Clare Past Forum

Bravo, Jimbo, on both the underlying research and the clear, compelling telling of the saga of these McNamara families as they went about living out their lives in the U.S. I await the final installment, which will complete unraveling the knotty mystery of who was who and related to whom, doing what to keep up family relationships over what previously had been regarded as very long distances between individuals.

I am hoping that my message to your private inbox here on the Form, has been read by you. I tried sending you two email addresses for Barbara Jean, so you two could have a form of communication where you can reveal details that might need to be kept private or are too detailed to include in the Forum's version of this McNamara saga. I cannot provide the date of that private message because, after clicking "send," I found that my outbound message limit had been reached, in terms of retaining a copy of the message in my Sent folder provided by the Forum. I have now deleted enough messages in both my Inbox and Sent folders, so both are fully functional. A consequence of being a Forum member long enough to have overloaded those features without understanding that there are message limits. If my message never reached your inbox, kindly inform me and I will re-send, or I can tell Barbara Jean to follow this Forum thread to see your findings on the McNamara families. I just thought that a private means of communication would be good to establish between you two at this time. I know she expressed excitement at the prospect of help with what has become an ordeal for her over the decades, to do the unraveling.

SMC

Hi Sharon, that would be great if you can get into contact with Barbara Jean, thank you very much. Please let her know to skip to page 38. As far as private communication, I don't wish to obtain any private information about Barbara Jean or any other forum member. She should not be sharing private information with strangers on the internet whether in a posting or a private message. Especially signing up for a new DNA test, she and others should be very cautious what they share on-line with distant "cousins" to avoid possible identity theft. From one of the three reddit postings I recall she mentioned an old DNA test and finding a possible "match" who had such little information on their end that it was quite suspicious.

Barbara Jean has already provided many clues on the mysterious John McNamara (≈1884 - 1947) in her detailed reddit postings. So much so, I don't even have a follow-up question to ask, either private or public. The information she obtained from her interviews in Lexington in the 1960's about the "Red Mack" family was very interesting. Matthew "Red Mack" McNamara and Bridget Williams had no grandchildren (except, of course, if you believe the origin story of John McNamara), but the memory of their family certainly lives on in Lexington and Kentucky history.

In "Kentucky Women: Their Lives and Times", edited by Melissa A. McEuen, Thomas H. Appleton Jr, University of Georgia Press (2015), the "Red Mack" family got a not so flattering mention in the biography of "Madeline McDowell Breckenridge (1872-1920), A Sense of Mission" by Lindsey Apple:

Madge became a public figure in the cause of reform with two issues almost simultaneously. On February 11, 1899, a local thug named "King" McNamara shot and killed Jacob Keller, a railroad cashier. McNamara, several brothers, and their father posed a constant threat to peace in Lexington. It was not an uncommon situation. The Civil War left the entire state a victim of lawlessness. The commonwealth [of Kentucky] had one of the highest homicide rates in the country, but few paid adequately for their crimes. Juries valued manliness above justice, and political officials seemed unconcerned or susceptible to pleas for clemency. . . . In Lexington the police arrested McNamara then released him, allegedly on bond. On the same day, his brother William McNamara wounded another man. When King McNamara fled, the police made little effort to track him down. Lexington's citizens decided it was time to act. It was not merely the violence that enraged them but the corruption of the police and political leaders. Not only had the authorities made little effort to bring McNamara to trial, they had released him without collecting the $1,000 bond. Madge rallied the women of the community and raised funds to offer a reward for his capture. According to the Herald, the women shamed the men of Lexington into rejecting the status of violence and political corruption. (page 227)

https://books.google.com/books?id=JGdwC ... &q&f=false
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeline_ ... eckinridge

Instead of "local thug", I reckon "Irish thug" and "Irish-American thug" would have been a more appropriate description of the "Red Mack" family members of Lexington. In not mentioning the Irishness of the McNamara family, the above piece also ignores the anti-Irish and anti-Catholic prejudice of Lexington elites. And when King McNamara murdered Jacob Keller in 1899, his father was no longer "a constant threat to peace in Lexington", since he had died in 1887. A Kentucky woman, one born in Ireland named Bridget Williams McNamara, "paid" the bond for her son King in 1899 and her role in the family business appears to be downplayed. When her daughter, Dollie Ann McNamara, went to visit her cousins, the Misses Sexton, in Louisville in 1901, surely Dollie also visited her brother King who was "hiding" there. Nevertheless, I thought a very interesting biography, which only touched upon the level of violence and corruption by the McNamara's and others in Lexington politics. I'll read the entire "Madge" biography (google books only had a few pages) at my local library and see if any Irish voices were among the other biographies of Kentucky Women.

Hi Sheila, a belated thanks for all your further research using Frances McGee's book on Griffith's Valuation to try to make sense of its timing. Denis McNamara actually appears in five GV field books for the same plot in Mountcatherine townland, parish of Kilshanahan, barony of Barrymore. Only one was dated, 13 July 1846, as per my previous screenprint, this was pg 797 of 2826; two others with no dates were in the same collection: pg 2244 of 2826, and pg 2269 of 2826 (this one stated "Office Copy"). And there were also two more field reports in other collections: 4th: pg 91 of 891, dated "October 18" next to Mountcatherine, but no year; 5th: page 1782 of 3169 with no dates. So the original fieldwork completed in July 1846 appears to have been updated (and copied), but it's a pity that a year does not appear in every field book.

The May 1926 obituary for Patrick H. McNamara stated that he died at the age of 80 and had been a resident of Norfolk for 11 years and of Lexington for 63 years. Patrick was born in March 1844, so was actually 82 years old when he died. Assuming the years in Norfolk and Lexington were accurate, then Patrick McNamara arrived in the United States about 1852, at the age of eight. His brother William McNamara married Ellen McGovern in November 1859 in Lexington, and their first born son, William, was born in August 1860. Thus, the McNamara's should have been reported in the 1860 census for Lexington but I was unable to find them when creating the McNamara family tree of my last posting.

Searching the 1860 census again, this time for any Lexington resident born in Ireland, there were 827 results in total, including a "Thomas McNary" (age 34) and "Ellen McNary" (age 26):

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZBN-6JT

The same search results led to: "Dennis Mc Naree" (age 80); "Hawrora Mc Naree " (age 60); "John Mc Naree " (age 27), "Michael Mc Naree " (age 26); "Bartholomew Mc Naree " (age 19); and "Patrick Mc Naree " (age 17): (transcribed as "McNarie" on ancestry):

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZBN-8HJ

Was surprised that the father Denis McNamara arrived in Kentucky; I had imagined only a widow with her sons leaving Ireland. But at least the census confirmed my theory, which was based solely upon Irish naming patterns, that the father was indeed named Denis. However, the fact that there was another son named Bartholomew initially led to some doubt whether or not I had accurately traced the McNamara family back to Kilshanahan parish in County Cork. There was now a McNamara son who was unaccounted for in the Watergrasshill baptism register. A real mystery.

Bartholomew McNamara was 19 years old in the year 1860, only a short period prior to the Civil War. Did he enlist with the Union or maybe the Confederacy? I could find no record of Bartholomew having fought in the Civil War. In this attempt I did research alternate names for "Bartholomew", including "Bart" or "Bat". This was when I remembered that the parish priest of Watergrasshill parish always abbreviated the names in the baptism register, perhaps to save on ink. "Denis" was "Den"; "Honora" was "Hon"; "Patrick" was "Pat"; and surely "Bartholomew" was "Bat". I had previously viewed each of the original baptism entries to obtain the baptism sponsors, and now with a second look, it is clear that the ancestry transcription of the 1840 baptism stating "Pat", should have been "Bat", a popular name in December 1840:

https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0099

So the child born to Dennis McNamara and Honora Sheehan in 1840, who I had assumed died prior to his brother in 1844, also arrived in America. What happened to Bartholomew remains a mystery. Having now three sons, Michael, Bartholomew, and Patrick, discovered in the Watergrasshill baptism register, I am 100% certain that the "Black" McNamara's of Lexington were from Kilshanahan parish. Will update the McNamara family tree another day.

When Thomas McNamara, the son of Thomas McNamara and Ellen McGovern, was born on 26 August 1860, the grandfather Denis McNamara was presumably still living. The 1860 census in Lexington was taken on 11 July 1860, only one month before. Why wasn't the child named Denis after his grandfather? Thomas McNamara (≈1833 - 1884) appears likely to have been the first born son of Denis McNamara (≈1780 - after 1860) and Honora Sheehan (≈1800 - ≈1884). Was the Thomas baptized in 1860 named after his great-grandfather?

Searching the Tithe Applotment Books for "Mount Catharine" townland in Kilshanahan Parish, dated 1826, there were no McNamara's listed. In fact, there were none in Kilshanahan Parish in 1826. The first record of Denis McNamara in the parish was 1836, but they were also likely there for their first born son about 1833 (the baptism register starts in 1836).

http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarc ... rch=Search

Sheila, thank you very much for checking the later 25 inch map for Mountcatherine townland. A pity that no trace of the McNamara house remained, but it doesn't appear to have been a long held ancestral home for the "Black" McNamara family. In researching the McNamara's in Ohio, I've come across a famine immigrant who returned to County Clare in 1892 and he was obviously very attached to the fields of his home where he played as a child. It's a unique and poignant story, with a bit of mystery, which I'll share on a separate thread.

According to the 1860 census taker, Denis McNamara was 80 years old, so born about 1780. A good 20 years older than his wife Honora Sheehan. If the census taker was accurate, and perhaps a big "if", Denis McNamara would have been about 53 years old at the birth of his son William in 1833. There is a large gap of time not accounted for. Perhaps a military career of say 20 years? Many Irish did fight with the British in the Napoleonic Wars of 1803 to 1815 and also in the War of 1812 in Canada:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleonic_Wars
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_1812

A Denis McNamara, born in the "Parish of Kilnae (Kilnoe?) in or near the town of Clare in the County of Clare" enlisted with the 99th Prince Regents Regiment of Foot, in Dublin, on the 15 May 1804. He would serve for a period of 14 years and 71 days, and was discharged at Quebec on 11 July 1818. By trade or occupation he was a laborer. It's a beautiful document with a bright red seal (on fold3 website). While this discharge document states that Denis McNamara enlisted in 1804 with the 99th, after some quick google research, it was more likely the 100th, which was renumbered the 99th in February 1816.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100th_Reg ... _Regiment)

There is not much to link the County Clare born Denis McNamara who fought with the 99th Prince Regiment with the Denis McNamara who later in life was living Mountcatherine townland in County Cork and then Lexington, Kentucky. Except perhaps the physical description listed on the 99th Prince Regiment document: "five feet ten ½ inches in height, Dark hair, Dark eyes, Fair complexion". Another "Black" McNamara?

Another Denis McNamara, born in Killaloe, age 23, a laborer, enlisted on 29 June 1820 at Limerick with the 58th Foot, so born about 1797. He went to service in the West Indies on 6 February 1821. Too young to be the Denis McNamara of the Lexington 1860 census; but the census taker could have been mistaken. This Denis McNamara was five feet eight inches in height, Lt. Brown hair, Blue eyes, and fair complexion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/58th_(Rut ... nt_of_Foot

Denis J. McNamara (1874 - 1910) had a long service with the Kentucky National Guard and then the regular army. Likewise, his father Patrick H. McNamara (1844 - 1926) or uncle Bartholomew McNamara (1840 - ?) may have also been with the Kentucky Home Guard (Union) or Kentucky State Guard (Confederate) at the time of the Civil War; not sure if records are available for these local units. Did Denis McNamara (≈1780 - after 1860) also have military service in the British army?

One interesting question is why was Denis McNamara living in Kilshanahan parish at the time of the Griffith Valuation (≈1850 ish), but no McNamara's were listed at the Tithe Applotment book in 1826? The next McNamara family of Lexington might provide a few clues of his origins.

To be continued.

The remaining McNamara family living in Lexington in the 1880 census was the family of John McNamara and Mary Hyde. Tracing this family back to Ireland was made easy by their headstone inscriptions. The shared headstone at the Old Irish Catholic Cemetery in Lexington for two of their Kentucky born children (Patrick and Mary, see findagrave link in below family tree) has been transcribed as:

Children of John & Mary McNamara
Natives of the Parish of Carig Tuhel, Co. Cork, Ireland

The headstone dating from the early 1860's is not in the best shape, but "Carig Tuhel" is definitely Carrigtwohill, which is sometimes spelt Carrigtohill in records. The Catholic Parish of Carrigtwohill has baptism records starting in December 1817. John McNamara, married to Mary Hyde, had a birth year of about 1820 according to census reports but was likely older, and thus born prior to the start of Carrigtwohill baptism records. Since John McNamara died in 1883, prior to Lexington death records, we don't know the name of his parents and thus John would be difficult to trace back to a specific townland.

Carrigtwohill Catholic Parish is just south of Watergrasshill Catholic Parish, where Denis McNamara and Honora Sheehan lived, who after moving to Lexington would be known as the "Black" McNamara's to distinguish them from the family of "Red Mack". Three of their children (Bartholomew, Michael, and Thomas) would be baptism sponsors for the children of John McNamara and Mary Hyde.

There is a good chance that Denis McNamara of Mountcatherine townland (Kilshanahan civil parish), where the McNamara's had a very limited footprint, originated from nearby Carrigtwohill Catholic parish, which encompasses Carrigtwohill civil parish and some townlands in Midleton civil parish. Denis McNamara was born in 1780, according to the 1860 census, so was born prior to the December 1817 start of the Carrigtwohill baptism records. However, the McNamara surname was more common in Carrigtwohill records (31 baptisms; 12 marriages) than Watergrasshill records (9 baptisms, including 4 children of Denis McNamara; no marriage register exists), albeit the records at Carrigtwohill begin two decades earlier.

Bartholomew McNamara was especially common in the Carrigtwohill parish records ("Carrigtohill" per transcriptions on ancestry website). A Bartholomew McNamara married to Mary Buckley were the parents of at least four children. Three other McNamara couples had a son named "Bartholomew", two of whom gave the location of "B Anan" in the baptism register, referring to Ballyannan townland in Midleton civil parish.

The headstone for John McNamara and Mary Hyde states that they were both from Carrigtwohill Parish, it was carved twice into the headstone. When Mary Hyde McNamara died in 1917 her death record stated her parents as Patrick Hyde and Margaret Buckley. When their daughter, Margaret McNamara, was married in 1903, according to Lexington newspaper accounts, she went from Lexington "to Louisville to the home of her relatives, Mr. and Mrs. John Barry".

Researching how the Barry family of Louisville could be related to the John and Mary (Hyde) McNamara family of Lexington led to a very large "Hyde Fitzgerald Family Tree" on the ancestry website, completed by a Hyde descendant living in County Cork which fully utilized the Carrigtwohill baptism records and traced the various families forward, including to the USA; an incredible amount of work (subscription required):
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/pe ... 3612/facts

The Hyde family was from Ballyannon townland in County Cork, the same townland as several other McNamara families noted above. Margaret McNamara, the daughter of Mary Hyde McNamara, when she got married in 1917, was going to the home of John Barry, her second cousin, the son of Bridget Hyde Barry of Louisville. Patrick Hyde (≈1798 - 1876), the father of Mary Hyde McNamara, was the brother of James Hyde (≈1801 - 1867), the father of sisters Bridget Hyde Barry and Lucy Hyde Brennan of Louisville. These two Hyde sisters, through their mother Margaret Twomey, were first cousins to the Bishop of Louisville, the Rt. Rev. Denis O'Donaghue.

Relatives in Louisville.

When the new bishop of Louisville, the Rt. Rev. Denis O'Donaghue, comes to this city to be enthroned in the cathedral, he will not feel that he is in any way entering upon strangers for, besides having scores of friends and acquaintances in Louisville, the new bishop has several relatives in what will be his new home.

Bishop O'Donaghue's nearest relatives in this city are Mrs. Bridget Barry, of 2107 Maple street, and Mrs. Lucy Brennan, of 2314 West Chestnut street, who are his first cousins.

Mrs. Barry and Mrs. Brennan are sisters and Bishop O'Donaghue's mother and the mother of Mrs. Barry and Mrs. Brennan were sisters.

Mrs. Barry, who is now 76 years old, came to this country when a young girl, landing at New Orleans, and then coming north as far as Indiana, where she resided for a time in the vicinity of where Bishop O'Donaghue was born. She later came to Louisville, where she has lived since.

. . . [more detail on Barry children and Mrs. Brennan] . . .

The Courier Journal, Louisville, Kentucky, 8 March 1910

Mary Hyde McNamara of Lexington and Bishop O'Donaghue of Louisville, would not be related, but would have first cousins in common. The fact that Mary Hyde's first cousin, Bridget Hyde, arrived in the USA at New Orleans when a small child, likely during or soon after the Great Famine, and then traveled up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to end up in Kentucky, was likely the same route taken by most the other Irish families living in Kentucky.

The Hyde and Fitzgerald Family Tree, see link above, has no other information on John McNamara other then he was married to Mary Hyde. Two of their daughters, Catherine and Margaret, were also researched, but not the other children. Not a big focus perhaps since when the only grandchild of John McNamara and Mary Hyde died in 1966, the obituary noted that he was "the last of his immediate family".

1.0 John McNamara (≈1820 - 2 December 1883) married to Mary Hyde (25 April 1831 - 11 August 1917)

In the 1860 census, the census taker for Lexington reported the McNamara family as "McNally" in error. "John McNally", age 35, had the occupation "Fireman Gas House"; his wife Mary (age 33), and children Isabella (age 7), Patrick (age 5), and Margaret (age 2):

1860, "McNally": https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZBN-842
1870, McNamara: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXWM-WMN
1880, McNamara: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCCF-MYN

In the 1881 Lexington city directory, John McNamara was a fireman residing at 172 W. Pine, west of Merino.

According to his headstone at Calvary Cemetery in Lexington, John McNamara died on 2 December 1883, and was born in "Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork, Ireland".

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/969 ... n-mcnamara

By the 1900 census, the widow Mary McNamara reported that she was the mother of 10 children, and only 2 were surviving:

1900: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M949-WPW
1910: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M28B-NVS

Mrs. Mary McNamara, widow of John M. McNamara, died at her residence, 720 Pine street, this morning at 10 o'clock, after an illness of about one month. She is survived by two daughters: Mrs. James Dodd and Miss Katie McNamara, and one grandson, John William Lacy. Announcement of the funeral will be made later.
Lexington Leader, 11 August 1917

1917 Death Record: Mary McNamara, born in Ireland on 25 April 1831, was the daughter of Patrick Hyde and Margaret Buckley, per informant Miss Katie McNamara of Lexington. Shared headstone with husband also states born in Carrigtwohill, County Cork:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/969 ... y-mcnamara

John McNamara and Mary Hyde were the parents of ten children (per 1900 census), of whom eight can be identified:

............ 1.1 Isabella McNamara (≈1853 - prior to 1900), born prior to the November 1854 start of the baptism register for St. Paul's Church of Lexington. (age 7 in 1860, age 17 in 1870). Possibly died prior to 1880 as unknown location, but definitely prior to 1900.

............ 1.2 Patrick McNamara (1855 - 1861), born on 15 March 1855, baptized on 16 March 1855 at St. Paul's Church in Lexington; sponsors Thos Kelly and Mary McNamara (not sure who). (Age 5 in 1860 census) "Patrick McNamara, Died 20 August 1861, aged 6 years" per headstone at Old Irish Catholic Cemetery in Lexington, note that Patrick was not born in Carrigtwohill (as per findagrave), but only his parents:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/293 ... k-mcnamara

............ 1.3 Margaret McNamara (1857 - prior to 1870), born on 5 August 1857, baptized on 8 August 1857 at St. Paul's Church in Lexington; sponsors Bartholomy McNamara and Catherine Holohan. (age 2 in 1860). Died prior to 1870.

............ 1.4 Mary McNamara (1859 - 1860), born on 3 November 1859, baptized on 6 November 1859 at St. Paul's Church in Lexington; sponsors Michael McNamara and Mary Anne Reilly.

Since Mary McNamara was not recorded in the 1860 census (their household was enumerated on 14 July 1860), she must be the Mary McNamara who appears on the same headstone at the Old Irish Catholic Cemetery as her brother Patrick McNamara. The headstone is in poor condition and was transcribed as "And his Sister, Mary Died Aug. 7, 1861, Aged 7 Mos. & 6 Days", this must be incorrect. Also, note that Mary was not born in Carrigtwohill (as per findagrave), but only her parents:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/293 ... y-mcnamara

If only the date of death was incorrect, but the age of 7 months and 6 days was okay, then Mary McNamara would have died on or about 9 June 1860, one month prior to the census being taken.

............ 1.5 Catherine "Kate" McNamara (1861 - 1943), born on 7 April 1861, baptized on 8 April 1861 at St. Paul's Church in Lexington; sponsors Thomas McNamara and Helen Fitzgerald. (age 10 in 1870, age 19 in 1880, "age 27" in 1900)

In the 1881 Lexington city directory, Kate McNamara was a dress maker residing "at John McNamara's".

Miss Katie McNamara, 79, of 816 West High street, died at 5:40 p.m. yesterday at St. Joseph's hospital where she was admitted June 26.

A daughter of the late John and Mary Hyde McNamara, she spent her entire life in Lexington and was a member of St. Paul's Catholic church. She is survived by a sister, Mrs. J.A. Dodd, and a nephew, John W. Lacey, of Lexington.

Funeral services . . . will be held at St. Paul's Catholic church, the Rev. Joseph E. McKenna officiating. Burial will be in Calvary cemetery. Casket bearers will be Jerry McCarthy, John Shannon, Will Drummy, William Urfer, Dr. Thomas Shannon and Ed Gleason.

The Lexington Herald, Kentucky, 1 July 1943 (announcement), 3 July 1943 (last paragraph)

............ 1.6 Mary E McNamara (1863 - prior to 1900), Maria Helena was born on 12 October 1863, baptized on 15 October 1863 at St. Paul's Church in Lexington; sponsors Thomas Kelly and Brigida Daly. (age 7 in 1870, age 16 in 1880)

............ 1.7 Lucy McNamara (1866 - prior to 1900), born on 15 November 1866, baptized on 18 November 1866; sponsors Michael Fenny (sp?) and Mrs. Catherine Clark. (age 4 in 1870, age 13 in 1880)

............ 1.8 Margaret "Maggie" McNamara (1868 - 1959), born on 3 December 1868, baptized on 5 December 1868, sponsors James Drummey (her uncle, married to Margaret Hyde) and Mrs. Margaret Driscol. (age 0 in 1870, age 11 in 1880, "age 24" in 1900).

Margaret McNamara married John Lacy on 4 November 1903 in Louisville, Kentucky; witnesses James Barry and Edward Barry (second cousins; their mother Bridget Hyde Barry was a first cousin of Mary Hyde McNamara).

The marriage of Miss Margaret McNamara of this city to Mr. John Lacy of El Paso, Texas, was quietly solemnized Thursday in the Sacred Heart Church in Louisville, Rev. Father Carniff officiating. The bride and bridegroom left after the ceremony for St. Louis and will then to go to El Paso to make their home. Both preferred their marriage to be celebrated very quietly and the bride went from here to Louisville to the home of her relatives, Mr. and Mrs. John Barry (a second cousin), and Mr. Lacy joining her there, the wedding took place. She is a very attractive and popular young woman of this city and the bridegroom formerly lived here. He is connected with one of the prominent railway lines running into El Paso. Both have many friends here to wish them the greatest happiness and success.
Lexington Leader, 8 November 1903

Mr. and Mrs. John Lacey of El Paso, Texas, are at home on a visit to her mother, Mrs. McNamara, on Pine street.
Lexington Leader, 24 July 1904

In the 1910 census, Margaret Lacey was a widow living with her mother, sister Catherine, and son, John W. Lacey (age 4). In the 1920, 1930 and 1940 census, Margaret Dodd was living with her husband, James A. Dodd, and son, John W. Lacey. She died in 1959.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/953 ... ret-m-dodd

........................... 1.8.1 John William Lacey (≈1906 - 1966)

John W. Lacey, 60, of 748 Pine Street, died at 5:45 a.m. today at the St. Joseph Hospital after a brief illness. A native of Lexington, he was a son of the late John and Margaret McNamara Lacey. He was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church and attended the parochial school. Mr. Lacey was the last of his immediate family. . ..
Lexington Leader, Kentucky, 14 April 1966

............ 1.9 Unknown McNamara. Mary Hyde McNamara (age 65) in the 1900 census was reported to be the mother of 10 children, 2 living.

............ 1.10 Unknown McNamara

By the 1900 census, the widow Mary Hyde McNamara was the mother of ten children, with only two surviving. As of the 1880 census, she was living with her husband and four daughters. One daughter, Lucy McNamara, was age 17 in 1870, was not with the family in 1880. The Lexington death register starts in 1886, and death records in 1894; the McNamara daughters do not appear in either records. A lot can happen between the 1870/ 1880 and 1900 census, including marriage and a birth of a child. However, the obituary of Mary Hyde McNamara in 1917 was specific that she was the grandmother of just one child, John W. Lacey.

John McNamara (≈1820 - 1883) and Mary Hyde McNamara (≈1831 - 1917) might possibly be related to the family of Denis McNamara and Honora Sheehan (whose descendants are the "Black" McNamara's) of Lexington, based solely upon where they both originated in County Cork and that "Black" McNamara's were baptism sponsors for three of their children.

Anecdotally, when the Rt. Rev. Denis O'Donaghue was made Bishop of Louisville in March 1910, "King" McNamara, the son of "Red Mack", who was on the run after murdering Jacob Keller in 1899, was "in hiding" in Louisville. However, the family of John McNamara (≈1820 - 1883) and Mary Hyde McNamara (≈1831 - 1917) appear to have had no connection to the "Red Mack" family of Lexington. Nor, I reckon, to the origins of the mysterious John McNamara (≈1884 - 1947).

The Irish origin of every McNamara living in Lexington in 1880 has now, surprisingly, been traced back to either a specific townland or Catholic parish, except for the notorious Matthew "Red Mack" McNamara. His wife Bridget Williams McNamara was from Dromcolliher townland in County Limerick, but the origin of "Red Mack" has remained a mystery.

To be continued.

Hi Jimbo

Good work, again. Reading it, I was reminded of your posting made on 6 August 2022 (now on page 39) when you figured that the Williamses and Daleys first arrived from Ireland, not in New York, but in New Orleans, and travelled up the Mississippi & Ohio rivers to get to Kentucky, and I think you were right in that.
And I think it is safe to say that the Carrigtohill McNamaras are of the same rootstock as the Kilshanahan McNamaras. The Tithes applotment books show no McNamaras in either of those two parishes, but shows a bunch of McNamaras in the townlands of Glancam and Rathduff in the civil parish of Grenagh, including a Barthw.: http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarc ... rch=Search (see bottom of page, plus overleaf). Grenagh Catholic parish is west of the Catholic parish of Watergrasshill and the two parishes adjoin each other at one point. The townland of Glancam in Grenagh civil parish was full of McNamaras at the time of Tithes, so it is very likely that some of them migrated to other townlands in the parish of Grenagh and to neighbouring parishes also. So, at the time of Griffith’s Valuation, there is just Thomas McNamara and John McNamara in the townland of Glancam, but there are other McNamaras living in the townlands of Commons, Kilmona (the Rathduff McNamaras were still in situ in Rathduff): https://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/cork/grenagh.php.
In the 1911 census, there’s only one family of McNamaras in the DED of Blackpool in Co. Cork: John McNamara and his wife Ellen [Barry] living in the townland of Lissard [in the civil parish of Grenagh]. The record of their marriage in 1872 gives John’s father as Bartholomew McNamara (dead) (Registration district: Blarney, in Cork Union): https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 146600.pdf. The Rathduff McNamaras seem to have disappeared; I see that a Roger McNamara, whose address is Rathduff and whose father was John McNamara, was married in Grenagh chapel in 1865: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 255955.pdf. But I found no further records for Roger.

As you say, the origins of Mathew McNamara remain a mystery. Griffith’s Valuation shows a Mathew McNamara and a Roger McNamara living in the townland of Ballynakilla West in the parish of Shandrum, Co. Cork. Roger is leasing 95 acres from Kilner R. Woods, Esq.; Mathew is leasing a substantial house (valued at £2. 10s) from Roger. The civil parish of Shandrum, Co. Cork, is very close to Dromcollogher: https://www.townlands.ie/cork/shandrum/ The 1911 census shows a Roger McNamara aged 50 living in Ballynakilla West (Newtown DED): the record of his marriage gives his father as Michael McNamara: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 709697.pdf Michael may have been a son of the Roger in Griffith’s Valuation, or a son of Mathew. Michael died in 1898, aged 65: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 649472.pdf The townland of Ballynakilla West lies in the registration district of Milford in the Union of Kanturk, Co. Cork.

Sheila

Noted in passing: As I was looking for the death of a Mathew McNamara registered in Kanturk (I found none), I happened upon the death, in September 1872, of a child named Sheedy McNamara; address Ballintubber, Castlemagner. The record of his birth in 1871 gives his parents as Sheedy McNamara and Mary Scanlon. Sheedy McNamara’s occupation, in that record and in the record of his death in January 1872, is Sculptor. Just thought you might be interested to see that Sheedy was used as a first name.

I am looking for a Patt of Patt McNamara and Norry Murry baptized in Caher Feakle, March 1846. The sponsors were Martin and Biddy McNamara. Martin and Biddy lived at parcel 45 in Glendree per Griffith’s. I also have a 1826 marriage record for Martin McNamara and Bridget Foley all of Glandree.

https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls ... 2/mode/1up

I believe that my GG Grandfather, Patrick (b1846 abt), could be a member of one of Glendree McNamara’s. I am able to find a Murray in Pollatrumpa Townland in Upper Feakle not far from Caher. My GG Grandfather emigrated to USA in 1862 and ends up in Cleveland Ohio, marrying Emily Rogers in 1870. We have no record of any siblings or parents. I have no indication that he was in the American Civil War. We have Patrick’s American life pretty well documented.

Are you aware of their Glandree family? Any help?

I have taken a Y700 with closest match 1,200 years ago.

Hi pmac

It’s great that you can trace back to your great great grandfather born in Ireland about 1846. But I am wondering why you think he may be the Patt McNamara who was baptised in Caher Feakle in March 1846. The life of your great great grandfather is well documented, so I think there must be something more there that gives you the feeling that he belongs to Caher Feacle. It would be helpful to know what that was. He married Emily Rogers in 1870, in Cleveland, Ohio. Was Emily born in Ireland? Has she been traced to the Caher Feacle area? (Rogers was a common surname around there). Does one of the census returns show visitors from Ireland? Did someone from the Caher Feacle area give your Ohio family as their destination? Did one of the family of Martin McNamara and Bridget Foley come to stay? Is there an obituary, or some newspaper notice?

You give some information on the Patt McNamara who was born in Caher Feacle in 1846. His mother was Norry Murry and you mention that you have found a Murray in Pollatrumpa townland.
Griffith’s Valuation (1856) shows a Michael Murray in Poulatrumpa and the 1901 census shows a Thomas Murray, aged 30, living there: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... a/1085239/. The record of the birth of his son, Michael, in 1898, shows that Thomas’s wife was Anne Fitzgerald. Thomas and Annie and their two children emigrated in 1902, aboard Germanic, but they are going to Thomas’s brother in New York – not to Ohio: https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/cocla ... grants.htm.

I hope someone will be able to give you some useful information.

Sheila

Sheila, thank you so much for your reply. To answer your question, we do not have anything that ties my GG Grandfather except a bible registry. We have no record of any siblings, no travel back to Ireland. No family history of knowing Patrick parents and on Patrick’s death certificate parents are “unknown”. The only source that we have found is a copy of a Bible registry. The Bible registry states: Patrick, born February 1846, parish of Gland, Clare Ireland. The USA 1920 census shows that Patrick emigrated in 1862, that he never went to school and that Irish is his primary language as was his parents. Patrick and Emily moved his young family from Cleveland to Oil City Pennsylvania. He ended up a cooper working for Oil Well Supply in Oil City, the place of the 1870’s oil boom. He worked there for 30 years and retired as a foreman. He also owned his home in Oil City, not bad for a 1st generation Irishman.

I have formed a Facebook group and GEDmatch project, McNamara Irish DNA Ancestry (MIDA). I am working with Paddy Waldron on recruiting more Mac’s to get their Big Y DNA done. I am assuming you are familiar with Paddy, pwaldren on this forum. Paddy is the Admin for the McNamara Project in Family Tree DNA. DNA testing for me has been unsuccessful. It appears in my Big Y test that my closest match to be 1,200 years ago. Paddy says that we need more male Mac’s to get a bigger population. The small autosomal DNA matches seem to put me more in the southeastern Clare around Kilmurry.

We have more than 170 members in my MIDA group with about 150 in the MIDA GEDmatch project. There are many Aussie’s in our group along with Ireland, USA and England. We need to add to our members for a more complete representation.

Again Sheila, thank you for your reply. I feel I have met a celebrity since I have enjoyed reading the forum and your obvious expertise. Paul McNamara

Hi Paul, welcome to the forum. Thanks for further explaining the Y700 DNA match as I had absolutely no idea if going back 1,200 years was a good or bad thing. Genealogy, and life in general, is so much more simple Down South without all this high fallutin DNA and science stuff. For the McNamara's of Lexington, it just boils down to being a "Red Mack" or a "Black" McNamara — to the color of your hair. And, I reckon, DNA don't amount to a hill of beans if y'all ain't done the basics. Paul, sho nuff, after takin' a peak at the Ohio records north of the Mason Dixon, I reckon y'all are barkin' up the wrong family tree, with all this talk about your McNamara's bein' from Glandree, that is. And, Paul, The War Between the States officially ended in 1865, I reckon it be high time to acknowledge y'all got a Yankee soldier hiding in the attic of your family tree.

There is a mention of Martin McNamara and Bridget Foley of Plot 45 in Griffith Valuation on page 5 & 6 of this thread, based upon research by Sheila (search each page for "Plot 45"). And then on page 13, the #9 family tree belongs to Martin McNamara and Bridget Foley. This was very abbreviated and does not include their marriage in 1826 with three witnesses all from Glandree: Pat Foley, Michael McNamara, and Andrew McNamara.

A key fact is that Martin McNamara had died prior to the Griffith Valuation report, which for Clare was completed about 1855.

Yesterday, after some quick research using ancestry, I saw that your Patrick McNamara married Emily Rogers in Cleveland on 20 July 1870. And, as you mentioned, they had two sons in Ohio, prior to moving to Oil City, Venango County, Pennsylvania. In the 1880 census for Oil City, their 4 year old daughter was born in Pennsylvania. Death records for Pennsylvania are excellent, with names of father and mother of the deceased being requested on the form. Unfortunately, as you mentioned in your last posting, for Patrick McNamara who died on 20 January 1925, while spouse "Emily Rogers" was reported, the information on his parents was "unknown".

In looking at these records, I see that the ancestry software, based upon the age of Patrick McNamara reflected in USA records, provides a "hint" that he was the Patt McNamara baptized on 2 February 1846 in Caher Feakle parish to Patt McNamara and Norry Murry, with sponsors "Martin and Biddy McNamara". Paul, are there any clues in your Bible as to what year it was published?

Regarding the two baptism sponsors, your comment "Martin and Biddy lived at parcel 45 in Glendree per Griffith’s" was a giant leap. There are many McNamara's in Caher Feakle and neighboring parishes, and the names Martin and Bridget were common. "Martin and Biddy McNamara" were also reported as sponsors at the baptism of Michael McNamara on 5 March 1860, born to John McNamara and Ellen Brody of Curra [Corrakyle] in Caher Feakle. In 1860, Martin McNamara of Glandree, married to Bridget FoIey, was dead. I am fairly certain that Martin and Bridget McNamara, in both 1846 (when quite young) and 1860, were siblings, the children of Timothy McNamara, of plot 11 in GV Corrakyle, of Tomgraney civil parish, Caher Feakle Catholic parish.

Regardless of who the sponsors were, was your Patrick the son born in 1846 to Patt McNamara and Norry Murry of Caher Feakle? With no marriage record for this couple, and Caher Feakle baptism records starting in 1842, we know very little about this couple. Was Patrick, born in 1846, their first born child? Or was he a bit of a straggler, and they had 10 other children between 1825 and 1841?

Rogers is a common surname in Caher Feakle, but to answer Sheila's question, your Emily Rogers was born in England as were her parents according to the census.

In the 1880 census, your Patrick McNamara living in Oil City was a "cooper". I tend to think of this occupation as a person living in a town, such as Ennis. Your McNamara's don't appear to be farming folk like the McNamara's living in Caher Feakle parish or Glandree townland.

There are over 30 family trees for Patrick McNamara and Emily Rogers on ancestry. For county of origin, Cork (9) and Clare (9) were tied, as were Limerick (1), and Armagh (1), but Ireland with no county was most popular.

Did Irish born Patrick McNamara, who married Emily Rogers, really have no siblings and cousins? Does such a person exist in Ireland? How did Patrick McNamara end up in Cleveland? Patrick McNamara got married in Cleveland on 20 July 1870, but not one single family tree was able to find him in the 1870 census?

Patrick McNamara must be in the 1870 census, which can have strange spellings, so it's useful to check out the Cleveland city directory for 1870 — most likely reflecting residency as of mid or late 1869. There were four Patrick McNamara's:

A) McNamara, Pat, saloon and h 120 River. Not a good fit based upon occupation. And I think he died in 1869, when a Patrick McNamara had probate records and left $ to his beloved daughters, Margaret and Mary.

B) McNamara, P. builder, 103 Erie. In the 1871 directory, he was McNamara, Patrick J. carpenter, 103 Erie. In 1870, the census enumerator reported the family as "McNormia": Patrick, a builder was transcribed as "W C" (on ancestry) and "M C" (on FamilySearch), with real estate value of $40,000 and personal estate value of $3,000. The 1880 census was far more accurate for "Patinir J. McNamara". This family was quite wealthy and often were in the Cleveland newspapers:

PERSONAL. —Mr. P.J. McNamara has returned from a short visit to Ireland, greatly improved in health.
Daily Cleveland-Herald, Ohio, 17 November 1875

1870: "McNormia": https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6KK-P83
1880: McNamara: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ1T-4J9

C) McNamara, Pat. lab., 790 Hill. He must be the Patrick McNamara (age 25), a laborer, with Mary McNamara (age 22), and children, Ellen (age 4), and Mary (age 3).

1870: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6KL-854

D) McNamara, Pat, salesman, h 172 Oregon. He must be the son of "McNamara, Bridget, widow of Michael, 172 Oregon", since living at the same address. In the 1869 City Directory, Michael McNamara was reported as a carpenter, h 172 Oregon, so he appears to have died in 1869. In the 1870 census, "B McNamara" ("B" on ancestry, no initial on FamilySearch; age 46), was living with six of her children, the eldest child in the census was a "Patrick McNamara" (age 24).

1870 Census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6K2-N33

Obviously, Patrick McNamara, living at 172 Oregon street in Cleveland per the city directory, with his widowed mother Bridget, and born in Ireland about 1846 per the 1870 census, was the best candidate to have married Emily Rogers in Cleveland on 20 July 1870.

Patrick McNamara of Oil City stated in the 1920 census that he had arrived in the USA in 1862. However, in 1900, Patrick McNamara stated that he had arrived in 1859. Extrapolating the variance backwards over the preceding decades, and assuming the Irish penchant for greater exaggeration as time goes by, Patrick McNamara would have arrived in the USA about 1855. Note that the "immigration year" on census forms is the arrival into the United States, and not necessarily arrival into North America.

In the 1860 census, "Patrick McMamara", born in Ireland, age 14, was living in Cleveland, with Michael McNamara (age 42), Bridget McNamara (age 34), and an elder brother, John McNamara (age 16), two younger siblings born in Canada, and another two born in Ohio. His elder brother John J. McNamara will marry and then go to Michigan, a state with excellent death records. But Patrick McNamara (age 14) appears to have mysteriously disappeared from Ohio records.

1860 Census: "McMamara" https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC2B-C49


McNamara of Drumcliff, County Clare and Cleveland, Ohio:

Michael McNamara (≈1818 - ≈1869) married Bridget Daffy (≈1826 - 1882) on 24 September 1844 at Drumcliff Parish in County Clare, witnesses Michael Daffy and Cath. McNamara.

* thank you, Sheila, for transcribing the Drumcliff parish registers to include sponsors and witnesses.

The immigration of Michael McNamara and Bridget Daffy from County Clare to Canada and finally to Cleveland, Ohio, is evident from the births of their children. Canada records, especially Quebec baptism records, and the 1851 census, are excellent, but I was unsuccessful of finding any trace of this McNamara family in Canada (but only after 10 minutes of research). The McNamara family was found in the 1860 and 1870 census reports in Cleveland; and the 1869 / 1870 city directories are evidence of Michael McNamara's death about 1869. In the 1880 census, the widow, Bridget McNamara (age 60), was living with three of her children: Joseph (age 20), Francis (age 17) and Nellie (age 15).

1880: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ1B-TJ1

Bridget McNamara died on 3 April 1882 in Cleveland per the Cuyahoga County death register, last residence 13 Everett (same as 1880 census), buried at St. John Catholic cemetery at Woodland:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/181 ... t-mcnamara

1.0 John McNamara (1844 - 1907), John was baptized on 28 August 1844, at Drumcliff Catholic Parish in County Clare; sponsors Thomas Fitzgerald and Cath McGrath.

John McNamara married Mary Lynch (≈1847 - 1929) in 1867 (per 1900 census), presumably in Ohio, unknown marriage record (did not search). One child was born in Cleveland, and then the family moved to Marquette County, Michigan:

1870: "John J. McNamara": https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHC7-RJ2
1880: "John McNamarah": https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWST-LKC
1900: "John J. McNamara": https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS9H-GQC

In 1890, there was a special census for Union soldier veterans, which unlike the regular 1890 census, has survived. A John J. McNamara of Marquette County was listed, however, unlike every other veteran, it was mysteriously written "no information party refusing same".

1890: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8SR-X2P

John J. McNamara died on 18 July 1907, and his Michigan death record states: born in Ireland, age 63, father as "Michael McNamara", and mother as "Bridget Graham" (should be "Daffy" as reported by siblings), occupation was "master builder", father of 10 children, 8 living. Both John J. McNamara and Mary Lynch McNamara are buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Marquette County, Michigan:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/156 ... j-mcnamara
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/156 ... n-mcnamara

............ 1.1 Michael "John" McNamara (1868 - 14 May 1947), born in Cleveland, Ohio on 28 March 1868 per Social Security application . His aunt "Nellie" was only about three years older than him. In census records, he would be known as "John McNamara" or "John M. McNamara". However, in his social security application and California death record, he was "Michael John McNamara". Thus, a first born son named after his grandfather. John M. McNamara married Delia Marlow on 10 February 1892. The family moved from Michigan to Los Angeles prior to 1910.

.......................... 1.1.1 Mary E. McNamara (age 15 in 1910)
.......................... 1.1.2 Henry "Harry" L. McNamara (age 13 in 1910)
.......................... 1.1.3 John McNamara (age 8 in 1910)

**** Family of John McNamara (1844 - 1907), Move from Ohio to Marquette, Michigan ****

............ 1.2 Margaret "Nellie" McNamara (age 8 months in 1870), born in Michigan.
............ 1.3 Mary McNamara (1871 - 1877)
............ 1.4 Marvin McNamara (age 6 in 1880)
............ 1.5 Edward McNamara (age 6 in 1880)
............ 1.6 Catherine McNamara (age 3 in 1880, born 13 June 1877)

Michigan County Births (1867 - 1917) on FamilySearch are likely available for each McNamara child:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGTQ-6VJP

............ 1.7 Anna McNamara (age 20 in 1900)
............ 1.8 Frank McNamara (age 18 in 1900)
............ 1.9 Henry McNamara (1886 - 1886)
............ 1.10 Amelia R. McNamara (age 11 in 1900)

2.0 Patrick McNamara (1846 - ?), Patrick was baptized on 6 September 1846, at Drumcliff Catholic Parish in County Clare; sponsors Michael Carrigg and Cath Griffy.

Living in Cleveland with parents in 1860, with widowed mother in 1870, later whereabouts unknown??


**** IMMIGRATION TO CANADA ****

3.0 Michael McNamara (≈1849 - 1881), born about 1849 in Canada. Where in 1851 Canada census? Living in Cleveland with parents in 1860, with widowed mother in 1870, not sure where in 1880. Michael McNamara died on 5 November 1881, and is buried in St. John Cemetery in Cleveland; the plot, "Sec 6, level 9, lot 4 PT 17" is identical to his mother Bridget McNamara.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/181 ... l-mcnamara

4.0 Mary McNamara (≈1853 - after 1910), born about 1853 in Canada. Living in Cleveland with parents in 1860, with widowed mother in 1870, not sure where in 1880 or 1900, with sister Anna Coughlin in 1910 and 1920 (reported as "Scuamara", "age 44", in 1910). Later whereabouts not researched.

**** IMMIGRATION TO USA ****

5.0 Ann McNamara (≈1856 - 1921), born about 1856 in Ohio. Living in Cleveland with parents in 1860, with widowed mother in 1870, not sure where in 1880. On 27 November 1895, Anne McNamara married George Coughlin in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Not sure about 1900. In the 1910 census, Annie T. Coughlin (age 44) was living with her husband, George Coughlin (age 45), and two siblings "Joseph Scuamara" (age 48), and "Mary Scuamara" (age 44) in Middleburg Township, Cuyahoga County. Same household in 1920, except brother Joseph had died. Anna McNamara Coughlin died on 12 April 1920, and is buried in St. John Cemetery in Cleveland; the plot, "Sec 6, level 9, lot 4 PT 17" is identical to her mother Bridget McNamara. According to the Ohio death index, her father was "Michael McNamara", and mother "Bridget Duffey"; the birth date of "8 February 1865" was incorrect.

1910: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLZ5-528
1920: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD1V-S6V

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/181 ... f-coughlin
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X6XP-B59

6.0 Joseph McNamara (≈1860 - 1921), was born about 1860 in Ohio. Living in Cleveland with parents in 1860, with widowed mother in 1870 and in 1880, as a boarder in Cleveland in 1900, with sister Anne Coughlin in 1910. Joseph McNamara died on 7 August 1917, and is buried in St. John Cemetery in Cleveland; the plot, "Sec 6, level 9, lot 4 PT 17" is identical to his mother Bridget McNamara. According to the Ohio death index, his father was "Michael McNamara", and mother "Bridget Duffy"; the birth date of "24 July 1865" was incorrect.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/181 ... h-mcnamara
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X8J2-ZVN

7.0 Francis McNamara (≈1862 - ?), was born about 1862 in Ohio. He was living with his widowed mother in 1870 (age 8 ) and 1880 (age 17). Later whereabouts unknown. There are many Frank McNamara's in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

8.0 Nellie McNamara (≈1865 - ?), was born about 1865 in Ohio. Nellie (age 15) first surfaces in the 1880 census living with her widowed mother. Most likely in 1870, Nellie (age 5) was sent to live with other relatives, as she is not living with her widowed mother. Who are these relatives? "Nellie" might be a "Margaret", similar to her niece born in 1868. Later whereabouts unknown.


Michael McNamara (≈1818 - ≈1869) of Drumcliff arrived with his family from Canada to Cleveland about 1855. His occupation was a "carpenter" in the 1869 city directory. His son, John J. McNamara (1844 - 1907) of Marquette, Michigan was a "master builder". The Patrick McNamara (≈1824 - 1886) of Erie Street in Cleveland was also a builder and contractor; his unidentified brother was mentioned in the below short news clip from 1872. Obviously, not Michael McNamara who died in 1869, but it would be very likely that Michael McNamara left Canada for Cleveland encouraged by a family member already living there.

Mr. P. McNamara mourns the loss of a $17 buffalo robe; it was taken from his horse while it was standing hitched in front of his brother's residence on Erie street.

Cleveland Leader, Ohio, 11 January 1872

Jimbo - thanks for your prompt response. I feel like I am meeting a celebrity. I started a McNamara Irish DNA Ancestry (MIDA) Facebook group for people looking to break through their Mac brick walls. We have over 170 members from all over the world. We also have a GEDmatch group of the same name.

It is kind of like a ham and egg breakfast, the chicken is involved but the pig is committed. I feel committed to trying to find Patrick’s roots. I have some hind end in the game.

In regards to the post about Michael and Bridget Daffy and family, previously I have disproved using Cleveland City Directories. You can follow Pat’s career from the shoe factory to being a cutter and then finally a shoemaker. By 1873 my GG Grandfather was in Oil City, Pennsylvania with his wife Emily. They have 2 other children in Oil City, Mary Elizabeth and George Michael. The history of our family is relative straight forward from there and we have good sources.

Remembering that Patrick did not go to school (per 1920 census) and that Irish was his primary language along with his parents, I do believe he knew who they were but never wrote it down.

I have done much more research than this. It is hard to lay out. I have done spreadsheets of Patrick’s born between 1843 and 1846 in Clare county. I have contact at 5 distant cousins looking for any information or sources that could find. I have a family bible that says “Patrick born February 1846, Parish of Gland, County Clare”. The remaining information on Patrick and Emily includes addresses in Cleveland, priests that baptized both James Martin and John Edmund. I have their marriage certificate from 1870 that shows he had to leave an “X” as his mark without being able to write his name.

I have been down many rabbit holes chasing Patrick where I had to start again. I have to go back to the only source we have and back to the Bible registry. We all know there is no parish of Gland, only Glandree Townland. There is my assumption, that if wrong, I better jump out of this rabbit hole and start looking elsewhere.

Have yet to figure how to post pictures. I will try to post some if I can figure it.

Thanks Paul Mac

Hi Paul

Has anyone suggested to you that Patrick might have come from the townland of Glen in Clare Island ? Clare Island lies off the west coast of County Mayo: https://www.townlands.ie/mayo/murrisk/k ... land/glen/. There were 625 people living on the island in 1901, 28 of them McNamaras (just three families). I don’t see any McNamaras there in Tithes, or in Griffith’s, but there were a great many McNamaras living in the nearby island of Achill and there must have been McNamaras visiting Clare Island quite often and maybe some married there.
Clare Island lies in the civil parish of Kilgeever, and in the Catholic Parish of Clare, in the Archdiocese of Tuam (I don’t think the Archbishop of Tuam ever went there – he would have considered it the back of beyond). I looked to see if any parish registers have survived, and see nothing that is of much use (amongst what’s available online): https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/1068. I think there may be more registers that have not been made available online.
The Poor Law Union for Clare Island was Westport Union. If you go to www.irishgenealogy.ie and enter “McNamara” and “Westport,” you will see that there are a lot of records, but they start at 1864, which is too late for your purposes.

There's at least one McNamara still living in Clare Island: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5XkP9KFX-M.

Sheila

Hi Paul, again

Well, I might have overstated a bit when I said that there were a “great many” McNamaras in Achill Island in the 19th century, but there definitely were quite a few. Cleveland, Ohio, seems to have been the go-to place for emigrants from Achill Island (just north of Clare Island). I found this short piece by Lorna Siggins (published in the Irish Times, Aug 4, 2003). There’s a mention of a “Tom McNamara, Cleveland-born of Achill parents and owner of the Boley restaurant in Keel”: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/island- ... e-1.368393.

The connection between Cleveland, Ohio, and Achill Island is mentioned in this kabristanbookshop site: https://www.kabristanbookshop.com/produ ... df-format/

Achill Island Graveyards showing some McNamara graves (no dates): https://kabristan.org.uk/kabristan-inde ... nty-mayo-m

Sheila

Edit made 3 Sep 2022:

17 McNamara householders in Griffiths Valuation, Parish of Achill, Co. Mayo:

Keel East:
Peter McNamara leasing from Trust of Achill Mission.
Francis McNamara leasing from Trust of Achill Mission
Thomas McNamara leasing from Trust of Achill Mission
George McNamara leasing from Trust of Achill Mission
Edward McNamara leasing from Trust of Achill Mission

Keel West:
Timothy McNamara
Dooega:
Patrick McNamara
Patrick McNamara (Jun.)
Patk. McNamara (Wm.)

Village of Dooagh:
Bridget McNamara
Patk. McNamara (Thomas)
James McNamara (Red)
Matthew McNamara
Denis McNamara
Hugh McNamara
John McNamara

Slievemore:
James McNamara (Red)

Sheila - thank you for your suggestions. I will follow up on them.

In November, 2021 I was staying in Ennis at Newpark House with Declan Barron. I spent a couple mornings in the Tulla Library doing research. Ann McNamara (by marriage) is the librarian and a nicer women I have not yet met. She helped me with looking up Griffith’s. She led me to Glandree where I spent the afternoon talking with Tim Maloney of Map Ref #26 in Griffith’s. He is at least 5th generation. I have read many time about the Maloney’s in this Forum. Mostly referring to the craic found at their home playing music. Tim has built a wall using stones engraved with his lineage dating back at least 5 generations. Along with being a farmer he was a school teacher, painter and musician. We talked while we were in Glendera Art studio/cottage and I was wearing a mask ( a mask is good for everyone involved). Though while inside all he could see were my eyes, he made a statement that I had “McNamara” eyes of dark brown. He said he taught many a McNamara with my color of eyes.

You can find more about Tim at sales@glendaarart.com

Hi Paul

I get the feeling that Glendree has adopted you - and you have adopted Glendree. I tried to determine the eye-colour of these McNamaras, but failed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEuO7aW5E1g.

There is a place in Kilrush town called The Glen. It features in Griffith’s Valuation as part of the town of Kilrush. A Patrick Mack is leasing a house and yard from Col. C. M. Vandeleur in The Glen, Kilrush town. There were plenty Macks/McNamaras baptised in St Senan’s Catholic parish (Kilrush), but The Glen is never mentioned (just “Kilrush”), so I can’t tell if there was a Pat McNamara baptised there abt. 1846. Also, you say that the entry in the Bible gives Patrick’s birthplace as “parish of Gland” and I’m doubting if The Glen would have been described as a parish by Patrick.

Sheila

McNAMARA— Mrs. B. McNamara, Monday, April 3, aged 57 years, 5 months, and 26 days.

Funeral will take place from her late residence, No. 13 Everett street, Thursday, April 6, at 1 p.m. Friends of the family invited to attend.

Marquette, Michigan, papers please copy.

Cleveland Leader, Ohio, 5 April 1882

The discovery of the 1882 obituary for Bridget Daffy McNamara confirms that her son John J. McNamara, born in Drumcliff Parish in 1844, did indeed move to Marquette County in Michigan as reported in the 1870 census. Previously, I had taken a small leap with only circumstantial evidence in making this assertion in the Michael McNamara and Bridget Daffy family tree. The obituary is also telling in that there is no mention of a son living in Oil City, Pennsylvania.

In moving from Cleveland, John J. McNamara didn't just cross the border into Michigan, and, say, settle in Detroit (across Lake Eire; less than 200 miles by land), but he went all the way to Marquette County in the far northern peninsula of Michigan on Lake Superior, some 650 miles away. If McNamara had travelled south the same distance, he'd be all the way in Chattanooga, Tennessee. What was the big draw for an Irish born carpenter living in Cleveland to relocate to Marquette County?

John J. McNamara appears in the 1873 Beard's Directory and History: Marquette County on page 69, with an occupation of "carpenter", and residence of "Michigan, near High".
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/micounty/ ... 1?view=toc

This was the very first directory for Marquette County, and in the preface the author mentions the challenges. "It was the intention to publish the names of every male adult in the county, and a canvas was taken with that object in view but it was found highly impracticable. The population, especially among the laborers, is a floating one, and John Smith at work in one mine to-day, may be Tom Jones at work in another mine to-morrow. Consequently the names of those living in the principal towns have been published which we think will meet the needs of all interested in a Directory at present" (preface, page 7). The publishers of the city directory for Cleveland likely had the same challenges, and thus my listing of only four Patrick McNamara's (A through D) in my last posting would also be incomplete. An important clue when searching for the Patrick McNamara who went to Oil City in Pennsylvania.

The directory also provided a history of Marquette County. The section "Mines and Furnaces" (page 201) highlights that: "Yet in that short interval [25 years] the development of our mines has been so rapid that they now contribute the ores from which is made more than one-fifth of all the iron manufactured in the United States". The Appendix, "A Stranger's Impression of Marquette County", written by the author of the directory, provides a romantic view of Marquette, Michigan, as it was in 1873:

A harbor that sends for every year products equal in value to the foreign commerce of France, or Italy [this might be an exaggeration]. Listen to the continental rumbling of the ore trains, (laden with the rich yields of innumerable mines far away into the interior,) as they swiftly follow one after another, through the city out on to the great trestle docks, into whose pockets they deposit their precious burdens, from whence it is poured into the hold of many vessels, and is thence distributed to consumers throughout the world. See in front of the city, and along the border of the broad lake the blaze of the great furnaces, roaring night and day with the continued fires that reduce the ore to marketable iron. Behold the extensive wharves, loaded with thousands of tons of coal and merchandise for home consumption. Look on the fair city itself, the growth of only a few years, its fine churches, convenient school-houses, substantial banks, elegant residences, and attractive business houses, and after inhaling a draught of the pure bracing air, you find yourself intoxicated with the many delightful and attractive surroundings.

Beard's Directory and History: Marquette County, 1873, Appendix Page I.

John J. McNamara of Drumcliff Parish had already been living in Marquette about five years at the time of this first city directory in 1873. In going through the business interests of Marquette, McNamara's profession received a brief mention, "contractors and builders, very busy, having much work on hand that needs attention and rather drove for time" (appendix, page IX).

In the Marquette directory, there was just one other McNamara: "T McNamara" listed as having a boarding house at "Spring Near Front". In the 1870 census, he may or may not have been the Irish born tailor, Timothy McNamara ("age 36"), with Alice McNamara (age 29, born in Canada), along with three Canada born children, and two Michigan born children. Timothy McNamara, age 26, born in Ireland, son of Cornelius and Ann McNamara, had married Alice Ann Cooper, born in Canada, daughter of James and Ann Cooper, at Nottawa Village in Simcoe, Ontario on 16 January 1860. Their first born son, Robert Emmet, was born on 3 November 1860, baptized on 31 March 1861 in Nottawa (Collingwood), Ontario.

1870: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHC7-P15

Not recorded in the Marquette city directory, but in the 1870 census, was a "John M. McNamara", age 43, born in Ireland, a laborer; his wife Catherine Hogan, age 38, born in Ireland; with six Michigan born children, including a "Bartholomew" who will later go by "Bartlett". The death record for the widower John M. McNamara on 13 February 1906 stated a birth date of 15 August 1834, and father John M. McNamara, and mother as "Katie Hogan", who was more likely his deceased wife.

1870: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHCW-NHN
1880: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWST-18N
1900: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS9C-CXN
1906: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH29-PXF
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/149 ... j-mcnamara
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/149 ... e-mcnamara

My knowledge of Cleveland and Ohio is very poor, limited to just their sports teams, and even this is not very current as I see now that the Cleveland Indians have changed their name. In looking at a map, Cleveland sits just across Lake Erie from Ontario province, and Quebec province would be a considerable distance. Thus, I highly suspect that Michael McNamara and Bridget Daffy of Drumcliff Parish first settled in Ontario, Canada and were located there in the 1851 Canada census along with the baptisms of two of their children.

Sheila, there is a very good chance that Michael McNamara and Bridget Daffy of Drumcliff Parish might be related to the Thomas McNamara (abt. 1820 – 1888), Stone Mason (also called Tradesman) married to Anne Daffy of Clonroad Road in Drumcliff Parish, that you researched in the below posting:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7339&p=14430&hilit=Clonroad#p14430

COUGHLIN—Anna (nee McNamara), beloved wife of George Coughlin and sister of Mary McNamara, at residence, 520 Front street, Berea, Ohio, Wednesday, April 14. Funeral at St. Mary's church, Berrea, Ohio, Saturday, April 17, at 9 a.m. Burial in St. John's cemetery, Woodland avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.
Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, 16 April 1920

The obituary does not mention a brother Patrick in Oil City? Nor any mention of brother Frank (born ≈1862) or sister Nellie (born ≈1865)? Sometimes siblings who have left their hometown might be excluded from an obituary, but I doubt that is the case here. Further research might explain their disappearance. A "Nellie Mack" married "John A. Feller", the editor of the Graphic Sentinel, on 24 December 1884. Her life was not easy. Nellie Feller died on 30 June 1897, "age 30", no names for either parent were listed on the death register, but only that they were both born in Ireland.

Paul, the Cleveland city directory in 1876 has Patrick McNamara, shoemaker, at 13 Everett street, the home of Bridget Daffy McNamara. This directory likely reflects residency as of 1875. He subsequently disappears from the Cleveland city directories. Patrick McNamara and Ellen Rogers had a four year old daughter born about 1876 in Pennsylvania in the 1880 census. So the Cleveland directory and census reports don't prove that your Patrick McNamara was not the son of Michael McNamara and Bridget Daffy of Drumcliff Parish. However, I agree with your conclusion. The Oil City directories for 1874 and 1876/1877 that have Patrick McNamara living at Chestnut street in Oil City were the conclusive evidence. Plus, more importantly, your Patrick McNamara was not a shoemaker. What happened to Patrick McNamara, the shoemaker, remains a mystery.

Although no known connection to your Patrick McNamara, the research into the Michael McNamara and Bridget Daffy family of Drumcliff Parish does provide an important lesson in genealogy strategy. There are 23 family trees for John J. McNamara, who left Cleveland for Marquette County, Michigan, similar to your Patrick McNamara leaving for Oil City, Pennsylvania. The descendants of John J. McNamara have zero knowledge of his parents, and are not aware that he had any siblings back in Cleveland. None have found John J. McNamara living in Cleveland with his family in the 1860 census. Six of the 23 family trees have John J. McNamara born in Michigan, despite every census report from 1870 through 1900 stating his birth as Ireland — bless their Yankee hearts. Not one has noticed that John J. McNamara in 1890 was on the Union Civil War veteran census report and mysteriously would not provide any details as to his war time service. What did John J. McNamara get up to during the War Between the States?

If a descendant of John J. McNamara of Marquette County, Michigan wanted to trace their family back to Ireland, what should be their strategy? Should they start searching all baptism records in Ireland around 1844 for a John McNamara? Of course not, during this time frame a sizable percentage of baptism records in Ireland have not even survived. This would be a very poor strategy. John J. McNamara of Marquette had a son born in Cleveland about 1868. They should research Cleveland records, the 1860 census in particular, for a John McNamara born in Ireland about 1844. The fact that the family was recorded as "McMamara" in 1860 might be a challenge but not insurmountable. This would then lead to his parents and siblings; the informant for two siblings reported the correct parents in their death records. The obituary for Bridget McNamara in 1882 provides a definite link to the John McNamara of Marquette. The ancestry website has transcribed at least one of the McNamara baptism reported in the Drumcliff parish records, Sheila's listing of Drumcliff Marriages (1837 - 1880) has the parent's marriage in 1844. No DNA testing was required to trace this family back to Ireland.

Paul, your Patrick McNamara, born about 1846, would be an even more common name than John McNamara born in 1844. So you really need to discover more USA information prior to diving into Irish records. Where was Patrick McNamara in Cleveland in the 1870 census? Census takers in the USA were not familiar with the McNamara surname. Joseph McNamara (≈1860 - 1917), of the prior family tree, in the 1910 census was reported as "Scuamara"; the John McNamara and Mary Hyde family of Lexington were reported as "McNally" in the 1860 census. These are not transcription errors. To discover the "Black" McNamara family of Lexington in 1860, I searched for every Irish born person living in Lexington to discover that they were reported as "McNaree".

Where is your Patrick McNamara, who was married in Cleveland in July 1870, reported in the 1870 census? He might just be living with your great great great grandmother. If you search for any Pat, born in Ireland about 1846, living in Cleveland, Ohio, in the 1860 census, you will surely discover him.

"Pat Mahana", born in Ireland, age 23, so born about 1847, was living in Cleveland, Ward 1, with an occupation of "Works in Oil Refinery", he could not write. With 100% certainty this is your Patrick McNamara who could not write when he got married in 1870 and moved to Oil City.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6KK-19Q

The most intriguing evidence is the "Besserman" household who Patrick McNamara was living with in 1870 and reported as its last member. Who are the "Bessermans" (per ancestry) or "Bessenhans" (per FamilySearch)? Family relationships are not reported in the 1870 census. Below is a family tree which is one theory on how Patrick McNamara might be related; there is absolutely no evidence to support this theory.

This theory may or may not lead to a family relationship between Mrs. Johanna "Besserman" and your Patrick McNamara. But to research further, you might want to first discover the correct Irish surname of "Besserman" or "Bessenhan". Unfortunately, you might discover that while "McNamara" is a common surname in County Clare, that the correct spelling of "Besserman" is common all over Ireland.

Paul, to properly identify the "Besserman" family, it would help if you provided the Cleveland addresses listed for Patrick McNamara in the family bible, so they can be searched in newspaper archives. I found the 1882 obituary for Bridget Daffy McNamara by searching her address, "13 Everett".


The Unknown McNamara Family of Unknown County in Ireland and Cleveland, Ohio

Unknown McNamara (? - ≈1847) married Johanna Unknown (≈1816 - after 1870) in Ireland.

?.? Unknown McNamara Children? Johanna "Besserman" was age 54 in 1870, so born about 1816. She had a child born in Ohio about 1861. Perfectly feasible that she married around 1840, or earlier, and there were other McNamara children born prior to Patrick McNamara in or about 1847. They might even be living in Cleveland, Ohio.

1.0 Patrick McNamara (age 23 in 1870), born in Ireland about 1847. Living with "Besserman" household in Cleveland in the 1870 census with an occupation of "works in oil refinery", he cannot write. Married Emily Rogers in Cleveland on 20 July 1870 and signed the marriage certificate with an "X", he cannot write. Moved to Oil City, Michigan by 1873 and was recorded as a laborer in the 1874 Oil City directory. Four children.

***** Mr. McNamara most likely died about 1847 in the Great Famine. He might possibly, only remote chance of course, have been sent to Bermuda or Australia as a convict, in which case, I reckon, "his widow" would have remarried. See the still unfinished story of four Glandree men (Andrew Sheedy McNamara, Matt Collins, Martin McEvoy, and Thomas McMahon) sent to Bermuda on the Medway in 1847 on page 33 of this thread.

***** Mrs. Johanna McNamara, a widow with at least one child, married "D. Besserman" (≈1810 - after 1870) in Ireland about 1848.

2.0 John "Besserman" (age 21 in 1870), born in Ireland about 1849. His mother would have been 33 years old according to the 1870 census; not a typical age in Ireland for a first born child during this era. Hence, I reckon Mrs. Johanna "Besserman" had been previously married, and Patrick McNamara was her son.

3.0 Con "Besserman" (age 19 in 1870), Cornelius was born in Ireland about 1851. A name that is not as common as "John" or "Patrick" and very useful for genealogy searches.

***** "Besserman" family immigrated from Ireland to the United States between 1851 and 1854.

4.0 Catherine "Besserman" (age 16 in 1870), born in Ohio about 1854 per census. More likely that she was born in Delaware, and younger brother "D" was born in Ohio. Why would the family travel west to Ohio, then east to Delaware, and then west again to Ohio? Very unlikely. The census taker listed first the boys, in age order, then the girls, in age order. If he had put all the children in proper age order, regardless of a boy or girl, and left their place of birth alone, then Catherine would have indeed been born in Delaware (if confused, it would help to look at the actual 1870 census report).

5.0 "D Besserman" (age 13 in 1870), born in Delaware about 1857 per census. "D", a son, might be a "Denis", "Daniel", "David" etc. More likely that he was born in Ohio, and elder sister Catherine was born in Delaware. Or maybe the census taker was confused and "D" was born in Delaware County, Ohio?

***** Where was the "Besserman" family in the 1860 census? Where was Patrick McNamara, who arrived in "1859" according to the 1900 census, but likely much earlier as discussed in my prior posting, in 1860?

6.0 Bridget "Besserman" (age 9 in 1870), born in Ohio about 1861.

?.? Julia Minehan (age 9 in 1870), born in Ohio about 1861, was living in the "Besserman" household in 1870. Who is she?

In an exciting discovery, Patrick McNamara (≈1847 - 1925) of Oil City was reported in the 1870 census as a "Mahana" living in Cleveland with the "Besserman" household. Down South in Lexington, Kentucky, the Irish origin of every McNamara living in Lexington in 1880 has now, surprisingly, been traced back to either a specific townland or Catholic parish, except for the notorious Matthew "Red Mack" McNamara. His wife Bridget Williams McNamara was from Dromcolliher townland in County Limerick, but the origin of "Red Mack" has remained a mystery. Would the discovery of "Red Mack" in the 1860 census for Lexington, hitherto unknown, help reveal his true Irish county of origin? Or maybe, in an exciting twist, new evidence found in American records has been obtained which will point the origin of "Red Mack" in a completely new direction?

To be continued.

Hi Jimbo

Yes, I think are right in saying that Pat Mahana in the 1870 census is Patrick McNamara, since his age (23) accords with later records for the Patrick who married Emily Rogers that year and his occupation accords with Patrick’s occupation in Oil City. But we are still left with just Patrick and no real clue as to his relatives – that is if your theory that Johanna “Besserman” was a McNamara is just a theory. I don’t know how a record of Johanna’s marriage to a McNamara (if such there ever was) can ever be found, since the priest would have written her maiden name and likewise with her later marriage to D. “Besserman.” You don’t tell us what “Besserman” is – is it Bresnihan/Bresnan/Brosnan (Ó Brosnacháin)? In the original census document, “Besserman” looks more like “Bessenhan,” I think. The name Bresnahan features in the St. Senan’s (Kilrush) baptisms, but not in connection with a McNamara. I should say here that I only looked at a couple of transcriptions of registers. The name Bressingham (as mother’s name) appears in the Kilmurray McMahon baptism register 1845-1881: 19 Feb 1871: John of John Bermingham and Ellen Bressingham: https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls ... 1/mode/1up.
Both Kilrush and Kilmurray McMahon parishes are just across the river Shannon from Co. Kerry, where the name Brosnan is quite common, so it is not surprising that it should appear in the registers for those two parishes.

If Paul gives more information from the family Bible, there might be something more to go on, but I suspect that there is nothing.

Sheila