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Hello, 

I have been attempting to locate information on the birth place of my great grandmother, Mary (pronounced Mariah) Kelly, and information about her family in Ireland. I am also looking for emigration information. 

Mary Kelly married and settled in the western part of North Carolina, USA in 1879 and had several children with Benjamin Anderson Ledford, including my grandmother, Catherine Ledford Messmer who married, lived, gave birth to my mother and died in St. Louis, Missouri. 

I was able to get a baptismal record for one of Mary Kelly Ledford's children in Asheville, North Carolina that gave her place of birth as Roscommon County, Hibernia. However, I have been unable thus far to locate a parish, where I understand birth records may be kept. 

I am actively tracking records on ancestry.com and it is possible that Mary and a sister, Johanna, two years younger, were is St. Louis, Missouri, working as domestic servants in 1870.

Thank you for any information you have or suggestions you might make.

Kathy

Sunday 13th Jan 2019, 11:34PM

Message Board Replies

  • Kathy:

    Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

    I searched on the subscription site Roots Ireland in Co. Roscommon for the years 1848-1858 and there were 121 Mary Kelly baptismal records. So we definitely need her parents names to see if one of those records pertains to your ancestors. Irronically, for the same period there were no Johanna/Hanna Kelly baptismal records.

    You may want to add Mary's story to our XO Chronicles site and possibly someone will see a connection https://www.irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/history-and-genealogy/ancestor-dat…

    Have you considered DNA testing?

    Roger McDonnell

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Monday 14th Jan 2019, 12:58AM

  • Hi Roger, 

    Thank you for your quick reply and for your search on Roots Ireland. It took me over a year of steady searching to finally find a baptismal record that indicated that my great grandmother was from County Roscommon. Interestingly, when I looked back at that record I noticed that the godfather's name was Joannus O'Donnell and godmother was Catharina Hamerick.

    I have done DNA testing. 

    I am pretty sure that Mary Kelly was born between 1852 and 1854 as ages that she married and appeared in the census' in the USA are all pretty much in agreement. I did read that Irish custom was to name your first son after his father's father and the first daughter after the mother's mother. Mary Kelly's sons were in order of birth: Edward Issac, Benjamin Anderson, Barnett and daughters in order of birth: Allie & Ella (twins), Catherine, and Annie Bell. I've tried to guess birth parents' names and trace possible parents back but haven't had any luck yet.

    I was in Ireland a couple of years and at that time (before I had the baptismal record) thought that Mary Kelly might be from County Carlow so spent some time there in the library. I am planning to return this spring and stay in Roscommon a couple of nights but hope to have some more definitive information before my trip. 

    Thanks again, 

    Kathy

    Kathy

    Monday 14th Jan 2019, 03:07AM

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