Clooncalgy Link
(by Wendy)
Unexpected connections are lovely little gems when
researching your genealogy!
Thomas shared with me a grave stone he found in Granlahan
Cemetery, that read “In Cherished Memory of the Dempsey Family/ Cloonreliagh
and Clooncalaghy.”
As I am in search of how my 3rd great
grandfather, Thomas Dempsey, fits into the family lines, I was immediately
intrigued!
I first had a look at the Griffith’s Valuation Records for
Clooncalgy, Clooncalgy more, and Clooncalgy beg. No Dempsey is listed.
In the 1901 census, a Patrick Dempsy is found with his
family in Clooncalgy.
With a little bit of reverse genealogy, daughter Bridget was
found to have a cancelled/changed birth record for January of 1899. Her mother is listed as Catherine Kenny, and
the town is Clooncalgy. No birth record
is found for Jane or William, but they are both in the census for 1901 and
1911. Bridget dies in 1902.
Jane was a somewhat unusual name for the Dempsey line, and I
thought she would be easier to trace than her siblings. Jane Dempsey’s birth record is missing at
this time, but her marriage license does list Catherine Kenny as her mother.
Jane Dempsey is found to arrive in New York on Aug. 9,
1920. She gives Patrick as her father in
Clooncalgy, and she gives a Patrick Dempsey, brother, of 131 Jarvis Street,
Toledo, Ohio as whom she is going to in the US.
The Dempsey family of Toledo, Ohio was actually familiar to
me, as I have DNA connections though this Patrick Dempsey (brother of Jane), to
his granddaughter, Jean. This is where I
had my “AH HA” moment! Brother Patrick
Dempsey was the son of Patrick Dempsey (son of Thomas Dempsy and Bridget
Monaghan) and Sarah Kilcourse (married 1877 at age 17).
Patrick and Sarah/Celia have Michael in 1877 (8 months
later), Patrick in 1881, Thomas in 1884, and Mary in 1886. Sarah/Celia dies March 5, 1890 in Keyfield of
likely Influenza, and Mary Burke (sister) reports her death from Clooncalgy.
So Patrick is a widower in early 1890 with small children. It is likely assumed he remarried
quickly. I assume this is when he
marries Catherine Kenny. Jane Dempsey gives her birth as 4 Jan 1890 on her Social
Security Application. While Jane is
always consistent with January as her birth month, the years vary: 1890 on her
Social Security Application, 1894 on her marriage license, 1893 on her Passenger list, 1891 on the 1901
Census, and 1893 on the 1911 census.
Patrick’s young children from the first marriage are not
found in the 1901 census with their father, but with their maternal Grandmother
Mary Jennings Kilcourse in Keyfield.
Patrick Dempsey, son of Patrick Dempsy and Sarah Kilcourse,
immigrates in 1906 to Boston. He lists
his Aunt Winnifred Donnelly of Rhode Island.
She is his Great Aunt Winnifred Jennings Donnelly. Mary Dempsey (daughter of Patrick Dempsy and
Sarah Kilcourse), has already come over to Rhode Island in 1905 and had listed
her “Uncle” Michael Donnelly (Winnifred’s husband).
By 1910, Patrick is working for the Railroad and living in
Ohio, and his sister Mary (married to Michael Horgan) is in Ohio as well.
Another connection to tie the families together can be found
in this record from 1884 in the Courts.
In the 5th entry. The Dempsey, Kilcourse, Buck, and Page
families seem to have some connections as well.
Townlands represented in this entry incorporate all the townlands above:
Keyfield, Clooncalgy, and Cloonreliagh.
Don’t miss the 4th entry where Thomas Buck says Mary Kelly
“set” a dog at him!
George Kilcourse is the brother of Celia Kilcourse Dempsey
in the 5th entry.
More to come on the Buck/Burke connection later. Others might be interested in the 6th
entry on the page of the Grady family. Lots going on it seems!
Of the Toledo, Ohio Dempseys:
Son (“Jim” Dempsey) and granddaughter (Jean Dempsey) of
Patrick Dempsey 1881-1972 Toledo, Ohio
Courtesy of Katie
It’s a Small World After All…..
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