COUNTY LOUTH
Joe Biden
(former USA Vice President)
and
his Irish Finnegan Ancestors.
continued 02:-
On hearing that US Vice President Joe Biden may pay
a visit to the Cooley area later this month (June
2016) I looked again at the research last updated in
2012. Local rumour seems to suggest that, according
to United States of America [USA] sources, the
relevant Finnegan Family came from the Templetown
area of the Cooley Peninsula.
But first I will look briefly at some main USA
sources that maybe of help in locating emigrants
from both that north-east area and elsewhere in
County Louth.
USA - SOURCES
Holy Cross Cemetery, Ovid, Seneca
County, New York State.
It is in this cemetery that Owen Finnegan and Jane
Boyle, who emigrated from County Louth with their
older children in the mid nineteenth century, were
buried. But from a brief perusal of some photographs
of some of the headstones available online at
www.findagrave.com it can be seen that other
emigrants, not only from the Cooley area, but also
from elsewhere in County Louth, settled in the Ovid
area of Seneca County. It also appears that even
into the twentieth century emigration to this area
continued. But for the purposes of this brief
research I will only deal with a few of the
emigrants.
Owen Finnegan's Family.
The
inscriptions on the headstone(s), available online,
read:-
'OWEN
FINNEGAN
DIED
JUNE
15, 1875.
AGED
56 YRS. 10MO.
JANE FINNEGAN
HIS WIFE
DIED
DEC. 23, 1874.
AGED 54 YRS 7
DS.'
AND
'MICHAEL
FINNEGAN
DIED
JUNE 3, 1864
AGED
18 YRS,.
3 MO. 3 DS.
-----
PATRICK D. FINNEGAN
DIED
MARCH 14, 1884.
AGED
36 YRS. 13 DS.'
Kuryla Family
Mary Anne White wife of Frank G Kuryla died 6 June
1956 in Ovid, Seneca County and was buried in Ovid
Cemetery.
Mary Anne was listed on the Massachusetts, Passenger
and Crew Lists, 1820-1963, on www.ancestry.com. She
was 25 years old and departed from Liverpool on the
ship Celtic with her brother Patrick age 17 years.
They arrived in Boston 2 September 1923. Their
father was Patrick White of Rathcor, Carlingford,
and they were emigrating to their cousin Thos
McCarriagher in Ovid, New York.
There is a baptism in Cooley Parish of a Mary Anne
White on 17 October 1898 the daughter of Patrick
White and Annie McCarraher. While no specific
address is given on the baptism register from the
1901 and 1911 census (available at
www.census.nationalarchives.ie) the family was living in Rathcor Townland. In
1911 Mary Anne was the eldest of seven children:-
Francis; Ellen; James; Patrick Joseph (who emigrated
to Ovid with her); Thomas and Teresa Josephine. The
head of house was a cousin Mary Malone, single, and
age 81 years so would be born about 1840 when Owen
and Jane Finnegan were still living in this general
area.
Rathcor Townland is also along Dundalk Bay and a
short distance to the west of Templetown Townland.
It contains about 654 statute acres. The Malone
families of the area seemed to have lived, in the
mid nineteenth century, around the village of
Rathcor Upper.
Missing Friends advertisements
These advertisements can make interesting reading.
One notice published 18 September 1875 is:-
(Source: Boston Pilot newspaper and
available
online on
www.ancestry.com etc.).
From the
parish register for Cooley there was a baptism of a
Sarah Carroll baptised 31 July 1839 of Castlecarragh
Townland, the daughter of Patt Carroll and Catharine
White.
Part of the village of Riverstown is in
Castlecarragh Townland. The latter townland adjoins
to the west Rathcor Townland. It contains nearly 367
statute acres.
Censuses of Population
It has already been stated that a number of surnames
found in Seneca County, New York, in the various
mid-nineteenth century censuses also appear in the
north-east area of County Louth. Following are some
Finnegan families living in Ovid, Senaca County, in
the 1860 US census ( Source:
www.ancestry.com
for small sections of censuses following):-
Owen & Jane Finnegan (already given above).
The Village of Ovid
Richard and Mary Finnagan
The town of Ovid .
Both Richard and Mary were stated to be from
Ireland and the children born in Seneca
County, New York.
Joseph (aka George?) and Rosa Finnagan .
The village
of Ovid.
In the 1850 US census, taken 18 October 1850,
in Town of Seneca Falls, County of Seneca, State of
New York, was a George Finnegan, age 25 years, a
shoemaker, born in Ireland, with his wife Rose, age
23 years and also born in Ireland and daughter Mary,
age 3 years, born in New York.
From a Stauff Finnegan Family Tree on
www.ancestry.com it is stated above Joseph, was this
George Finnegan and came from Templetown, County
Louth. He was born about 1820 but the names of the
parents are not listed on the Family Tree. His wife
was stated to be Rose Murphy.
An image of the Headstone given lists 'George
Finnegan died Mar. 13, 1894 aged 74 years'.
This Family Tree also has Owen Finnegan as a brother
of George. It includes a copy of a notice in the
local Ovid newspaper, dated 11 May 1863, stating
that George Finnegan 'dissolved his partnership with
Owen" and was moving to other premises with his Boot
and Shoe Making Business. Another notice dated 1
April 1868 had a sale notice for his house in Ovid
Village.
A further public notice dated 17 June 1874 by Owen
Finnegan stated that, due to ill health, he was
closing his business (Boots and Shoes) and putting
his stock up for auction. As can be seen above on
Owen's headstone his wife Jane died in December 1874
and he died about six months later.
The children of George & Rose Murphy. as given
on Family Tree, were:-
1846 Mary Ellen
1850
Rose Ann
1853 Peter
1855 Catherine
1858
Richard B
1860 George
1863 Jane
All the children were stated to be
born in USA.
Templetown is in Cooley Roman Catholic parish and
situated along a narrow road off the R175 (Dundalk
to Greenore) that leads south-east in the direction
of Cooley Point along Dundalk Bay.
Templetown Townland contains about 437 statute
acres.
Mary Finnagan born about 1832.
The Village of Ovid
Mary Finnagan was stated to be born in Ireland.
Family of a Hugh Finnegan
Town of Waterloo, Seneca County.
Patrick, his wife Ann and father Hugh were stated to
be born in Ireland and the children in New York. By
the 1870 US census this Patrick, a farmer, and Ann
and his family (but not Hugh) appear to be residing
in the town of Ovid.
See later under Parish Registers. Could this be Hugh
Finnegan (who was married to Ann Murphy) and son
Patrick who lived in Templetown?. Further research
would be required to verify this.
Link
back to Emigrant page
Link back to Biden
page
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above Genealogical & Historical Research Service by
e-mail to:
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© MP McConnon, MC
Research, Seabank, Castlebellingham, Dundalk, County
Louth, Ireland.
(Original
uploaded 20 January 2009). Last update 03 January 2022. |
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