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Having been contacted and told that some of Mary and Ellen  Brennan’s sisters had gone to the US, and that the Purcells girls stayed with them, I started to dig around in Ancestry files and Ancestry trees.

I first of all checked Ellis Island. I found the entry for Mary (Molly) Purcell here.

http://www.ellisisland.org/search/shipManifest.asp?pID=100470030948

Here we see Molly from Easington, but born in Castlecomer, and she was going to stay with an uncle (friend is crossed out)  James Slattery 223 West 120St New York City.

So who was James Slattery. Well it appears that James was married to Anne Brennan, sister of Mary and Ellen.  In the 1920′s census we find an Anne  Slattery with James Slattery and a Margaret Brennan as sister in law to James.  In the 1930s census we again find Anne and James, this time with Marcella Purcell as niece in the house.

Now here’s where it gets a bit complicated. Annie Brennan married  a man called Slattery, and so did Molly Purcell.  She married a William D Slattery. They had two children, Margaret and Anne Marie, twins.

Bridget Purcell also went to the US.  Her manifest is available in 1923. She seems to have stayed with some relatives of James Brennan’s wife Annie O’Connor as she gives an Aunt Mrs O’Connor 178 East 72nd st. New York as her contact details.

In her naturalisation papers Marcella says she came to the US in 1927. I haven’t managed to find Marcella’s shipping manifest to check her details.. but she does turn up in the 1930 census, and her naturalisation papers are available.

So we’ve accounted for nearly all the Brennans

James married Annie O’Connor, they have an adopted son, a William Walker aged 8 in 1911 census in UK

Mary married Michael White

Ellen married Patrick Purcell.

Margaret emigrated to the US. unsure if she married and she disappears between 1920 and 1930 census.

Annie emigrated to US and married James Slattery. Appears to have had some children, but unsure how many lived. There is a tree with details on Ancestry but no response from tree owner yet.

Marcella – there were two Marcellas.. one born 1877 died that year, and a different Marcella in 1878.  I believe she also went to the US.  Again I have a tree match and am awaiting some information to confirm.

The Purcells.

Molly – married a William Slattery.

Bridget (known as Sheila) never married

Marcella (known as Madge) married a Johnny Pierse.  Believed to have adopted a boy also named John Pierse from Ireland.

The Whites are related to the Purcells through Mary Brennan and Ellen Brennan who married Michael White and Patrick Purcell respectively. Indeed in the 1901 census in Ireland Mary is staying with her sister Ellen in Moneenroe in Castlecomer. The Purcells and Brennans must have been friends before the marriage as Garret Purcell, Patrick’s father is named as the  best man on Michael Brennan’s (Mary’s father) marriage to Bridget Brennan. It would also seem that both families left the area at around the same time.  Patrick’s eldest brother John is already in the NE of England in 1901, and Patrick himself is there too, as is James Brennan, Mary’s brother and his wife Annie Connors.

Michael White is fighting in the Boer war and is down as returned “home” (ie British Isles) in 1902.  However in 1903 at the baptism of Richard Purcell son of Patrick, Mary White is named as godmother,so it would seem that its around this time the Whites and Patrick Purcell’s family emigrated from Castlecomer to Tyneside.

In the gallery link, is a photo of Mary Brennan White, and Michael White my grandfather and Mary White as a baby on her mother’s knee with the Purcell clan circa 1912.  Some of the Purcell girls emigrated to the US, and one can find the records on the Ellis Island database.

One of the more interesting characters in the the Purcell family, is Patrick’s younger brother Richard. Richard was a leading figure in the IRA in the NE of England during the war of independence. The main focus of the organisation in NE England was in procuring arms and explosives (as miners they had access to gelignite).  Some information is available here  http://www.donmouth.co.uk/local_history/ira/jarrow_isdl.html while a book on the Tyneside IRA is also available. Richard was involved with Socialism, and by all accounts was a great orator. He contracted TB and died of the disease in a clinic in Switzerland in the 1930s.

The 1901 census for Ireland came online a few weeks ago. Unfortunately there doesn’t seem at this point to be very much extra information to add in the quest to find out what more work to do.

I already knew that Michael White was fighting the Boer war, and his wife Mary White (nee Brennan) is living in Moneenroe. Incidentally Michael White b1897 is missing from the census. It could be that he’s just not entered although he may have been staying with cousins. Frank White Michael’s brother is also missing from the census.

Margaret White (Lodge) is living up in Dublin at the gate lodge in Cork St. hospital. There’s an interesting visitor. Mary White, Single, age 27 from Kilkenny is visiting. She seems to be down as a Friend.. could she be a White relative from Kilkenny or just another Wild goose chase ?

I’ve got the following further information on the Children of Margaret White and William Lodge.

John Joseph – died from TB in 1924

George – I believe its him died as a Bachelor in 1957

Mary Josephine – Married a William Neary in 1935. His details are Bachelor, Soldier, Address given as Custume Barracks Athlone, Father Anthony Neary (deceased) no occupation given.  Edward Byrne and Veronica lodge are witnesses. Marriage took place 30/11/1935 in Church of St Therese South Dublin.

I can’t find any children surname Neary, mother’s maiden name Lodge in Irish or English Civil birth registrations

Marriage of Edward Lacey and Madge Lodge. He is Bachelor, Constable in DMP (Dublin Metropolitan Police). Address given as Dublin Castle Yard and Father given as John Lacey Farrier. The Marriage took place June 4th 1924 in St. Catherines church Dublin South.

I can find an Esther M T Lacey Dublin South Jan-Mar 1928 Vol2 Pg434. born to this couple. I find a Marriage of an Esther K Lacey Dublin North Oct-Dec 1950 Vol2 pg363 which may be her.

Of the other Children.

Thomas Lodge – no marriage  that looks OK. It is possible that he fought in WW1.

Veronica Lodge – no marriage I can find.

I’ve managed to track down the sister of Michael White, great grandfather int the 1911 census. Margaret Lodge is married to William Lodge (born Queens co. circa 1871). They are living in the gate Lodge of the Cork Street (Fever) hospital in Dublin, where William is the gate porter.  They have the following children.

Thomas b kilkenny 1899 , Margaret 1901, John 1903, Mary Joe 1907. I also find George 1915 and veronica 1917 as being born to the couple. Margaret died young in 1922.

Margaret and William were married in Dublin in 1898. Margaret lists Thomas Isaac White – Schoolmaster as her father. William’s father is John Lodge a Miller.

Joe Martin contacted me about the family, and put me in contact with another 3rd cousin, Margaret Hamilton. Margaret has added a lot of information which has aided in tracking down Thomas White (Tommy ) as he was known.  Tommy would be a first cousin of my grandfather Michael White.  Tommy was involved in the war of independence and was a co. councillor for the Rathdowney (Borris in Ossory Ward) area.  I’ve found a 1950 Sept 22 in the Irish Times a T White Labour councillor elected.  I had a listing of some gravestones from Jack McDonald at genealogylaois.com from when I was looking at the Arch Bishop T White’s family. There was one there which looked like it might be his. (Margaret had told me he died in the 60′s).  The gravestone inscription reads – “in Loving Memory of Thomas White, Ossory Tce, Who died 11th June 1963 aged 69 years.  And his wife Annie died 7th May 1982 Aged 85. Their son Denis died 7th June 2001 interred in England Re-interred here on 27th June 2005 – RIP Erected by his wife and family”

Checking the death registry in England I find a Denis Patrick White died in Wrekin district (county of Shropshire) in June 2001, his date of birth is the same. I’ve ordered that cert online and will have a look at it when it arrives.. most likely in 7-14 days time.

Margaret has also told me that one of the sons was a chaplain in the army and was honoured by the queen. I haven’t managed to track this part of the story down yet.  The curator of the museum in Andover checked his records for chaplains and didn’t see a D.P White, a J.T White or a F.J White as a chaplain. I may go back and ask some more questions to see if I can get some hints from him.

I’m hoping to track down some living White relatives in Co. Laois. I believe there are some around still.  There was apparently a rift involving land (surely not in an Irish family ? ) where Tommy White bought or sold his grandmothers land (I’m assuming on the Connors/Bolgers side as the land was in Danesfort) and there was a falling out. It might be nice if we can find some old photographs in the other parts of the family.

There seems to be a match with some White and Fanning DNA. The Fannings are from Tipperary mainly. The DNA results give a genetic difference of 1 in a 37 marker test.
The estimated match given no match in last 3 generations is
3 – 7 generations is 69.01%
11 generations is 92.39%
15 generations is 98.31%
19 generations is 99.65%
23 generations is 99.93%
27 generations is 99.99%
The Fanning family tree is here. http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=devaricha

Looking through the Kilkenny site I came across this marriage. It may mean something or nothing at all !
Marriage of Patrick White, Dunmore to Mary Fanning Dunmore in St Johns parish on 22/08/1859. Witnesses ar e a Michael McEvoy and a Johanna Walsh. A Dispensation in 4th degree is granted. (this would indicate Patrick White and Mary Fanning are cousins). Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be any other information about them as this was before civil registration and father’s names didn’t tend to be recorded. I’ve attempted to look for some children of the couple but cannot find any.

in 1894 we have marriage of John Roone (Rowan) Modubeagh son of Timothy (labourer) to a Hanna Redmond (daughter of Thomas Redmond ) Modubeagh in Luggacurran church, Stradbally. date = 10/5/1894.  Best man was James Roone, Bridesmaid was Bridget Roone.  Given that Hannah Redmond’s mother was a Rowan it might be nice to eliminate this branch of Rowans out of the equation as they cannot be too closely related.

From Ballyadams baptismal records I see

Patricks DOB is given as 4th July 1897. James is given as 1st March 1896. Timothy is 16th Sept 1894.

In 1911 census we see that John and Hannah had 4 children of whom 3 are still living. (their return is house 31 in Ballylehane lower).  Son Timothy (17) and daughter Bridget (12).  I believe that their other son Patrick is living with his uncle James and an uncle of James (Patrick Brennan) in house 25 in Ballylehane upper.

This Brennan relationship ties in with the birth of a John Rouin to a Tim Rouin and Bridget Brennan in 1867 (1/9/1867) in Ballyadams.

The following are births to Tim Rowan and Bridget Brennan from Ballyadams records

18760402 ROWEN TIMOTHY MODUBEAGH IROWEN TIMOTHY BREEN BRIDGET
18811016 ROUIN MARGARET MODUBEAGH ROUIN TIMOTHY BRENNAN BRIDGET
18670901 ROUIN JOHN MODUBAY ROUIN TIMOTHY BRENNAN BRIDGET
18780325 ROWEN BRIDGET MODUBEAGH ROWEN TIM BRENNAN BRlDGET
18740426 RUAN JUDITH MODUBAY RUAN TIMOTHY BRENNAN BRIDGET

( no mention of a James but then there may be mistranscriptions).

The 1911 census for Ireland has now been indexed and is available online.. go to http://www.nationalarchives.ie and follow the links.

so what light has this shed on the White,Kealy,Brennan,Redmond ancestry ?

1. I looked up the brother of Michael White, (1st RIR)  a Thomas Francis White, known as Francis/Frank. He is living in Castlecomer and his age is given as 50, his wife Mary’s age is given as 49 (she is really 53). There are two daughters (Anastasia 15 and Josephine 11 both in School) living with them. He is employed as a Groome, She is a Caretaker. They have been married for 23 years (correct married 1888). The no. of children living is given as 2 out of five, but I believe they may have answered the question incorrectly meaning 2 children still living with them.

Thomas White (b 1893) is living in Rathdowney No 18 the Square, where he is an apprentice baker in a Ryan household.  No relationship to head of house is given.

I cannot find an entry for Mary or Bridget the two older sisters in the household but they may be married by this stage as they would be 23 and 21 by this stage.

Thomas Francis White gives the county of his birth as Kilkenny.  I’ve searched the records on IFHF site and can’t find a matching entry for him unfortunately. Given I can’t find a marriage for Thos White and Mary Healy either then it may be a problem getting to root of where the Whites came from.