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I am researching my paternal 100% Irish Grandmother ancestor named May Lydon (maiden name) and her father, James Lydon and her mother, Margaret Fahy (maiden name) from County Galway, Galway City (at least the most likely location from the 1911 census confirmation that she lived on Nun's Island in Galway City). I have hit a TOTAL brick wall where I can't see her in a family unit in the 1901 and 1911 censuses. May was a child of 14 in the 1901 Irish Census. She was a dressmaker and age 24 and head of household living alone on Nun's Island in 1911. Can anyone help me? May was born on Sept 29, 1886 in Ireland as stated on her US wedding license to John Mark Smith Sr in 1913 in Chelsea, MA. May traveled the first time to the US in 1905 to NYC with her sister Annie and stayed in NYC with a brother, Michael, before continuing on to Lowell, MA to stay there. A sister Maggie was mentioned also on the ship's manifest. Annie's fare passage was paid for by her sister, Maggie. Give me your email and I will share my family tree for you to view (Smith Family Tree) so you can see it if you wish to assist me. I have very accurately documented everything with many source citations. My email is bigsyd007@gmail.com

SydFrissell, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

Monday 25th May 2020, 11:56PM

Message Board Replies

  • Hi,
    May is listed as 20 in the 1901 Census
    http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000807044/
    I can not find her birth record.
    Did Maggie stay in Ireland?
    Do you know who Maggie married?
    Margot

    Margot

    Tuesday 26th May 2020, 02:30PM
  • I believe this is probably May/Mary’s birth (2nd last entry on the page) - a few years earlier than the US and Irish records suggest, but matching day and month of birth. Mary Lydon born 28th September 1881 in Kinvarra Co. Galway, parents James Lydon and Honor Fahy, father’s occupation grocer, he reported the birth.

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Wednesday 27th May 2020, 05:43PM
  • Hi Margot & Shanew 147

    i am now believing that the May Lydon in the 1901 census is probably my May because she is/was a dressmaker in the ship manifest in 1905 and also in the 1911 census. This, even though she is 5 years older. The census records are off by at least 2 to 3 years - I have already learned when you compare the two for the same listed people. And, yes shanew - I have definitely decided that May shortened her name (she was a teen!) from Mary to May, which further identifiers her because VERY FEW Irish were named May - only ONE in ALL of Ireland that I have found - a May Costello.  

    THANK YOU for finding that record with James Lydon and Honor Fahy. The puzzle piece seems to fit. I could not find that record and, believe me - I have really searched. Ancestry isn't very helpful. I had decided to use that birth record to apply for an Irish passport and citizenship by grandparent descent.

    But!! Now I just realized after studying what I needed to register May/Mary on www.dfa.ie that I have an additional bunch of problems - with MYSELF!! I was adopted at age 12, so my last name changed. I was born a Smith (EVERYONE on my paternal side is Irish). so, i have no record of birth as a Smith (I am a Frissell now). My mother's marriage license has May's age and name wrong! Her age is 10 years off (45 instead of 55), May is Mae, and a middle name is given as Olga (?), and also, my Grandfather's age is also off by 8 years (50 instead of 58 - born 1884). See the records that are attached. The question that has to do with me though is: how do i prove my descent as a Smith? It hadn't even occurred to me! What a mess!

    But wait... There's more. May had a sister named Bridget Lydon who got pregnant about 1919 by the man, Michael O'Kelly, that she soon after married, and she stayed married all her life to him, and she lived and was buried in Sligo, Ireland. In 1920 Bridget shipped the baby named Phyllis O'Kelly  to America and her sister adopted her, and Phyllis took on the name Smith by 1930. (See her 2012 obituary.) Also, the 1905 Ship manifest list gives hints of her sisters and a brother. Also, I asked Google and it said that another name for Bridget in Ireland is Delia, and there is a Delia that lived with May in the 1901 census. Could this be Bridget? But, she wasn't a Lydon. Well,Thanks if you can help. God bless you.

     

    -Syd Frissell

    SydFrissell, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Thursday 28th May 2020, 02:57AM
  • Hi,
    Yes a bit of a tangle.
    All the records you posted are a great help.  This may take a bit of time to get answers.
    The only Bridget Lydon to a Michael O'Kelly I found was this marriage in 1911  (a bit different to what you say)
    https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_re…
    Margot

    Margot

    Thursday 28th May 2020, 10:47AM
  • Civil birth record for Mary’s sister Bridget born  2nd July 1883 in Kinvarra, to parents James Lyden and Honoria Fahy, father’s occupation appears to be ‘Hotel Keeper’ and he was the informant, see entry 88.

    There's a marriage in Dublin in 1911 for a Bridget Lydon and Michael Joseph O'Kelly - not certain if it's 'your' Bridget, the groom is shown as a 'student' and the bride's father is noted as James Lydon occupation Farmer, and also the birth of a child to this couple in April 1912, an Ethel Mary O'Kelly born in the Coombe hospital Dubin city, her parents lived at Millmount Avenue Drumcondra, Michael is noted as a Barrister on the record.

    **** apologies Margot, did not mean to post over you, we must have been typing at the same time ****

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Thursday 28th May 2020, 10:54AM
  • Your ok shanew147.  Its timing beween us all.
    I saw the Ethel Birth and wondered, then I looked again.
    Since then I have been in and out of sites to check something.
    I will come back when I get all the facts.
    Margot

     

    Margot

    Thursday 28th May 2020, 12:32PM
  • Hi, I am back,
    Ethel Mary Angela O'Kelly 1912, I noticed a death record on the same list. She died in 1932.
    https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_retu…
    It's hard to read, her Grand Aunt Marcella Clarence registered the death as Ethel must have lived there. Marcella was Connell before she married.
    This in Ballymote where Michael O'Kelly was from, Marcella must be Michael's Aunt.
    Margot

    Margot

    Thursday 28th May 2020, 12:48PM
  • another child to that couple Muriel Elizabeth Norah born 10th July 1916 (mentioned in that obit.) to parents Michael O'Kelly and Bridie Lydon, father's occupation this time is Journalist, the birth took place in Newry, County Down.  The births available online currently cut-off in 1919, so there may have been other children to the couple.

     

     

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Thursday 28th May 2020, 02:55PM
  • http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Galway_West_Urban/Nun_s_Island/1375772/

    Hi Syd

    The above Census record for 1901 shows family of Timothy Lydon & Anastasia Hynes. Appears the 4 members mentioned on the 1905 emigration record, Annie 20, Margaret, Michael and May 19 (Children of Timothy Lydon & Mary Whelan) match this record closely in age. 

    Both Annie (see 1911 Census) and Mary Married in Dublin in 1910 returned to Ireland. 

    Gerard, Parish Liaison Lackagh

    Thursday 28th May 2020, 04:45PM
  • Hello to Gerard, Margot & Shanew 147:

    Greetings again to my dear Irish friends!!! I accept everything all of you have found in records in reference to my grandmother, Mary Lydon, born Sep 29 1881 in Kinvarra, Galway, and her sister, Bridget Lydon, also born in Kinvarra on 2 Jul 1883. You are awesome and spot on. I found a record since Thursday (Sunday now) that has two sisters on a ship manifest to the US in 1908 that might shed some light on who Mary/May's siblings are. There are listed in a group 4 Lydons in a column, and 2 are sisters with the mother's name of Honor "Laydon"! The sisters are Bridget, age 23 & Mary, age 2. Also listed are apparent cousins, Katie & Sarah. Katie has a brother, Patrick Lydon, and Sarah has a father, Michael "Laydon". Katie, Bridget & Mary are from Galway, but I can't decipher the townlands, etc listed. What I desperately want is a breakthrough on May/Mary Lydon's siblings. I am certain there were many as seen in the age difference of the two sisters, if they are my ancestors. I have NEVER been able to place Mary/May in a real family and that is my wish. This is my brick wall and i need your help. You are all bringing the pieces together for me. 

    I also have a question on when Bridget O'Kelly died. I have a record that gives July/August/Sept 1948, age 65 as her date of death, but a family tree that I copied gives it as 1973. The FHL Film # is: 101744, Page 102, Vol 2 for this record. Her name on this record was Bridget Kelly. Bridget Lydon was born 2 Jul 1883. It seems like my Bridget. What do you think? It says she died in Sligo (probably in Ballycote).Can you help me once again? Thank you so very much!

    I am unable to upload files right now because I just installed a McAfee Total Protection Security Suite. It won't let me. Something about debugging info terminated the upload.I Can I do an upload on Facebook? I was going to upload several records. I can't read the township names on the ship manifest. 

    - Syd Frissell, Johnson City, Tennessee message me on Facebook and I will give you my Smith Fanily Tree ancestry tree access with an email: Sydney Frissell 

    SydFrissell, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Monday 1st Jun 2020, 04:04AM
  • re. Bridget [O'}Kelly nee Lydon, unfortunately that 1948 death doesn't appear to be 'your' Bridget,. as she's shown as a spinster, so unmarried and therefore Kelly would be her birth surname.

    The death record is included on the IrishGenealogy website the the register image confirms that page reference mentioned on that index record, i.e. 102.

    This Bridget died in June 1948 at the Mental Hospital Sligo, a spinster reported age 65.

    The difficulty with a search for Brdget's death is her very common name, combined with the limited information included on death certs. A search for any Bridget [O']Kelly deaths on IrishGenealogy  between 1918 and 1969 (*) shows over 1,300 deaths, some of course would be much too young to be considered. The 'recent' timeframe also causes a problem due to privacy concerns, e.g. searching for clues on additional children and marriages after 1944 etc. It's also possible that your Bridget died after the cut-off for death records on IrishGenealogy in 1969...

    *) after 1921 IrishGenealogy only covers records for the Republic of Ireland (i.e. southern Ireland or the 26 counties). 1969 is the current cut-off.

    Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Tuesday 2nd Jun 2020, 12:49PM
  • Hello again beloved "home-faces"!

    I have a second computer to use to upload records. (It doesn't have the security software that blocks me uploading to you. I will do that later today.

    I wanted to tell you the exciting news! I called a 23 year old city directory record of Bridget O'Kelly's (Lydon) grandson (he's my age- late 60s). I was amazed when the phnw answered and it was my 3rd cousin or whatever. He told me the complete family on Bridget - and you guys are all spot on. We are 100% correct. Phyllis O'Kelly/Smith was legitamately born but strangely, the couple chose to "give" Phyllis to Mat/Mary Smith/Lydon to adopt. No scandal. It seems Michael was a world traveler with two young children so he agreed to it. Michael had been using Kelly as his last name, but during the Irish Civil War he changed it back to O'kelly to be more Irish.

    I hope you can help me find May & Bridget's siblings, but I know everything now about my Great Aunt, Bridget. Thank you!!!

    - Syd Frissell

     

    SydFrissell, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Wednesday 3rd Jun 2020, 01:59PM
  • Hello:

    I am unable to upload files. The problem wasn't the McAfee security program. I deleted all my security software and still unable to upload files. I can't upload your Bridget Lydon civil birth certificate. I don't have it in my computer documents/jpgs.Can you send the link again?  But I can upload all your other URL links. I am confused. If you don't respond then I understand. You all have helped me greatly. I have totally given up on Ancestry Irish Genealogy research. I get NO RESULTS on the sisters, Mary and Bridget, being born in Kinvara.

    :

    SydFrissell, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Thursday 4th Jun 2020, 11:31PM
  • I AM STILL TRYING TO FIND THE SIBLINGS OF MY GRANDMOTHER, MARY LYDON, BORN   29 SEP 1881   FROM KINVARA, COUNTY GALWAY. HER SISTER IS BRIDGET LYDON, BORN   2 JUL 1883.  BOTH SISTERS RESIDED IN KINVARA. THE MOTHER WAS HONORIA FAHY (MAIDEN NAME) AND JAMES LYDON. THE BIRTHS WERE REGISTERED IN GORT. MAYBE THE ABOVE  RECORD OF A SHIP MANIFEST IN 1908 WILL HELP. I AM UNABLE TO READ THE TOWNLANDS.

    COULD SOMEONE PLEASE RESEND THE CIVIL BIRTH RECORD URL LINK OF BRIDGET LYDON THAT WAS ALREADY SENT ABOVE (MARGOT, MAY 28 )? THE LINK DOESN'T SEEM TO  WORK FOR ME FOR SOME REASON AND I WASN'T ABLE TO DOWNLOAD BRIDGET'S CIVIL BIRTH RECORD. I CAN'T FIND ANYTHING ON MY GRANDMOTHER'S SIBLINGS, AND ALL I DO IS TRY. I DON'T KNOW WHY. MY COMPUTER SECURITY SETTINGS ARE WORKING FINE NOW.

    THANK YOU. - SYD FRISSELL

    SydFrissell, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Friday 5th Jun 2020, 10:02PM
  • Attached Files
    Lydon Records.png (158.73 KB)

     

     

    Hi Syd.

    I have attached a photograph of a spreadsheet that I made of the Lydon family from the ship's manifest. The townlands look like Mauntrasna and Clonbur. I can't make out one that looks like Toney.

    They are on the Mayo Galway border. Clonbur in Galway, Tourmakeady in Mayo.

    Do you know if the Lydon's had a shop in Galway.

    Hope this is useful,

    Anne

    Anne McCarthy Murphy, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 7th Jun 2020, 10:16PM
  • Attached Files

    Here is a map of the area.I could not post the two files together.

    Anne

    Anne McCarthy Murphy, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 7th Jun 2020, 10:18PM
  • Attached Files
    Lydon Records.png (158.73 KB)

     

     

    Hi Syd.

    I have attached a photograph of a spreadsheet that I made of the Lydon family from the ship's manifest. The townlands look like Mauntrasna and Clonbur. I can't make out one that looks like Toney.

    They are on the Mayo Galway border. Clonbur in Galway, Tourmakeady in Mayo.

    Do you know if the Lydon's had a shop/grocery in Galway?

    Hope this is useful,

    Anne

    Anne McCarthy Murphy, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Monday 8th Jun 2020, 10:48AM
  • In fact, now there is no privacy, because it has become very easy https://bestparentalcontrolapps.com/phone-call-tracker/ to follow a person through his own mobile phone / smartphone. And the reason here lies in the imperfection of the security system of the phone itself and the ability to connect to the Internet.

    Tuesday 1st Sep 2020, 01:19PM
  • The Michael O'Kelly mentioned in the above thread is my grandmother's brother. He died in 1926 in St Thomas hospital, London of pneumonia, he and Bridget had four children, Ethel who died aged died of TB, Raymond, Muriel and Phyllis who has been mentioned already, the three eldest children were brought up by their grandparents in Ballymote, Co Sligo, Ethel is buried in the family grave.

    Gem

    Thursday 30th Sep 2021, 04:05PM

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