My great-grandfather Michael Purcell was born in Tralee on January 28, 1864 to Dennis Purcell and Joanna Bresnahan. He "learned to walk on the boat" on the family's way to Milltown, N.B. that summer where Joanna's brother Michael Bresnahan had found work.
SusanE
Saturday 18th Feb 2017, 04:15AMMessage Board Replies
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Susan:
Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!
I will alert our parish liaison in Tralee about your message. I assume you are looking for information on the family of Michael Purcell.
Roger McDonnell
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Saturday 18th Feb 2017, 02:27PM -
Hi Susan, what record do you have that gives Michael's birth as 1864? Did he have other brothers or sisters born in Ireland?
Do you have more information about the Bresnahans? Census records from the new world etc.
Is it Milltown, New brunswick, Canada you are referring to?
There are 20 entries in Griffith's Valuation for Purcell c 1852 but none for a Denis.
97 entries in the 1901 Census for Purcell in County Kerry of which 17 are in Tralee Urban District.
Did Denis have a trade or profession?
Did you find death records for Denis or Johanna?
Sorry for all the questions, Denis & Joanna left Ireland just on the cusp of Civil Registration of BMD and some of the records have gaps around that time.
I look forward to hearing from you again soon and will search again then.
Warm wishes
Martine
Martine, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Sunday 19th Feb 2017, 09:26AM -
Thank you for the quick response. I'm afraid that no one in the Purcell branch of the family has been able to find Michael's birth certificate or baptismal record - either by mail or in person when visiting County Kerry. Here is part of Michael's obituary from the front page of the St. Croix Courier,August 15, 1946. MICHAEL PURCELL DIES AT MILLTOWN, N.B. IN 83RD YEAR
Entertainer, Wit, Union Leader... Milltown lost one of its oldest and most interesting citizens in the death of Michael Purcell which occurred at his home on Friday evening, August 9, at the age of 82. He was the last of a once considerable number of Irishmen who came to the St. Croix when their families migrated in the 1860s. His birthplace was the town of Tralee, County Kerry, near the Lakes of Killarney, his birthdate January 28, 1864, and his parents the late Dennis and Johanna (Bresnahan) Purcell. The family left Ireland July 8, 1864, when Michael was an infant of six months, arriving in Milltown, July 25, where he resided all of his life.
.... No one in the Purcell family knows who Michael's paternal grandparents are. His father Dennis Purcell was born on Christmas Day, 1843 but that is as far back as we can get. on that generation. Here is a bit from his December 4, 1919, obituary in the St. Croix Courier Another of the old citizens of Milltown passed to the great majority on Tuesday morning, November 21, in the person of Dennis Purcell, Sr. Deceased was 75 years of age having been born in Ireland. He had been employed for many years in the sawmills of Milltown and after the building of the cotton mill, accepted a position of overseer of the yard, laboring of the company up to three years ago when failing health forced him to retire from active work. During his life as a workman, he could always be found at his post of duty, having no desire to shirk the responsibilty of providing for his family. The deceased was known for his cheerful disposition and at times was called by his friends :"a young old man".
SusanE
Sunday 19th Feb 2017, 03:58PM -
What a beautiful obituary for Denis...
I will search again later this week Susan, In the meantime can I suggest that you look at baptismal sponsors for any children born in Milltown NB and let me know who they are to see if they might help to lead you home.
Also any property records which might point up connections between the Purcells and other Kerry families.
Many thanks
Martine
Martine, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Monday 20th Feb 2017, 01:58AM -
Hi, Martine, I've researched the Purcell siblings' baptismal sponsors over the years with no luck in discovering a County Kerry connection, but I'll double check the godparents' origins again.
SusanE
Tuesday 21st Feb 2017, 12:43AM -
Hi Susan, I did some searching on familysearch and I can see what the problem is, with most records only saying Ireland as place of origin. The Wiki lists a number of resources which might be useful to you
https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/New_Brunswick_Online_Genealogy_Records
Bresnahan/Brosnan is a very common name in Kerry, as are the names Joanna & Michael so although there are lots of returns I can't connect them to you.
This return for Michael Bresnan 1871 and his wife Mary might be relevant
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4MX-MPK
1881
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MV6W-RNR
These are images of the Marriage Registers if this Michael is yours the record may show his (and Joanna's) parents names which is what we need. I am sorry I don't have the time to go through them all but you might find something.
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2001063
Good luck Susan
Martine
Martine, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Wednesday 22nd Feb 2017, 10:08AM -
Thanks for all of the work you are putting into this, Martine. You are going above and beyond!
My great-great grandmother Joanna was born October 12, 1844 to Thomas Bresnahan and Mary Eager. Descendants of Joanna's brother Michael Bresnahan, born 1830, say that the Thomas Bresnahan living in Currans during the 1851 Griffith's Valuations is ours. A few years ago, a descendant through Thomas and Mary's son Michael Bresnahan wrote to me "Yes. My uncle with the Bible told me a story how he had read through the book before a trip he took to Ireland and discovered the notes about the Bresnahans coming from Currens Village. He also remembered Uncle Dan (Bresnahan) talking about it too."
SusanE
Wednesday 22nd Feb 2017, 09:32PM -
Hi Susan, I'm glad you gave me this information because now we have something to work with. I found the link in Griffith's Valuation. It shows Thomas Bresnahan living in the townland of Crag, Currans in 1853 tenant of William Quinlan.
There is a Brosnan family still living in Crag in 1901 John born c 1850 and his wife Margaret. John is a shoemaker.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Kerry/Currana/Crag/1418426/
By 1911, their son Timothy is married to Hannah
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Kerry/Currans/Crag/270230/
I think this is Timothy's bapt cert 1876
Patrick 1872
Margaret 1878
Catherine 1880
John 1885
The Church marriage record of John Brosnan & Margaret Bowler in 1871 Feb 4 in Firies unfortunately does not give us their parents names. However if you apply to the gro.ie & ask for a research copy for 4 euros they should be able to find the cert so that you can confirm if Thomas was John's father in which case you will have a possible lead on who remained in Ireland.
On an interesting note, I found 4 returns, , irishgenealogy.ie in the 1830's for a Thomas Brosnan of Currens, wife Mary EGAN, in the Church Parish of Killeentierna. Is it possible that Eagar was misread? So I suggest you take a look at the originals here because you may find much more information http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0664
I am sorry we could not be more helpful re Purcell but if you pursue the Brosnans you may uncover a Purcell along the way.
Given the information you have you may well be able to trace your Brosnan/Bresnahan family to the current day.
Please let us know how you get on. It would be lovely to know if there is a happy ending for you.
Warm wishes
Martine
Martine, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Thursday 23rd Feb 2017, 09:59AM -
Thank, Martine! I'll have fun looking through those.
Out of all of my Irish-born ancestors who died in Milltown, N.B., the only one with an official provincial death certificate that still exists is Johanna. It incorrectly lists her father as a Purcell, instead of Bresnahan... but whether her mother's surname was spelled Ager or Eager, it doesn't sound like Eagan.
Province of New Brunswick Department of Health Certificate of Registration of Death
(Name of Deceased) JOHANNA PURCELL (Sex) F
(Date of Death) 24 May 1923 (Date of Registration) 26 May 1923
(Place of Death) Milltown Parish
(Place of Birth) Ireland (Date of Birth) 12 October, age 78 years
(Father) THOS. PURCELL (Mother) MARY AGER
(Place of Burial) Milltown
(Funeral Director) S.O. Mehan & Son
(Signer of Medical Certificate) Dr. W.H. LaughlinSusanE
Thursday 23rd Feb 2017, 10:33PM -
Susan, I came across your posts when doing a search of my own and think we also may be distant relatives.
Dennis and Johanna also had a son named Francis who married Ida Mary Crowley in NB. They had a daughter Alice who married Adrian Cuddy (my great grandparents) in 1923 after moving to New York City in 1917. Their daughter Dorothy (my grandmother) married John Lynch amd they had two daughters Dorothy (my aunt) and Susan (my mom).
Lenny Thomas
Tuesday 2nd Jan 2018, 02:36PM