Worcester Talk
Genealogy => Worcester Irish Genealogy/History => Topic started by: carroll girls on January 13, 2008, 06:14:37 PM
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Hello Members of the Worcester Irish Genealogy Group,
My sister and I (The Carroll Girls) are trying to find out where in Ireland our father's family emigrated from. We are planning a trip to Ireland this spring and would love to know where we might have relatives.
The only information we have is what is contained in our paternal grandfather's obituary of July 21, 1915. According to the obit he lived and died in Worcester. We also have his obituary from The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
We would also like to research our paternal grand mother but know virtually nothing about her.
We would like to hire someone in the Worcester area to do the research for us. Could anyone give us a referral?
Thanks for your help. And any other suggestions are truly welcome.
Lynn and Christine
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You don't need to pay anyone if we all can help you for free!
You do need to give us whatever info you do have, please.
From my database here is my Carroll information. These people may or not be related.
Mrs. Mary C. Casleconner, co. Sligo died 1881 (O'Flynn says 1861-believe his date)
Bernard c. (her husband?) 1827-1897
Joseph C. born 1802 Mullinavat Kilkenny Invisible immigrants.
Thomas C. Rathdowney, Queens Co. died 1870 had a sister Ann Carroll Whalen
James C. Ballingary Co. Limerick died 1886 (O'Flynn said her was a carpenter)
Do remember that Marie Daley of NEHGS an expert in irish genealogy, says that you are much more likely to find out place of origin in the US records than over in Ireland.
Do any of these people seem right? There could be more details about each once we home in on the right people.
Give us your grandmother's name and we'll give it a go.
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Hi Merski,
Thanks for your speedy reply.
This is what we have on my grandfather:
From the Evening Post, Thursday, July 22 1915:
"James J. Carroll, a resident of Worcester many years, died in his home at 30 Orchard Street yesterday morning of pneumonia.
He was an attendant of St. Ann's Church.
He leaves his wife Annie A. (Quirk) Carroll, two sons James J.and John A. Carroll, four brothers, Patrick of Worcester, Thomas of Newport R.I., John and Michael in Ireland, four sisters, Bridget, wife of William O'Keefe of Boston, Margaret, wife of Vincent Daley of Chicago, Mrs. Mary Hehir and Miss Kathrine Carroll of Ireland.
The funeral will be held from the home of his brother Patrick Carroll of 228 Chandler Street Saturday morning with a high mass of requiem in St.Ann's Church at 9 o'clock."
And from the Copy of the Record of Death from the commonwealth of Massachusetts:
" Name of Deceased: James J. Carroll Age 32, 2 months, 20 days (The Date of Record was July 26, 1915) Birthplace: (unknown) Ireland
Name of Father: Martin Carroll Birthplace (unknown) Ireland
Name of Mother: Bridget Dowd Birthplace (unknown) Ireland
Place of Burial: St. John's Cemetery, Worcester, Ma"
We also believe that our grandfather spend some time in the Worcester State Hospital as I did find someone with his name on a census record which I cannot locate at this moment. And we had heard rumors about his "nervous condition".
If I locate any more I will forward it on to you.
Anything you can find or suggest is appreciated.
Lynn and Christine
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Hello Carroll Sisters,
I found James on an immigration record arriving in 1903, passage paid by brother Patrick, Worcester Ma. His last residence is GORT. If you provide an email, I will email you the passenger list. I also found Martin Dowd who was living with Patrick in 1910. Martin immigrated in 1909, last residence Gort, left behind his Uncle Patrick Connors, Rathtorp, Gort.
It might be helpful to have the dates of births of James/Annie's children. Did they spend time in an orphanage? Also, are you researching from the Worcester area, you might find more information on Patrick's naturalization records.
PS, I have family from near Gort, so when you go maybe you can take a few photos for me.
Cheryl
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Dear Cheryl,
You folks are amazing!! Thank you so much.
And yes, our father and his twin brother (James and John) were in an orphanage in Worcester.
My e-mail is lynnegbok@aol.com.
I am going to look for Gort on the map.
We will be back in touch soon.
Thanks again,
Lynn and Christine.
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Where is Gort???
when were Brother Patrick and Thomas Born? They may have signed WWI draft registrations which will also say where they are from. Also Carroll Girls, if James died and left a will or probate record, it may even give the address of the family in ireland!
Found a James Carroll in worcester who appeared to be 20 years older...could that be an uncle?
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I found a US passport application for Patrick Carroll, James' older brother. It looks like he was born in Tubber co. Clare. This is part of the Burren and not really very far from Gort Galway. This application says that Martin, the father was also born in Tubber.
Patrick was naturalized on Oct. 13, 1903. The Burren is a very nifty geological area in Clare. Clare is one of our favorite counties...great trad music Doolin, cliffs of Moer (sp) by the way Tubber's formal name is Kilkeedy
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Dear Merski,
As I said before, you guys ROCK!!!.
Grot and Tubber!!! What great names.
We will have to do some research on these places.
How can we get access to the records you mentioned? And are there any fees we can pay for photocopying, faxing, etc. Please let me know.
Just, FYI, I (Lynn) live in Santa Monica (right next to Los Angeles) and my sister (Christine) lives in Winchester. Mass. Isn't the internet the greatest.
Thank you again for all your help.
Oh, and is there any possibility you could locate anything about our paternal grandmother, the Annie Quirk mentioned in my original post? We know nothing at all about her other than that she may have died in the Worcester State Hospital.
After my grandfather died, she put my father and his twin brother in an orphanage. (I'll have to look ion my papers to find the name of it. I actually visited there as it still exists as a home for troubled boys nowadays.) She visited them every Sunday and they cried bitterly each time she had to leave. She did take them out after a few years (I will have to check my papers to find out exactly when). I believe she remarried but I have no information.
Thanks again for everything.
If you do send me any attachments, do let me know as I am not always good at retrieving them.
Thanks so much for all your help.
Lynn
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Did they get put in Stetson Home? That's in my home town Barre and started off as a home for troubled Boys. I might be able to get some info for you if you can give me some dates.
Found Patrick's birth on familysearch.org Patrick Carroll born 26 Feb. 1866 Corrofin Co. Clare parents Martin Carroll & Bridget Dowd
I tried to find the other siblings but was unable,
You might send for that record and get the additional info it provides. Also send for the baptismal cert. which may have other info.
I thought I read or heard that the Clare County Library has great online resources,
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Morning all,
In 1920 census, the boys are in the Nazareth Home in Leicester, MA
I have found nothing on the girls, Bridget or Margaret, or Thomas (maybe in New Jersey latered). I did find Patrick was married to a Catherine and later Anastasia. His naturalization records should be fairly easy to find.
I will list the family members I have found on ancestry.com Boston Passenager List, one was on www.ellisisland.org (I think Michael 1897). I will send you the links but I think you can only open something like three before they deny you access. You could go to your local library or get a free 7 day trial and print everything off.
County Clare does have a wonderful website www.clarelibrary.ie (I believe that is it)
I felt that Patrick b. 26 Feb 1866, 0255, Corrofin, County Clare to Martin and Bridget (Dowd) was too early but looks like that's is him. Good work Merski. You can send for all the birth records. I have in my notes the following address but check it, I don't know how old the address is. BMD Department, Community Care Services, 25 Newcastle Road, Galway Also, the East Galway Heritage Center does research, google it, but I don't think you are going to need that.
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I may repeat myself because I was writing a post and went back to see what I wrote yesterday and now can't find what I was working on.
Boston Passenager Lists
Michael April 1897, b. 1869, to brother Patrick, Southbridge St.
Michael April 1904, previously in Boston 1902, to brother Patrick Southbridge St.
Martin Dowd April 15, 1909 on the Saxonia, to cousin James Carroll, box 745 Whitinsville MA
Now for the paydirt:
Thomas Carroll, April 15, 1909, Saxonia, age 19, leaves behind James Carroll, Roo, Gort, Galway to brother James Carroll box 745 Whitinsville MA
Hmm, now that I am typing this out, I thought Thomas age 19 in 1909 was your Thomas because cousin Martin is also travelling to James in Whitinsville (which may not be Whitinsville at all but Worcester, I have had some relatives give the correct street address and say it was in Webster, MA) I have not been able to locate Thomas age 19 on the 1910 census or James in Whitinsville or Worcester.
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There are two Carrolls, James b. 16 June 1883 Gort, immigrated 1907 and Patrick Carroll, b. 17 March 1882 who state their father is James Carroll of George St. Gort. They give this information on the US Passport Applications in the 1920. By the way, when you go to the library check these out because they have pictures on them, same as the one Merski found for Patrick Carroll. Relatives? or I have been following the wrong lead?
The Latter Day Saints have a great website www.familysearch.org. You can order church records on microfilm to review in their centers. Click on Search, Library Catalog, Placename, Kiltartin, part of Galway.
Baptisms, 1848-1862; marriages, 1853-1861; baptisms, 1854-1884; baptisms and marriages, 1862-1863. - FHL BRITISH Film [ 979691 Item 3 ]
You will probably also want to get the films for Tubber and Griffiths Revised Valuation report which will trace the ownership of the land in Roo.
As far as Roo, Gort: www.valoff.ie will show you who the "current 1990s" residents are, there is a Michael Carroll and Michael Hehir. You might want to write them a letter once you have confirmed the information with baptismal records. Also in Roo, there is a local historian Tom Hannon who might help if the above two don't; and I have the right townland.
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Cheryl, we should go into business together!
I went and signed up on the clare county ireland library discussion board and saw a listing for Tubber. It is a geographical area that encompasses pats of upper clare and southern galway. You should most definitely sign up and start posting. Someone on that board is probably the local equivalent of us in Worcester. Who knows you may even may an internet friend as both Cheryl and I have and visit with them when you go to Ireland. Boy! There's nothing like a local for showing you stuff like cemeteries old house sites etc.
Don't forget Clare and Galway are two different counties so when you send for Patrick's bith record, use Clare vital records address. I have an address and will look it up when I've got more time.
Also someone wrote a history of Tubber that you can send for 15 euros also on that library discussion board.
We're glad that the Carroll girls are appreciative. Hope to meet the Massachusetts sister at our library get together!
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Dear Merski and Cheryl,
As usual our thanks. A lot.
I am going to try to absorb and follow-up on all the information you have sent us. It will probably take me a few days to sort it out and go to the websites you mentioned.
I told my sister (Christine) you were planning a meeting in February and she will try to make it. What exactly is the date and time and place?
We are both excited about actually finding some relatives. We just obtained our grandfather's obituary about five years ago. That told us that we actually had relatives .
Before that we thought there were none as my father and his twin brother were placed in the orphanage by their mother, and not with a family member.
Now, we find out that we have relatives and we may be able to actually visit some of them.
Please let me know how I can get copies of all of the documents you mentioned: the passenger list, the naturalization application, etc. And any costs involved.
And as I said, let me know in your email or post that you are sending an attachment so I can be sure to retrieve it.
Hope you folks are not too snowed in. It was 70 degrees here in Santa Monica today.
Lynn
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Got on the Clare library website and hit paydirt on the Carroll family in the 1901 census!
Townland:Kilcorcan
Parish: Kilkeedy
DED: Boston
Union: Corofin
Martin Carroll 58 Farmer
Bridget (wife) 60
John 29
James 20
Thomas 15
This IS the family! I'm so excited for you "girls". You will be able to go straight to Kilcorcan (think neighborhood rather than village) and you will be walking the road your ancestors walked! I'd practically kill to be able to do that. May I make a suggestion? Try to stay in a B&B as close to Kilcorcan as you can. Ditch the car and walk everywhere! We did when we've been to ireland (4x) it slows you down and literally connects you with the place and the people. You owe me a glass of wine!
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Dear Worcester Talk Genealogy folks,
This is so hard to believe. Less than a week ago we knew nothing about our relatives. Now we know the actual place they lived. What a week this has been.
You folks are the best. You're all hired!!!
We both send our thanks.
We will send you pictures from our trip so that you can enjoy it with us.
Now I really need to get out that map and find Kilcorcan.
And what does : DED and UNION mean?
I am going to lay all of this information out on a spreadsheet and digest it all.
Thanks again,
Talk to you soon,
Lynn
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You are most welcome! You can go online and type Kilkeedy Clare and see the Parish. As I said Kilcorcan is a townland within it. There is a bed & breakfast in Kilcorcan called the Mountain Avens House. It's named after a unique plant found in the burren. I have reigistered on the Clare County discussion board to ask for any living Carrolls from Kilkeedy. Keep your fingers crossed!
My friend at the cemetery found your great uncle Patrick Carrolls burial 3 feb. 1941 age 69
Anastatia his wife (2nd one?) buried 27 Feb. 1946 age 70 baby girl Carroll also buried 2 Feb. 1960
Your grandfather James was alone in a lot purchased by Annie Carroll. Section Sion, Range B lot 19.
When I can make it to Worcester, I'll check for a stone in the cemetery and look up those obituaries, unless someone else is going to worcester sooner.
Have you found any Carrolls in worcester that you might be related to?
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I think I found Bridget Carroll's immigration and marriage record. Can someone check a marriage in Worcester 1902 vol 526:434 Bridget Carroll and should be Vincent Daly. Vincent Daly was boarding with Patrick Carroll in 1900. I found the family living in Indiana but one child was born in Illinois, maybe the family didn't know they moved on.
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oops: I mean Margaret Carroll
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31 March 1902 Marriage of Vincent Daly & Bridget Carroll he's 25, she 23 both residents of worcester. He's a teamster, she a cook both born ireland her parents Martin & Brighet (Dowd) his Andrew & Mary (Farry)
couldn't find a state record for Bridget O'keefe
Could you put passenger listings up so we can see them? I like looking at the original recorc when I can.
It's very thrilling that we've found so much corroborating info. The Clare discussion board has given me an address for them to write for vital records, which I would very much encourage them to do in order to verify all this info.
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31 March 1902 Marriage of Vincent Daly & Bridget Carroll he's 25, she 23 both residents of worcester. He's a teamster, she a cook both born ireland her parents Martin & Brighet (Dowd) his Andrew & Mary (Farry)
couldn't find a state record for Bridget O'keefe
Could you put passenger listings up so we can see them? I like looking at the original recorc when I can.
It's very thrilling that we've found so much corroborating info. The Clare discussion board has given me an address for them to write for vital records, which I would very much encourage them to do in order to verify all this info.
Sorry about the quote, but I could get it to load the regular way. I found Bridget and William O'Keefe with their children in Revere & Everett. I will write everything out later today or tomorrow sent it to the Carroll Girls and Merski.
Chelsea 1894
Vol: 444 ; Page: 309; No. 81 April 19 recorded May 28
O'Keefe William res. Crescent Beach Revere age 24 Groom b. Ireland
Richard & Mary Fing First marriage
Carroll Bridget res. Chelsea age 22 Domestic b. Ireland Martin &
Bridget Dowd First
Rev. H. J. Mulligan, Priest at Chelsea
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Lynn & Christine,
I would encourage you to send for the following certificates before you leave for ireland.
Birth of James Carroll c.1881 son of Martin and Bridget (Dowd) Kilkeedy parish
marriage of Martin Carroll and Bridget Dowd pre 1866 (hopefully that will get you back another generation)
death certs. for Martin Carroll & Bridget(Dowd) Carroll each after 1901
send a s.a.s.e. to Registrar Sandfield Centre Ennis county Clare Ireland along with a letter asking for the records and ask what the fees are. You may need to afterward send an international money order in euros to pay for the work
You can also go online to www.groireland.ie to request the same information fee for each cert (which includes research) is 10 euro
When you go to ireland you can always stop in at Ennis as it is on the road to everywhere in Clare and get the other certs. you need. I would just be more comfortable with all this stuff that Cheryl & I have given you (I'm 90% sure we pegged this one)is the right family.
I can't wait to hear who martins and bridgets parents were and if they were both from very close townlands.
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Patrick Carroll of 188 Southbridge St. purchased lot Jubilee R7 lot251
Catherine (a daughter/) interred 9Jun 1899
Baby O'Neil " 17 May 1903
" " " 31 Oct. 1904
Catherine Carroll (must be the mother) interred 6 Aug 1912
Lynn & Christine I will look up obits on Friday morning. How are you dealing with all of this info??
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Merski,
Did you look up the O'neil babies to see who their parents were?
Cheryl
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Couldn't find them. Hopefully the obit of Catherine or patrick will illuminate us. So, Patrick got married again maybe it was the second wife who couldn't or wouldn't take on the two boys.
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My guess on the O'Neil babies
Births vol 534:435 and 544:509 Deaths V 103:14 and 58:108
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I think I have found Anna Quirk. In the 1910 census there is an Anna Quirk, domestic living at 34 Elm St, b. 1888, arrived 1906. She is again listed in 1912, domestic, 5 Harrington Ave. In the meantime, I have followed Bridget Quirk immigrating from Stradbally, County Waterford, father John, to Worcester. 1903, she is 19 and lists her sister Alice Quirk, 50 Pearl St, 1911 she lists she lived in Worcester 1905-1911 and is meeting her sister Mrs. M Glannigan, 76 Eastern Ave Worcester. Alice M Quirk marries Michael J Flanagan in Worcester Vol. 556:462. Searching for Alice, I find her children with their Flanagan grandparents in 1920 & 1930. Looking through the street directories, 1918 Alice M Flannagan 378 Grafton Street; Anna A Carroll widow of James A 378 Grafton Street. 1920 street directory, Alice M Flannagan widow of Michael J died February 24, 1919. So the obituary of Alice might lead to Anna Quirk Carroll from Stradbally County Waterford, father's name John.
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Obituary of Catherine (Barry) Carroll Evening Post 5 Aug 1912
first wife of Patrick Carroll 188 Southbridge St.
leaves husband, sons Charles J. & Timothy, daughter Mary C.
and a brother John Barry of Worcester
one of the floral tributes was from Mrs. Margaret O'Neill (cheryl!!)
Patrick Carroll's obit Telegram 1 Feb. 1941
228 Chandler St.
2nd wife Anastatia (Hunt) Carroll
daughter Mrs. Adler Wellett of Woonsocket RI
sons Charles J. & Timothy P. Carroll of worcester
sisters Bridget O'Keefe of Everett Mass. & mrs. Margaret Hehir of ireland (means the rest of his siblings must be dead)
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I think I have found Anna Quirk. In the 1910 census there is an Anna Quirk, domestic living at 34 Elm St, b. 1888, arrived 1906. She is again listed in 1912, domestic, 5 Harrington Ave. In the meantime, I have followed Bridget Quirk immigrating from Stradbally, County Waterford, father John, to Worcester. 1903, she is 19 and lists her sister Alice Quirk, 50 Pearl St, 1911 she lists she lived in Worcester 1905-1911 and is meeting her sister Mrs. M Glannigan, 76 Eastern Ave Worcester. Alice M Quirk marries Michael J Flanagan in Worcester Vol. 556:462. Searching for Alice, I find her children with their Flanagan grandparents in 1920 & 1930. Looking through the street directories, 1918 Alice M Flannagan 378 Grafton Street; Anna A Carroll widow of James A 378 Grafton Street. 1920 street directory, Alice M Flannagan widow of Michael J died February 24, 1919. So the obituary of Alice might lead to Anna Quirk Carroll from Stradbally County Waterford, father's name John.
Now just how lucky can you get!!On the EllisIsland.org website and again on ancestry.com, for the same immigration, Oct 14, 1915, The St. Louis, I found, John Quirk 65, Mary Quirk 62, and granddaughter Mary Quirwin age l yr 6 mo coming from friend Mrs. Quinley County Waterford to daughter Mrs. J. J. Carroll, 30 Orchard St, Worcester, MA. John states he was in Worcester 1900. They were detained for doctor certificates, page 0244, Ellis Island Site.
Carrol girls, have you checked for a marriage certificate at Worcester City Hall?
Cheryl
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1920 census, Worcester 2A Plantation St, John Quirk 76, Mary 72, daughter look like Anastasia age 30, granddaughter Mary 5
1920 census, Worcester, 48 Coral St, Bertha Knight with son Ralph age 2
1920 census, Charlton, Lucien Knight married living with mother
1930 census, Charlton, Lucien & Bertha Knight, with children and niece May R. Quirk
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This morning I believe I found Thomas Francis Carroll which can be checked by ordering a marriage certificate from Providence RI or death certificate. He had a son who died in Warwick RI Feb 2, 2002 if you want more living relatives.
November 23, 1916 marriage, Thomas F. Carroll & Katerhine A Dyer
WWI draft Thomas F Carroll, b. Boston, Ireland; April 28, 1888, married living at 112 John St.
RI births: Thomas F Carroll, 6 May 1918; Jeaneete Carroll 5 Sept 1919
1930 census Providence 55 Arnold St, Thomas, Katherine, Thomas F Jr 11, Jeannette 10
WWII draft Thomas Francis Carroll Sr 55 Arnold St, b. April 28, 1888, County Clare wife Katherine Carroll
He is listed in the Providence Street Directory starting in 1923 at 55 Arnold St. He and Katherine live there in 1959; the next entry for 1960 states Thomas F died July 15, 1959.
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trying to find out where in Ireland our father's family emigrated from.
Lynn and Christine, would Ellis Island database hold any clues? My grandfather emigrated to Worcester from Ireland in the 1920s, and I found his ship info in Ellis Island database.
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would Ellis Island database hold any clues?
Never mind -- I just read deeper into thread and see you're getting lots of help.
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Carroll Girls checking in from Los Angeles.
Hi Everyone.
Sorry to not have responded lately but things have been a bit hectic for me. I have read all the recent posts.
Gosh, thanks again to merski, cheryl, capecolleen and rob for your responses and all the work you have done for us. What a saga this has been.
My sister (Christine) in Boston is interested in attending your February meeting. What is the exact date as she will be out of town for part of February.
There is so much work for us to do to round up all the records you have unearthed, but is is so exciting. We are thrilled to know where our family comes from and are getting excited and beginning to really plan the details of our trip.
Thanks again to all of you.
Lynn
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Sunday Feb. 10 2:30 p.m. at the Worcester Public Library 3rd floor genealogy area. We'd LOVE to meet one of the Carroll girls as well as all of the other wonderful people who are so generous with their help and queries on this board!
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Thank you everyone who has been so supportive with our family research-this is the Carroll girl from Boston, actually Winchester- I hope to be at the neeting this Sunday afternoon if there is no snow-see you then Christine
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I'd love to meet you. It was really great to work as a group to get you two the info you needed. It just goes to show everyone that there's info out there...you just need to know where to look for it. If I can, I'll try to get some digital images of your grandfather James' stone and his brother Patrick's stone at St. John's cemetery if I can borrow a camera and get a lesson....see everybody soon!
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This is going to take me some time to sort out but after finding all the Quirk sisters:
Annie A Quirk married Dimitrois George Coutoukis aka James George Coutoukis aka James G. Rock between 1921 & 1923
1930 census James & John are living with Annie and James Coutoukis; and the boys seem to continue to live with Annie. James is still living with her in the early 1950 in Worcester and I suspect she dies c. 1951.
Her parents were Mary (Fitzgerald) Quirk d. March 1921 and John Quirk died September 1923 both buried in St. John's Worcester with daughter Bertha Knight.
Irish birth records from familysearch.org
Mary 27 Mar 1867; Norry 9 Sep 1869; Ellen 20 Jun 1872; Alice 22 Apr 1877
On Alice's record states born Carack Cardians which is a misspelling and although there are Carrig townlands around Stradbally I haven't come up with a good but sending for a birth record for one the girls should clear that up.
I'll type up the information for you and send it along, there are many first cousins of James & John with at least one still living.
Cheryl
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Carroll girls...try to bring a good photograph of your father and uncle and grandparents if you have one. It's a nice way of connecting and as Cheryl can tell you there still may be strong family resemblances in Clare and Waterford. By the way, have you sent off for anything? I've been busy with my mom's estate (which is nil in size but sill a pain!) so I haven't been helping at all. Just thinking of you two.
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Hello to all of you fabulous researchers at Worcester Talk.
The Carroll Girls are going to Ireland on May 25th and coming back on June 6th.
Following all the information we received from you folks, we are staying a few days in Dublin, then on to Galway and hopefully to Kilkorcan where our paternal grandfather is from. Then to Waterford and Stradbally where our paternal grandmother is from. Then back to Dublin and the US.
We will give you a full report when we get home.
And we will be thinking of all of you while we are there as you have made our ancestral search a reality.
Lynn and Christine
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Safe journeys. And would you be kind enough to "light a penny candle" in one of the catholic churches and say a brief prayer that all of us on this board will be able to find our irish ancestors?
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Worcester Talk folks:
We'll light candles in each city we go to for all of you dear folks on the Worcester Talk board.
Lynn and Christine
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We;re all dying for a report....did you meet any kin? Did you learn anthing new????
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Hi Everyone,
Yes, we are back from Ireland and had a wonderful adventure. A trip of a lifetime.
Great sights, good food and of course the people were so very very nice to us.
We were on our own and took trains, buses and the Luas in Dublin (and we are so glad we did not do the driving thing.). We did historical walking tours, took a ferry to the Aran Islands, toured the castle in Kyelmore and generally had a great time. And learned a lot of Irish history. (We used Rick Steves' guidebook and he was terrific. Would highly recommend it.)
It was very exciting and we both felt "more Irish" than when we went.
We lit candles in churches in Dublin, Galway and Waterford for all of you who are still looking for your Irish roots.
We did some further research in Galway and Ennis and traced our paternal grandfather back to 1824. In Waterford, we traced our paternal grandmother back to 1842. We also found out that she actually owned a piggery with one pig. (We were very excited about that.)
All the genealogy folks we met with were very helpful and accommodating. In Waterford, the man in charge drove me around for almost 3 hours in the area near where my grandmother was from (Stradbally.) The genealogy man from Galway drove us back to our B&B, waited while we changed clothes and got our raingear, and then drove us into town. As I said, people were very very nice to us.
In Galway we did not get to Kilkorcan but to nearby Gort where we took some pictures.
We did not meet any kin and will save that for a future trip. We definitely plan to go back.
I am truly sorry that this response has been so late in coming. I have no excuse really, but have had all of you on my mind and you were all in our hearts as we traveled through Ireland.
Thanks you all so much for your help.
Lynn and Chrissie
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i can add that i have a Carroll quart milk bottle in my collection. i didnt read all the posts, but im sure someone had a dairy that used these bottles... mike