Share This:

Searching for info on Thomas McGinnis (b 1863) and John Dolan (b 1865) from Elphin, Roscommon (updated from 2012 original posting)

Both sides of my mother-in-law's family originated in Elphin, Strokestown, Roscommon. 

Thomas McGinnis was born in September, 1863 to Patrick McGinnis of Elphin and Mary Agnes Bierne.  Michael and Mary emigrated to New York City sometime after Thomas was born and had six more children in New York. By 1900 Thomas was married to Mary Tarrant from Cork.  Thomas (working as a postman) and Mary were living in Bayonne, New Jersey where they had Marha Rosalie in 1897 and Leo Joseph in 1900. Martha is my wife's grandmother.

John Joseph Dolan was born in 1865 to Patrick Dolan of Elphin and Margaret Sharkey.  John emigrated to Worcester, Massachusetts prior to 1891 (sometime between 1884 and 1886) and married Mary Elizabeth Boyle (from Worcester, Mass), the daughter of Daniel F Boyle (from Kiltoghert, Letrim) and Elizabeth A Farrell. Family lore says that Elizabeth may have been from Shannon -- not confirmed.  John and Mary were living in Worcester and had Daniel James in 1891, John Francis in 1894, Thomas F in 1900, and Vincent Joseph in 1905.  John Francis in my wife's grandfather.

Thomas McGinnis and John Joseph Dolan were said to be friends (and may even have been related) when they lived in Elphin.  That may be true because John Francis Dolan (my wife's grandfather) is living with the McGinnis family in Bayonne, New Jersey while he was getting established as an insurance and stock broker.  He is listed as a cousin.

John Francis Dolan and Martha Rosalie McGinnis were married in 1922.

Doe anyone know anything about the Dolan and McGinnis families from Elphin, Strokestown, Roscommon?

darndt

darndt

Tuesday 22nd Dec 2015, 06:54PM

Message Board Replies

  • darndt:

    Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

    We received a tremendous number of messages right before Christmas and many messages did not get a response and we apologize. We are currently doing a cleanup operation. Below is the link for the online parish register for the Elphin RC parish. There is a gap on the register for baptisms from April 1862 through 1865 and it is quite possible that Thomas and John were caught up in the gap. I do not see a record for either on Roots Ireland. I did do a 20 year scan for siblings based on the parental info you provided. I did not locate a sibling to John Dolan but did find a sibling to Thomas. The transcription is shown below. if this is the correct family, they lived in either Killynagh Beg or Killynagh More townland in Elphin civl parish. The 1855 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Elphin parish shows a John McGuinness in Killynagh More townland and it is likely that John was the father of Patrick and grandfather to Thomas and John. 

    http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/roscommon/elphin.htm

    You may want to consider having your wife take a autosomal DNA test which would possibly identify matches which might provide more info on the Dolans and McGuinnesses.

    Roger McDonnell

    http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0556

    Name:John McGuinnessDate of Birth:21-May-1866
    Date of Baptism:26-May-1866Address:KillinaParish/District:ELPHINGender:MaleCountyCo. Roscommon
    Denomination:Roman Catholic
    Father:Patrick McGuinnessMother:Mary BeirneOccupation:
    Sponsor 1 /
    Informant 1:Michael CarnySponsor 2 /
    Informant 2:Honor Carny

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Wednesday 27th Jan 2016, 09:27PM

Post Reply