Seeking ancestors of Masterson Family

Moya:

Welcome to ireland Reaching Out!

Unfortunately, RC church records for Ballycroy do not start until 1880. I checked the 1856 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Kilcommon parish and the only Masterson was a John Masterson in Claggan townland. The Tithe records did not show any James Masterson records other than a couple in Mulranny.

Where did you find the info on Michael?

Have you considered autosomal DNA testing?

Below is a YouTube video I foudn when I was searching showing sheep in Claggan.

Let me know if you have questions.

Roger McDonnell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geHbL0ou_vU

I checked the Griffiths, I think John Masterson who was a tailor must have been one of the brothers, as that seems to run in the family.  I found Michael after a long search and intuition. The James (junior) was my great grandfather. He married in 1865 to Bridget Philbern who was from Westport. The marriage took place in Worcester. However their third child was born in Liverpool and the godmother was Mary Ann Masterson, so I went searching for her as I guessed she was either a sister or sister-in-law to James. I found her and her husband Michael on the 1881 census. They were married in 1864 and his father (deceased) was James, a tailor, so I knew I had the right one.  They had 2 children, William James b.1865 and Mary Ann b. 1867. I could not find them on the 1871 census.  The son was listed as James on the 1881 census. Michael died May 1881 age 48. Could not find much about the children, there was newspaper report about a James Masterson assaulting the chief engineer on the RMS Bonny, he got two months imprisonment. The marriage of Michael and Mary Ann was somewhat dysfunctional, at one time she poured boiling water over him. She appears to have been an habitual criminal and the 1891 census sees her in Walton jail. I did not research any further, as there was no trace of the children as far as the censuses go.