Nolan

Dear bluejayz:

Many thanks for your post to the Ireland Reaching Out message board and welcome to the site!

Can you give the detail with regard to Matthew's son's baptism details from Roscommon?  There were a number of Nolans in County Roscommon and it would help to narrow down the search.

In addition, do you have the ages of the children born to Patrick in the 1860 Census and whether or not they were born in Ireland?

Please post further information if you have it.

Kind regards,

Jane.

Hi Jane,

     Thank you for answering so quickly.  The baptism record I found was listed on Roots Ireland.  Joannem (John) was baptized on June 16,1843. Parents Mathiae Nolan and Brigiddae Conaten. Sponsor Elleanor Coffey. Listed as Killmain and Killinvoy Roscommon. Parrish Knockcroghery.  As for Michael and Sarah, the 1850 census lists them as having two children: Mary 7 (born in Ireland) and Patrick 1 (born in Pennsylvania).  In the 1860 census they have four children: Patrick age 13, Francis age 10, Sarah age 8, and Catherine age 2. All of them were born in Pennsylvania.

      I hope this information helps.

Thank you,

Jackie

Hi Jane,

     I found a death certificate for a Mary Ann ( Nolan) Cawley on Ancestry.com. It lists her birth date as August 9, 1843 and death date as October 10, 1924.  She was born in Pennsylvania and died in Port Clinton, Pennslyvania. Her parents are listed as Michael Nolan (born in Ireland) and Sarah Handley (born in Ireland).  I am pretty certain that this is the Mary in the 1850 census. 

     I hope this information helps in your research.  I am still trying to find more.​

Thank you for your help,

Jackie

Hi Jane,

  Haven't heard from you in a while. Just wondering if you received my last message and if you have found anything.  I am still trying to find out more on my side of the ocean,

Thank you,

Jackie

Hi Jackie!

Jane Halloran Ryan asked me to take a look at your message. Jane is our Acting lead for all the IRO volunteers and is very busy at the moment. I looked at your message and I think part of the problem is that the RC records for Killinvoy/Knockcroghery/St. Johns start in late July 1841 and it appears that Michael and Sarah and Martin and Bridget were likely married before July 1841. It also appears that Michael and Sarah left Ireland in the early 1840s since their daughter Mary was born in Pennyslvania in 1843 based on your followup message.

There are four possible civil parishes where the Nolan/Nowlans might have lived: Kilmeane, Killinvoy, Rahara and St. John's.

I looked back at the Tithe listings from the late 1820s/early 1830s and there are Nolan records in each of those parishes. Without knowing the father's name (John and Patrick are good possibilities), we can't know for sure which might be for your Nolan family.

If you have not done so previously, you may want to scan the early part of the baptismal and marriage registers for the parish. You might find a record of interest. Of course the Great Hunger hit Ireland and Roscommon was very impacted in the latter part of the 1840s. http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0562

Have you considered autosomal DNA testing?

You may have matches with other people who have Nolan connections and they may have more info on the origins of the family in Roscommon.

Let me know what questions you have.

Roger McDonnell