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Hello!

I am researching my great-great grandparents who left County Mayo and settled in Wisconsin, USA in the 1840s. My biggest challenge is narrowing down where they came from in County Mayo-  Parish, Townsland, or Diocese.

James Rogan and his wife Nancy (Kearney / Carney) Rogan first came to the US around 1839-40, and settled in Saratoga Springs, NY. They were married in 1838 in Ireland. After about 4 or 5 years, they moved BACK to Ireland in 1844 or 45, then turned around and came back to the US in 1847 or 48. They may have lived in Boston for a year - it's unclear. But, they clearly lived in Cincinnati, OH for 1 or 2 years, then settled in Oconomowoc and then Lebanon, WI in 1849-1852. James built a log cabin and started a farm. Both James and Nancy died in 1880. They had nine or ten children - Martin, Bartholomew (Bartley), James, Mary, Ellen, Anthony B, Catherine, Michael, and Margaret. Anthony B went on to be a judge in Wisconsin and is my great grandfather.

We have family bible pages from their son Anthony B's bible that say James was born in County Mayo January 10, 1808, and Nancy (maiden name Kearney/Carney) was born also in County Mayo in 1818. None of the records we have indicate WHERE in County Mayo either one was born, or where they were married. We would love to find out more about locations in Ireland of these events, or names of their family members. 

We have biographies of some of James and Nancy's kids that indicate James' father was Bartholomew Rogan, of Norman lineage, ancestry dating back to the days of William the Conqueror, and spent his entire life in County Mayo, employed in stone cutting. Bartholomew had two brothers also stone cutters or stone masons who may have also emigrated to the US before or after James did. Nancy Kearney's father was Patrick Kearney, also born and bred in County Mayo. Interestingly, Patrick served in the English army and for two years was a member of the King's Guards, serving in Egypt, India, and Gibraltar. Patrick was really tall, 6'6" and had brothers who were taller. We do not have birth dates, parishes, or townsland information for Patrick Kearney or Bartholomew Rogan or the names of either man's wife or other children they may have had.

In the US, the family was Roman Catholic. However, some current US cousins say the family story indicates they were Protestant at some point in the past in Ireland.

Thank you so much for any help you can provide!

Pete Rogan

rogan.pete

Sunday 14th Sep 2014, 02:04AM

Message Board Replies

  • Hi Pete

    I searched every site I know for James, Nancy & Bartholomew but came up empty EXCEPT for the Tithe Applotments (1823-37) free online which have a Bartley Rogan in Mayo (no year given) but the Townland is CLOGGERNAUGH and the parish ADDERGOOLE.

    Is Bartley short for Bartholomew?

    http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/results.jsp?surname=Rogan&firstname=&county=Mayo&townland=&parish=&search=Search&sort=&pageSize=&pager.offset=0

    There are quite a few Rogans in Mayo in Griffiths Valuation 1848-64 but no Bartleys

    My last throw of the dice was to look in my cd 'Memeorials of the Dead for Galway & Mayo but there are no Rogans!

    Col

    ColCaff, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 14th Sep 2014, 03:52AM

  • Pete:

    In addition to the Bartley Rogan record that Col found, you may want to look at Rathoonagh townland in Kilbride civil parish. When you search the Tithes for Rogan in Mayo you get 22 records with some dups. When you search Kearney, you get 27 records with some dups. There is a Martin Rogan in Rathoonagh townland Kilbride parish and a Thomas and Michael Kearney in the same townland. I know you indicated that Patrick was the father of Nancy. However, finding the two names in the same townland may be a coincidence but you should consider as a lead.

    Kilbride parish is up in North. Mayo near Ballycastle.

    Roger McDonnell

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Sunday 14th Sep 2014, 02:30PM

  • Col,

    Thanks so much for the digging you did. I'm sorry so many steps were dead ends. The Tithe Applotments is a good tip. We had seen that too in our digging, but weren't sure what to make of it. With your mention of it, I'm thinking this is a good theory for now to try to test out (which I'll do on the Addergoole board later today). As for the Bartly nickname, there is a US son of James named Bartholomew who went by Bartley - so that is a good sign the Bartly in the tithe books MIGHT be a Bartholomew, if not _our_ Bartholomew.

    Thanks again!

    -Pete Rogan

    rogan.pete

    Sunday 14th Sep 2014, 06:00PM

  • Roger,

    Thanks so much for this research and theory you've put forth.

    I was wondering how to locate some Kearneys and Rogan near enough to each other that James and Nancy had a chance of meeting back in the 1830s.

    As you note, while these are not the father's names we have, they are still names of male children of James and Nancy - Martin is their eldest son, and Michael their second oldest. So, perhaps "Bartholomew" Rogan was actually Martin Bartholomew Rogan, and "Patrick" Kearney could have been Michael Patrick Kearney. Or perhaps Martin and Michael are just cousins of the Rogans and Kearneys I know. But, if we can track them down, we might find a link to James and Nancy.

    This is a good theory to dig into a bit more. Thanks again!

    -Pete Rogan

    rogan.pete

    Sunday 14th Sep 2014, 06:04PM

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