas Hennesy and Thady Hennesy
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000632715#page/212/mode/1up

On 19/1/1847 Bridget Dwyer is baptised dau of Jeremiah Dwyer and Bridget Henessy
Bansha and Kilmoyler, County Tipperary, Ireland

Could this be Jeremiah?
Massachusetts Naturalization Record (from Ancestry, have not yet found it on FamilySearch)
Jeremiah Dwyer.  Petition Age 22
Born 23 Jul 1833, Killimore, Tipperary, Ireland
Arrival Date: 10 May 1850, New York
Petition Date: 1855


Hang on, there may have been TWO Jeremiah Dwyer’s from Tipperary arriving within one year of each other.  Unless he sailed twice?

The 1850 arrival can’t be him; he would have been born before 1833!
 

Jeremiah Dwyer and wife Bridget (Hennessy) were busy producing children in Tipperary. 6 children born 1847-1858 + another in 1862. I suppose Jer could have nipped across the Atlantic & back but he would have had to be quick. His son Thomas was conceived late 1850. Daughter Kate was conceived in 1855.
Details in my replies 76, 77, (the children), 78 (Jer's death at home in Tipperary), 79, 80, 82 (Bridget Dwyer's death in Tipperary). Imo Jeremiah and Bridget Dwyer didn't emigrate. 

[Lisa in California]

Well, now I am confused.    I understand about the Dwyers but we are still looking for John Welch (Walsh, etc.) and Bridget Hennesy?  And we do or don’t know her county of birth?

I will get back to looking at trees.  That appears to be a task that even I can tackle.   

[Lisa in California]

A question for Deb.  Who were beneficiaries and executors of John Welch's will?

Named in the will:
Bridget Welch, wife
Bridget was “to do with them [children] as she shall deem for their best good”.
Upon Bridget’s death, “she shall give and bequest whatever she may have to whom she pleases in the manner she may think best”.

Witnesses (difficult to read, at least for me):
Job Gildersleeve, Elk, Greely [sic],
Adam Murrich(?)

No mention of executors.

[Lisa in California]

There are 71 trees, a number of them have similar details as Deb’s tree.  A few show birthplaces for John as Laois, Ireland and Galway, Ireland but the trees didn’t include sources.

One tree has their marriage as August 1857, no source.

A few trees showed Bridget (a couple of times Bridget Welch), born 1787, as John’s mother.  No source.

Actually, one tree does include a census return.  It doesn’t appear to be Deb’s couple; her maiden name most likely was not Welch.

1855 Buffalo City, New York
Bridget Welch, born c1787, age 68. Mother.
John Welch, 32 Head
Bridget Welch, 28 Wife
Wm Welch, 3 Son
Margret Welch, 2 Daughter
Geo Welch, 0 Son

[shanreagh]

I think Deb could let us know definitely who in Ireland on the Hennessy side her DNA connects with. If it is the family of Thomas Hennessy and Bridget Cleary Hennessy then we will keep going on that track.  If it is another Hennessy family, and there are a few in the same location then it would be good to know. 

If it is that family then finding Jer Dwyer and the rest of the siblings of Bridget Hennessy/Dwyer /Walsh and going forward from them could be useful. 

I am having a quick look for the children mentioned on the 1860 census
Mary Welch and Margaret Welch.

So far a marriage record for Margaret (marrying a Scanlan) where she has put her age at younger than she is, probably because her husband is younger.  She states she is 26 when she would be 28 if she is the 2/12 (two months) old baby on the census.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDS-4LW3

[lillibelle57]

Hello All. I am Deb's cousin, Lilli. I am also interested in finding John and Bridget. The answer to one question is that our DNA did link us to Thomas and Bridget Cleary Hennessy.
One other interesting story in this is that spoken family lore is that John Welch was said to have been from Maryborough, Queens County. There was also a word in there that looked like "Ballynorman" but recently I am wondering if it could be Ballyporeen..?

I thank all of you who are helping with so many replies to Deb! I will try to help.provide as many answers as I can. I am not familiar with Rootschat..I have had a hard time getting registered on the site.

[lillibelle57]

We also have Bridget Welch buried at Manchester, Delaware County, Iowa. She was taken by train from Westfield, Iowa to be buried at Manchester. I have been to her grave. Her daughter, Mary Hynes is buried next to her.

John Welch died in the month of December 1871. The ground was frozen, so they kept his body in a shed until Spring. He was buried under a lilac bush on the family farm.

[shanreagh]

Welcome lillibelle57! Glad you are able to join us.  Are you a cousin descended from Edward Welch as Deb is? 

Just a point to tell you both ......this is one, if not the most fascinating explorations that I have been part of for some time and I am sure that with all of us looking we will find the answers. You have some old experienced hands looking in Lisa in California and Maidenstone. 

So that is good reassurance that Thomas and Bridget Cleary Hennessy are still the figures for the descent of the family. 

Queens Co is now Co Laois and Maryborough is Portlaoise (from 1920)